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Study of magnesium bioavailability from ten organic and inorganic Mg salts in Mg-depleted rats using a stable isotope approach

Nevner alt om hvordan magnesium taes opp og biotilgjengeligheten i forskjellige magnesium produkter. Sier at den viktigste måten det taes opp på er passiv overgang fra tynntarm til blod som følge av at blodet har mindre magnesium enn tarmen. Sier også at opptaket er bedre jo surere miljøet i tarmen er. Tabell 3 viser at de fikk i seg 13mg/d (magnesiumcitrat) og at 48% ble tatt opp. Maten de spiste innehold 600mg magnesium pr kg mat.

http://www.jle.com/en/revues/bio_rech/mrh/e-docs/00/04/15/FE/article.phtml

The target Mg level in these diets was 600 mg Mg/Kg diet.

It is essentially a passive intercellular process mediated by electrochemical gradients and solvent drag, and active transport occurs only for extremely low dietary Mg intake and its regulation is unknown [11].

In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that all ten organic and inorganic Mg salts were equally efficient in restoring blood Mg levels in plasma and red blood cells in rats. Because of the importance of the passive process, the quantity of Mg in the digestive tract is the major factor controlling the amount of Mg absorbed. However, the organic forms of Mg, in particular Mg gluconate, seem more absorbable than inorganic salts as assessed by intestinal absorption and urinary excretion.

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THE VALUE OF BLOWING UP A BALLOON

Dette er en veldig viktig artikkel for å forstå diafragmas rolle i både pust og bevegelse, og ifh smertetilstander i ryggraden. Nevner en lovende teknikk for å styrke diafragma og støttemuskulatur hvor man blåser opp en ballong og strammer kjernemuskulaturen. Nevner Zone of Apposition (ZOA) som beskriver diafragmas bevegelsesmuligheter. Ved lav ZOA har diafrgma lite bevegelse. Vi ønsker å øke ZOA. Denne øvelsen er konstruert basert på fysioterapeutisk prinsipper, men i Verkstedet Breathing System har vi øvelser som er gir samme resultater på diafragma, men bygget på lang og erfaringsbasert tradisjon fra tibetansk buddhisme.

Nevner også hvordan mage-pust minker bevegelsen i diafragma.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2971640/

Suboptimal breathing patterns and impairments of posture and trunk stability are often associated with musculoskeletal complaints such as low back pain. A therapeutic exercise that promotes optimal posture (diaphragm and lumbar spine position), and neuromuscular control of the deep abdominals, diaphragm, and pelvic floor (lumbar-pelvic stabilization) is desirable for utilization with patients who demonstrate suboptimal respiration and posture. This clinical suggestion presents a therapeutic exercise called the 90/90 bridge with ball and balloon. This exercise was designed to optimize breathing and enhance both posture and stability in order to improve function and/or decrease pain. Research and theory related to the technique are also discussed.

Many muscles used for postural control/stabilization and for respiration are the same, for example: the diaphragm, transversus abdominis, and muscles comprising the pelvic floor.16 Maintaining optimal posture/stability and respiration is important and is even more challenging during exercise. Exercise increases respiratory demand (e.g. running) and limb movements (e.g. arms moving while standing still) increase postural demands for stabilization.3,7

Many factors are potentially involved with suboptimal respiration and suboptimal (faulty) posture and may be associated with musculoskeletal complaints such as low back pain, and/or sacroiliac joint pain.8 (Table 1)

Suboptimal Respiration and Posture
Decreased/suboptimal Zone of Apposition of diaphragm
Decreased exercise tolerance
Decreased intra-abdominal pressure
Shortness of Breath/Dyspnea
Decreased respiratory efficiency
Decreased expansion of lower rib cage/chest
Decreased appositional diaphragm force
Decreased length of diaphragm (short)
Decreased transdiaphragm pressure
Increased use of accessory muscles of respiration
Poor neuromuscular control of core muscles
Increased lumbar lordosis
Increased anterior pelvic tilt
Increased hamstring length
Increased abdominal length
Rib elevation/external rotation
Sternum elevation
Increased activity of paraspinals
Increased lumbar-pelvic instability
Low back pain
Sacroiliac Joint pain
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Headaches
Asthma

One of the most critical factors, often overlooked by physical therapists, is maintaining an optimal zone of apposition of the diaphragm.3,911 The zone of apposition (ZOA) is the area of the diaphragm encompassing the cylindrical portion (the part of the muscle shaped like a dome/umbrella) which corresponds to the portion directly apposed to the inner aspect of the lower rib cage.12 The ZOA is important because it is controlled by the abdominal muscles and directs diaphragmatic tension. When the ZOA is decreased or suboptimal, there are several potential negative consequences. (Table 1) Two examples include:

  1. Inefficient respiration (less air in and out) because the transdiaphragmatic pressure is reduced.11 The smaller the ZOA, there will be less inspiratory action of the diaphragm on the rib cage.11
  2. Diminished activation of the transversus abdominis which is important for both respiration and lumbar stabilization.11,13

The incidence of LBP has been documented to be as high as 30% in the athletic population, and in many cases pain may persist for years.15 Low back pain is frequently correlated with faulty posture such as an excessive lumbar lordosis.1618 Excessive lumbar lordosis may be associated with over lengthened and weak abdominal musculature.1820 Poor neuromuscular control of core muscles (transversus abdominis, internal oblique, pelvic floor and diaphragm) has been described in individuals with SIJ pain21 and in individuals with lumbar segmental instability, potentially adversely affecting respiration.22

Richardson et al.27 describe coordination of the Transversus abdominis and the diaphragm in respiration during tasks in which stability is maintained by tonic activity of these muscles. During inspiration, the diaphragm contracts concentrically, whereas the transversus abdominis contracts eccentrically. The muscles function in reverse during exhalation with the diaphragm contracting eccentrically while the transversus abdominis contracts concentrically. Hodges et al. noted that during respiratory disease the coordinating function between the transversus abdominis and diaphragm was reduced.6 Thus, it is also possible that faulty posture such as over lengthened abdominals and excessive lordosis could reduce the coordination of the diaphragm and transversus abdominis during respiration and stabilization activities.

O’sullivan et al.21 studied subjects with LBP attributed to the sacroiliac joints and compared them to control subjects without pain. O’sullivan et al. compared respiratory rate and diaphragm and pelvic floor movement using real time ultrasound during a task that required load transfer through the lumbo-pelvic region (the active straight leg raise test). Subjects with pain had an increase in respiratory rate, descent of their pelvic floor and a decrease in diaphragm excursion as compared to the control subjects, who had normal respiratory rates, less pelvic floor descent, and optimal diaphragm excursion. While O’sullivan et al. concluded that an intervention program focused on integrating control of deep abdominal muscles with normal pelvic floor and diaphragm function may be effective in managing patients with LBP,21 they did not describe strategies or exercises to achieve this goal.21

While the role of the Transversus abdominis in lumbar stability is well documented, less well known is the role of the diaphragm in lumbar stability. While the primary function of the diaphragm is respiration, it also plays a role in spinal stability.3,28

The right hemidiaphragm attaches distally to the anterior portions of the first through third lumbar vertebrae (L1-3) and the left hemidiaphragm attaches distally on the first and second lumbar vertebrae (L1-2).29 This section of the diaphragm is referred to as the crura. Of interest is the asymmetrical attachment of the diaphragm with the left hemidiaphragm attaching to L1-2 and the right portion attaching to L1-3.

During the inhalation phase of ventilation, the dome of the diaphragm moves caudally like a piston creating a negative pressure in the thorax that forces air into the lungs. This action is normally accompanied by a rotation of the ribs outward (external rotation) largely in part due to the ZOA.12 (Figure 1) Apposition is a term that means multiple layers adjacent to each other.33 The normal force of pull on the sternal and costal portions of the diaphragm would produce an internal rotation of the ribs. The ZOA creates an external rotation of these ribs primarily because the pressure in the thoracic cavity prevents an inward motion. The crural portion of the diaphragm assists the caudal motion of the dome. It also pulls the anterior lumbar spine upward (cephalad and anterior). Additionally, the abdominal muscles and pelvic floor musculature are less active to allow visceral displacement due to the dome of the diaphragm dropping. With exhalation, this process is reversed. Abdominal muscle activity compresses the viscera in the abdominal cavity, the diaphragm is forced cephalad and the ribs internally rotate. As exhalation becomes forced as during exercise, abdominal activity (rectus abdominus, internal obliques, external obliques, and transversus abdominis) will be increased.3436

When the ZOA is optimized, the respiratory and postural roles of the diaphragm have maximal efficiency.37 In suboptimal positions (i.e. decreased ZOA), the diaphragm has a decreased ability to draw air into the thorax because of less caudal movement upon contraction and less effective tangential tension of the diaphragm on the ribs and therefore lower transdiaphragmatic pressure.38 This decreased ZOA is accompanied by decreased expansion of the rib cage, postural alterations, and a compensatory increase in abdominal expansion.12 (Figure 2)

One such adaptive breathing strategy would be to relax the abdominal musculature more than necessary on inspiration to allow for thoraco-abdominal expansion. This situation leads to decreased abdominal responsibility while breathing and can contribute to instability. This would reflect more upper chest breathing and less efficient diaphragm activity. If the body maintains this position and breathing strategy for an extended period of time, the diaphragm may adaptively shorten and the lungs may become hyperinflated.37,39,40 Hyperinflation may also contribute to over use of accessory muscles of respiration such as scalenes, sternocleidomastoid (SCM), pectorals, upper trapezius and paraspinals in an attempt to expand the upper rib cage.4144 Again, without an optimal dome shape/position of the diaphragm or an optimal ZOA the body compensates to get air in with accessory muscles since the more linear/flat/short diaphragm is less efficient for breathing.32

Instructions for Performance of the 90/90 Bridge with Ball and Balloon: 1. Lie on your back with your feet flat on a wall and knees and hips bent at a 90-degree angle. 2. Place a 4-6 inch ball between your knees. 3. Place your right arm above your head and a balloon in your left hand. 4. Inhale through your nose and as you exhale through your mouth, perform a pelvic tilt so that your tailbone is raised slightly off the mat. Keep low back flat on the mat. Do not press your feet into the wall, instead pull down with your heels. 5. You should feel the back of your thighs and inner thighs engage, keeping pressure on the ball. Maintain this position for the remainder of the exercise. 6. Now inhale through your nose and slowly blow out into the balloon. 7. Pause three seconds with your tongue positioned on the roof of your mouth to prevent airflow out of the balloon. 8. Without pinching the neck of the balloon and keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth, inhale again through your nose. 9. Slowly blow out as you stabilize the balloon with your left hand. 10. Do not strain your neck or cheeks as you blow. 11. After the fourth breath in, pinch the balloon neck and remove it from your mouth. Let the air out of the balloon.12. Relax and repeat the sequence 4 more times. Copyright © Postural Restoration Institute™ 2009, used with permission

The patient/athlete is asked to hold the balloon with one hand and inhale through his/her nose with the tongue on the roof of the mouth (normal rest position) and then exhale through his/her mouth into the balloon. The inhalation, to about 75% of maximum, is typically 3-4 seconds in duration, and the complete exhalation is usually 5-8 seconds long followed by a 2-3 second pause. This slowed breathing is thought to further relax the neuromuscular system/parasympathetic nervous system and generally decrease resting muscle tone. Ideally the patient/athlete will be able to inhale again without pinching off the balloon with their teeth, lips, or fingertips. This requires maintenance of intra-abdominal pressure to allow inhalation through the nose without the air coming back out of the balloon and into the mouth.

When the exercise is performed by the patient/athlete with hamstring and gluteus maximus (glut max) activation (hip extensors) the pelvis moves into a relative posterior pelvic tilt and the ribs into relative depression and internal rotation. This pelvic and rib position helps to optimize abdominal length (decreases) and diaphragm length/ZOA (increases).

Clinical experience with the BBE includes utilization of the exercise for both female and male patients (more females than males), ages 5-89 with a wide variety of diagnoses including: low back pain, trochanteric bursitis, SIJ pain, asthma, COPD, acetabular labral tear, anterior knee pain, thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) and sciatica.

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Brain Mechanisms Supporting the Modulation of Pain by Mindfulness Meditation

En studie som gir en tydelig beskrivelse av hvor mye mindfulness demper smerte. De fant ingen korrelasjon mellom pustefrekvens og smertereduksjon, men det kan være flere faktorer som spiller inn der.  I denne studien gjorde de f.eks. kun 20 min meditasjon i 4 dager, med mennesker som ikke har meditert først. De andre studiene inkluderer mennesker som har meditert lenge. I tillegg kan man tydelig se at etter 4 dager med meditasjon så blir pustefrekvensen lavere når man blir påført vond varme, noe som tyder på at de begynner å bruke pusten som smertereduksjon. Det var motsatt før de hadde fått instruksjon i meditasjon.

http://www.jneurosci.org/content/31/14/5540.full

After 4 d of mindfulness meditation training, meditating in the presence of noxious stimulation significantly reduced pain unpleasantness by 57% and pain intensity ratings by 40% when compared to rest.

Meditation-induced reductions in pain intensity ratings were associated with increased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula, areas involved in the cognitive regulation of nociceptive processing. Reductions in pain unpleasantness ratings were associated with orbitofrontal cortex activation, an area implicated in reframing the contextual evaluation of sensory events. Moreover, reductions in pain unpleasantness also were associated with thalamic deactivation, which may reflect a limbic gating mechanism involved in modifying interactions between afferent input and executive-order brain areas. Together, these data indicate that meditation engages multiple brain mechanisms that alter the construction of the subjectively available pain experience from afferent information.

Mindfulness-based mental training.

Mindfulness-based mental training was performed in four separate, 20 min sessions conducted by a facilitator with >10 years of experience leading similar meditation regimens. Subjects had no previous meditative experience and were informed that such training was secular and taught as the cognitive practice of Shamatha or mindfulness meditation. Each training session was held with one to three participants.

On mindfulness meditation training day 1, subjects were encouraged to sit with a straight posture, eyes closed, and to focus on the changing sensations of the breath occurring at the tips of their nostrils. Instructions emphasized acknowledging discursive thoughts and feelings and to return their attention back to the breath sensation without judgment or emotional reaction whenever such discursive events occurred. On training day 2, participants continued to focus on breath-related nostril sensations and were instructed to “follow the breath,” by mentally noting the rise and fall of the chest and abdomen. The last 10 min were held in silence so subjects could develop their meditative practice. On training day 3, the same basic principles of the previous sessions were reiterated. However, an audio recording of MRI scanner sounds was introduced during the last 10 min of meditation to familiarize subjects with the sounds of the scanner. On the final training session (day 4), subjects received minimal meditation instruction but were required to lie in the supine position and meditate with the audio recording of the MRI sounds to simulate the scanner environment. Contrary to traditional mindfulness-based training programs, subjects were not required to practice outside of training.

Subjects also completed the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory short-form (FMI), a 14-item assessment that measures levels of mindfulness, before psychophysical pain training and after MRI session 2. The FMI is a psychometrically validated instrument with high internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.86) (Walach et al., 2006). Statements such as “I am open to the experience of the present moment” are rated on a five-point scale from 1 (rarely) to 5 (always). Higher scores indicate more skill with the mindfulness technique.

Decreases in respiration rate have been reported previously to predict reductions in pain ratings (Grant and Rainville, 2009Zautra et al., 2010). In the present data (MRI session 2; n = 14), no significant relationship between the decreased respiration rates and pain intensity (p = 0.22, r = −0.35), pain unpleasantness (p = 0.41, r = −0.24), or FMI ratings (p = 0.42, r = 0.24) was found.

CBF Respiration rate Heart rate
Session 1
    Rest: neutral 74.12 (3.01) 19.97 (1.29) 72.53 (2.33)
    Rest: heat 71.51 (2.93) 20.45 (1.11) 74.79 (2.39)
    ATB: neutral 70.69 (3.56) 17.05 (1.00) 70.46 (1.79)
    ATB: heat 67.90 (3.08) 19.32 (1.33) 74.07 (2.19)
Session 2
    Rest: neutral 68.57 (3.17) 16.72 (0.82) 74.82 (3.08)
    Rest: heat 66.82 (2.59) 17.12 (0.93) 77.32 (2.95)
    Meditation: neutral 65.09 (3.59) 11.55 (0.74) 73.62 (2.77)
    Meditation: heat 65.47 (3.86) 9.47 (0.67)a 75.38 (2.70)

In the present investigation, meditation reduced all subjects’ pain intensity and unpleasantness ratings with decreases ranging from 11 to 70% and from 20 to 93%, respectively.

Meditation likely modulates pain through several mechanisms. First, brain areas not directly related to meditation exhibited altered responses to noxious thermal stimuli. Notably, meditation significantly reduced pain-related afferent processing in SI (Fig. 5), a region long associated with sensory-discriminative processing of nociceptive information (Coghill et al., 1999). Executive-level brain regions (ACC, AI, OFC) are thought to influence SI activity via anatomical pathways traversing the SII, insular, and posterior parietal cortex (Mufson and Mesulam, 1982Friedman et al., 1986;Vogt and Pandya, 1987). However, because meditation-induced changes in SI were not specifically correlated with reductions in either pain intensity or unpleasantness, this remote tuning may take place at a processing level before the differentiation of nociceptive information into subjective sensory experience.

Second, the magnitude of decreased pain intensity ratings was associated with ACC and right AI activation (Fig. 6). Activation in the mid-cingulate and AI overlapped between meditation and pain, indicating a likely substrate for pain modulation. Converging lines of evidence suggest that these regions play a major role in the evaluation of pain intensity and fine-tuning afferent processing in a context-relevant manner (Koyama et al., 2005Oshiro et al., 2009;Starr et al., 2009). Such roles are consistent with the aspect of mindfulness meditation that involves reducing appraisals that normally impart significance to salient sensory events.

Third, OFC activation was associated with decreases in pain unpleasantness ratings (Fig. 6). The OFC has been implicated in regulating affective responses by manipulating the contextual evaluation of sensory events (Rolls and Grabenhorst, 2008) and processing reward value in the cognitive modulation of pain (Petrovic and Ingvar, 2002). Meditation directly improves mood (Zeidan et al., 2010a), and positive mood induction reduces pain ratings (Villemure and Bushnell, 2009). Therefore, meditation-related OFC activation may reflect altered executive-level reappraisals to consciously process reward and hedonic experiences (e.g., immediate pain relief, positive mood) (O’Doherty et al., 2001Baliki et al., 2010Peters and Büchel, 2010).

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Mindfulness starts with the body: somatosensory attention and top-down modulation of cortical alpha rhythms in mindfulness meditation

Studie som nevner at Mindfulness øker alpha-bølger i hjernen, som bidrar til reduksjon i smerte.

http://www.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00012/full

Using a common set of mindfulness exercises, mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) have been shown to reduce distress in chronic pain and decrease risk of depression relapse. These standardized mindfulness (ST-Mindfulness) practices predominantly require attending to breath and body sensations.

Based on multiple randomized clinical trials, there is good evidence for the efficacy of these ST-Mindfulness programs for preventing mood disorders in people at high risk of depression (Teasdale et al., 2000a,bMa and Teasdale, 2004Segal et al., 2010Fjorback et al., 2011Piet and Hougaard, 2011), improving mood and quality of life in chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia (Grossman et al., 2007Sephton et al., 2007Schmidt et al., 2011) and low-back pain (Morone et al., 2008a,b), in chronic functional disorders such as IBS (Gaylord et al., 2011) and in challenging medical illnesses, including multiple sclerosis (Grossman et al., 2010) and cancer (Speca et al., 2000). ST-Mindfulness has also been shown to decrease stress in healthy people undergoing difficult life situations (Cohen-Katz et al., 2005), such as caring for a loved-one with Alzheimer’s disease (Epstein-Lubow et al., 2006).

Numerous behavioral and neural mechanisms have been proposed to explain these positive outcomes. Proposed mechanisms include changes in neural networks underlying emotion regulation (Holzel et al., 2008), illustrated by findings showing decreased amygdala response after ST-Mindfulness in social anxiety patients exposed to socially threatening stimuli (Goldin and Gross, 2010). Other neural mechanisms highlighted in recent reviews include changes in self-processing (Vago and Silbersweig, 2012) based on multiple studies including a report showing decreases in activation in midline cortical areas used in self-related processing in ST-Mindfulness trained subjects (Farb et al., 2007).

In the first 2 weeks of the 8-week ST-Mindfulness sequence, all formal practice is devoted to a meditative body scan practice of “moving a focused spotlight of attention from one part of the body to another.” Through this exercise, practitioners are said to learn to feel (1) how to control the attentional spotlight even when focusing on painful, aversive sensations (2) how even familiar body sensations change and fluctuate from moment to moment.

In the last 5–6 weeks of class, participants continue to use embodied practices, especially sitting meditation focused on sensations of breathing. These embodied practices are said to teach practitioners (1) how to directlyfeel when the mind has wandered from its sensory focus (2) how to use an intimate familiarity with the fluctuations of sensations of breathing (such as the up and down flow of the breath) as a template for regarding the arising and passing of distressing, aversive thoughts as “mental events” rather than as “facts or central parts of their identity.”

Specifically, we propose that body-focused attentional practice in ST-Mindfulness enhances localized attentional control over the 7–14 Hz alpha rhythm that is thought to play a key role in regulating sensory input to sensory neocortex and in enhancing signal-to-noise properties across the neocortex. Beginning with the enhanced modulation of localized alpha rhythms trained in localized somatic attention practices such as the body-scan, and then proceeding through the 8-week sequence to learn broader modulation of entire sensory modalities (e.g., “whole body attention”) practitioners train in filtering and prioritizing the flow of information through the brain.

In chronic pain situations, nearly all studies of ST-Mindfulness show relief of pain-related distress and increased mood.

 

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Nonnociceptive afferent activity depresses nocifensive behavior and nociceptive synapses via an endocannabinoid-dependent mechanism.

Ikke-nociceptive aktivitet er f.eks. massasje som ikke gjør vondt, Percussor eller DNM. Denne studien ble gjort på blodigler for kunne se hva som skjer i nervesystemet når de får bade i noe de synes er behagelig (ikke-nociceptiv). Forskerene fant at nervene sender ut et endocannaboid stoff som demper smerte.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24027102

Previously, low-frequency stimulation (LFS) of a nonnociceptive touch-sensitive neuron has been found to elicit endocannabinoid-dependent long-term depression (eCB-LTD) in nociceptive synapses in the leech central nervous system (CNS) that requires activation of a presynaptic transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV)-like receptor by postsynaptically synthesized 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG). This capacity of nonnociceptive afferent activity to reduce nociceptive signaling resembles gate control of pain, albeit longer lasting in these synaptic experiments. Since eCB-LTD has been observed at a single sensory-motor synapse, this study examines the functional relevance of this mechanism, specifically whether this form of synaptic plasticity has similar effects at the behavioral level in which additional, intersegmental neural circuits are engaged. Experiments were carried out using a semi-intact preparation that permitted both synaptic recordings and monitoring of the leech whole body shortening, a defensive withdrawal reflex that was elicited via intracellular stimulation of a single nociceptive neuron (the N cell). The same LFS of a nonnociceptive afferent that induced eCB-LTD in single synapses also produced an attenuation of the shortening reflex. Similar attenuation of behavior was also observed when 2-AG was applied. LFS-induced behavioral and synaptic depression was blocked by tetrahydrolipstatin (THL), a diacylglycerol lipase inhibitor, and by SB366791, a TRPV1 antagonist. The effects of both THL and SB366791 were observed following either bath application of the drug or intracellular injection into the presynaptic (SB366791) or postsynaptic (THL) neuron. These findings demonstrate a novel, endocannabinoid-based mechanism by which nonnociceptive afferent activity may modulate nocifensive behaviors via action on primary afferent synapses.

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A Pilot Study Evaluating Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Massage for the Management of Chronic Pain

Studie på Mindfulness mot kroniske muskelsmerter som sammenlignet effekten av muskelterapi (inkl. bindevev og nevromuskulær behandling – konsepter vi behandler etter på Verkstedet). Muskelterapi var bedre enn Mindfulness mot smerte, men Mindfuness var bedre for psyken på lang sikt. Selv 1 måned etter 8-ukers programmet. Meditasjonsprogrammet vi har på Verkstedet er Verkstedet Breathing System, som gjennom pusten skaper meditative opplevelser og reduksjon av smerte.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1490272/

It is feasible to study MBSR and massage in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Mindfulness-based stress reduction may be more effective and longer-lasting for mood improvement while massage may be more effective for reducing pain.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction is a mind-body intervention described by Kabat-Zinn.18 The participants met weekly for eight 2½ hour sessions. Meditation and yoga techniques were practiced to foster mindfulness (present moment, nonjudgmental awareness). Audiotaped meditation exercises were assigned as daily home practice. Participants were encouraged to use these skills in moments of stress and/or pain.

One-hour massage sessions were given once per week for 8 weeks by 3 licensed massage therapists. Massage techniques were at the discretion of the therapists and included Swedish, deep-tissue, neuromuscular, and pressure-point techniques. We specifically excluded music, scented oils, and energy techniques such as Reiki or therapeutic touch.

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Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being

En metaanalyse av studier på meditasjonsprogrammer. Konkluderer med at effekten er såpass stor og viktig at leger bør prate med sine pasienter om meditasjon.

http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1809754

Mindfulness meditation programs had moderate evidence of improved anxiety (effect size, 0.38 [95% CI, 0.12-0.64] at 8 weeks and 0.22 [0.02-0.43] at 3-6 months), depression (0.30 [0.00-0.59] at 8 weeks and 0.23 [0.05-0.42] at 3-6 months), and pain (0.33 [0.03- 0.62]) and low evidence of improved stress/distress and mental health–related quality of life.

Clinicians should be aware that meditation programs can result in small to moderate reductions of multiple negative dimensions of psychological stress. Thus, clinicians should be prepared to talk with their patients about the role that a meditation program could have in addressing psychological stress.

Reviews to date report a small to moderate effect of mindfulness and mantra meditation techniques in reducing emotional symptoms (eg, anxiety, depression, and stress) and improving physical symptoms (eg, pain).7– 26

Among the 9 RCTs43,44,47,54,55,63,64,73,74 evaluating the effect on pain, we found moderate evidence that mindfulness-based stress reduction reduces pain severity to a small degree when compared with a nonspecific active control, yielding an ES of 0.33 from the meta-analysis. This effect is variable across painful conditions and is based on the results of 4 trials, of which 2 were conducted in patients with musculoskeletal pain,55,64 1 trial in patients with irritable bowel syndrome,43 and 1 trial in a population without pain.44 Visceral pain had a large and statistically significant relative 30% improvement in pain severity, whereas musculoskeletal pain showed 5% to 8% improvements that were considered nonsignificant.

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Magnesium: Novel Applications in Cardiovascular Disease – A Review of the Literature

En review studie fra 2012 som inneholder det meste om Magnesium, spesielt rettet mot betennelser i hjerte/kar og nervesystemet.

http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/339380

Magnesium L-lactate and L-aspartate are the oral magnesium compounds that have the greatest bioavailability, are the most water-soluble and have the greatest serum and plasma concentrations [8].

After a mean follow-up of 9.8 years and adjusting for confounders, the authors concluded that women in the highest quintile (an intake of 400 mg/day of magnesium) had a decreased HTN (hypertension) risk (p < 0.0001) versus those in the lowest quintile (approx. 200 mg/day of magnesium) [20].

Because of magnesium’s anti-inflammatory, statin-like and anti-mineralizing effects, a role for it is emerging in cardiovascular and neurological medicine.

The potential impact of magnesium in cardiovascular and neurological health, the abundance and low cost of the supplement, the relatively low side effect profile and the paucity of information in the literature about this common mineral suggest that more studies should be conducted to determine its safety and efficacy. The majority of human trials with magnesium thus far have not been interventional, but based on food questionnaires which may not be accurate and are subject to a recall bias. Further work is also needed to determine the mechanism of action by which magnesium modulates the mineralization and inflammation of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

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Co-administration of the health food supplement, bovine colostrum, reduces the acute non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced increase in intestinal permeability

Nevner at Colostrum reduserer problemer med lekk tarm fra overforbruk av betennelsesdempende medikamenter som NSAIDS. 5 dager med betennelsesdempende 3x daglig ga 3 ganger så mye lekk tarm. De sammenlignet Colostrum med Whey Protein for fant at colostrum gan ingen økning i lekk tarm selv om de gikk på betennelsesdempende.

http://www.clinsci.org/cs/100/0627/cs1000627.htm

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are effective analgesics but cause gastrointestinal injury. Present prophylactic measures are suboptimal and novel therapies are required. Bovine colostrum is a cheap, readily available source of growth factors, which reduces gastrointestinal injury in rats and mice. We therefore examined whether spray-dried, defatted colostrum could reduce the rise in gut permeability (a non-invasive marker of intestinal injury) caused by NSAIDs in volunteers and patients taking NSAIDs for clinical reasons. Healthy male volunteers (n = 7) participated in a randomized crossover trial comparing changes in gut permeability (lactulose/rhamnose ratios) before and after 5 days of 50 mg of indomethacin three times daily (tds) per oral with colostrum (125 ml, tds) or whey protein (control) co-administration. A second study examined the effect of colostral and control solutions (125 ml, tds for 7 days) on gut permeability in patients (n = 15) taking a substantial, regular dose of an NSAID for clinical reasons. For both studies, there was a 2 week washout period between treatment arms. In volunteers, indomethacin caused a 3-fold increase in gut permeability in the control arm (lactulose/rhamnose ratio 0.36±0.07 prior to indomethacin and 1.17±0.25 on day 5, P < 0.01), whereas no significant increase in permeability was seen when colostrum was co-administered. In patients taking long-term NSAID treatment, initial permeability ratios were low (0.13±0.02), despite continuing on the drug, and permeability was not influenced by co-administration of test solutions. These studies provide preliminary evidence that bovine colostrum, which is already currently available as an over-the-counter preparation, may provide a novel approach to the prevention of NSAID-induced gastrointestinal damage in humans.

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The nutriceutical bovine colostrum truncates the increase in gut permeability caused by heavy exercise in athletes

Studie som nevner at hard trening gir lekk tarm, og at Colostrum (hoppemelk) lukker tarmen. Dette kan forklare hvorfor så mange vektløftere og toppidrettsutøver har problemer med tarm og immunsystem. I studien brukte de 20g colostrum daglig, som er ganske mye.

http://ajpgi.physiology.org/content/300/3/G477

Heavy exercise causes gut symptoms and, in extreme cases, “heat stroke” partially due to increased intestinal permeability of luminal toxins. We examined bovine colostrum, a natural source of growth factors, as a potential moderator of such effects. Twelve volunteers completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover protocol (14 days colostrum/placebo) prior to standardized exercise. Gut permeability utilized 5 h urinary lactulose-to-rhamnose ratios. In vitro studies (T84, HT29, NCM460 human colon cell lines) examined colostrum effects on temperature-induced apoptosis (active caspase-3 and 9, Baxα, Bcl-2), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression and epithelial electrical resistance. In both study arms, exercise increased blood lactate, heart rate, core temperature (mean 1.4°C rise) by similar amounts. Gut hormone profiles were similar in both arms although GLP-1 levels rose following exercise in the placebo but not the colostrum arm (P = 0.026). Intestinal permeability in the placebo arm increased 2.5-fold following exercise (0.38 ± 0.012 baseline, to 0.92 ± 0.014, P < 0.01), whereas colostrum truncated rise by 80% (0.38 ± 0.012 baseline to 0.49 ± 0.017) following exercise. In vitro apoptosis increased by 47–65% in response to increasing temperature by 2°C. This effect was truncated by 60% if colostrum was present (all P < 0.01). Similar results were obtained examining epithelial resistance (colostrum truncated temperature-induced fall in resistance by 64%, P < 0.01). Colostrum increased HSP70 expression at both 37 and 39°C (P < 0.001) and was truncated by addition of an EGF receptor-neutralizing antibody. Temperature-induced increase in Baxα and reduction in Bcl-2 was partially reversed by presence of colostrum. Colostrum may have value in enhancing athletic performance and preventing heat stroke.

SEVERAL STRESSES AFFECT the integrity of the intestinal barrier. These include prolonged strenuous exercise (10), heat stress (11), and drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Loss of intestinal barrier integrity leading to increased intestinal permeability may result in passage of luminal endotoxins into the circulation. This, in turn, results in an inflammatory cascade, exacerbating the loss of barrier function and, in severe cases, resulting in severe systemic effects.

Gastrointestinal symptoms including cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and bleeding are commonly reported by long-distance runners (16). These symptoms are likely to be due to a combination of reduced splanchnic blood flow, hormonal changes, altered gut permeability, and increased body temperature.

Colostrum is the first milk produced after birth and is particularly rich in immunoglobulins, antimicrobial peptides (e.g., lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase), and other bioactive molecules including growth factors (20).

We have previously shown, using a combination of in vitro and in vivo studies, that a commercially available defatted bovine colostral preparation can reduce NSAID-induced upper intestinal gut injury in rats, mice, and humans (19, 21).

The total protein content of the colostrum was 80%. The concentrations of the various growth factors present in the colostrum preparation are incompletely defined but include IGF-I at 213 ng/g, TGF-β1 at 113 ng/g, and TGF-β2 at 441 ng/g.

In a double-blind crossover design, subjects received oral supplementation with 20 g/day bovine colostrum or the isoenergetic and isomacronutrient placebo.