Paul - It's good to see you are doing so well. Enjoy your peaceful heart and Happy New Year to you, too. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Montos - At my doctor's office, where I work periodically, when something works as we knew it would, we go around saying: "toldja!" And we smile a lot. I'm smiling at your success. Truly, in a heart that hasn't been afibbing for a long duration, it's almost a given that you can turn it around by adding those critical electrolytes to optimal IC saturation. Thby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Alex - There are indeed some that think 'pausing' supplements from time to time makes sense. That may be true if you are mega-dosing which isn't always necessary or smart. It is my opinion and that of several others I know who follow nutritionally-oriented online advice or opinions on the Internet, that Dr. S. is extremely conservative and sometimes misses the mark when offerby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
This might have been a good recommendation and certainly had the potential to offer something useful, but unfortunately, these and other writers fail to recognize exactly what Paleo eating is not. It's not packaged foods and it certainly isn't consuming Coconut Bliss ice cream sweetened with agave syrup. That's a shame to mislead readers into thinking consuming sugar is Paleo eaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Lance - I agree with George - just be careful so that you don't develop gastritis. I think either the citrate or gluconate form is much less irritating but you may as well use up your Rx if it doesn't bother you. There is some concern that if you use quite a bit of the KCl form, you may increase your chloride levels too much but not if used as you were prescribed, rather, if youby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Nick - I seemed to recall this was in the news a while back; a google indicates it made Nature in 2001. I guess that means it either wasn't popular or didn't have the efficacy they thought? Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chris - formerly vagal; first event was in May. My history does not indicate a worsening in the winter months. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Erling ~ Perfect! Thanks for taking the time to publish this for reference. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
George - thanks for this warning about children, asthma and magnesium lozenges. Asthma attacks at any age are frightening; in children it definitely can be a horrific event. A friend has asthma and her adopted 2 year-old daughter also has asthma. For the child, they treat her with nebulized magnesium that she inhales and it seems to work effectively. The mother fails to recognize that asthmaby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
PD - chocolate because of the high sugar content is probably why it was a trigger. Unsweetened chocolate would probably not be a trigger. As for drinking alcohol after an ablation, it is mostly true that in small quantities, alcohol does not seem to be a trigger. That said, alcohol (and sugar) depletes magnesium and potassium. A deficiency of one or both electrolytes and then consuming anytby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Andrew - while it may be a source of potassium, the sugar content - 14 grams is a lot. Typically those looking to keep blood glucose and insulin levels on an even keel do not consume more than 4-5 grams in one serving. 1 teaspoon of sugar is 4 grams. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Peter - good for you. If you dedicde to get the book, try for the newer edition. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
James - from an old post about 5 years ago, this info from Michael Murray, ND, on potassium.... The entire book (The High Blood Pressure Solution) by Richard D Moore, MD, PhD is about the K Factor... which involves the relationship to potassium and sodium in the body and why the imbalance of too much sodium causes various disease/illness conditions. Jackie Title: Let's not forget about poby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
" So if potassium concentrations are about 30 times higher inside than outside the cells wouldn't testing, by the exatest method (inside the cells), be higher than in the blood plasma? Liz - this assumes that there is enough potassium to get inside the cells and is not prevented from doing so by a higher concentration of sodium which competes with potassium. There is no guarantee thby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Chuck.... could be an indirect indicator. B12 deficiency typically comes about from lack of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid).... people with low stomach acid typically are bothered by GERD and other related gastric ailments. They have found by correcting the GERD with betaine HCl and digestive enzymes, that these gastric symptoms no longer trigger afib....so in a round-about way, the answer yby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Yes! Ivan! I've had similar results when recommending this book to others. I'm so glad you decided to follow his plan. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Andrew - yes... definitely... an imbalance of salt vs potassium inside the cell can precipitate an AF event. Sodium is excitatory and potassium is calming. When you are low on intracellular potassium, you are more prone to afib events. Sodium helps hold onto water and increases blood volume which contributes to hypertension as well. A bit of sea salt added to one's diet is fine but eatinby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Wes - are you saying that you get your calcium intake from food in that amount or that you supplement with calcium? Either way, you could be too high in calcium...especially if you supplement. As long as you have afib, then probably you should be at a ratio of 2 magnesium to 1 calcium. If you supplement with calcium, I'd stop immediately until your afib resolves. Calcium dominates oveby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - I hope you are not still on a statin. On the Niaspan, I believe my functional medicine MD said that they have found it's not all that effective. That may vary according to individual. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Andrew - sure that's known as adrenal burnout. High stress (exercise is stress no sleep is stress), and the over-production of the death hormone, cortisol, on a continual basis does a real number on humans. Remember, though, it's the depletion of electrolytes that typically does manifest in afib - for race horses as well as humans. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Curt - Those writing on potassium etc. often say if your serum potassium levels are low - in a standard blood draw - it's probably a safe bet that your IC levels are low or very low. I think enough of us have proven that via an Exatest to validate the statement. It's true... education for eating healthy (basic nutrition) used to be emphasized in school (back in the dark ages whenby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
David - I googled label information on powdered Gatorate... this is probably fairly typical of any of these powdered products.... the liquid has high fructose corn syrup which is actually worse than table sugar (sucrose). One sample: Gatorade 33691 Nutrition Facts: Serving Size: 1-1/3 tbsp (15g) (8 fl oz prepared) Servings Per Container: 40 Calories Per Serving: 50 Total Fat: 0g / 0% Sodiby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Gregg - the issue with high LDL's is the oxidative stress damage. Taking plenty of antioxidants such as NAC is a good start to preventing the damage.... along with the usual other suggested antioxidants from both food and supplements. Just google antioxidants food and you'll come up with lots of suggestions. The ACEs... A, C, E and Selenium (antioxidants) should always be part of eby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Andrew - yes definitely the low potassium is of concern. It needs to be around 4.5 - some people manage nicely around 4.2 so it's an individual thing but anything below 4 is typically trouble in the area of afib. You should manage both magnesium and potassium levels as just adding potassium (supplements) in the presence of low intracellular magnesium can make afib worse instead of better.by Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Debbie - best wishes to Mike for a safe and sucessful second ablation. Jackieby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Couple of questions.... on the thyroid test... what was measured? and what was the number considered to be 'normal'? Also, I just recently excerpted the following informatin for a person who has afib but is also treating for hypertension with several medications. If you haven't had an evaluation of where your intracellular levels stand for calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chloride, thenby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Barb - Peggy is correct... no one wants to give up gluten as it is addictive just as sugar is. The stronger your passion is for a food, the more addicted you are and it's typically the culprit you need to get rid of. Actually, the Conference Room Session #61 discusses why those a Paleo style eating plan seem to have success in eliminating afib... and addresses the gluten connection. Of cby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Curt - that's good advice. The adrenaline surge one gets from the 'fear factor' serves a purpose....initially intended to give a burst of energy to save the individual from the saber-tooth tiger... but ongoing, prolonged stress is not natural nor is it healthy. The most important thing any afibber can do is get to the place where the afib event doesn't cause that sense of anby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Wes - do you have any other medical conditions? Do you take any other meds besides the heart drugs? By any chance have you had the Exatest so you know for sure your intracellular levels of electrolytes? How much calcium from food would you estimate you consume relative to the amount of magnesium intake from food? Typically, what's in the last meal or snack of the day? What's the dby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM
Marian - yes - thank you so much for clarifying that. Some brands provide a scoop with the powder and one scoop = 2.s grams so you need two (heaping) scoops to equal the dose of 5 grams. Others give a scoop equal to 1 teaspoon or 5 grams. A dose is 5 grams twice a day. For those with fibromyalgia and other muscle issues involving mitochondrial dysfunction, they say to start with 3 doses aby Jackie - AFIBBERS FORUM