Restless Leg Syndrome is not well understood. Many factors such as neurological disorders, kidney disease, pregnancy, rheumatoid arthritis, varicose veins, and blood sugar levels may be associated with this condition. Since chemicals and stress influence the nervous system and the nervous system is the determining factor in your symptoms consider limiting stress and exposure to all toxins.

Limiting Toxins

Toxins are in our drinking and bathing water, the foods we eat, the offices we work in, the homes we live in, the air we breathe, and the cleaning products, cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, lotions, and toothpaste we use. In essence, we are bombarded with chemicals on a daily basis. Our magnificent and magical livers are responsible for much of our body’s detoxification, but they have their limits as well.

Your liver NEEDS your support and cooperation in doing its job to keep you healthy. There are so many things you can do to lighten your liver’s workload. Detoxification and Environmental Medicine are vast topics. Many books and articles have been written on them, and not all of that information can be covered here. Start to implement making the right decisions to limit your expose to environment toxicities by implementing the following:

1. Water, water, water. And NOT tap water. It will help dilute and flush out pollutants that have made it into your precious body. Drink reverse osmosis/ carbon filtered water. These processes of filtering water unfortunately strips vital minerals, but this can be more than made up for by eating a variety of organic fruits and vegetables. Mineral drops can also be added to your filtered water to correct this issue.

2. Eat as much organic foods as possible.

3) Also avoid meats, milk-products, refined flours, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, taking over-the-counter drugs, perfumes, pesticides, artificial sweeteners, sodas, and foods with preservatives, flavor enhancers, and fillers as much as possible. These are likely to contain toxic substances.

4) Fiber is extremely beneficial in binding and clearing out toxins that can be eliminated through feces. Beefing-up fiber intake can be done through eating a diet loaded with vegetables and fruits, or supplementing rice bran or psyllium powder.

5) Limit toxic chemical exposure in the home and office:

a. Ask your co-workers not to wear perfumes or scented lotions to work.

b. Avoid carpets, paint fumes and new construction materials as much as possible: they “off gas” many neurological and liver-damaging toxins.

c. Make a push for “green construction.”

d. Do aerobic workouts in non toxic environments. Remember indoor air pollution is always worse than outdoor air pollution. Avoid areas of high auto or fireplace emissions if possible.

e. Use hepa filters and eco-friendly cleaning supplies at home.

f. Avoid pesticides. Seal up the cracks around your home so that pests can’t get in. If you still have problems with pests use a “green” pest company in your area for pest treatments. Pesticides are among the worst neurotoxins in the world; they were made originally for biological warfare for the purpose of killing human beings.

g. If you have to wear dry-cleaned clothes, air them in a well-ventilated place as long as possible before re-wearing.

A variety of organic fruits and vegetables contain healthy nutrients that enhance detoxification. If you are not able to consume enough organic fruits and vegetables the following nutrients maybe helpful for detoxification: Glutathione, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), vitamins C, E, and A, selenium, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), and bioflavonoids such as Quercetin.

Reducing Stress

Certain modalities that help calm the mind are proven quite effective in reducing stress and anxiety. Meditation, biofeedback, sauna therapy, massage, acupuncture, and hypnosis are all useful. Exercise is another important element in stress reduction as well as adequate sleep. And with daily projects attempt to focus on the process rather than the outcome. Omega 3 fatty acids and the mineral magnesium are beneficial for stress and anxiety. The herb Rhodolia Rosea may help as well.

Additional Considerations:

Check with a doctor to rule out an iron deficiency.

74 mg of iron taken three times a day for two months, was given in a study to participants with Restless Leg Symtoms. Those with a deficiency in iron noticed a reduction in their symptoms. Deficiency in iron is rare and too much iron can cause adverse effects. Most people are not deficient in iron so if you do not experience a reduction in your symptoms discontinue additional iron supplementation after a few weeks because excess iron can have adverse effects.

Some people with Restless Leg Syndrome have responded well to Vitamin E and Folic Acid. Good sources of vitamin E include all nuts, seeds, grains and leafy vegetables. Beans, wheat germ, and green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of folic acid.

Tinnitus

Stress reduction and reducing your toxic load are recommended for Tinnitus, as well as balancing your blood sugar levels. Since blood sugar levels are something that can have an effect on both Restless Leg and Tinnitus, I would make it a priority to balance your blood sugar levels. I recommend limiting simple sugars and highly processed carbohydrates. Choose whole food carbohydrate choices such as whole grains and whole fruits that are full of fiber and blood sugar friendly rather than highly processed grains and fruit juices.

1 tablespoon of Nutritional Yeast daily before every meal will give your body the healthy blood sugar balancing nutrient chromium along with B-12 a vitamin that is often deficient in patients with Tinnitus.

Bliss and Blessings,

Goodness Steve