Montos - one more thing about forms of potassium... When I'm not home to use the powdered Kgluconate, I carry with me capsules of a potassium product by Designs for health called K+2...it's a potassium glycinate complex plus potassium bicarbonate. This form may suit you well if you pin down your gastritis to specifically the potassium you now take. The glycinate form is obviously cby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks, Hans - I was sure there was some fundamental flaw in the study. I'm still disturbed that iherb would use the reference the way they do in their library. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Montos.... Hans is on the right path... Because I tolerate a lot of supplemental potassium, I tend to overlook that as a common problem. Sorry. Some forms of potassium are much more likely to cause gastritis... this would be the chloride version or citrate. The gluconate is less likely but still can cause problems in sensitive individuals. Try switching if you use the chloride and also try cby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ivan - unless you have been diagnosed by DEXA evaluation that you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, you should be able to get enough calcium from your diet. If you would use supplemental calcium, then you must be sure it stays in a ratio where there is at the very least 1:1 Mg to Ca and preferably 2:1 Mg to Ca. Most recommendations are the opposite. The idea is to keep magnesium dominant insiby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - It's not that olive oil 'turns bad' with cooking - but rather high heat destroys the benefits. It's healthier consumed unheated and should be the first-press virgin olive oil. You can lightly sautee foods (quickly) with olive oil at a low heat. High heat with oil is not healthy no matter what the oil. That said, Coconut oil does the best for a quick 'fry' at higher heat. However,by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
If I were in NY, I'd consult with Larry Chinitz, MD , Associate Professor of Medicine and Director, Cardiac Electrophysiology, NYU School of Medicine. I sat with his EP Nurse at the AF Summit held here in Cleveland several years ago. I was very impressed with what she told me about how they approach ablations and patient care and followup. Several people here on the BB have used Dr. Chby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Montos - you can try a variety of things to see which helps. The product by Enzymatic Therapy DGL typically helps soothe exactly what you describe. Read the description at this link - and see if you can get locally the product that does not contain fructose - note this one uses mannitol as the sweetener. DGL acts quickly. (read the product description) The gel form of Aloe Vera (organic) froby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Darcy - by any chance are you taking calcium supplements ? Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Well said, James. Now let's try to get them motivated to do just that. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Good suggestion on the Ghee, Joyce. I prefer using that with certain foods. Otherwise, I like olive oil and coconut oil which is saturated but vegetable but valuable nutrients included as well. That Weston Price link that Peggy mentions has good information on fats... Articles by fat researcher, Mary Enig, PhD, and Mary Fallon. Dr. Enig is internationally known and respected for her work.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg ~ as I mentioned previously in other posts, the best reference is the Metabolic Cardiology book by cardiologist, Stephen Sinatra. It's technical enough to satisfy you. I have a number of articles about ribose that I'll be glad to share if you email me. Once you read about the connection between what Sinatra calls the Awesome Foursome... ribose, carnitine, CoQ and magnesium anby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes - well... we know that often it takes more than correcting low intracellular magnesium levels to reverse the afib tendency. We know from our tinkering that we need other tools in our arsenal and a big one would be lifestyle changes which would include identifying and avoiding triggers. We know so much more than that study tends to indicate; It's a shame to see that listed in a suppleby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mark - if anyone can do it, he can. Keep us posted. Be sure to call soon for your appointment because it may take some time to get in. Good luck. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gary - I have no experience with the drug you mention, but I have plenty of experience with the imbalance of calcium to magnesium and the fact that too much calcium inside heart cells can produce afib. You may be able to offset the calcium issue by adding magnesium. I have an elderly friend (89) who has parathyroid issues and also afib. The magnesium remedy is overlooked by her physicians buby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Liz - there is a difference between "processed" and raw. Processed typically means packaged, bottled, canned or even frozen and also commercially prepared foods would be in this category. You can eat whole foods, minimally cooked - like lightly steamed or lightly sauteed as in a veggie stir fry and these are not raw nor are they "processed." As for the natural vitamin C.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
As far as a 'cure' for afib.... Ive had one ablation (Natale) six years ago and Ive had a total of 6 breakthrough arrhythmias. I attribute that to low intracellular magnesium and/or potassium levels. I am able to eat all my former triggers, although I mostly choose not to do so for a variety of reasons. When I do eat something that was a former trigger, I make sure that I take extra supplemby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mark - It's a smart move going to Texas for Dr. Natale. He has a state-of- the-art EP lab and since he's the best EP in the US, it makes sense to go there if you can. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Hi Steve - I'm sorry to see your post. I'd suggest you request the heart drugs needed to use as PIP and use as I do if the need arises. That way you avoid the nasty side effects of regular drug use. Your next event, if there is one, may not be for several years. Since you don't get along with drugs well, the PIP approach would seem to be a logical move. I always carry a stasby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Mark - I'm sure others can answer your question more appropriately and technically than I, but it's my understanding that the procedure Dr. Natale uses does not just isolate the pulmonary veins, rather he burns in the antrum area well away from the veins to avoid stenosis and to catch any other signals as well. He then goes to all the well-known areas of the signals they call 'potby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barb - I've mentioned that previously in other posts... at the very least your magnesium should be 1:1 to calcium. I'll be covering this more in an upcoming post about magnesium 'nuggets'.... Women told to take calcium for bone health, but unfortunately, not told to also use vitamin D, magnesium, and vitamin K2 to get the calcium into the bones. If you are low in intraby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Paul - I'm very sorry to read this post and of your complication. No way to start a New Year, for sure. Please keep us posted. Jackie In his book , Interpreting Cardiac Dysrhythmias, EP Marcus Wharton says on p. 145 - treatment for Third Degree (Complete) AV Block: Third degree AV block generally causes hemodynamic instability because of the slow rate of the ventricular escape rhythmby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - the high carb rice metabolizes quickly and the insulin response to that carb often causes you to feel hungry more quickly because it lowers blood glucose too much. That's a typical response. The most appropriate substitute for starch is protein and fat. There is no requirement in the body for carbs...but there is a definite requirement for adequate protein and fat. As Peggyby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - My CT scan indicated no stenosis. However, my energy history was another story. My ablation was in November and I was doing very well until I had an AF breakthrough at 103 days which involved cardioversion; then I had the requisite CT scan. I had expected to return to my summer routine of golfing and gardening, etc but was extremely short on energy. So much so that I dropped my memby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
From the link George N posted: 5. Avoid agave syrup since it is a highly processed sap that is almost all fructose. Your blood sugar will spike just as it would if you were consuming regular sugar or HFCS. Agaves meteoric rise in popularity is due to a great marketing campaign, but any health benefits present in the original agave plant are processed out.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ivan - I presume your magnesium glycinate indicates on the label in fine print that it is of the Albion patented process. If not, what's the brand? This patented form is the least likely to cause the bowel intolerance issues. Try to take it with food... don't take all at once. The one thing about loose stool and magnesium supplements is that you have to go very slowly in increasiby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Andrew - skipped beats may not lead to anything, but they could also be the signal that the refractory period is shortening. The shorter the RP, the more likely it is that afib can occur. Here's where magnesium and potassium are important. With a good base of magnesium and optimal potassium, the refractory period remains prolonged. Typically, when low on potassium, the refractory periodby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
The issue really comes down to how well your body tolerates the sugar intake and that would depend on glucose metabolism and whether or not you have optimal intracellular stores of magnesium and potassium....since sugar intake depletes both. The obvious concern is that if you are marginal or low in either and then eat a non-paleo food that contains sugar or metabolizes to glucose, the risk can bby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks George. Glad you posted the link. It's well done. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Ivan - very good. I'd try to increase your magnesium supplementation with the goal of having a higher intracellular magnesium to calcium ratio. This is a good guideline and while you are doing well, optimizing the magnesium just a bit more will be extra insurance that calcium won't have a chance to dominate the heart cell and be excitatory. Potassium becomes a key player once you hby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Fergie and Jim - yes... that's what I and many others have observed. Of course, I've had ablation which makes my situation different, but if you look at the numbers of former afibbers (CR#61) and the fact that they have virtually eliminated afib by optimizing the critical heart nutrients AND eliminating the dietary factors that contribute to depletion problems, then the answer is yes. We haveby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM