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Lactation Information and Discussion

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Subject:
From:
Chris Hafner-Eaton <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 12:00:51 -0800
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Calcium is very effective in relaxing muscles--especially when we are
deficient or have an additional strain on the existing supply.  Only about
1-9% of our total Ca++ is circulating and in muscles; the remainder is
stored in bone matrix material along with Fluoride, magnesium and collagen.
Anyway, all muscle contraction is the result of nerve impulse and Ca++ is
a conductor in the process of both the nerve and muscle
contraction/relaxation process.  This is why if Ca++ or Mg are in really
short supply, one could have a heart attack.  The body does it's best to
make sure that the circulating Ca++ levels never drop and to do this it
literally extracts the stored Ca++ from bones and teeth.  This is why
consuming large quantities of phosphorus (as in phosphoric acid used in
Colas) is a problem.  The body strives to maintain a 2 Ca++ to 1 phophorus
ratio in the blood.  If more Phos is consumed then, then Ca++ is out of
balance; thus, the body must suck the Ca++ from the bone matrix so that
muscles (like the heart for instance) don't spasm.  If you've ever had a
charlie horse, you know how painful they can be (pregnancy and lactation
obviously increase the need for Ca++ and therefore increase the incidence
of such spasms).  In labor when a mom is having hypertonic uterine
contractions, midwives often use Calcium Lactate to help relax the uterus.
Why not try it for menstrual cramps on that basis?
Chris

: )Chris Hafner-Eaton, PhD, MPH, CHES, IBCLC  email: [log in to unmask]  : )
: )HSR & Health Educational Consultant        voice/fax: 541 753 7340   : )
: )------------**CHANGE THE WORLD, NURTURE A CHILD!**------------------ : )

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