Low magnesium levels makes Vitamin D ineffective

Vitamin D can't be metabolized without sufficient magnesium levels. Without magnesium, Vitamin D is not really useful or safe," says study co-author Mohammed S. Razzaque, MBBS, PhD, a professor of pathology at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Razzaque explains that consumption of Vitamin D supplements can increase calcium and phosphate levels even if Vitamin D is deficient. People may suffer from vascular calcification if their magnesium levels aren't high enough to prevent the complication.

Patients with optimum magnesium levels require less Vitamin D supplementation to achieve sufficient Vitamin D levels. Magnesium also reduces osteoporosis, helping to mitigate the risk of bone fracture that can be attributed to low levels of Vitamin D. Deficiency in either of these nutrients is reported to be associated with various disorders, including skeletal deformities, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic syndrome.

While the recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 420 mg for males and 320 mg for females. Magnesium status is low in people who consume processed foods that are high in refined grains, fat, phosphate, and sugar. Consuming an optimal amount of magnesium may lower the risks of Vitamin D deficiency, and reduce the dependency on Vitamin D supplements.

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body after calcium, potassium, and sodium. Foods high in magnesium are almonds, bananas, beans, broccoli, brown rice, cashews, egg yolk, fish oil, flaxseed, green vegetables, milk, mushrooms, nuts, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, soybeans, sunflower seeds, sweet corn, tofu, and whole grains.
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Valsartan for treating high blood pressure

Valsartan is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. Valsartan keeps blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow. It is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults and children who are at least 6 years old. Valsartan is also used in adults to treat heart failure, and to lower the risk of death after a heart attack. It is sometimes given together with other blood pressure medications.

If you have diabetes, do not use valsartan together with any medication that contains aliskiren (Amturnide, Tekturna, Tekamlo, Valturna). Before taking this medicine. Do not use valsartan if you are allergic to it. You may take valsartan with or without food. Take the medicine at the same time each day. If a child taking valsartan cannot swallow a capsule whole, your pharmacist can mix the medicine into a liquid. Shake this liquid well just before you measure a dose.

Measure the liquid with a special dose-measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. You may have very low blood pressure while taking valsartan. Call your doctor if you are sick with vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are sweating more than usual. Drinking alcohol can further lower your blood pressure and may increase certain side effects of valsartan. Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes while you are taking valsartan, unless your doctor has told you to.

Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall. Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. In rare cases, valsartan can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, unusual tiredness, and dark colored urine.
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Fried potatoes can cause cancer

Trans fat raised bad cholesterol, which can lead to cardiovascular disease. Fried potatoes are exposed to cooking oil at high temperature, this exposed the food to bad cholesterol.

The researchers were already looking at 4,440 people aged 45 to 79 over a period of eight years to study osteoarthritis when they decided to momentarily look at the effect of potatoes consumption.

Researchers have discovered a link between eating fried potatoes and early death, the way in which potatoes are fried is due to a chemical called acrylamide that can lead to cancer. The chemical is produced when starchy foods like potatoes are cooked at a high temperature.

Boiled, mashed or baked potatoes are healthy for consumption, potatoes  have no fat, sodium and cholesterol, they contain vitamin C and potassium.

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Potassium as good as sodium for healthy blood pressure

Potassium is a mineral that is needed for human body to function properly, it helps muscles to contract and promotes regular heartbeat.

Diet rich in potassium regulates harmful effects of too much salt in the body, excess consumption of sodium can cause hypertension, eating foods rich in potassium can reduce the blood pressure to normal. Foods rich in potassium are: Carrot, Banana, Sweet potato, Dark leafy greens,  Fish, and Avocado.

According to Dr Alicia McDonough of University of California, eating foods high in potassium is equivalent to taking a substance that increases production of urine and reduce sodium in the body.

High intake of potassium leads to excretion of more salt and water and decreases potassium excretion, this will put the blood pressure under control.

Researchers established the link between diet and blood pressure after accessing rodents and discovered that the body does a balancing act to control potassium in the body by using sodium.

Legumes can lower risk of type 2 diabetes

High consumption of legumes can lower risk of type 2 diabetes, they contain vitamin B which help the body to regulate it's metabolism.

Common legumes are: lentils, soybeans, peanut, beans, alfalfa, clover, mesquite, carob and tamarind. Lentil is the best legumes in lowering risk of type 2 diabetes.

Legumes contain calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Bioactive compounds in legumes improve metabolism and lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

Researchers from Unit of Human Nutrition at the Universitat Roviva I Virgili Spain analyzed the effects of exchanging legumes with other foods.

The researchers examined 3,349 people who did not have type 2 diabetes, and monitored them for four years and discovered that those with higher intake of legumes were 35 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than their counterparts that consumed less.