By Robert Thompson, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.,

Reproductive Surgeon

161 N. Binkley St., Ste 201

Soldotna, AK 99669

260-6914

1. “Get your calcium”

For some reason, we have all been lead to believe that our bodies need more calcium. While there are a few patients that need more calcium (approximately 1 in 20 patients), obviously, this is the exception. It seems that we have all been lead to believe that our bones are made of calcium. Common sense would tell us otherwise. This is only one of the many minerals that make up our bone mineral content. Nearly 99 out of one hundred patients that come to my office believe that their bones are made of calcium and that osteoporosis is a loss of calcium from the bones, unfortunately, this is only a partial truth. Once again, common sense tells us that this is only one of the many minerals that make up our bone matrix.

In truth, there are at least 13 minerals that make up the major components of our hydroxyapetite crystals that comprise our bone matrix. There are 76 ionizing minerals in total in each of the cells of our bodies including the osteocyte cells in our bones. Unfortunately, taking only calcium (one mineral) will create an imbalance in the mineral content of all the cells in our bodies. This excess calcium gradually builds up in our cells leading to dramatic increases in the medical problems we develop as we get older including but not limited to calcific plaque in our arteries (hardening of our arteries, coronary heart disease), calcium oxalate kidney stones, calcium bile salts forming gall stones, calcium in our joints (osteoarthritis), hypertension (treated in some cases with calcium channel blocking medications trying to reduce the increased intracellular calcium levels), suppressing thyroid hormone function or creating thyroid hormone resistance due to increased intracellular calcium/potassium ratios (functional hypothyroidism), adrenal suppression and/or adrenal hormone resistance due to sodium loss in the urine from adrenal suppression by the body in order to retain magnesium to compensate for the increased intracellular calcium levels (functional hypoadrenalism), this leads to slowed metabolism (weight gain, decreased energy), impaired digestion (especially poor protein digestion, inability to assimilate amino acids into our cells, depression, anxiety, insomnia, headache, migraines, PMS, obsessive compulsive disorders, etc.) lowered immune function, and the list could go on and on! In fact, nearly all these disorders are associated with significant mineral imbalances detectable only by tissue mineral analysis (TMA). These mineral imbalances within our cells often precede the development of these illnesses by years and they are often completely preventable through nutritional changes and in some cases supplement intake leading to mineral balancing.

Unfortunately, there is a great deal of misrepresentation in nutritional sales. The bottom line is that our bodies need ionic minerals (salt form, like what we lose every day in our tears, our sweat, and our urine), not chelated (doesn’t dissolve in water, probably not absorbed), and not colloidal (doesn’t dissolve in water, may accumulate, is dangerous). I recommend using only genuine sea salt at the dinner table (15% nutrition) and a daily supplement of sea salt derived trace minerals (sea salt without the sodium) to make up for the deficiencies of minerals in our diet from depleted food sources. Mineral deficiencies and loss does not lead to osteoporosis (lack of minerals or loss of minerals from our bones, (NOT JUST CALCIUM). This is common sense.

2. “Watch your sodium”

How do you know that your body has too much sodium? Most of the patients I see tell me “they don’t use much sodium”. My experience with tissue mineral analysis has shown me that the majority of patients I see are sodium deficient. These patients are continuously losing sodium in their urine in spite of a deficiency in the body often due to excess calcium intake or high calcium foods in the diet. This leads to increased intracellular calcium levels leading to adrenal hormone suppression or decreased adrenal hormone function/resistance and secondary loss of sodium in the urine. Without adequate tissue sodium, we cannot digest protein adequately or assimilate amino acids onto our cells. This can lead to a deficiency in intracellular amino acids, neurotransmitter deficiencies, and a whole host of medical symptoms described above.

3. “Don’t eat eggs”

Quite simply, eggs contain only HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and protein. The protein in eggs is the most similar to human protein of all known food sources. Beware, do not cook eggs in oil of any kind, this adds bad fat, rancid fat or LDL cholesterol. A hard-boiled or fried egg in a non-stick skillet with water is best. I recommend at least one to two eggs per day. In nearly every case, my patient’s cholesterols come down and HDL “good” cholesterol goes up.

For more information or to schedule a consult on nutrition or to acquire a tissue mineral analysis please contact our office 8:30-5:30 at 260-6914.