• In The First 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You don't immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor allowing you to keep it down.
• 20 minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat. (There's plenty of that at this particular moment)
• 40 minutes: Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, as a response your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked preventing drowsiness.
• 45 minutes: Your body ups your dopamine production stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works, by the way.
• >60 minutes: The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.
• >60 Minutes: The caffeine's diuretic properties come into play. (It makes you have to pee.) It is now assured that you'll evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolyte and water.
• >60 minutes: As the rave inside of you dies down you'll start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You've also now, literally, pissed away all the water that was in the Coke. But not before infusing it with valuable nutrients your body could have used for things like even having the ability to hydrate your system or build strong bones and teeth.

This will all be followed by a caffeine crash in the next few hours. (As little as two if you're a smoker.) But, hey, have another Coke, it'll make you feel better.

Contributing Factors to Hair Loss

Insulin Resistance and Hair Loss

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are a result of two possibilities.  One may be inadequate intake from food sources.  Two may be an increased demand, a functional loss, or improper absorption of the vitamin or mineral.  Many functional problems arise when minerals and vitamins cannot  be assimilated from the small intestine.

The big 5. These 5 essential elements operate in chemical ratios and do multiple functions. If any one of these is out of balance, damage will occur in the body.

Calcium

Calcium is the healer. It is needed by every cell in the body.

Bones are not just structure to our bodies. Bones hold essential chemical elements and support our immune system. Bones are  alive, living protein networks. Red and white blood cells are produced in the marrow of our bones. 99% of Calcium (Ca) is housed in the bone network. Osteoporosis is the depletion of calcium storage in bones.

With low levels of Calcium, it is a complex problem. Most Americans do not eat enough foods rich in Ca and we often have altered body chemistry. Ca is difficult to assimilate from the bowel from food intake. Calcium needs to have appropriate levels of Vitamin D available for Ca utilization. If Magnesium is low, Vitamin D cannot be utilized. Low levels of Vitamin A, Phosphorous, Zinc, Copper, and Maganese will interfere with Calcium storage.

Weight bearing exercises will tell the body to store more Calcium.

Avoiding beverages with caffeine and sugar (SODA) is vital. Caffeine with sugar accelerates urinary loss of Ca in all ages. Sorry, once again, SODA is a bad thing!

Supplements:

Not all are created equal. Look for a Calcium supplement with alfalfa herb and/or plant extracts in the ingredient list. This is the best absorbable supplementation form. We like Nature's Sunshine formula Calcium with Magnesium or Calcium Plus Vitamin D.

Food sources:

Milk                 Cheese             Canned salmon           Yogurt 

Canned sardines              Dark leafy greens                    Broccoli           Figs                    Raw nuts and seeds

Let's talk about Sugar (and white flour) and the Phosphorous-Calcium balance. Phosphorous is available in most whole foods. A decent diet will supply adequate amounts. Fats, carbohydrates and proteins combine with phosphorous for chemical digestion and utilization. Processed food and sugar actually throw off the Phosphorous-Ca balance. 4 oz of chocolate will alter your phosphorous level enough to disturb the Phosphorous-Calcium ratio. You cannot burn or use the carbohydrates you are eating if this happens. What a merry-go-round this is! Yes, one more reason SUGAR is bad for you.

Magnesium "the light of life"

Magnesium is a macromineral. 50% is used in the bones and 50% is used for operation and energy production inside the cells.  Dr. Bernard Jensen (noted expert in nutrition and body chemistry) believes that Magnesium deficiency precedes or follows every known disease!

Most Americans do not consume enough Magnesium and have levels that are sub-optimal which alters body chemistry.

Magnesium helps make ATP which is at the center of the cell's energy production. Regulation of the heart, blood pressure, protein synthesis, acid-alkaline balance, and many vitamins require Magnesium (Mg) as an enzyme activator. Mg is the "relaxer" because it stimulates the relaxation phase. (Calcium is the contraction component.)

The largest role of Mg is to aid in Calcium depositing in the bones. Note: when Calcium supplements are taken without Magnesium, existing Mg levels go down, putting you at further risk for Mg deficiency. The Ca utilized the Mg to deposit in your bones.

Excess Mg is excreted by the kidneys. Toxicity can only occur if supplements and over the counter products are taken when kidney problems exist.

Food Sources:

Green vegetables!!!                  Beans                           Peas                 Nuts & seeds

Whole unrefined grains

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is actually a family of 5 fat soluble steroid hormones (it was misnamed in 1921 and it stuck). It is very potent as a supplement and should be taken with the advice of a professional. The role of D is to assist Calcium and Phosphorus through the bowel wall and into the blood stream to aid in bone formation. Without Vitamin D, calcium and phosphorous cannot be assimilated into the body. Vitamin D has to be converted in the liver and then the kidneys for the body to utilize it.  Mineral oil and alcohol intake will interfere with Vitamin D absorption.

Food Sources:

Fish liver oil                Milk and dairy products fortified with Vitamin D    

Salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines

We also get Vitamin D from 20 minutes in the sun without sunscreen.

(Sunscreen prevents Vitamin D from being synthesized.)

Zinc

Zinc is an essential trace element.  It takes part in over 200 enzyme driven chemical reactions. For example it is important for brain cell oxygenation, immune system function, and the metabolism of insulin. Growth and development and hormones are affected by Zinc. Sperm production and key stages of the female ovarian cycle need Zinc. It also helps maintain taste and smell as well as many functions.

Food Sources:

Oysters are the best source.

Red meat                     Poultry                                    Beans                          Nuts

Whole Grains              Fortified cereal & dairy products

Sodium

Sodium deficiency is rarely a chronic problem. At Wellness Alternatives, we see many short term deficiencies as evidenced by chronic mild dehydration noted in lab values. If you are thirsty, or feel "dry", chances are that you are mildly dehydrated. Hot weather, sports, or using table salt can contribute to low sodium levels.

Sodium keeps calcium in solution (keeping it from depositing in joints or as spurs.) It is necessary in the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins and in bone building. Sodium lines the stomach and bowel walls protecting them from acid damage.

Table salt is sodium chloride with calcium silicate and potassium iodine. It is a chemical. The refining process removes 82 trace minerals and essential nutrients with a 1200 degree heat. Table salt enters the body like a drug with side effects. Some of these side effects include water retention, elimination of potassium, kidney stimulation and adrenal stimulation.

The sodium in food and sea salt enter the body with other nutrients and essential minerals that enhance the positive effects of sodium.

Food sources:

Kelp                Olives                          Swiss chard                             Cheeses

Lobster            Scallops                       Cottage cheese            

The last word- Remember that you should seek the advice of a professional before:

1) taking supplements,

2) combining supplements or

3) taking supplements with prescriptions or over the counter drugs.

Feel free to call us if you have questions.