Monthly Archives: December 2013

Migraine Solutions– Further Considerations

Posted on by
Reply

Last post we said that deficiency in vitamin and minerals could be the cause of migraines.  I suggested the following to consider: vitamin D, magnesium as a chelate, sulfate, and a multiple vitamin. I would like to suggest another mineral, iodine.  The combination of vitamin D and iodine are very significant in the balance of your hormones.

The stories of people taking iodine supplements and eliminating migraines are endless on the internet.  I thought that with that many people saying iodine was a significant factor that I could find a paper about it.  However, I found nothing on PubMed which really surprised me.

The problem with iodine deficiency is that we are being overcome with mimics like fluorine and bromine.  When you start to take iodine supplements, if you get enough, these other halides will detox from your body.  Dr. Brownstein is an excellent source for material on iodine.  Here are a couple of more.  From a pharmacist: –  From a retired doctor:  From Dr. Mercola  Here is a rebuttal to Dr. Mercola’s article by Gabriel Cousins MD and you will find a reference about using iodine to treat migraines.

I also found many comments for quick relief about using one tablespoon full of apple cider vinegar, try organic with the mother, in a tall glass of water.  Some suggested using a tablespoon of honey to make it go down easier.  My mother used to do this every morning because she said it made her feel better.

I really don’t know how this works unless somehow it overcomes the triggers that initiated the headache.  I suspect this would be true if the headache were triggered by a sinus condition or by a smell.

My best suggestions for long term reduction of the migraine events are: vitamin D, magnesium as a chelate, iodine, sulfate, and a multiple vitamin.  Also eat a lot of greens to be sure you are getting enough potassium and folate.  Some suggest a tablespoon full of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water for quick relief.  – Pandemic Survivor

Advertisement

Migraines – The Unknown Pain

Posted on by
Reply

It starts as jagged little lines in your vision otherwise known as an aura. Usually one side of the head fills like it is ready to explode or implored.  Bright lights really do you in and the doctor does not seem to be able to help you.  “We are not sure of the cause”, she says. “Take this jagged little pill and why don’t you call me later this week if you still cannot function.” – OUCH!

Modern medicine seems to be at a loss for what causes migraines.  As a suggestion by one of my readers, I have decided to spend some time in exploring what is available.  The findings – not much, but don’t despair there is hope as research and clinical practice has provided some clues. There are quite a few research papers on migraines and the treatment with IV magnesium sulfate.  The question then becomes what are the mechanisms involved so that we can make a drug to treat migraines.  Of course I don’t ask questions like that.  Better is the question is it sulfur or sulfate deficiency or a magnesium deficiency or is it a combination of the two.

We know that sulfites are a significant trigger for migraines.  But I would not discount sulfate as an aid to the solution to migraines.  I find it extremely interesting that IV magnesium sulfate is used for the treatment pre-eclampsia.  Is it the sulfate or the magnesium or both that helps with the high blood pressure in pregnant women?  It has been shown by Dr. Hollis of the Medical University of South Carolina that higher levels vitamin D significantly reduces the possibility of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.

The question then becomes how does something as simple as Epsom salt relieve both pre-eclampsia as well as migraines?  We also know from an earlier post that magnesium sulfate is significant in treating pulmonary hypertension.  Another yet unexplored clue.  As always statements give us a state but questions lead on a quest.

If we take all the clues and toss them into the air and let then rotate in quantum permutations, it would seem that vitamin D, magnesium, and sulfur as sulfate act both independently and together.  Acting independently vitamin D controls a significant amount of mineral balance and hormonal activation and balance.  The mineral balance of course leads to fluid balance across membranes.  Vitamin D3 is the gate keeper for the sodium-sulfate transport through all dermal layers.  The magnesium is the ion of choice for the ATP/ADP energy transfer and is the ion of choice for over 350 of the body’s enzymes. Sulfate acts in many ways as in helping to control fluid pressure in arteries and membranes.  As an example, since I have assured an adequate amount of sulfate intake, my blood pressure has stabilized at 115/70- not bad for a fat sixty plus grumpy.  Also the sulfate makes a water soluble ester of super oxide dismutase that is your body’s cellular waste removal system.  Blocking of the mitochondrial bodies in their effort to produce usable energy, whether from not having enough magnesium for transport or sulfate for waste removal is certainly an issue.

So what to do?  I guess if I had migraines, I would assure that I was getting an adequate amount of each of these nutrients.  You could start by taking 40 IU of vitamin D3 per pound of body weight.  The serum for vitamin D or 25(OH)D is critical and should be maintained above 60 ng/ml- get tested.  Magnesium and sulfate may be solved by simply soaking in an Epsom salt bath about three times per week once your serum vitamin D is high enough to allow for the transport of sulfur to take place properly. Alternative would be to take about 1000 mg of MSM per fifty pounds of body weight (found at your local vitamin store) and 3.5 to 4.5 mg per pound of body weight of magnesium as a chelate like, aspartate, malate, glycinate or an amino acid chelate.  I would suggest not taking magnesium hydroxide like milk of magnesia or magnesium oxide.  It you are taking magnesium oxide, just throw it into the commode because that is where it will end up – not absorbed in your gut.  Also for sulfate, you may consider that you eat at least three cups of the combination of cruciferous and alliums vegetables each day.  Think cold slaw with an onion diced into it or asparagus with garlic. Also be sure to take a multiple vitamin to assure you are getting the minerals necessary to make the sulfate esters, i.e. manganese, copper, zinc, etc.

To recap: vitamin D, magnesium as a chelate, sulfate, and a multiple vitamin.  Sounds too simple – it must be right.  The key is to get enough of each.  Also be sure to eliminate all foods that contain sulfites.  This may be a difficult task as it is used as a preservative and in wine and sometimes even on salads to keep them fresh.  The body will preferentially take on the sulfite and interfere with the desired sulfate reactions.

My wife recently complained that she thought she was getting a migraine which seems to run in her family.  Distorted vision and a low throbbing in her head were her symptoms.  I had her take 800 mg of magnesium as magnesium malate along with ten thousand IU of D3 and the symptoms left.  I would not have any suggestions otherwise unless it is so severe that you may want to consider IV magnesium sulfate – see your doctor.  You could try a teaspoon full of Epsom salt in coffee or tea. More than two teaspoons full and you will start to reach bowel tolerance as Epsom salt is used as a laxative.

Pain is not felt in the brain because there are no sensory nerve endings, which allows surgery on the brain while being conscious.  So where is the pain felt in headaches? – don’t know, but when I have a headache it sure feels like it is in the brain.  Maybe it is because the neurons are so clogged with waste, not enough energy, and improper sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium balance it pains you.  -Pandemic Survivor

More info on migraines and magnesium: http://mgwater.com/listd.shtml#migraine
Note: The serum test for magnesium does not correspond to cellular levels of magnesium.  It may take several months to become replete in magnesium.

Pain Reduction

Posted on by
Reply

Pain crawls slowly over us as a wet blanket covered in fine grains of sand or slams us instantly into a knurled lump of screaming anxiety.  Looking for relief leads us down paths that would not be otherwise chosen.  Stumbling in excruciating pain leads to emotional anchors and then into a sad lightless black darkness.  And through this you decide whether you whether to chose misery or embrace an outlook of hope.  Love, joy, and peace seem to have left the station for other destinations, but always remember this is your goal.

I am no stranger to pain having suffered chronic pain for three decades.  And then, vitamin D!  It seems odd, something as simple as the sun gives us so much relief.  I was caught up in a world of misinformation after having a heat stroke from exposure to the sun when I was three.  The heat stroke almost killed me.  The remedy of staying out of the sun would have killed if not for having walked through the door of societal dilemmas. Art called science being driving down the road of motivated institutional immorality left me in a sad darkness.

Vitamin D is hugely significant in helping to deal with all kinds of pain, in particular chronic pain.  When you add to that the remedy of sulfur and magnesium, pain runs from your body like a scalded hound that was caught in the chicken house. Long have mud baths, mineral spring water, garlic, onions, and Epson salt soaks all have in common sulfur and magnesium and analgesic properties.  The vitamin D controls the action of these minerals throughout the body.  From the start of taking vitamin D, I was off of pain meds in about ten months.  That is serious meds as in the form of 400 mg of tramadol(Ultram) along with 1600 mg of gabapentin(Neurontin).  And now, seven years later with no meds there is only love, peace, and joy.

I like what Henry Lahore, Vitamindwiki, has to say about his understanding of vitamin D.

Note about pain and vitamin D from Henry Lahore

I emailed the following to a friend on our shared 66th birthday, March 2012
Ah, I am 66 years old now but feel like I am in my early 50’s (taking 12,000 IU vitamin D daily in the winter) Lots of vitamin D in the past 2 years

  • All aches and pains are gone.
  • My psoriasis on my knee is gone
  • My feet no longer develop cracked the skin
  • Essential tremor in my hands is gone
  • My neck is no longer sore
  • My back is no longer sore
  • My brain is back (able to think and remember much better)
  • The Raynaud’s pain in my fingers is gone
  • It is a great decade   As (not just my day)
  • My wife feels 10 years younger too (she is taking 10,000 IU daily)

Take some time and go to Vitamindwiki’s page on pain.   You will find way too much information there to consume.  I would suggest Vitamin D for chronic pain -2008.pdf about half way down the page: “Vitamin D – A Neglected ‘Analgesic’ for Musculoskeletal Pain”, Hollis, et.al. 

You may not be able to do anything about your pain, but you do get to decide if you want misery as well.  – Pandemic Survivor