Magnesium Deficiency

I have long been a member of the Lemonade Brigade, and have appreciated the health benefits of an annual extended cleansing fast called the Master Cleanse (affectionately known as the “Lemonade Diet”). There’s a pretty sizeable group of people who do this cleanse regularly, and we “meet” on Peter Glickman’s website, where there are discussion boards for us to share experiences. Peter and I “met” and corresponded briefly a few years ago, when he reprinted an explanatory article that I had written for the LoveToKnow: Diet website, and mentioned that he didn’t know who to attribute the article to.

Peter also sends out a monthly newsletter with tips on the cleanse, testimonials, raw-food recipes, and other interesting tidbits. This month, the lead article was both very interesting to me and very timely. So I e-mailed Peter and asked if I might reprint it in my blog, so that my friends and readers could benefit from the information. Peter graciously gave permission for me to reprint.

Now, the reason that this article was so interesting is that I have long been an advocate of Epsom salts soaking, especially after vigorous exercise. Epsoms salts soaks can help alleviate muscle soreness, and they help to detoxify the body. So I’m always happy to recommend a good soak to someone who’s new to karate classes. And I’m always interested when someone else touts my favourite “pampering cure.”

The reason the article was so timely is that I had to postpone my Lenten cleansing fast this year because, about a month ago, my doctor discovered that I was profoundly deficient in vitamin D. For someone who is reasonably healthy, eats a wide variety of foods, and loves the outdoors and sunshine, this diagnosis was a profound shock. But my doctor told me to wait to cleanse until we’d gotten the deficiency taken care of, so I’m now taking 4000 IU of D3 supplements, plus a mandated 15-minute sunbath on every sunny day. Doc’s going to test me again next month to make sure we’ve got it under control.
 
My doctor said that most people don’t know that calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and potassium all work together  to strengthen bones, and if you’re out of balance in one, it will throw off the others.

So I was intrigued by the timing of Peter’s article about epsom salts soaks. And without further ado …  here it is:

Soaking in an Epsom Salt bath can correct your magnesium deficiency!

Magnesium, the second-most abundant element in human cells and a major component of Epsom Salt, helps to regulate the activity of more than 325 enzymes and performs a vital role in muscle control, energy production and the elimination of harmful toxins. The Epsom Salt Industry Council (ESIC) reports that magnesium may:

• Ease stress and improve sleep and concentration
• Help muscles and nerves function properly
• Regulate activity of 325+ enzymes
• Help prevent artery hardening and blood clots
• Make insulin more effective
• Reduce inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps
• Improve oxygen use

The National Academy of Sciences, however, reports that most Americans are magnesium deficient, helping to account for our society’s high rate of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, arthritis, joint pain, digestive problems, chronic fatigue and other ailments. The Academy estimates the average American male gets only 80% of the magnesium required for good health, while females get only 70% of their recommended levels. The ESIC reports that Americans’ magnesium levels have dropped more than 50% in the past century.

This drop is due to a variety of factors including intensive farming practices that deplete magnesium from the soil and the fact that magnesium is not a standard component in most fertilizers. So, a diet that would have supplied enough magnesium a century ago may not supply enough today.

Aggravating the problem is the current American diet, which is rich in fat, sugar, salt and protein. This diet not only contains less magnesium than a healthy balanced diet, but these foods actually accelerate the depletion of magnesium from our systems.

So, too, does our use of calcium as an antidote for bone disease because calcium drains magnesium from the body. You see, calcium can only function when sufficient magnesium is present. The ESIC reports that taking a calcium supplement without ensuring the body also receives enough magnesium can result in a shortage of both nutrients. The ESIC goes on to say that researchers have found most Americans have five times as much calcium as magnesium in their bodies; however, the proper ratio for optimum absorption of both minerals is about two to one.

So, how can you remedy your shortage? Add two cups of Epsom Salt to your standard-sized bath. (Double this amount for an oversized tub.) Do this three times weekly; soaking for at least 12 minutes each time.

reprinted from “The Master Cleanse/Raw Food News,” 28 March 2010. Used by permission. For more information or to subscribe to the newsletter, visit http://therawfoodsite.com/.

I hope that some of my readers will find this information as interesting and helpful as I have. Now I’m off to get my 15-minutes of sunshine!

Tags: Diet, health, Lemonade Diet, Master Cleanse, nutrition