Magnesium The Chill Pill

It’s interesting that we are consistently depleting ourselves of vitamins and minerals. For example, every time you feel stressed you deplete yourself of vitamins B & C and magnesium. I love my green tea in the morning and, of course, my delicious dark chocolate in the evening, even though I know that they cause my body to lose magnesium. One way I know that I am deficient in magnesium is when my eyelid starts to twitch.

Magnesium is one of my favorite minerals because it does so many beneficial biochemical processes in the body. Calcium causes our muscles to contract, whereas magnesium relaxes them. If you have too much calcium and not enough magnesium your muscles will spasm, affecting your blood pressure and your heart. Magnesium is critical for heart health and with insufficient amounts your heart cannot function properly. The problem is that most people are taking too much calcium and not enough magnesium.

According to Dr. Carolyn Dean, there is a myth that has been created that we need a ratio of two times the amount of calcium to magnesium (2:1) and most supplements reflect this. A lot of people are taking 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium and only a few hundred milligrams of magnesium. Magnesium keeps calcium soluble and when there is too much calcium and not enough magnesium there is a greater chance of developing kidney stones.
Women have been told to supplement with calcium to prevent osteoporosis. Many of our foods have been fortified with it as well, yet osteoporosis is so prevalent in our society. That is because proper calcium mineralization depends upon magnesium, vitamin D3, vitamin K2, silica, boron, zinc, essential fatty acids and a healthy diet. These nutrients help to absorb and selectively place calcium from the bloodstream into your bone matrix. Supplementing with high doses of calcium along with a deficiency of these other nutrients, especially magnesium, is why calcium supplements have become associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

So how do we correct this? Start by getting your minerals from food, especially dark leafy greens, fruits and vegetables, seaweeds, raw nuts & seeds, potatoes, alfalfa, figs, brown rice, pineapple, honey, celery, avocados, bananas, apples, peaches, lima beans and black-eyed peas as they contain all the other nutrients as well.

Signs you may be deficient are: muscle cramps and twitches, insomnia, palpitations, constipation, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, headaches, sensitivity to loud noises, kidney stones, high blood pressure, PMS, menstrual cramps, restless legs at night, irregular heartbeat, cravings for chocolate and the list goes on…. When you are stressed, you lose magnesium, causing your muscles and blood vessels to tighten and your blood pressure to rise. Magnesium is your relaxation mineral.

So why are so many people deficient? It’s actually very simple. We eat a diet that contains virtually no magnesium. We then flush out the little magnesium we do have with coffee, tea, alcohol, salt, phosphoric acid in colas, stress, diuretics, antibiotics and other drugs. Not to mention that magnesium is often poorly absorbed and easily flushed out of our system. In order to properly absorb magnesium we need B6, vitamin D and selenium.

Some of the best sources of magnesium are:

Magnesium glycinate is a chelated form of magnesium and has a high absorption and bioavailability.

Transdermal magnesium works by applying magnesium oil directly to the skin in a spray or lotion form, or by bathing in magnesium chloride salts. Magnesium applied to the skin can be absorbed directly into your cells, bypassing the digestive system.

Magnesium Phosphate Tissue Salts are specially prepared micro-doses of the body’s 12 essential minerals. These minerals are important for the functioning and health of the body. Tissue Salts are natural, suitable for the whole family and may be taken alongside other medications and dietary supplements including minerals and vitamins. They are specially formulated homeopathic micro-doses that are absorbed in the mouth rather than in the stomach and gastric tract.

Epsom Salts are a combination of both magnesium and sulfate, which are easily absorbed through the skin. Epsom salt baths are relaxing, calming and healing to the body.

Magnesium oxide is bound to an organic acid or a fatty acid. Contains 60 percent magnesium and has stool softening properties. It has a low degree of bioavailability, as low as 4% in one study. In powder form it can be used to clean out your colon as a natural laxative to cleanse the entire digestive tract. It is gentle and non-habit forming. If you need instructions on how to use it, we can send you the protocol. Just make sure you are near a bathroom 🙂