About Joy Stephenson-Laws: Joy Stephenson-Laws is the founder of Proactive Health Labs, a national non-profit health information company that provides education and tools needed to achieve optimal health. Her most recent book is Minerals - The Forgotten Nutrient: Your Secret Weapon for Getting and Staying Healthy, available through Amazon, iTunes and bookstores. Joy Stephenson-Laws, JD, is the founder of Proactive Health Labs (www.phlabs.org), a national nonprofit health information company that provides education and tools needed to achieve optimal health. She also is founding and managing partner of Stephenson Acquisto & Colman (www.sacfirm.com), one of the nation´s leading health care law firms.
Lindsey: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us. Please let us know your background in mineral health and tell us more about your new book.
Joy: At some point in your life, you have probably felt what I felt as it relates to your health…Confusion, uncertainty, worry …
My aha moment was in my early 40’s when my doctor of many years started to prep me for what I should expect as I navigate my way through my 40s and 50s. He told me I should expect hot flashes, depression, difficulty sleeping, weight gain, water retention among other things. He also told me to stay active, eat a healthy diet but I would still have many of these issues. Everyone does. But when that time came, he would prescribe medications for me to fix those problems.
Bless his heart. He was being “proactive” about my health.
But I was not ready to accept my fate. I did not want to take medications unless I had to. They may work but have tons of side effects. I prefer to take medication if I have an accident, surgery or an acute illness.
So I spent countless hours trying to figure this all out. I researched what to eat and what supplements to take, only to end up confused and with more to google. I even felt like a fraud because as a healthcare attorney, I am trained to research credible sources for healthcare information and understand complex issues so I can examine and cross examine medical doctors. But for a long time, I still couldn’t figure out how to keep myself as healthy as I wanted…(How ironic, right?)
Then it happened. One day I discovered and finally understood what nutrients really meant. And I also understood how important they were in helping me avoid issues like menopause, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, cancer etc. Being healthy wasn’t just about vitamins and drinking 8 glasses of water a day.
There are actually 6 key nutrients we need to stay healthy. And only few get talked about in the mainstream. Moreover, the amount of each nutrients we need is affected by age, medications, alcohol, genetics, diet and activity level.
And regardless of how ‘well’ we eat or exercise, if we don’t know what those nutrients are, and what our individual needs are, we are all basically blind men trying to do a crossword puzzle. Crazy, right?
Let me give you an example. For years I thought if I eat tons of fruits and veggies, take my supplements, avoid cigarettes and limit alcohol, I would never be deficient in vitamin C. Then I took a test and found out I was extremely low in vitamin C. I later discovered my body had difficulty absorbing vitamin C from the foods I ate or from regular supplements and I needed a special type of vitamin C. I took the correct form of vitamin C and now my levels are optimal, my energy levels have improved, I am never depressed, I sleep well and rarely if ever get a cold.
But this is more than just about being deficient in vitamin C. There are other important nutrients we need and a large percentage of us are nutrient deficient – at least 85%.
So I asked myself, how would I know whether I was in that 85%? How could I figure out if I have the right balance of nutrients from the foods I eat?
I stared at my computer screen trying to determine what to search for next. I dissected a ton of articles, assembled a team of medical experts and poured over countless medical journals. Because some things are worth the effort, right?
I spent tons of time trying to find the answer and came across loads of contradicting advice. I even co-wrote a book when I discovered that most people forgot about the importance of minerals – a critical nutrient.
I tweaked, tested, got feedback, and I kept going. Want to know how it played out? Did it work? Did I figure out how to help myself, my loved ones and you get healthier without facing your doomsday in a doctor’s office? I sure did. And I’m excited to share it with you.
This is the beginnings of what is now Proactive Health Labs. I realized that part of any healthy routine must start with identifying the healthy foods from which we can get those 6 basic nutrients.
Then we need to do at least annual testing to see whether our bodies are absorbing the right balance of these nutrients from the foods we eat. And no, I’m not referring to your annual physical where they focus on cholesterol and perhaps vitamin D. The test I’m talking about identifies if you are deficient in other vitamins such as A, B, C as well as minerals, fats and proteins etc. and identifies whether you have excess toxins like mercury and lead in your body. It may even help you identify the cause of any gut issues
Lindsey: How can proper mineral intake help us maintain a healthy weight or help us achieve our weight loss goals?
Joy: To better understand how minerals can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight, it’s important to first understand what they are. Minerals are a class of nutrients that, along with water, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and proteins, are critical for literally every one of your bodily functions. Simply put, without minerals, humans – and most other forms of life – would not exist. They are that important. In fact, two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling said that “you could trace every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency.” This may be a slight exaggeration, but it does make the point that minerals play a critical role in your health.
Given their importance to getting and staying healthy, it only makes sense, then, that minerals would also play a key role in weight management. I will discuss several minerals that are important to consider. But remember to talk with your healthcare provider before starting any type of diet or weight loss program (including exercise, which is an important component of maintaining a healthy weight).
Magnesium: Researchers continue to study the relationship between this mineral and weight. Some animal studies have shown that a low level of magnesium can slow down the growth of lean body mass (bone and muscle) and promote an increase in body fat. This is probably due to your body’s need for magnesium for so many different functions. It’s no wonder that things, like your metabolism, slow down and get sluggish without magnesium. Researchers have also found that overweight people with low magnesium tend to have high blood sugar, which can increase appetite and keep you overweight. So, talk with your healthcare provider about adding magnesium to your diet-and-exercise regimen.
Phosphorus: This mineral may actually be a key factor in preventing obesity. One theory goes like this: High-carb diets increase insulin release, which creates a reaction that consumes a lot of phosphorus. This means phosphorus isn’t available to perform other reactions in the body, like burn off food. This low metabolism gets mistranslated to the body as “not enough food,” which causes us to eat more. Supporting this theory is that high levels of phosphorus in the body are linked with lower body weight.
Iron: There’s a lot of research on the link between obesity and iron deficiency. Basically, excess weight seems related to iron deficiency. Research, however, indicates that being obese causes or exacerbates the iron deficiency instead of the other way around. In any event, given iron’s role in ensuring that we remain physically active, you should make sure you are getting – and that your body is absorbing – enough of this critical mineral.
Zinc: There is evidence to suggest that if you are overweight, zinc can help block the bad effects of obesity. This does not, mean, however, that you should view taking zinc as a free ticket to overeat and gain weight. However, it may aid your weight loss efforts by not allowing the excess weight to further deteriorate your health.
Lindsey: What do you recommend to ensure we are getting the proper minerals our bodies need?
Joy: The best way to ensure you’re getting minerals, and other key nutrients, that your body needs is to eat a well-balanced diet which includes plenty of fresh foods – especially fruits and vegetables – that you prepare at home. This approach has two very important benefits. The first is the nutrients found in fresh food are usually more readily usable by your body. Secondly, by preparing your food, you know exactly what you are eating. You can also completely control how much or how little of ingredients, such as sugar and sodium, you are consuming. This is especially important if you are on a restricted diet to better manage conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. In addition to this, be sure to not overcook your veggies. Overcooking reduces vitamin and mineral value. It is also important to avoid foods which may rob your body of critical minerals. These include:
Sodas: Phosphoric acid is used to enhance the flavor of many carbonated drinks. It provides that tanginess that you enjoy. Although phosphorus is an integral part of bones, high phosphorus intake, such as from the acidic forms found in sodas, can cause excretion of essential healthy bone minerals such as calcium and magnesium while phosphates take their place, leading to brittle bones (osteoporosis). So your best bet is to drink water with lime or other fresh fruits added to give it flavor. Stay away from sodas – including diet sodas.
Alcohol: People who consume too much alcohol have multiple nutritional and mineral deficiencies. Alcohol has strong diuretic effects which may contribute to loss of minerals in the urine (as well as dehydration). If you drink alcohol frequently, these minerals will need to be replaced.
Coffee: Hear me out before you panic. Overall, regular consumption of one cup of coffee per day does not seem to have any adverse effects on minerals and bone health, but drinking several cups of day may.. So, watch how much caffeine you drink.
Stress: Stress increases cortisol levels and also interferes with other mineral-reabsorbing hormones. This may cause increased urinary frequency, decreased mineral absorption and ultimately loss of essential minerals.
Keep in mind, it’s also possible the fresh food you purchase may not have adequate nutrients because of soil conditions where the food is grown. This can happen when the soil has been depleted over time by high-yield and other farming techniques.
So even if you’re purchasing fresh foods and preparing them at home, you cannot be absolutely sure you’re getting enough of the right minerals and in the right amounts for your body. And it is also possible that your body simply doesn’t adequately absorb the nutrients you are eating. This can happen because of medications you are taking, older age or a genetic predisposition to not being able to fully absorb the minerals and other nutrients from your food.
The best way to make sure you’re really getting enough minerals and other nutrients is to have your mineral and other nutrient levels tested. This type of test is important, since many doctors do not routinely test for certain mineral deficiencies. So, you may not find out about important mineral deficiencies unless you take the time to educate yourself and request those tests or see a practitioner familiar with mineral testing.
One thing to keep in mind is that symptoms of mineral deficiency can be vague and nonspecific, and it may not be easy for you to know that you have a mineral deficiency. Skilled medical practitioners may suspect certain deficiencies, but they have to rely on testing to confirm. Furthermore, mineral deficiencies are more likely to affect people over 40 years. It generally takes a long time for the effects of mineral deficiencies to manifest themselves in healthy people. It is, therefore, important to be proactive and routinely test (at least one to two times per year) for nutritional deficiencies. Understanding and testing for deficiencies during childhood is also important, since mineral deficiencies can lead to a number of developmental disorders or impairments. In addition to this, choose a knowledgeable expert to interpret your mineral test results. To learn more about mineral and nutrient testing, you can follow this link.
Lindsey: Please share with us the power of zinc or other minerals that are effective for weight loss.
Joy: Open up any magazine or listen to any infomercial, and you will hear that specific minerals, such as zinc, are the long-sought-after holy grail of diets. Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet for losing or maintaining a healthy weight. The best approach is, as I like to say, “don’t diet, but watch your diet” and focus on eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of nutrient-rich, fresh fruits and vegetables. That said, while zinc has not been proven to help reduce weight or help you maintain a healthy weight, there is evidence that if you are overweight zinc can help block the bad effects of obesity.
But even if zinc may not be your answer to losing weight, it does play a very important role in your health and can be used to address many health issues, from the common cold to depression and malaria. It also helps wounds heal quickly and properly and plays an important role in helping the immune system fight off bacteria and reducing the incidence of colds. It is also required for proper taste and smell. Zinc is readily available in a wide variety of foods, including: Oysters, Red Meat, Poultry, Chia seeds, Beans, Almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, Tofu, Broccoli, Oatmeal, Spinach
Lindsey: Please share with us what we need to know about iron deficiency and weight loss.
Joy: Iron is a critical mineral that every single cell in your body needs. It is needed to make hemoglobin, a component of your red blood cells that delivers oxygen to all the cells in your body. Without adequate iron, your body can’t carry enough oxygen to your vital organs. Low iron levels may also leave you feeling quite tired. If you’re including an exercise regimen as part of your weight-loss plan, as you should be doing, then having low iron levels can leave you tired, which can impact your motivation to exercise.
Keep in mind that there are two types of iron – heme and non-heme. Heme iron is rich in lean meat and seafood. This is more bioavailable, meaning your body can use it better. Non-heme iron is found in nuts, grains, vegetables and other fortified products. The bioavailability (amount that gets absorbed) of iron from diets mixed with meat and seafood is about 14-18 percent, and about 5-12 percent in vegetarian or vegan diets. Absorption of iron happens in the gut and vitamin C enhances it. So, eating vitamin C-rich foods when trying to build up your iron will help.
Connect with Proactive Health Labs on:
Proactive Health Labs on Facebook
Proactive Health Labs on LinkedIn
Proactive Health Labs on Instagr
Proactive Health Labs on Pinterest
Proactive Health Labs on Goodreads
Proactive Health Labs on on the web www.phlabs.org
I received samples of these products to review. I was in no other way compensated for my honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Please see my disclosures page for details. Do not copy, in whole, or in part any portion of any postings on my blog. Do not repost my content on any other site without my explicit consent. All of my postings belong solely to lindsey8.blogspot.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment