Calcium and the Paleo Herbalist
22 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
in Paleo Herbalist Tags: calcium, caveman, diet, Paleo
One of the oddest things about adopting the Paleo diet is the way it affects our choice of supplements. For example, one of the premises of physiology is that the foundation of the nervous system is calcium. So, when you are dealing with stress you add load up on calcium. But, one of the oddities of the SAD diet, or Standard American Diet is that grains and beans block the absorption of calcium and other minerals.
When you abandon those foods the large mineral sources in animal protein and vegetables are absorbed much more effectively. This is where it gets interesting. Thanks to the high level of electromagnetic exposure many people deal with thanks to computers, cell phones and AC wired houses, their needs for magnesium has gone through the roof.
Magnesium and calcium are polarities, the first relaxes and the second tightens. When you consume supplements that are high in calcium the body constricts, this may result in tight muscles, headaches, chest pain and heart palpitations. During the pre-Paleo days we wouldn’t have this reaction, and to such small amounts. For instance, I sometimes use an herbal combination from Natures Sunshine called Stress J. One of the ingredients that you notice from the scent is Valerian. That worthy herb is very high in calcium, and while I never had a problem with it before, now taking more than one gives me a calcium headache.
Now, we walk our talk and take a good number of supplements, and Lahni is the Countessa, she loves to count and is a wonder of accounting. So, imagine my surprise when she told me that our supplement costs were down 30%. That happened while we have been feeling much better. For instance this year Lahni has been driving wine tours in our little transportation company. I couldn’t imagine her doing that last year. From last season to this our cost for car washes are down dramatically despite our tours being up 25% or more. Why, because I washed the cars myself much more often because I felt better.
Last year I would head to the car wash to wash our one car because I was tired and in pain. This year I washed the two cars because it saved me money and was good exercise, and then I’d head into the office to write out tour books, Apps and Blogs.
The only mineral that I take daily anymore is a Magnesium Combination. There is more than one kind of Magnesium and they work on different systems. I used to take large amounts of essential fatty acids. Now I take one Omega 3 and one Super GLA every other day. Because we live in wine country, a place subject to large amounts of airborne yeast, I take daily Flora. One of the things that you learn around the wineries is that bacteria and other microbes compete. So I focus on getting the friendly ones working for me.
Ralph & Lahni de Amicis are Master Herbalists and Naturopathic Physicians. You can find their books and other products plus a wealth of useful information at http://www.SpaceAndTime.com and you can contact them at Lahni@spaceandtime.com
