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On this page: Information for learning more about anxiety and nervous conditions, and Nutritional Supplements designed to support the muscles and nerves and support Skeletal Health.


Understanding Anxiety

Liquid Calcium & Magnesium Support

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Understanding Anxiety

In this article I will examine how people react to stress, and how these reactions can affect the nervous system, muscular systems and sleep patterns.

The presence of stress is a normal part of life; however, one person's reaction to stress can be dramatically different than another person facing the same stress. In other words, there are desirable and undesirable (or inappropriate) reactions to stress. Excessive or unrealistic worrying, chronic muscle tightness and spasm, and loss of sleep are all undesirable reactions to stress. When undesirable reactions to stress happen at inappropriate times, or if their duration or severity interferes with normal activities, it is considered an anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, in America today the number of people experiencing anxiety disorders is reaching epidemic proportions.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is an emotional and physical reaction to a threat, whether it is real or imagined. It is an unpleasant emotional state, which ranges from a vague uneasiness to intense fear or even overwhelming panic attacks. Thoughts and emotions associated with anxiety include apprehension, dread, fear, irritability and uneasiness; often accompanied by physical symptoms, including bad dreams, dry mouth, fatigue, headaches, inability to sleep, increased pulse rate, muscle tension or trembling, and sweating.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is defined as excessive or unrealistic worry related to a variety (two or more) of life's daily activities or events, and lasts at least six months. Women experience GAD at twice the rate of men. 1.

Excessive anxiety is associated with numerous disorders including; phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders, panic attacks, and acute and post-traumatic stress disorders. 2.

Common causes of anxiety include actual danger (terrorist's threats), responsibilities at work, financial stress, poor health, grief, side-effects and reactions to drugs (especially to caffeine, cold remedies, decongestants, bronchodilators, and antidepressants.) 3.

How Common are Anxiety Disorders?

Nearly 20 million Americans, aged 18 to 54, are affected by anxiety disorders every year, making them the most common mental illnesses in America. 4.

People of all ages can develop anxiety disorders. Among people aged 65 and above, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue. 5.

Dietary Factors and Nutritional Deficiencies Associated with Anxiety

In my clinical nutrition practice, I have provided the analysis of nutritional deficiencies and related body chemistry imbalances for thousands of Americans. Through this laboratory analysis I am able to correlate the effects of environmental and nutritional stress factors and resulting organ and glandular dysfunction and determine the relationship between underlying deficiencies and body chemistry imbalances. In patients who present to me with conditions including anxiety, excessive or unrealistic worrying, chronic muscle tightness and spasm, and loss of sleep I find a very high correlation of underlying calcium and magnesium deficiency or imbalance. 6.

Calcium:
Making up approximately 2 percent of the body's weight, of which 99 percent is found in the teeth and skeleton, calcium is the mineral found in greatest abundance in the body. Calcium is important for maintaining healthy bones, healthy teeth, proper nerve transmission, proper muscle contraction, regulation of the heartbeat and blood clotting.

Foods that are high in naturally occurring calcium (in descending order) include cheese, sesame seeds, sardines in oil, condensed milk, soybeans, nuts, cabbage, yogurt, milk, Brewer's yeast, watercress, figs, cocoa powder, broccoli, cottage cheese, fresh water and ocean fish. 7, 8.

Foods and substances that cause calcium deficiency include alcohol, coffee, and tobacco smoking, high salt diet, and high consumption of red meat. 9.

Calcium supplements, in order to be properly assimilated by the body, should also contain magnesium, vitamin D and the trace mineral boron. A highly bio-available form of supplemental calcium is calcium citrate/malate (CCM). 10.

Other popular forms of calcium include acetate, carbonate, gluconate and lactate, which are all similar in absorption rates. 11.
Calcium deficiency is most common in people on strict vegetarian, or vegan diets, however, the typical American does not get enough calcium from their diet. The typical American diet provides about 450-550 milligrams of calcium daily, well below the recommended daily allowance (RDA). 12.

Recommended daily allowance (RDA) for calcium is 800 milligrams per day.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) was created in 1941, by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences. The goal of setting RDA's was to prevent diseases cause by nutrient deficiencies. RDAs are commonly referred to as the "minimum wages of nutrition".

Optimum Daily Allowance (ODA) for calcium is 1500 milligrams.

Optimum Daily Allowance (ODA) reflects the amounts of nutrients required by most adults to support and maintain vibrant good health, as shown by scientific studies.

Magnesium:

Approximately 60% of the magnesium found in the body is stored in the skeleton, only 1% is found in the blood, and the remainder is stored in the muscles and soft tissues. Relative to anxiety and insomnia, the most important function of magnesium is its role in the relaxation of muscles. Sufficient levels of magnesium are also crucial for the formation of the bones, fatty acids and proteins. Other functions include acting as a co-factor for enzymes, synthesis of RNA and DNA and numerous amino acids, the activation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for cellular energy production, proper cardiovascular function, and the formation and utilization of insulin. 13, 14.

Foods that are high in naturally occurring magnesium include (in descending order) wheat bran, cocoa powder, wheat germ, nuts, soy beans, Brewer's yeast, white beans, ocean fish, shrimp, mussels, cheese, condensed milk, and turkey. 15.

Magnesium deficiency is common in people taking oral contraceptives, natural or prescription diuretics, and over-consuming laxatives. Magnesium deficiency is a commonly related to cardiovascular conditions, cirrhosis of the liver (alcoholism), kidney disease, menstrual cramping, and PMS. 16.

A 1994 survey conducted by the Gallup Organization found that 72% of adult American's diets lack sufficient magnesium. The survey revealed that over half of all adults are consuming less than 75% of the RDA and one-third are eating less than 50% of the RDA for magnesium. 17.
Recommended daily allowance (RDA) for magnesium is 350 milligrams for men and 280 milligrams for women per day.
Optimum Daily Allowance (ODA) for magnesium is 750 - 1000 milligrams. 18.

Symptoms Associated with Calcium and/or Magnesium Deficiency or Imbalance:

· Excessive tension, worry or anxiety without cause
· Irritable or angry responses to sudden stimuli or frustration
· Fear of social activities
· Severe indecisiveness 19.
· Hypertension (high blood Pressure)
· Panic attacks 20.
· Muscle spasms or tremors
· Altered reflexes
· Myocardial infarction (heart attack) 21.
· Nervousness
· Insomnia
· Cardiac arrhythmia and racing pulse
· Increased irritability of nerves and muscles
(Nervous tics, tremors, and muscle spasm)
· Fatigue 22.
· Depression
· Hyperactivity
· Neuromuscular excitability
· Anxiety
· Confusion
· Muscle pain
· Restlessness
· Weakness 23.

Dietary and Lifestyle Recommendations
Dietary recommendations include the reduction or elimination of alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, and sugar containing foods.

Daily exercise is very important for the reduction of emotional reactivity. I recommend at least 20 minutes of exercise 3 times a week.

Effective time management is very important. Learn to make 'check off lists' of daily tasks and avoid spreading your time too thin. This will lower your stress levels.

I recommend that people socialize and talk with friends and family (or others) as this will help in coping with and managing emotions during stressful times. Try to avoid stressful or frightening situations (for some this means the daily news, and scary movies or TV shows). 24.

Conclusion:

In America today it is very difficult to avoid having some stress and anxiety in your life, however, the effects of stress and you're emotional and physical reactions to stress can be modified. This is accomplished by ensuring your body's sufficiency of calcium and magnesium, by being consciously aware of and eliminating as many stress factors in your life as possible, and if necessary, to use "targeted" herbs and nutrients to safely support your nervous system and calm your mind. Try to slow down. With a little more preparation for each day and proper time management, you can avoid the "rush mode" that many people find themselves in every day. Seek out and enjoy "life's simple pleasures"; take a walk, enjoy nature, take a nap, etc. Do things that take your mind off of your worries. "It has been said that our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength." 25.

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References:

1. The Merck Manual, Merck Research Laboratories, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, 1997, p. 396
2. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), "Facts About Anxiety Disorders", 2001, http://www.nimh.nih.gov/anxiety/adfacts.cfm
3. Thrive On Line, 2001. "Symptoms and Conditions: Anxiety, stress, and Tension", http://www.thriveonline.oxygen.com/medical/library/article/003211.html
4. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2001. "Anxiety Disorders", http://www.nimh.nih.gov/anxiety/anxiety/idx_fax.htm
5. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center. 2001. http://www.uth.tmc.edu/schools/med/psychiatry/msi/
6. Maile Pouls, Ph.D., from clinical experience 1986-2001.
7. Lininger S, DC, Wright J, MD, Austin A, ND, Brown D, ND, Gaby A, MD, The Natural Pharmacy (Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1998) Page 144.
8. Blaurock-Busch E, PhD, Griffin V, PhD, Mineral and Trace Element Analysis, Laboratory and Clinical Application (Boulder, CO: TMI, Inc, 1996) Page 134.
9. Van Stratten M, Healing Foods- Nutrition for the Mind, Body, and Spirit (Lewes, East Sussex: The Ivy Press, Ltd., 1997) Page 17.
10. Miller J, Smith D, Flora, et al. "Calcium absorption from calcium carbonate and a new form of calcium (CCM) in healthy male and female adolescents". Am J Clin Nutr 1988;48:1291-94.
11. Kohls K, Kies C. "Calcium bioavailability: A comparison of several different commercially available calcium supplements", J Appl Nutr 1992;44:50-62.
12. National Institute of Health Consensus Conference: Osteoporosis. JAMA 252(6):799-802, 1984).
13. Lininger S, DC, Wright J, MD, Austin A, ND, Brown D, ND, Gaby A, MD, The Natural Pharmacy (Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1998) Page 182.
14. Blaurock-Busch E, PhD, Griffin V, PhD, Mineral and Trace Element Analysis, Laboratory and Clinical Application (Boulder, CO: TMI, Inc, 1996) Page 138.
15. Blaurock-Busch E, PhD, Griffin V, PhD, Mineral and Trace Element Analysis, Laboratory and Clinical Application (Boulder, CO: TMI, Inc, 1996) Page 139.
16. M Murray, N.D., J. Pizzorno, N.D., Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing), 1991. Pages 159-60.
17. Landy L, "Gallup Survey Finds Majority of American Diets Lack Sufficient Magnesium- at Potential Cost to Health" Searle News, Sept. 21, 1994.
18. International Food Information Council - Sept/Oct 98 Food Insight - RDA's. http://www.ific.org/proactive/newsroom/release.vtml?id=17695
19. Nutritional Enzyme Support System, #416 Product information, April, 1996.
Page 2.
20. Wallach J, ND, Lan M, MD, Rare Earths Forbidden Cures (Bonita, CA, Double Happiness Publishing Co.), 1994. Page 297.
21. Hathcock J, Ph.D., Council for Responsible Nutrition, Vitamin and Mineral Safety, Page 49.
22. Blaurock-Busch E, PhD, Griffin V, PhD, Mineral and Trace Element Analysis, Laboratory and Clinical Application (Boulder, CO: TMI, Inc, 1996) Pages133 & 139.
23. Werbach M, M.D., Nutritional Influences on Illness (Tarzana, CA: Third Line Press), 1988. Pages 488, 490.
24. Maile Pouls, Ph.D., from clinical experience 1986-2001.
25. Quote attributed to Charles Haddon Spurgeon.