The importance of Magnesium

I am starting to read more and more about the importance of magnesium.
The easiest way to take it is to use Epsom Salts in your bath.

Did you know that your skin absorbs a 1/4 litre of water every time you bath? I therefore suggest you start to check the labels of your bath oils etc. to make sure you are not doing more harm than good. Just by the by I take 1/4 teaspoon epsom salts + 1/4 teaspoon bicarb in 1/2 a glass of water with about 1TBSP of Apple Cider Vinegar before bed every night. The bicarb helps to regulate the pH. If you get your ratios right it should taste similar to plain water and is not in the slightest offensive.

Six reasons magnesium is an essential supplement for well-being Monday, December 24, 2012 by: PF Louis (NaturalNews)

Magnesium has been called the "master mineral" because it is involved with over 300 metabolic functions within our bodies. Yet, everyone who relies on commercially farmed, depleted topsoil crops is magnesium deficient. Organic crops have considerably more magnesium content than what Big Ag can offer.
As a supplement, magnesium is also vastly underrated. It seems the manic thrust for calcium supplementation exceeds the mild interest toward magnesium. But excessive calcium supplementation leads to a lot of health issues, including bone problems. Calcium is also lost without magnesium to help guide it. Free floating calcium in the blood and calcifying soft tissue, such as inner arterial walls and heart chambers, instead of accumulating in bone matter.

Recent studies indicate excess calcium consumption causes cardiac issues. Health practitioner and author, Mark Sircus, OMD, puts it this way: "Inside chlorophyll is the lamp of life and that lamp is magnesium. The capture of light energy from the sun is magnesium dependent." Foods grown in decent topsoil and superfoods high in chlorophyl are good sources of magnesium.

After examining a few reasons why your magnesium level needs to be high, some methods of supplementing magnesium will be reviewed.

Six areas of health that cannot do without magnesium

(1) Magnesium helps control heart beat rhythms. Low magnesium leads to arrhythmia, palpitations, atrial fibrillation, or even sudden cardiac arrest. It also acts as a calcium channel blocker for the heart and protects against heart muscle spasms.

(2) Magnesium deficiency can affect the nervous system beyond improperly timed heart muscle stimulation. Mental irritability and muscular tension can consume someone who's lacking sufficient magnesium.

(3) Magnesium is essential to glutathione production in the body from properly provided precursors, such as NAC. The master mineral magnesium helps provide the master antioxidant glutathione. Glutathione is able to revitalize all other antioxidants that have scavenged their fill of electron radicals and recycle them back into doing their business again. Very vital for overall immunity.

(4) Research has uncovered a common thread among fibromyalgia sufferers, they are usually very low in magnesium.

(5) Magnesium deficiency is also common amongst Type II diabetes sufferers. With heavy magnesium supplementing, diabetes peripheral neuropathy symptoms and coronary artery disease improve. Insulin sensitivity improves and fasting glucose levels decline when magnesium is supplemented.

(6) Twitches, spasms, convulsions, restless leg syndrome, sensitivity to light or sound, hypertension, and a multitude of nervous system symptoms that can be attributed to other diseases may all be from magnesium deficiency. Magnesium affects the brain and nervous system in many unimagined ways.

Supplementing magnesium Magnesium from supplements is tricky, but usually necessary. The problem is magnesium supplements are not so easy to assimilate and absorb where needed. This issue has given rise to transdermal magnesium oil (magnesium chloride), which is applied topically and absorbed into the blood through the skin. It's actually not an oil. It just feels like it; slippery stuff.

Magnesium oil is a high concentration of magnesium from ancient sea beds that are often underground. It can be sprayed or rubbed onto the skin wherever it's comfortable. It irritates a few people's skins. So it's wise to sample a small amount before buying a gallon or less.

A cheaper transdermal method for taking in magnesium is through Epsom salt baths. Some use it orally on occasion to ease muscular tension and restlessness upon retiring. But Epsom salt's magnesium is packaged with some impurities, so use with caution. GreenMedInfo.com recommends magnesium glycinate as a highly bio-available oral magnesium supplement. Pricier oral solutions for immediate magnesium absorption that advances rapid relaxation come with various magnesium citrate formulas, such as Natural Calm, A to B Calm, and Cal-Mag.

Citrus Fruit for Cancer Prevention

A new study has shown for the first time how limonoids, natural compounds present in lemons and other citrus fruit, impede both ER+ and ER- breast cancer cell growth. This sheds new light on the importance of citrus fruit for breast cancer prevention and supports past studies which showed fruit consumption may lower breast cancer risk. Limonoids show cytotoxic and anti-aromatase effects Preventing breast cancer is not the only reason to consume citrus limonoids, though. In the lab, limonoids have shown cytotoxicity to colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, neuroblastoma, leukemia, and others. This opens an important question: How much citrus fruit must we consume for meaningful protection from cancer? Citrus fruit for cancer prevention - How much is needed? A recent case-control study out of Europe showed that consuming four or more 150-gram portions per week of citrus fruit decreased the risks of throat cancer by 58 percent, oral/pharyngeal cancer by 53 percent, stomach cancer by 31 percent, and colorectal cancer by 18 percent. This study did not find a protective effect of citrus against breast cancer, but a recent American study did show that women consuming about 75 grams daily of grapefruit (fruit or juice) saw a 22 percent reduction in breast cancer risk if they had never used hormone replacement therapy. It is noteworthy that the protective level of citrus consumption was nearly identical in both these studies (525-600 grams per week) and could be interpreted as a minimum intake level for meaningful cancer protection. However, it's also important to know the best sources of limonoids if they are key to citrus fruit's anti-cancer properties. Sources of citrus limonoids - Oranges are best While the limonoids in the latest study above were taken from lemon seeds, they are also found in the peel, pulp and juice of all citrus fruits. Citrus juices contain approximately 90 to 300 mg per liter of limonoid glucosides (orange juice: 300 mg/l, grapefruit juice: 200 mg/l, lemon or lime juice: 90 mg/l). Citrus pulp and peel contain up to 500mg/kg of limonoids, so if you freshly squeeze your juice, be sure to include as much pulp as possible. Citrus seeds can contain up to two percent by weight of limonoids, with grapefruit seeds being the richest source. Taken together, these recent studies suggest that women wanting to reduce breast cancer risk should consume at least 75 grams daily of citrus fruit or juice as part of a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle, and that further benefit may be obtained by concentrating on limonoid-rich orange and grapefruit as whole fruit, or pulp-rich juices. (NaturalNews)Thursday, December 06, 2012 by: Ethan Evers

How to avoid Xenoestrogens

I found this on the Port Moody Naturopathic Health & Wellness site and felt it gives good info on what to look out for when it comes to avoiding xenoestrogens. Breast cancer is a complex condition with no single identifiable risk factor. Rather, this disease process is widely thought to progress as a result of a combination of family history, genetic susceptibility, and environmental factors. As a hot topic in the recent media, researchers are beginning to make more links between xenoestrogens and their role in potentiating breast cancer risk. What are Xenoestrogens? Xenoestrogens are environmental estrogens that mimic the effect of naturally-produced estrogen in the body. While healthy levels of estrogen in the body are key in supporting a number of normal physiological functions, an excessive amount of estrogen (specifically, high levels of “bad” estrogen) may lead to hormonal imbalances with detrimental effects on reproductive health. In addition to breast cancer, they have also been implicated in PMS, infertility, and menopausal symptoms. Where Are Xenoestrogens Found? Some of the major culprits include: • Plastic containers, particularly those containing Bisphenol-A (BPA). This includes many disposable and reusable water bottles, and baby bottles – particularly those marked with “7”. • Chemical pesticides and herbicides. Although the infamous culprit “DDT” has been banned in North America, it is still used abroad in some countries and has the potential to enter our food sources through import and export. As well, there remains a number of agricultural xenoestrogens being used widely in Canada. • Meat and dairy products. Growth hormones are a major source of xenoestrogens and can be found in most supermarket beef, poultry, and pork products. Additionally, those dairy products from hormone-treated cows will also contain xenoestrogrens. • Cosmetics and beauty products. These may include shampoos, creams, makeup, sunscreen, hairsprays, and even nailpolish. Many preservatives used in these products are xenoestrogens, and unfortunately are readily absorbed through the skin. What Can I Do to Avoid Xenoestrogens? • Use non-BPA containing water bottles – or better yet, drink out of a glass or stainless steel bottle on a regular basis. Some popular brands available locally include Klean Kanteen and Sigg, both with a line of products for children and infants. • Avoid microwaving plastics – as the heat may encourage leaching of xenoestrogens into your food. Use glass, pyrex or ceramic containers instead. • Eat organic, local foods as much as possible. When you do eat non-organic or imported fruits and veggies, take care to wash them well before consumption. • Look for beauty products that are labeled as being free of hormone-disruptors such as pthalates, PABA, and parabens.

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