Magnesium

The Blue Star Gazette

	Magnesium! The miracle we forgot! By Kathryn Lafond Highly acclaimed, nutritional researcher, Peter F. Gilman calls magnesium the “Miracle Nutrient.” In his book by the same title, The Miracle Nutrient, he claims the following symptoms are magnesium deficiencies: • Insomnia • Heart conditions/Heart attack • Restless sleep • Osteoporosis • PMS • Neck, joint, back pain Exhaustion • Cluster or migraine headaches • High blood pressure • Depression • Constipation • Anxiety Nervousness • Muscle and leg cramps • Chronic Fatigue • Muscle twitches and spasms • Stroke • Arthritis Seizures • Fibromyalgia • Diabetes • Hyperactivity Kidney Stones • Hardening of the arteries • Asthma • Confusion/mental fading • Accelerated aging Muscular degeneration • Overly stressed • Angina Pectoris (sharp pains) Although magnesium isn’t the only reason for these conditions it may play a primary roll and when supplied in sufficient quantities it may well lead one away from the experience of any one of these conditions. Can you imagine taking care of your arthritis by supplying enough magnesium to counteract the calcium overload and eliminate calcification? By using water-soluble magnesium you can dissolve even solidified calcium and help to expel it from the body or better assimilate it if that is what the body needs This also will help relieve symptoms of PMS, premature aging, aid in weight loss, encourage full-term pregnancies, and prevent osteoporosis without the use of drugs. In studying Gillman’s research I came to understand the importance of calcium and magnesium in regards to a regular heartbeat. “Calcium tenses the heart muscle; magnesium relaxes the heart muscle.” To regulate the heartbeat (somewhere between 60 to 100 beats per minute) we can use magnesium to prevent inconsistencies. It took hospitals many years to understand that supplying magnesium immediately relaxes the heart muscle from the spasm or cramp and prevents a heart attack. The same thing is happening in other muscles of the body. To relax spasms in the back, muscle jerks, cramps, and even spasms in the bronchial muscles during an asthma attack, rebalance the calcium causing tension with magnesium. How does magnesium depletion happen? For this information I enlisted the help of both Gillman’s research and herbalist, Susun Weeds’, Menopausal Years. The following list describes the whys and ways in which our bodies become magnesium depleted: Alcohol • All medical drugs including antibiotics Chemical diuretics • Caffeine • Chronic pain • Crying jags • Diarrhea • Diabetes • High calcium intake (milk, cheese, etc) • Excessive fat intake• Enemas • Intense workouts with high perspiration • High sodium, protein, or carbohydrate diet • High cholesterol or triglycerides • Hot flashes • Refined sugars and flour Sodas and sugary drinks • Tobacco • “soft” water • Surgery • Stress (A #1 factor) The areas above will tell the story of whether or not magnesium shortage is a problem for you. Do you now recognize how you become depleted? If something as simple as magnesium can settle hyperactive children, provide restful sleep, reduce blood pressure, strengthen my heart, increase bone flexibility, ease nerves and anxiety levels, and work to increase proper absorption of all other minerals especially calcium, then I want to have this on hand. For years our family has been using the readily absorbable, water-soluble, magnesium-citrate powder put out by Natural Vitality. Gilman’s research has shown remarkable results with this product and found the hotter the water used to mix it in the faster it can work for you. I have found it to stop back spasms within ten to fifteen minutes. Other valuable sources of magnesium are: seafood, whole grains, dark green leafy veggies, parsley, seaweeds, nuts, yogurt, cheese, squash, peas, and potatoes. Herbs such as nettles, oatstraw, licorice, raspberry leaf, red clover, and yellow dock are also of great benefit. The difficulty with relying on our diets to provide enough magnesium is that our soils are depleted, toxins in the air, water, and soil create foods with less and less nutritional value. Plus our stress levels are extremely high. It is estimated that somewhere around 80% of the U.S. population is magnesium deficient. One of the most interesting articles I have read regarding magnesium came from a Usana Health Sciences report: “A review published in an Oct. 2004 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that the essential nutrient magnesium provides many of the same cardio vascular benefits ascribed to statin drugs.” Researchers are suggesting “that magnesium supplementation could be a viable alternative for those who cannot or choose not to take statin drugs.” Most often when high cholesterol is diagnosed there is no further search for the root cause of why. Using magnesium may shift the body back to a more balanced state eliminating the condition altogether. Another fascinating view of the potency of magnesium is from its ability to “restrain the anxiety peptide, a complex of amino acids in the brain which appears to contribute to anxiety.” (Healing With Whole Foods, by Paul Pritchford) This is yet another example of its unique ability to calm the body, providing the relaxation needed to sleep well, set down our concerns, relieve our nervous tension and to find our wholeness in the process. (Recommended products: Natural Calm, Cal-Mag, and Cal-Mag Plus all by Natural Vitality) The Blue Star Gazette Your guide to an naturally inspired, magical lifestyle Brought to you by a community of those involved in the healing arts. Please contact the authors and sponsors of the Blue Star Gazette on-line (www.the bluestargazette.net) and tell them you saw their work here! Don't miss an issue! Subscribe and receive each edition for only $21. Just send your editor an email and we'll get it set jai@earthdancepress.com. Feel free to call me at the office at 360-379-blue(2583).

Magnesium! The miracle we forgot!
By Kathryn Lafond

Highly acclaimed, nutritional researcher, Peter F. Gilman calls magnesium the “Miracle Nutrient.” In his book by the same title, The Miracle Nutrient, he claims the following symptoms are magnesium deficiencies:
• Insomnia • Heart conditions/Heart attack • Restless sleep • Osteoporosis • PMS • Neck, joint, back pain
Exhaustion • Cluster or migraine headaches • High blood pressure • Depression • Constipation • Anxiety
Nervousness • Muscle and leg cramps • Chronic Fatigue • Muscle twitches and spasms • Stroke • Arthritis
Seizures • Fibromyalgia • Diabetes • Hyperactivity
Kidney Stones • Hardening of the arteries • Asthma • Confusion/mental fading • Accelerated aging Muscular degeneration • Overly stressed • Angina Pectoris (sharp pains)

Although magnesium isn’t the only reason for these conditions it may play a primary roll and when supplied in sufficient quantities it may well lead one away from the experience of any one of these conditions. Can you imagine taking care of your arthritis by supplying enough magnesium to counteract the calcium overload and eliminate calcification? By using water-soluble magnesium you can dissolve even solidified calcium and help to expel it from the body or better assimilate it if that is what the body needs This also will help relieve symptoms of PMS, premature aging, aid in weight loss, encourage full-term pregnancies, and prevent osteoporosis without the use of drugs.

In studying Gillman’s research I came to understand the importance of calcium and magnesium in regards to a regular heartbeat. “Calcium tenses the heart muscle; magnesium relaxes the heart muscle.” To regulate the heartbeat (somewhere between 60 to 100 beats per minute) we can use magnesium to prevent inconsistencies. It took hospitals many years to understand that supplying magnesium immediately relaxes the heart muscle from the spasm or cramp and prevents a heart attack. The same thing is happening in other muscles of the body. To relax spasms in the back, muscle jerks, cramps, and even spasms in the bronchial muscles during an asthma attack, rebalance the calcium causing tension with magnesium.
How does magnesium depletion happen? For this information I enlisted the help of both Gillman’s research and herbalist, Susun Weeds’, Menopausal Years. The following list describes the whys and ways in which our bodies become magnesium depleted:
Alcohol • All medical drugs including antibiotics
Chemical diuretics • Caffeine • Chronic pain • Crying jags • Diarrhea • Diabetes • High calcium intake (milk, cheese, etc) • Excessive fat intake• Enemas
• Intense workouts with high perspiration • High sodium, protein, or carbohydrate diet • High cholesterol or triglycerides • Hot flashes • Refined sugars and flour
Sodas and sugary drinks • Tobacco
• “soft” water • Surgery • Stress (A #1 factor)

The areas above will tell the story of whether or not magnesium shortage is a problem for you. Do you now recognize how you become depleted? If something as simple as magnesium can settle hyperactive children, provide restful sleep, reduce blood pressure, strengthen my heart, increase bone flexibility, ease nerves and anxiety levels, and work to increase proper absorption of all other minerals especially calcium, then I want to have this on hand. For years our family has been using the readily absorbable, water-soluble, magnesium-citrate powder put out by Natural Vitality. Gilman’s research has shown remarkable results with this product and found the hotter the water used to mix it in the faster it can work for you. I have found it to stop back spasms within ten to fifteen minutes.

Other valuable sources of magnesium are: seafood, whole grains, dark green leafy veggies, parsley, seaweeds, nuts, yogurt, cheese, squash, peas, and potatoes. Herbs such as nettles, oatstraw, licorice, raspberry leaf, red clover, and yellow dock are also of great benefit. The difficulty with relying on our diets to provide enough magnesium is that our soils are depleted, toxins in the air, water, and soil create foods with less and less nutritional value. Plus our stress levels are extremely high. It is estimated that somewhere around 80% of the U.S. population is magnesium deficient.

One of the most interesting articles I have read regarding magnesium came from a Usana Health Sciences report: “A review published in an Oct. 2004 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that the essential nutrient magnesium provides many of the same cardio vascular benefits ascribed to statin drugs.” Researchers are suggesting “that magnesium supplementation could be a viable alternative for those who cannot or choose not to take statin drugs.” Most often when high cholesterol is diagnosed there is no further search for the root cause of why. Using magnesium may shift the body back to a more balanced state eliminating the condition altogether.
Another fascinating view of the potency of magnesium is from its ability to “restrain the anxiety peptide, a complex of amino acids in the brain which appears to contribute to anxiety.” (Healing With Whole Foods, by Paul Pritchford) This is yet another example of its unique ability to calm the body, providing the relaxation needed to sleep well, set down our concerns, relieve our nervous tension and to find our wholeness in the process.

(Recommended products: Natural Calm, Cal-Mag, and Cal-Mag Plus all by Natural Vitality)

The Blue Star Gazette

Your guide to an naturally inspired, magical lifestyle

Brought to you by a community of those involved in the healing arts. Please contact the authors and sponsors of the Blue Star Gazette on-line (www.the bluestargazette.net) and tell them you saw their work here! Don't miss an issue! Subscribe and receive each edition for only $21. Just send your editor an email and we'll get it set jai@earthdancepress.com. Feel free to call me at the office at 360-379-blue(2583).