Something fishy

The next time you're at a restaurant debating about what to order, here's a tip: Get the halibut. The fish is rich in magnesium, an essential nutrient for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, and most Americans don't get enough of it.

Granted, no one needs one more thing to worry about, but if you aren't getting enough magnesium it could lead to all sorts of health problems. Without it our immune systems, hearts, bones, muscles, and nerves couldn't function properly. Research shows that magnesium helps regulate blood pressure and preliminary studies are investigating its role in controlling migraine headaches.

Other foods to add to your diet for a magnesium boost are green vegetables, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, and whole, unrefined grains.

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Cutting out surgery

Q: My wife's doctor says that she has fibroid tumors on her uterus and, of course, they are suggesting surgery to either remove the tumors or to perform a complete hysterectomy. I refuse to believe that is her only option. Are there alternatives?

JVW: The United States performs more hysterectomies than anywhere else in the developed world, and many are totally unnecessary.

Almost all uterine fibroids are benign and their growth is most likely promoted by an imbalance of good and bad estrogens. Since fibroids tend to shrink and disappear after menopause, the idea behind performing hysterectomy is essentially to bring on menopause. I think it makes more sense to try to balance estrogen levels first before considering such drastic surgery.

The good news is there are many natural ways to gain estrogen balance. Your wife could try DIM (diindolylmethane), a safe and effective way to bring balance to her estrogen ratio. Other supplements that will support this effort are vitamin E (600 IU at bedtime), supplemental magnesium (300 milligrams daily), and vitamin B6 (50 milligrams a day). She could also try SSKI, a potassium and iodide solution that my patients have had great success using. It can shrink or even eliminate uterine fibroids.

But the very first step is to have your wife's estrogen and progesterone levels checked and then find a physician to help you who is familiar with nutritional and natural healing. In most cases uterine fibroids are uncomfortable, but not life-threatening. She can afford to take some time to try some alternatives before resorting to surgery.

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What is ....a mineral?

Minerals are chemical elements that are present in food. At least 13 minerals are considered essential to maintain good health. Among them are potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and copper.

The bulk of the body's minerals are in the skeletal structure, with calcium and phosphorus making up three-quarters of the average adult's bodily mineral content. The body's concentration of minerals is maintained through absorption from the gut and excretion through the kidneys, bile, and other intestinal secretions.

Minerals work in combination with enzymes, hormones, vitamins, and transport substances, assisting in nerve transmission, muscle contraction, cell permeability, tissue rigidity and structure, blood formation, acid-base balance, fluid regulation, protein metabolism, and energy production.

Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Editorial Director
Nutrition & Healing

 Sources: none