Magnesium sulfate is MgSO4. In the natural state it is found in the hydrated state, with seven molecules of water of crystallization. In this form it is called as magnesium sulfate heptahydrate or Epsom salt and has the chemical formula MgSO4.7H2O. On heating up to 250C, it loses all its molecules of water of crystallization and falls into a dry amorphous powder. Magnesium sulfate is a colorless and odorless powder, and is highly soluble in water.
Magnesium sulfate is an extremely versatile drug and has a variety of therapeutic uses. Magnesium sulfate taken orally can act as a laxative. When taken intravenously or intramuscularly, it can reduce the convulsions during labor and even halt premature labor. It can also be applied locally in the form of creams to treat inflammation of the skin and conditions such as ingrown nails.
Magnesium sulfate is used as a cure for a certain case of pregnancy-induced high blood pressure in women called preclampsia. It can also be administered when the condition of preclampsia aggravates and becomes the more chronic condition of eclampsia. Magnesium sulfate is administered intravenously to such patients. It can reduce the convulsions during eclampsia.
Excess dosage of magnesium sulfate can cause nausea, dizziness, severe constipation and vomiting along with muscle weakness and lethargy. It can also pass through the placenta and enter the bloodstream of the infant. However, magnesium sulfate is soluble in water and so its level within the body returns to normal within a few days.
Caution must be used when the person is already taking other drugs. Magnesium sulfate can react with ritodine and terbutaline and cause severe complications such as pulmonary edema and other cardiovascular problems. However, taken under the prescription of the physician, it is a mild to very effective drug for most of the problems mentioned above.
Besides therapeutic uses, magnesium sulfate also has some industrial uses. Due to its high affinity for water, it can be used as a dehydrating agent in organic syntheses. It also finds use as a bath salt in floatation therapy.
Magnesium provides detailed information on Calcium Magnesium, Magnesium, Magnesium Chloride, Magnesium Citrate and more. Magnesium is affiliated with Calcium Deficiency.
The interest of the modern Western world on the wisdom of the ancient eastern Chinese herbal remedy as a complementary or alternative therapy is rising and gaining popularity because of its holistic approach, emphasis on quality of life and prevention of illness by strengthening and restoring the body’s immune system.
Building a strong immune system is critical for the body to recognize and eliminate cancerous cells. Cancer is a disease resulting from uncontrolled defective cell division from damaged genes from any parts of the body. A weaker or impaired immunity will increase your susceptibility to various bacterial and virus infection, allergies, eczema, chronic fatigue, sickness and aging prematurely also.
Modern advanced technology and scientific research have helped to unlock the many preventive and healing secrets in Chinese herbs.
History of Ancient Herbal Remedy
Reishi (Ganoderma Lucidum) - is a mushroom commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Japanese medicine. In Japan it is called Mannetake meaning ‘thousand year mushroom’.
Its Chinese name is Lingzhi which means “herb of the spirit”. It was a very rare and precious Chinese herb in ancient time and Emperors of the great Chinese dynasties and Japanese royalty drank teas and concoctions of Lingzhi for vitality and long life.
For over 2000 years Reishi mushroom has been the most cherished and sought after medicinal herb in Asia and rated as one of the superior herbs in the “Seng Nong’s Herbal Classic”, a 2000-year old medicinal Chinese book for:
- its efficacy for multiple diseases
- maintaining and restoring balance to the body’s interdependent systems
- safety in long-term consumption with no unfavorable side-effects
- natural resistance of the body and longevity
The dried powder of reishi was popular as a cancer chemotherapy agent in ancient China. Research has shown that reishi clearly demonstrated anticancer activity with cancer cells and has possible therapeutic potential as a dietary supplement for an alternative therapy for breast and prostate cancer.
Medicinal mushrooms such as Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi) and Cordyceps have well been documented in many recent scientific studies to be potent medicine to enhance and support the body’s immune function from certain compounds in them such as polysaccharides which increase the activity of the body’s natural killer cells(lymphocytes) that are vital to eliminate foreign cells(such as cancer cells).
Supporting research reports published in the Journal of Alternative Complement Med. 2003, Journal of Cancer Integrative Medicine 2004, International Journal of Oncology 2004, FASEB 2004 showed that reishi clearly:
- demonstrates anticancer activity in experiments with cancer cells
- protects the liver and improves liver functions
- has possible therapeutic potential as a dietary supplement for an alternative therapy for breast and prostate cancer
Health Benefits of Reishi(Ganoderma Lucidum):
- supports the body’s own immune system by promoting the activity of antibodies
- improves the body’s resistance to stress and infections
- balances stress response
- reduces allergies
- promotes healthy liver function
- enhances the body’s detoxifying process to off load toxins
- inhibits invasiveness of breast and prostate cancer cells
- supports a normal, restful sleep
- enhances vitality and energy
Tips to select the Best Reishi
- choose red reishi - it has the highest quality extract and has most scientific evaluations
- choose those with cracked spores - which release the medicinal benefits and better absorbed by body
- solid wood log cultivation - this determines the potency of the resulting fungus
- look for Good Manufacturing Practice(GMP) standards - this ensures the stability of reishi active bio-components harvested
- standardization of active constituents - the effectiveness of reishi lies in its polysaccharides and triterpenes contents
Many commercial preparations are available, such as extracts, dietary supplement, tinctures, dried fruiting bodies, teas and teabags, tonics and pills.
Elena Leong is a health enthusiast and adviser in holistic health, a certified Aromatherapist by International Federation of Aromatherapy UK(IFA) and the founder of http://www.1Menopause.com - a website for women going through menopause. She has helped many to restore their health and vitality through holistic therapy and herbal nutrition supplement.
Is sugar healthy? Let’s explore the question.
A hundred years ago, the average sugar consumption was five pounds a year and heart disease, cancer and diabetes were practically unknown. Today, Americans eat 158 pounds of sugar a year and heart disease, cancer and diabetes are our number one killers. Is there any correlation?
Although the powerful sugar industry would have you think otherwise, sugar’s not just bad for your teeth, it’s a killer. High glycemic sugars cause an unhealthy insulin surge and replace nutritious foods in your diet. They’re bad for your looks, bad for the way you feel and just plain bad for you - Period! Unhealthy sweets have been shown to lead to obesity, kidney stones, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease and to be a major contributor to behavior and learning problems in children.
The food industry has dozens of word “disguises” for high glycemic sugars. Most common are honey, dextrose, lactose, corn syrup, maltodextrin, mannitol and sorbitol. But no matter what you call it, it’s still dangerous.
And don’t be fooled by so-called “health food” treats. In order to profit from the public sweet tooth, many manufacturers offer a large array of unhealthy sugar-laden foods. The current popular “health food” new age term for sugar is “crystals.” There’s Florida Crystals, cane juice crystals, organic dehydrated cane juice, unbleached crystallized evaporated cane juice and raw cane crystals. These can be found in whole grain cereals, baked goods, granola bars and many other foods and drinks found in “health food” aisles.
Another high-glycemic vesion is Rapadura (or Sucanat). Marketers call Rapadura “the perfect organic, unbleached, unrefined sweetener” and claim “processing methods retain the natural vitamins and minerals in sugar.” This may sound good, but it’s just honey-coated hype.
Sugar has never been grown or consumed for its nutritional value. Although there are some nutrients, they’re miniscule and definitely not worth the trade off. You’re better off eating fresh fruits and vegetables for their high vitamin, mineral and phytonutrient content. Fruits and vegetables have natural sugars in the form of low-glycemic fructose. Plus, there’s plenty of good fiber to support normal insulin response.
Whether you’re shopping at health food stores or supermarkets, read labels. Go for products either extremely low in sugar or sugar-free. And choose fresh fruits and veggies for dessert and snacks.
Moss Greene makes it easy for you to look and feel better. Visit her site at http://nutrition.bellaonline.com to learn the simple things you can do for yourself right now. Be sure to subscribe to her free newsletter - you don’t want to miss a thing!
Do you know your ph? By getting ph strips at a pharmacy, pool store or lab you can test your urine in the moring and see it’s range. A good range is between 6.5 and 7.2. Most of are too acidic.When we are too acidic, the body takes minerals from important organs and our bones to neutralize the acid.
These minerals can include calcium, sodium, potassium and magenesium. Though we may not notice it, an overly acidic situation can develop in time into various symptoms and problems.
In the Book Alkalize or Die , Dr. Theodore A. Baroody says ,”The countless names of illnesses do not really matter. What does matter is that they all come from the same root cause…too much tissue acid waste in the body!”- Theodore A. Baroody, N.D., D.C., Ph.D.
Some problems thatcan indicate acidosis include: bladder and kidney conditions, immune deficiency, diabetes, weak brittle bones and lactic acid build up. PH is behind the bodies electrical system, intracellular activity and the way our bodies utilize enzymes, and minerals, and vitamins. That is why pH is one of the first things to be looked at if you are experiencing an imbalance in your body. Decades ago Dr. Otto Warburg, the only physician to ever win two Nobel prizes, proved that cancer can not exist in an alkaline/high pH environment.
We can eat more alkalinic foods which include brocoli, carrots, dried figs, celery, grains and many fruits. On the other
hand, the active ingredient in the soft drink Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8 and it will dissolve a nail in about four days. The phosphates in soft drinks bind to calcium and we can’t absorb it. The typical Western diet is largely composed of acidic or acidifying elements (proteins, cereals, sugars). Alkaline foods such as vegetables are eaten in much smaller quantities; their alkaline content is insufficient to neutralize surplus acids.
Stimulants like tobacco, coffee, tea, and alcohol are also extremely acidifying. When we get angry or stressed we are also making the body ph more acidic. Our ph changes not just from the foods we eat, but due to our emotional states.
Some books worth reviewing at the library include:
Understanding Acid-Base - A medical text on the fundamentals of human blood pH, by Benjamin Abelow, M.D. 1998; Williams &
Wilkins, Baltimore, MD.
The pH Miracle - Balance Your Diet, Reclaim Your Health, by Robert O. Young, Ph.D. 2002, Warner Books, Inc. New York, NY.
Reverse Aging - Scientific Health Methods, by Sang Whang. 1994; Siloam Enterprise, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
Acid & Alkaline - An overview of pH and human health by Herman Aihara 1986: George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation, Oroville,
CA.
Try and make healthy choices when shopping and eating out to keep your body ph balanced.
Dee Cohen is a licensed social worker and certified yoga teacher. To learn more ways to raise the body’s ph and restore health, Visit http://www.mangolife.com/miracle2webpage2.html
