Magnesium: It's Vital

The journey I have been on in the last year and a half has been.......dizzying.

DIZZYING:    present participle of diz·zy
Make (someone) feel unsteady, confused, or amazed: "the dizzying rate of change."

What started with a desperate attempt to stop the progression of my disease has evolved into information of head spinning, amazing, and confusing proportions!! From eating organic food, to taking vital supplements, to not drinking fluoridated water, to avoiding aluminum in deodorant - the list of new information circulating in my brain is.......dizzying!!!  This is all good and well, however, I am not content to just let this information sit in my brain.  I feel an overwhelming need to share, teach, inform, help those I care about.  God bless my husband, children, their spouses, my nieces and nephews and anyone who happens to be related to me.  I am a bit....obsessive about getting all of this information out there and I realize it is overwhelming, to say the least.  Quite frankly, it is dizzying - I get it!!!  But sometimes, the information is just too important to not share and today's topic is one of those times.  So, thanks for listening*.  (I've heard that ginger is good when you feel dizzy!!)

WHAT IS MAGNESIUM?
I had given little thought to magnesium and you really don't hear much about it, yet approximately 80% of us are deficient in this vital mineral.  And to complicate matters, it is very difficult to measure our magnesium levels with a blood test.  Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in our body.  Approximately 50% of total body magnesium is found in our bones.  The other half is found inside cells of body tissues and organs.  Only 1% of magnesium is found in blood, but our bodies work very hard to keep those levels constant.
WHAT DOES MAGNESIUM DO?
Interestingly, researchers are beginning to realize that the importance of magnesium may have been underestimated.  Magnesium is found in over 300 different enzymes in our body and guides a large number of physiological functions, some of which include:  the creation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body's energy molecules; the pumping of our heart; the formation of our bones and teeth; the functioning of our bowel; the relaxation of our blood vessels; and the regulation of our blood sugar levels. 
WHY AM I POSSIBLY DEFICIENT?
Unlike our ancestors, our water no longer comes from streams, rivers, or springs.  We get our water from the tap, using filters, or from pre bottled water.  This means that most of the good stuff has been removed (in an attempt to remove the bad stuff.)  Unfortunately, the vast majority of the minerals our bodies need have been filtered out.  This fact leaves us more susceptible to headaches, fatigue, insomnia, and even morning sickness for pregnant women.  Additionally, our soil has been depleted and ravaged by modern industrial agriculture, removing many of the necessary minerals.  This fact leaves our food supply with far less nutrients.
ARE THERE SYMPTOMS?
The initial symptoms of a magnesium deficiency may be very subtle and obscure.  You may feel cramps, muscle twitches, or pain in your feet.  Other symptoms include loss of appetite, headaches, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, PMS, insomnia, fatigue and weakness.  Do these symptoms mean you have a magnesium deficiency?  Not necessarily, but with 80% of us lacking in this vital mineral, it is certainly worth taking a second look before experiencing more serious symptoms.
WHAT'S A PERSON TO DO??
Good news!  There are a few easy things we can do to increase our magnesium levels. 
1.  We need to eat plenty of organic green vegetables.  I say organic because it has been shown that they contain 40% more nutrients.  I have gotten into a habit of having one or two green juices/smoothies a day.  I have never eaten so much kale, spinach, swiss chard, or romaine in my life! And now I crave them!  (CRAZY!)
2.  If you eat grains, then be certain they have been soaked, sprouted, or fermented (traditional sourdough method) in order to obtain the vital nutrients and best source of magnesium.  (The book Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread may be helpful to those who eat grains.)
3.  Consume other foods high in magnesium levels like nuts, seeds, seaweed, coriander, pumpkin, unsweetened cocoa powder, almond butter, bone broth, and unrefined sea salt.
4.  Limit alcohol and caffeine.  They are appetite suppressants and therefore can deplete our magnesium levels. 
5.  Stay away from sugar.  I was amazed to find out that for every molecule of sugar that we consume, it requires 54 molecules of magnesium to process it!  Sugar just zaps our body of vitamins and minerals.  Remember, sugar is hidden in almost everything.  Think clean eating.
6.  Heal our guts.  Our guts really are the engine that drives our health.  Fermented foods, kefir, yogurt, high quality probiotics are all beneficial in restoring the balance of beneficial bacteria.  This will allow our body to absorb more magnesium.
7.  Let the sun in!  Sun absorption is our main source of Vitamin D, which is essential for magnesium absorption. Therefore, our Vitamin D levels must also be in check.  Personally, I have stopped using sunscreen.  If I am going to be in the sun for a very long time, I will cover up with clothing before using sunscreen.  I want to get as much sun as I can get. 
8.  Magnesium supplements.  Please make sure you research the best option for you and be certain they are of the very best quality.  Personally, I take a high quality magnesium citrate supplement daily that has proven to be highly beneficial.
9.  Transdermal magnesium therapy.  This is new to me, but I know many people who have been transformed by this practice.  In addition to boosting magnesium levels, transdermal magnesium therapy is a natural deodorant!  Bonus!  This is what's been recommended to me: Take 1/2 cup of magnesium flakes and mix with 1/2 cup of warm filtered water in a small spray bottle.  Spray on abdomen 1 - 5 times a day.  I was told to start with once a day and build up.  Magnesium can have a laxative effect on the body and you don't want to get too much too quickly. 
10.  Epsom salt baths!
IN CONCLUSION
Magnesium's role in human health appears to be far more complex than was ever understood.  It's benefits are proving to be far reaching.  GreenMedInfo.com has cited over 100 health benefits of magnesium, including therapeutic benefits for:  Fibromyalgia, Atrial Fibrillation, Type 2 Diabetes, Premenstrual Syndrome, Cardiovascular Disease, Migraines, and Aging.

As I mentioned earlier, bone broth is one of the best sources of magnesium.  The health benefits of eating bone broth are pretty impressive.  From aiding in bone and joint health to providing us with healthy skin, hair, and nails to healing our gut to providing us with essential vitamins and minerals to removing toxins in our body, bone broth is a must eat in our quest for optimal health. 

Here is a link to one of my favorite bone broth recipes.  Her website is amazing.  Enjoy.

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/3615609338/slow-cooker-beef-bone-broth

As always, thank you so much for stopping by.  I will be back soon.  We need to talk about fluoride.  Until then, Be Healthy!  Be Happy!  Be Coreageous!

*Please remember that I am not a doctor, scientist, or nutritionist.  If you suspect you may have a magnesium deficiency, I urge you to read, research, and reach out to a health care professional.