Pumpkin Seed Oil Reduces Hot Flashes, Improves Cholesterol, and Reduces Blood Pressure in Women

We are always looking for the next best thing when it comes to improving our cholesterol scores and lowering our blood pressure, but many of us may not be looking to the harvest of the season for answers. Pumpkin seed oil has long been used for treating intestinal disturbances, cholesterol and blood pressure regulation, and most recently prostate hypertrophy.

However a pilot study released in October of 2011 looked at the links between women taking pumpkin seed oil and the many positive effects on their health. Not only did these researchers find that these women's blood pressure decreased, but they also found an improvement in both HDL (good) cholesterol levels and menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings.

What these researchers may be looking into in the near future is, why? Well the answer is two fold so I'll try to keep it simple.

Pumpkin seeds have high incidence of chromium which is an essential nutrient needed for proper function of sex hormones and insulin in the body. This means that the chromium present in this miracle seed may actually be helping these women's bodies to function and direct their hormones to be more balanced. This balancing effect can help with not only menopause but women suffering from PMS, painful periods, PCOS, and even infertility. If the researchers would have looked at diabetes or weight loss, they might also have found that the women involved in the study would have also had improvement in their rate of weight loss and managing their diabetes as well since the insulin regulation would have been improved.

Pumpkin seeds are also rich in magnesium which is a really important mineral that is said to be even more important that calcium!! 80% of the population is magnesium deficient, so most likely the women involved in this study might have had some deficiency. Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant that helps to relax the skeletal and smooth muscle of the body so it can help to reduce muscle spasms and cramping as well as relax the walls of the blood vessels to improve blood pressure. In addition, magnesium is an essential mineral that is used to regulate the enzymes used to produce cholesterol in the body, so supplementation using pumpkin seed oil would have increased production of HDL cholesterol in the body.

Wow that's some great stuff, but what do I want you to take from this? Make sure you're eating your seasonal fruits and vegetables so you're not only rounding out your diet but getting many of the essential minerals that are needed for everyday body functions. If you're not a bit fan of pumpkin or pumpkin seeds, I'd recommend talking to a doctor or a specialized nutritionist that would be able to make some suggestions for supplements that would help you get enough magnesium and chromium to improve your health. If you need some guidance, AlignLife offers nutritional phone consultations to those that feel a bit overwhelmed by the many different food sources and supplement choices there are available on the market today. Just call 309-689-6200 to set-up your appointment today.

High Magnesium can Lower Blood Sugar

Obesity and diabetes rates are soaring in the United States and many Americans are finding it harder and harder to keep their blood sugar stable. Metformin and other diabetic medications are being given to individuals who are showing pre-diabetic and insulin resistance in an effort to slow the progression to Type 2 Diabetes. This is a huge concern because these medications can have debilitating side effects such as headaches, diarrhea, nausea, indigestion, and even vomiting which can severely impact the daily lives of these patients.

We need to find some natural options for these individuals that can help to restore normal blood sugar and decrease insulin response. I've already discussed in previous blogs how diet can play a huge role in not only how your body uses the food you eat, but also how most white flour products (breads, pasta, and processed or boxed foods) and processed sugars can also alter the way your metabolic hormones respond to the food you intake. My recommendations up to this point have been to increase water intake to half your body weight in ounces daily, get 8-10 servings of fruit and vegetables everyday, and to cut out or significantly reduce the amount of bread products and processed sugars you consume. For many of my patients I have also recommended Sugar Balance to help restore insulin response associated with syndrome X, obesity, and type 1 and 2 diabetes.

According to a recently published study from the Medical College of Qingdao University in China, high dosages of magnesium have been shown to significantly lower increased blood sugar, fasting blood glucose, and also increase the expression of insulin receptors on the pancreas and in skeletal muscle in Type 2 diabetic rat models. This study compared magnesium dosages of low (200mg) to medium (1000mg) to high (2000) daily. This is a huge step towards understanding the relationship of essential nutrients in regulating body processes and also introducing an additional mineral that should be evaluated in individuals with insulin resistance and diabetes.

So whats the big deal about magnesium? Well it's used by every organ in your body including the heart, muscles, and kidneys and it also helps to build bone and teeth strength. Approximately 90% of Americans are magnesium deficient and since most of us aren't eating our nuts and dark green leafy vegetables we are really lacking! So how can you make sure that you're getting enough magnesium? I usually find that many of my patients that are suffering from muscle cramping, spasms, and overall tightness are severely deficient in magnesium. I recommend you should start by talking to your doctor about taking a high quality and highly absorb able form of magnesium such as Triple-Mag to increase your magnesium intake. Since individuals vary in how much of a deficiency of magnesium they need, I usually recommend a nutritional consultation with our office by appointment or phone consultation on risk factors, dietary intake, and how to perform a magnesium calibration to make sure you're getting enough.

As a helpful guide to determine if you're magnesium deficient, I've listed common symptoms of magnesium deficiency below:

• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Restless Leg Syndrome
• Sleep disorders
• Irritability
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Low blood pressure
• confusion
• muscle spasm or weakness
• hyperventilation
• insomnia
• poor nail growth
• seizures

If you're concerned that many of these symptoms apply to you or that you're not getting enough magnesium, I highly recommend calling our office to schedule a phone consultation to determine risk factors, your dietary intake, and how much magnesium you truly need. Call 309-689-6200 to schedule your consultation with Dr. Andrea Schnowske today.

Fibromyalgia and muscle cramping is linked to a deficiency in this nutrient...

Are you suffering from anxiety? Having muscle spasms or cramping? Having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep? You are not alone. In fact, 70% of Americans are not getting enough of this essential mineral and only 20% of Americans are getting even half of their daily value. What is this mineral? Magnesium!


Magnesium is essential for a properly functioning nervous system including nerve conduction and electrolyte balances. Magnesium is also necessary for proper muscle function as it's the body's natural muscle relaxant. Low magnesium has also been associated with personality changes and depression. Magnesium is responsible for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body and is also needed for proper blood coagulation, energy production, bone and cell formation, and nutrient absorption.


How do you know if you're deficient? Not by a blood test! Only 1% of the body's magnesium is found in the blood and only .3% is found in the blood serum, so a blood test will not identify a magnesium deficiency. In fact, magnesium deficiency may actually show up as a calcium deficiency since they complement each other in the body. If your doctor has recommended you take a calcium supplement, you need to take magnesium supplement with it. Low magnesium coupled with high calcium intake will actually lead to calcification of the heart, arteries, and other organs which can put you at risk for many other health conditions. The best ratio to guide yourself by is a 1:1 calcium to magnesium ratio. However, make sure you're not using a supplement with only magnesium oxide in it, as this form of magnesium isn't absorbed efficiently and is really a waste of your money. Here's a great product with three different and very absorbing forms of magnesium, Triple Mag.


What are some risk factors for magnesium deficiency?


1) Drinking dark colored carbonated beverages. The phosphates contained in dark beverages bind with magnesium in the body to reduce your magnesium levels.
2) Eating or drinking highly sugary products including those with artificial sugar. Refined sugar has no magnesium and actually causes your body to excrete magnesium through the kidneys. In addition, these products also strip your body of many other highly essential nutrients and can leave you at risk for many health problems.
3) Drinking caffeinated beverages. Caffeine works similarly to refined sugar in that it causes the kidneys to excrete magnesium.
4) Drinking alcoholic beverages. Alcohol also increases kidney excretion of magnesium. Alcohol also tends to lower the efficiency of your digestive tract and lower Vitamin D levels which can further lower magnesium levels. 
5) Taking diuretics, heart medications, asthma medication, birth control pills, or estrogen replacement therapy. These medications will also increase magnesium excretion through the kidneys.
6) Excessive stress in your life whether from physical, emotional, or psychological stressors. Stressful conditions cause the body to use more magnesium and a lack of magnesium tends to make stress responses more severe. The hormones associated with stress, adrenaline and cortisol, were also associated with magnesium deficiency.
7) Do you have GI or digestive issues? Many issues with magnesium deficiency arise from an improperly functioning digestive tract. If your "good" intestinal bacteria aren't at the proper levels and you're not eating a diet to make them thrive you're putting yourself at risk for many other nutrient deficiencies. A probiotic with numerous strains of intestinal bacteria can help solve this problem along with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. I recommend Ultrabiotic or Pedia biotic for children.
8) Are you over 55? Older adults are particularly susceptible to lower magnesium levels due to lower diet levels of calcium, decreased absorption in the kidneys and GI tract due to aging, and stress levels.


Need some guidance? Call my office to setup a nutritional consultation in the office or on the phone 309-689-6200.