Protecting Your Lungs by Dr. Martin
Hey, It's Dr. Martin here…
I want to share with you my 5 favorite supplements I use to help bulletproof my lungs.
Here they are:
PROBIOTICS
This may shock you, but PROBIOTICS are the most important supplement you can take to help strengthen your lungs. You've most likely heard the famous quote from Hippocrates…"All disease begins in the gut."
Well, thousands of years later, it turns out that Hippocrates was right.
Your gut is connected to EVERY system in your body through the microbiome.
The microbiome is a fancy name for the trillions of bacteria that live IN and ON your body.
So, not only is your gut covered with bacteria but so are your heart, liver, skin, joints, pancreas, and LUNGS.
Not long ago, doctors thought your brain was sterile. I was mocked for saying otherwise. Well, It turns out I was right. Your brain is full of bacteria as well.
Here's where it gets interesting…All the bacteria in your body COMMUNICATE with each other through the bacteria in your gut.
This means the bacteria in your gut directly talk with the bacteria in your brain, heart, liver, joints, pancreas, and LUNGS. That's why the health of your gut directly impacts the health of your lungs because your lungs are only as healthy as the microbiome in your lungs and if the bacteria in your gut aren't healthy then the bacteria in your lungs aren't healthy and that means your lungs aren't healthy.
Some people have weak lungs simply because the bacteria in their gut isn't healthy. You need a diverse microbiome of your lungs and gut to have strong, healthy lungs.
Research shows probiotics activate and regulate your defense against lung infections and inflammation.
Probiotics also reduce allergic airway response and protect against respiratory pathogens. This protects your breathing.
Most importantly, probiotics activate the powerful T-cells. T-cells are the Navy Seals of your immune system.
That's why we love probiotics for lung health.
Another significant cause of lung problems Asthma, COPD, lung cancers, weak lungs is oxidative damage.
What is oxidative damage?
Think of a sliced apple left on the kitchen counter overnight. By morning the apple is a brown, rotten mess. That is oxidative damage.
Another way to think of oxidative damage is to picture an old rusty car. Rust is oxidative damage.
The same thing that gives us life — oxygen — also slowly kills us. You are rusting out. You may not realize it but your cells are under CONSTANT attack from free radicals and free radicals CAUSE oxidative damage.
Free radicals, by definition, are unstable atoms. Think of free radicals like a drunk person walking through a fine china shop. Imagine the damage they can do to the store.
Free radicals can do the same thing to you…
• Brain
• Skin
• Joints
• Mitochondria
• Liver
• Heart
• Bones
…and LUNGS.
If you want to fight oxidative stress — then you must fight free radicals.
Your lungs are highly susceptible to oxidative damage from free radicals since they are constantly exposed to oxygen. The biggest weapon you've got in the fight against free radicals is antioxidants.
I believe EVERYONE should be taking a powerful antioxidant.
QUERCETIN
Quercetin is one of my favorite nutrients. I should be talking about this phenomenal nutrient more often. Quercetin is a strong natural antihistamine.
Remember histamine is a messenger molecule that many cells in your body use to talk with each other. This is one reason why you need some histamine.
Histamine is also released by mast cells (a type of white blood cell) during periods of stress and allergy. So, histamine is an essential part of your normal immune response.
Now, mast cells are found in almost every tissue in your body. But they're primarily found in areas CLOSEST to the external environment…Your skin, LUNGS, and GI tract.
That's why itching, redness, swelling, and increased mucus production are common allergic reactions.
When it comes to your lungs histamine constricts the bronchi in your lungs — causing wheezing, coughing, or asthma. So taking a good natural antihistamine like Quercetin is vital to lung health.
But Quercetin is more than a natural antihistamine.Quercetin has been shown to significantly reduce lung inflammation and oxidative damage.
That's why Quercetin is good at "clearing the lungs."
Prior to the Covid era few ever heard of a "cytokine storm". In case you're wondering, a cytokine storm is a toxicity that develops when your immune system responds too aggressively to an infection and that's what happened to some people (mainly with poor metabolic health) when they were infected with Covid and it was deadly for them.
Quercetin got "famous" during COVID-19 because it inhibits cytokine release. All these reasons are why Quercetin is one of the top lung health nutrients.
VITAMIN D
You can't talk about lung health without mentioning vitamin D. Vitamin D is the most critical vitamin for lung health. I can write a book on how vitamin D helps keep your lungs strong.
All you need to know is that "low blood levels of vitamin D are associated with respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, and respiratory symptoms including wheezing and chest tightness."
How critical is vitamin D to lung health?
According to research, Vitamin D deficiency was the KEY FACTOR in severe COVID-19 & death.
DHA
Most are surprised when I mention DHA for lung health but DHA is excellent for lung health.
As a reminder, DHA is a type of Omega-3 fatty acid. I love DHA and take it each day for brain and heart health.
Research shows that higher blood levels of DHA are associated with a LOWER risk of hospitalizations due to lung disease.
Bottom line higher blood levels of DHA are linked to less lung inflammation.
This isn't surprising, considering DHA is one of the best ways to naturally lower inflammation.
Magnesium, one of the Most Important Minerals
taken from Dr. Berg lecture
Magnesium deficiency, or hypomagnesemia, is a health issue that often flies under the radar. Approximately two out of every five people worldwide are not consuming adequate amounts of magnesium.
The Role of Magnesium in the Body
This underrated mineral plays an essential role in our bodies. It helps maintain muscle and nerve function, supports a healthy immune system, keeps your heartbeat steady, and aids bone health.
Studies have found that magnesium involves more than 350 enzyme or biochemical pathways - from energy production to DNA synthesis.
However, every individual has unique nutritional needs based on age, sex, weight, and overall health status. One individual may require a different amount than another; too little or too much could be the case.
Tackling Deficiency Through Diet And Supplementation
To tackle this prevalent deficiency head-on, we need practical solutions like improving dietary intake of magnesium-rich foods and considering supplementation when necessary.
Signs and Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency
We must pay attention to the messages our bodies are sending us. A lack of magnesium can lead to physical and psychological symptoms that may seem unrelated.
Physical Indicators of Deficiency
If your muscles are twitching or cramping without an apparent reason, like exercise, they might tell you something important - you lack magnesium.
These uncomfortable sensations aren't just annoying; they could signal a severe deficiency. High C-reactive protein levels, a biomarker used to measure inflammation in the body, can be an indication of magnesium deficiency.
Magnesium isn’t just about bodily function. Feelings of depression are often associated with low levels of this vital mineral.
Health Risks Associated with Magnesium Deficiency
It's not just a minor issue; magnesium deficiency can seriously affect your health. Complications can arise when the body doesn't get enough of this essential mineral.
Cardiovascular Complications
Magnesium plays a pivotal role in heart health and vascular function. Its shortage may lead to high blood pressure because it aids in relaxing arteries and muscles.
Studies suggest that lack of magnesium might even mess up the functioning of the heart's pacemaker cells, triggering arrhythmias - irregular heartbeat rhythms that are no fun at all.
The Link Between Magnesium Deficiency and Diabetes
If you thought diabetes was only about sugar control, think again. A lack of magnesium has been connected to an augmented risk of diabetes and insulin resistance.
Research demonstrates how crucial maintaining healthy levels of this mineral is for metabolic health. Don’t let your body miss out on what it needs.
Causes of Magnesium Deficiency
Magnesium deficiency, or hypomagnesemia, can stem from a variety of causes. Two major categories are dietary factors and other health-related influences.
Dietary Factors Contributing to Deficiency
A poor diet is often the root cause behind inadequate magnesium levels. Food processing and refining strips away essential nutrients, including magnesium. So, our intake drops drastically when we favor refined carbohydrates.
Sugar-laden foods are another culprit, as they require lots of magnesium for digestion but provide none in return. This ends up depleting your body's stores even more.
Other Factors That Can Deplete Magnesium
Beyond diet, several health conditions and lifestyle choices also contribute to low magnesium levels. Chronic diarrhea can flush out essential minerals before absorption occurs.
Certain medications like diuretics and antibiotics interfere with the body's absorption of this mineral. Age plays a role, too; as you grow older, your ability to retain this crucial nutrient diminishes.
Addressing Magnesium Deficiency: Diet and Supplementation
The key to fixing magnesium deficiency is increasing intake. This can be done through diet or supplements. Depending on your health condition, you must get the right amount of magnesium daily, ranging from 300 to 750 milligrams.
Diet plays a significant role in maintaining healthy levels of magnesium. Foods rich in this essential mineral are necessary for our bodies.
Dark, leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale are excellent sources of dietary magnesium. Chocolate is a good source of magnesium and has a high magnesium to calcium ratio (about 4:1). When Magnesium is low the craving for chocolate may be due to a need for magnesium.
There are other foods such as brown rice, avocados, haddock, navy beans, lima beans, broccoli, yogurt, bananas, baked potatoes, apples, apricots, brewer’s yeast
If food isn't enough, many bioavailable forms of magnesium supplements exist. These encompass magnesium supplements like citrate, lactate, glycinate, aspartate, and gluconate.
Remember to always consult your health care provider before starting any supplement regimen.
Blood tests help monitor progress when addressing deficiency issues. This guide provides detailed information about how blood tests work to track mineral deficiencies, including Magnesium.
Conclusion
Magnesium plays an integral role in over 350 biochemical reactions within us. But remember that leg cramps or muscle twitching might not just be fatigue - they could signal a lack of this crucial mineral.
The connection between heart health and magnesium isn't one to ignore either. And did you catch that about diabetes risk increasing with low magnesium levels?
Awareness is critical when dealing with Magnesium Deficiency: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment effectively. From dietary changes to supplementation options - you now have the knowledge at hand!
More about Magnesium
The Microbiome and Your Arteries
There is an interesting connection between your microbiome and your arteries. In mice studies, when the mice lack a healthy gut microbiome, they tend to develop a lot of inflammation.
Inflammation in the arteries triggers a cascade of damaging effects. An overall imbalance of the microorganisms in the body can also lead to various problems in the arteries.
One of the most important vitamins for the arteries is vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 helps keep calcium buildup out of the arteries.
The microbes in your gut have the ability to make vitamin K2, but fermented foods and fatty foods are also rich in vitamin K2.
Keep in mind that vitamin K2 works better when taken with vitamin D3. For every 100 mcg of vitamin K2, consider taking 10,000 IU of vitamin D3.
Probiotics are crucial to support healthy arteries, and your friendly microbes are your natural probiotics. It’s important to support your microbiome and avoid sterile foods like pasteurized and over-processed foods.
The best meal to clean out the arteries:
• Brie cheese
• Fatty pork sausage
• Sauerkraut
Each of these foods is fermented and loaded with vitamin K2. Give them a try, and start adding other alive and fermented foods to your diet.
How to Have Healthy Nerves
When nerves are healthy, sensory nerves (such as those in your fingers and toes) communicate well to the environment and receive messages clearly. There is no tingling, no numbness, no burning, and no pain in the feet, hands or anywhere else.
Healthy motor nerves communicate to the muscles so that they move on demand. They relay the commands sent to the muscles from the brain. There is no unsteadiness, or being unbalanced, no dropped foot. There is no muscle weakness.
When a nerve is healthy, it has a myelin sheath surrounding it. This lining protects the nerve and just like a wire with a protective coating, it will not short circuit or create any uncomfortable feelings such as tingling, burning or pain.
Read Nerve Health
