Natural Pain Relief: A Lesson From Our Ancestors 18 Feb 2021 9:52 AM (4 years ago)

Pain is how a body communicates with the brain about a stressor it perceives. This subjective, emotional, and unpleasant sensation is not new to the human condition. Our ancestors experienced pain long before modern pain medication was available to them. Their ‘pharmacy’ was nature.

What sort of natural pain relievers did they use?

Herbs for Pain

Our ancestors had intimate knowledge of plant medicine and within that, the use of herbs for pain. Herbs have been used for thousands of years to treat ailments;⁴⁰ proving nature to be both safe and effective as natural pain medication. Today, pharmaceutical companies create synthetic medicinal compounds based on traditional plant remedies. Consequently, these new chemicals have to be proven safe and effective,⁴¹ and as in the use of opioid medications, have yet to be proven so.⁴²

A very short list of herbs that our ancestors used as natural pain killers include:⁴³ ⁴⁴ ⁴⁵

Ginger (Zingiber officinale): anti-inflammatory and diffusive, warming and drying, commonly used in cooking or freshly juiced for arthritis, migraines, and menstrual cramps⁴⁶
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): anti-oxidant, circulatory stimulant and nervine, warming and drying, commonly used in cooking, as a topical oil, tincture or tea⁴⁷
Willow (Salix spp.): plant from which salicylic acid (aspirin) is derived, it is inflammation modulating, fever reducing, cooling and drying; the bark, leaves, and catkins are used commonly in decoctions, tinctures, and teas⁴⁸
Cottonwood (Populus spp.): anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, cottonwood is cooling and drying, commonly made into a salve or tincture
Arnica (Arnica spp.): anti-inflammatory and stimulating, arnica is warming, cooling, and drying, commonly used as a salve or tincture⁴⁹

Hot and Cold Exposure

You may be familiar with the power of an ice pack or heating pad to relieve pain. While these devices were unavailable to our ancestors, they experienced pain relieving benefits of hot and cold exposure through cold water immersion and heat as experienced via fire or a healing sweat lodge, for example.⁵⁰

Functionally, heat and ice work to influence the circulatory network near the site of an injury in opposite ways. Immediate icing of an acute injury reduces swelling and the experience of pain by restricting blood vessels, slowing down tissue metabolism to prevent further damage.⁵¹ Given this, warming a fresh injury can exacerbate pain and potentially delay healing.

Thermotherapy (warmer temperatures) can reduce the perception of chronic pain and encourage long-term recovery from an injury. Similarly, cryotherapy (colder temperatures) reduces the sensation of chronic pain quicker than modern anti-inflammatory medication alone.⁵² From this, we can intuit that experiencing a wider range of temperatures than we are accustomed to is great natural pain medicine.

Ecotherapy

Ecotherapy, the practice nature immersion for physiologic and psychologic healing, is a modern solution to the problem of nature disconnection. Ecotherapy is understood to reduce the perception of pain,⁵³ ⁵⁴ perhaps by re-introducing one to familiar primal sensory inputs, like sun, earth, or even plant hormones.⁵⁵ ⁵⁶

Human skin, which plays a large part in sensing our environment, is known to have a complex neuroendocrine system. It is possible that exposure to our ancestral environment mitigates perception of pain via communication within and across our largest organ.⁵⁷ ⁵⁸ ⁵⁹

Earthing

‘Earthing’ or ‘grounding’ is the process of touching the ground with your bare skin. Grounding is well known for its application to electrical and plumbing systems that are required to be connected to the earth for safety reasons. The study of ‘grounding’ our bioelectrical bodies is in its infancy, but small scale trials suggest that touching the earth with your bare skin relieves pain in the body.⁶⁰ ⁶¹

Mineral-Rich Waters

The pain relieving and health promoting benefits of soaking in mineral-rich waters has a deep ancestral tradition. In addition to the primal inputs of sun, fresh air, and natural movement, soaking in mineral-rich waters can bring transdermal magnesium into your body, a nutrient involved in over 300 cellular processes, including pain management.⁶² ⁶³ ⁶⁴ ⁶⁵ ⁶⁶ ⁶⁷ Magnesium benefits are nearly countless.

Science, typically slow to confirm tradition, may not be asking the right questions with respect to the healing powers of natural waters. The ecosystem within our skin contains microbes that provide immune support to our bodies and can communicate with sensory neurons.⁶⁸

They also have an intimate relationship with magnesium (and presumably other elements) that keeps pathogenic microbes in check.⁶⁹ ⁷⁰ ⁷¹ ⁷²

Could it be that our skin microbial communities expect natural inputs to remain in balance and to reduce our perception of pain?

Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is a free, self-regulated, natural chronic pain relief strategy. Is it also a time-tested approach in changing the experience of pain, with thousands of years of history. Zeidan and Vago (2016) describe ideas in an ancient Buddhist text Sallatha Sutta (The Arrow) where those who meditate fully experience the ‘first arrow’ or the sensation of pain and are able to release the ‘second arrow’ or the evaluation of pain.

The practice of sitting still and working to keep awareness in the present moment has been demonstrated in clinical practice to shift perception of chronic pain and improve pain symptoms in a broad range of disorders.⁷³

Social Support

The experience of pain is recognized to have a social component.⁷⁴ While our ancestors lived in community, raised by extended family and friends, people are much more likely to live alone today. Loneliness is correlative to the perception of pain.⁷⁵

A recent systematic review found social support works to decrease and reappraise pain-related stress and assist one with pain coping mechanisms.⁷⁶ As ‘pack animals’, it is no surprise that social support, whether perceived or received, is a powerful moderator of chronic pain.

The Bottom Line

The incidence of chronic pain is increased today relative to the time of our distant ancestors due to the rise of largely preventable ‘diseases of civilization’ characterized by chronic inflammation.⁷⁷ It is reasonable to assume that a return to the natural inputs of our ancestors would reduce incidence of pathologic pain in our society today.⁷⁸

In other words, the best natural painkiller is a lifestyle change. Try these time-tested methods to discover the best natural pain killer for you.

It is to actively assume your role in the ecosystem by eating nutrient dense foods grown and raised from the soil, by immersing yourself in nature to experience sun, fresh air, movement on microbe-rich natural terrain and in natural waters, a wide range of temperatures, by cultivating supportive relationships and meaningful traditions, and by reconnecting yourself to day and night cycles for quality sleep.

Connecting with nature – and the wisdom of your ancestors – is foundational to coping with pain and healing from its source.

About the Author:

Meredith is a geologist, forager, budding herbalist, writer, and health mentor informed – and healed – by the wisdom of nature. She writes ‘The Monthly‘, a newsletter of observations about life and health, delivered to inboxes every full moon since 2013.

The post Natural Pain Relief: A Lesson From Our Ancestors appeared first on Ancient Minerals.

Time-Tested All Natural Sleep Aids 15 Feb 2021 12:11 PM (4 years ago)

Quality sleep is vital to optimal health. While at sleep, the brain takes control of the body to choreograph a nightly hormonal ritual, directing nutrients, clean up of waste, healing, growth, and a host of autonomic processes. Sleep issues can prove dangerous; those who are unable to surrender to a natural circadian rhythm are left increasingly vulnerable to disease.¹⁰⁸

Thankfully, there are plenty of natural sleep supplements that come into focus when viewed through an evolutionary lens. If you’ve spent a day at the beach, odds are you slept well that night. The combination of sun and warmth, breathing fresh air, grounding, and life-giving, natural, nutrient-rich waters bathed your body with the primal information required for solid sleep. Proving the best supplements for sleep can be found in nature and within. So what are a few natural supplements that help you sleep?

Daily Sun

A good night’s sleep begins in the morning. Sleep is part of our natural circadian rhythm, a 24-hour day-night cycle that influences every cell in the body and every living cell on this planet.

Researchers understand the experience of morning sunlight synchronizes our bodies to the circadian rhythm, supporting appropriate cortisol-melatonin cycles creating wakefulness during the day and sleepiness at night.¹⁰⁹ ¹¹⁰ ¹¹¹ Sunlight also aids in vitamin D sufficiency, which may also aid in sleep.¹¹²

A daily morning walk to meet the sun is an all-natural sleep aid.

Darkness at Night

On the other end of the spectrum, when the sun goes down, lights turn on. While our ability to extend ‘daylight’ hours after dark is a boon to productivity and entertainment, it is a drain on our ability to sleep.¹¹³ ¹¹⁴

There are several ways to use darkness as one of these natural sleeping aids:

Minimize screens in the evening, turning off screens an hour or two before bedtime is a great way to reconnect with nighttime.
Mitigate screens in the evening by wearing blue-blocking glasses and using screen filters to help your brain understand that it is no longer experiencing daylight.¹¹⁵
Remove or block any light sources in your bedroom. This includes digital clocks, lights on humidifiers, power cords, light pollution outside your window, everything. Even when your eyes are closed, your body senses light.¹¹⁶

Cool Room, Warm Bath

Outside, nighttime temperatures are cooler than daytime temps. Logically, a cooler indoor sleep environment helps your body sync up with its natural expectations. This reasoning is supported by research of sleep patterns in modern pre-industrial societies where sleep onset is most strongly correlated with a decrease in environmental temperature.¹¹⁷

In addition to cooler ambient temperatures, mammals experience a circadian shift in core body temperature from warmer in the daylight to cooler at night. A warm bath in advance of bedtime promotes vasodilation and warming of the extremities. This ‘warm bath effect’ enhances natural body heat dissipation experienced during sleep, improving sleep latency and depth.¹¹⁸ ¹¹⁹

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential nutrient used in at least 80% of metabolic processes, including sleep, and could arguably be the best natural sleep supplement.¹²⁰ ¹²¹ Sleep duration is positively correlated with serum magnesium levels in infants (5) and Mg supplements for insomnia improved sleep quality in an elderly population.¹²² A quality magnesium chloride supplement is a beneficial way to help relax the body and induce a restful sleep.

It was recently discovered that Mg oscillates across cell membranes in a circadian rhythm that directly influences cellular metabolism and energy consumption. Despite its vital importance, the study of Mg transport in the body is really in its infancy.¹²³ Magnesium oil is a good option to get magnesium to your cells while bypassing the GI tract.

Where research is lacking, an evolutionary framework shines. Magnesium is abundant in our ecosystem; it’s one of the 8 most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust.¹²⁴ It’s easily weathered at the surface of the Earth and consequently found in natural soils, surface water, and seawater where it is one of 6 main ions that compose 99% of sea salts.¹²⁵ From an evolutionary perspective, Mg sufficiency would have been achieved by eating food directly from the ecosystem and by immersion in natural waters.

Balneotherapy, or the practice of soaking in mineral-rich water (called ‘pelotherapy’ with the addition of mud) is shown to improve sleep quality (and reduce pain) in clinical trials.¹²⁶ ¹²⁷ ¹²⁸ ¹²⁹ This practice is rooted in nature and can be recreated in a warm bath (see above) in your own home for a great supplement to help you sleep.

Breathing

A large retrospective study of people with insomnia concluded that all who were treated with pharmaceuticals (n=899) failed to improve. Over 90% were found to have some level of obstructive breathing or sleep apnea.¹³⁰

Some researchers link the prevalence of obstructive breathing in western cultures to the epigenetic influence of poor diets. Generations of inadequate maternal nutrition (and subsequently the child) and the softening of foods lead to the narrowing of facial features.¹³¹ ¹³² This leaves less room for the nasal cavity to develop. Smaller nasal cavities set up a negative feedback loop where it becomes harder to breathe through the nose when you don’t use it as the nasal cavity becomes increasingly prone to recurrent infection.¹³³ ¹³⁴

There are centuries of observations and practices around nasal breathing that are still applicable today. Training yourself to breathe through your nose at night can improve symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea and overall sleep quality.¹³⁵

Grounding

Grounding, or ‘Earthing’, is the practice of directly contacting the ground outside or being in connection to it. It is fundamentally the same as grounding electrical panels, plumbing systems, or people who work on electronics.

Indoor living (and outdoor footwear) insulates a person from the ground; a phenomenon that is entirely incongruent with human evolutionary history. To better understand the consequence of this disconnect on sleep, researchers grounded 12 people with sleep disorders every night for 8 weeks, measuring their diurnal cortisol trends at baseline and week 6. They conclude that grounding at night resynchronizes cortisol hormones with the circadian rhythm, improving sleep quality and reducing pain and stress.¹³⁶

Touching the Earth is a natural sleeping aid.

The best natural sleep supplements are lifestyle shifts that reconnect you to nature and entrain your body with the circadian rhythms it longs for.

About the Author:

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Stressed Out? You May Be Magnesium Deficient… 28 Oct 2019 7:33 AM (5 years ago)

Stress Management Isn’t All In Your Head

Stress is a funny thing… it seems to pop up at the most inconvenient times, or add an extra hurdle to already difficult situations. It can push emotions to their limits, negatively impact the immune system, and exacerbate pain or chronic conditions.

And unfortunately, oftentimes the stresses of life are unavoidable.

However, despite the fact that stressful stimuli abounds, there are ways to truly reinforce your body’s own ability to handle stress. One of these, as you may imagine, is maintaining good health. Of course, in today’s busy world, that is easier said than done!

Stress = Excessive Magnesium Loss

Research shows that stress is a leading contributor to many illnesses, as the repercussions are not just mental but overwhelmingly physical. Faced with external stressors, our body begins to pump hormones into our system. Adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol are produced by our adrenal glands and, in times of stress they result in Fight-or-Flight and increased body responsiveness. You may notice that when stress begins to build, your muscles tense, breathing increases, and vision improves. All of these are signals that indicate this cocktail has hit your bloodstream.

In times when heightened senses and a state of alertness is needed, this hormone response is critical. For professional athletes that can mean the differences between winning and losing.

But high levels of stress hormones are not sustainable in the long run. Our bodies are not set up to endure constant states of heightened emotion or physical endurance. Every time we engage this system, other parts of our biology bear the brunt of the impact – including our mineral stores.

Stress has been shown to significantly increase urinary excretion of magnesium, meaning that the more stress you experience, the higher the possibility of a deficiency. Considering that the majority of us already don’t get enough magnesium to begin with, that means stress will drive those levels even lower. On top of that, spikes in cortisol can result in inaccurate blood glucose tests, leading to unnecessary pharmaceutical intervention… which also impacts your magnesium levels.

So how do we deal with stress? In many cases stress causes us to discard healthful routines such as exercise and proper nutrition, replaced consuming higher quantities of processed foods, sodas and alcohol – all of which accelerate the body’s loss of magnesium, at the time we need it most. Magnesium is what helps us maintain a calm, restful, and relaxed state.

Magnesium Diminishes the Impact of Stressful Stimuli

Numerous studies display the rather remarkable capability magnesium has for battling stress, anxiety, anger and other negative emotional responses.

Magnesium is well known for its ability to naturally relax muscles and reduce nerve excitability, and is often utilized as a means of assisting with pain, muscle spasms, and cramping. As you can imagine, any form of body discomfort can make handling even the slightest stresses difficult. Governing that discomfort is one of the simplest ways to not only reduce the stress caused by the pain itself, but to ultimately change how you react to stress.

Another major factor is sleep. Children are certainly not the only ones who are cranky after being deprived of ample shut-eye. Lack of quality sleep affects our entire system – energy, emotions, memory, efficiency… everything – which also means that we are not as well equipped to deal with potential stumbling blocks in our day. But here again, magnesium steps in as a required nutrient for this process, and can be the missing puzzle piece if you are find yourself tossing and turning night after night.

Beyond that, magnesium is a neuroprotective agent and helps support healthy brain function. In recent years researchers in the field of mental health finally acknowledged just how critical magnesium is to psychological well-being. When the body has sufficient magnesium stores, not only does it help improve mood, but it creates a shield of sorts that essentially dulls the sharp edges of stressful situations, making them more manageable and decreasing their negative mental impact.

Cause, Effect, or Both?

So which came first… the magnesium deficiency or the stress? Based on statistics, it is most likely a heap full of both. As a society, we sadly lack in the magnesium department – diets high in processed foods, our soil depleted of minerals, nutrient-stripping pharmaceuticals, and inefficient digestive systems, combine for a powerful anti-magnesium campaign, so to speak.

The Western Diet leaves much to be desired – not enough “real food” and too much nutrient-devoid “junk.” However, even those of us who eat nutritionally balanced whole food diets may find ourselves struggling to get enough magnesium.

Add to that environmental factors such as exposure to air pollution or pesticides, as well as economic factors such as unemployment or financial issues, and our magnesium intake isn’t even coming close to what we’re shedding on a daily basis.

The good, of course, is that magnesium deficiency is a rather simple problem to solve (theoretically)… it’s readily accessible, inexpensive, and available in a wide variety of compounds and applications. If you find yourself facing a lot of stress, are feeling on edge, or just want to maximize your calm, magnesium may be the answer you’re looking for.

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My 5 Favorite Magnesium Benefits, by Jack Schram 11 Apr 2019 6:11 AM (5 years ago)

Magnesium is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, and it is estimated that 70-80% of humans are deficient in it, especially athletes! When I began supplementing with magnesium, so many things in my life got better. Below are my 5 favorite benefits of magnesium!

Sleep! I sleep like a baby when I supplement with Ancient Minerals Magnesium spray (I use the Ultra). Good sleep is one of the most important things we need in order to live healthy lives.
Muscle Function! I used to have really tight muscles and lacked the pliability I needed to efficiently perform simple movements. Magnesium is a game changer for my performance. It helps relax and contract my muscles when I need them to!
Hydration! Take a look at the back of your favorite high quality water. Most list minerals or trace minerals, which include magnesium. Being active means you sweat a lot and replacing those minerals is important!
Sore muscles! Ever take an Epsom salt bath or have had someone tell you to take one after a big workout or injury? It’s the best! However, I upped my game with Ancient Minerals. It’s like Epsom Salts, but better quality! Smooth, if I had to describe it in one word. (Epsom salts is magnesium sulfate and Ancient Minerals is magnesium chloride. The molecular structure of Magnesium Chloride is much more easily absorbed into the body than that of Epsom Salt.)
Stress relief! I’m super chill when I am supplementing with magnesium. When I am deficient in it, I can feel it. I become more irritable and little things that shouldn’t matter seem to set me off. (On a chemical level, magnesium activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the system responsible for getting you calm and relaxed)

Thanks for reading! I would love to connect with you guys about supplementing with Ancient Minerals magnesium. If you have any questions about my experiences with it, hit me up on Instagram.

In Health,
Jack Schram

Red Bull Crashed Ice athlete, Jack Schram, talks about his love for Ancient Minerals magnesium.

Jack Schram is a Red Bull Crashed Ice athlete competing on Ice Cross Downhill Team USA. He is fueled by an all natural diet and holistic fitness regiment. Jack is also founder of Rooted Athlete, a chemical free performance products company that sells natural deodorant and CBD products. He is based in Austin, TX but prefers a more nomadic lifestyle. Find out more about him on jackschram.com

Social media links: Instagram Twitter Facebook YouTube

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What is MSM? 23 Aug 2018 3:01 AM (6 years ago)

Methylsulfonylmethane – or as it’s more widely known amongst the health community, MSM – is an organosulfur compound.

What is MSM? | Ancient Mineral

This naturally occurring sulfur is found in all vertebrates – although the extent of its importance still has yet to be explored. It can be obtained through a variety of food sources in small amounts, but occurs higher in [raw] nutritionally-dense foods such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage – as well as dairy products and certain cuts of meat. However, like many agricultural products today, depleted soils have significantly lowered the mineral contents in foods overall.

Unlike more common vitamin and mineral supplements, MSM is a bit of a dark horse, so to speak. Since taking off in the natural health community, many of its deeper benefits have been glanced over – a truly unfortunate oversight – in order to simply promote it as a muscle and joint pain relief agent. Despite its proven benefits and popularity amongst certain communities, lack of sufficient [incontrovertible] research along with mainstream skepticism has kept MSM from becoming a staple product for health and wellbeing.

That being said, there is still a wealth of information to be had both from studies that have been performed as well as an abundance of anecdotal feedback from the many years of global MSM users. Here are just a few of the benefits that have been attributed to MSM use:

· One of its best and most well-known uses involves pain management. Research has shown MSM to be effective against joint and muscle pain, stiffness, and soreness – helping conditions such as bursitis, tendonitis, and gout. Since sulfur is critical for the health and strength of joint tissues (e.g. cartilage), this component of MSM is of primary interest in conditions and stresses affecting those areas.

· Research has also shown MSM to be useful with various forms of arthritis – not only for pain management but as an anti-inflammatory agent as well, helping to reduce arthritic swelling.

· Many users of both internal and external MSM have reported softer, smoother, and more “elastic” skin resulting from its use.

· MSM helps protect against oxidative damage by aiding in the production of antioxidants like Glutathione.

· Scientists have begun to research the ability of MSM to sensitize drug-resistant microorganisms (e.g. MRSA) so as to make them penetrable by previously unsuccessful treatment methods. Supplementation may play both a protective role against such infections as well as an integral role in treatment and recovery.

· Although current research is insufficient, some studies have indicated minor benefits to respiratory conditions such as asthma and allergy.

· Numerous studies have successfully used MSM as a permeability enhancement agent topically, coupling it with a variety of therapies used on a wide spectrum of conditions. One such study paired MSM with magnesium ascorbyl phosphate to evaluate their use in treating alopecia, concluding:

“The effect of MSM on hair growth promotion of MAP was dose-proportional to the concentration of MSM due to the enhanced intradermal retention of MAP in the presence of MSM. Therefore, topical application of MAP together with MSM appears to be useful for the treatment of alopecia.”

This is just a small sampling of what MSM is, or maybe, capable of. Hopefully, science will continue to expand its knowledge on this under-rated nutrient so that we can better understand its biological role and potential primary or complementary function in treating a broad spectrum of conditions.

As always, please consult your physician if you are considering adding supplements to your routine.

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Did You Know: Magnesium May Help with Mood and Anxiety? 4 May 2018 12:34 AM (6 years ago)

mg-mental-health Depression, anxiety, mood disorders, irritability, fatigue, and PMS are all quite prevalent in our culture. More and more people are taking prescription drugs such as SSRI’s to help alleviate symptoms. However, these drugs are not addressing any possible root causes, such as possible mineral deficiencies.

Magnesium is a life-giving nutrient and important for many functions within our cells. Our ancestors had plenty of magnesium in their diet which was rich in organ meats and vegetables from mineral-rich soil. Today our soils are depleted of minerals due to modern farming practices. Even organic produce has fewer minerals than the produce our ancestors consumed. Therefore we are not getting adequate magnesium from the foods we are eating, even if we are trying to eat an ancestral type diet.

How Does Magnesium Work in the Brain?

Magnesium is a “gatekeeper” for calcium. It allows for calcium to be excreted from cells as needed, in response to various stressors. In Dr. Emily Deans’ piece, Magnesium and The Brain: The Original Chill Pill, Dr. Deans states:

Magnesium hangs out in the synapse between two neurons along with calcium and glutamate. If you recall, calcium and glutamate are excitatory and in excess, toxic. They activate the NMDA receptor. Magnesium can sit on the NMDA receptor without activating it, like a guard at the gate. Therefore, if we are deficient in magnesium, there’s no guard. Calcium and glutamate can activate the receptor like there is no tomorrow. In the long term, this damages the neurons, eventually leading to cell death. In the brain, that is not an easy situation to reverse or remedy.

In a nutshell, when we are stressed, calcium triggers that fight or flight response that we experience, as well as the subsequent stress response in the body. Magnesium is like the cowboy lassoing the wild horse, and reigns calcium back to where it needs to be, allowing the brain and body to calm down and relax.

Which Came First, Stress or Magnesium Deficiency?

Some of the symptoms one may experience with magnesium deficiency include anxiety, insomnia, moodiness, irritability, racing heart, migraines, and noise sensitivity. Depressed mood and anxiety being on the forefront of it all. When we are in chronic stress, our magnesium gets depleted even more. Therefore, a magnesium deficiency can lead to stress-related issues. However, stress-related issues can also cause a magnesium deficiency. This can become a vicious cycle for many!

There are some magnesium rich foods we can include in our diet, such as leafy greens, nuts and seeds, and even avocados. However, even with the healthiest diet most of us are still not getting adequate amounts of magnesium. By supplementing with a quality magnesium product, people often find they get better quality sleep, and relief from some of their anxiety and stress related symptoms.

About the Author:
Kathryn is a functional nutritional therapist, author, editor, and mama of two boys. She enjoys spending her free time out in nature-hiking and fishing. You can find her at www.primalmusings.com and her book “Forties on Fire” can be found on Amazon.

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PMS: A Magnesium Deficiency? 12 Jan 2018 6:40 AM (7 years ago)

Could Your PMS Signal a Need for More Magnesium?

We dread our monthly cycles of hormonal changes, leading up to menstruation. Often times with the change in hormones, we begin to feel fatigued, moody, irritable, and lethargic. We may experience bloating, swelling, sore breasts, sleep disturbances, headaches, and increased sugar cravings. Prior to incorporating magnesium into my routine, I struggled with monthly mood swings, particularly feeling anxious and irritable on the days leading up to my period. One of the biggest things that helped me to regulate my moods and decrease symptoms, was adding topical magnesium to my routine, particularly around PMS time, when everything gets tender and sore.

After ovulation, we enter the luteal phase, or second half of our cycle. This is where our hormone levels begin to change dramatically, and the dreaded premenstrual syndrome (PMS) kicks into action. Estrogen helps make serotonin (the feel good chemical). And when estrogen drops before our period, serotonin levels drop as well. Due to decreased levels of serotonin, we tend to feel moody and irritable.

Many women in our modern society are deficient in magnesium due to low dietary intake, depleted magnesium in our soil, modern stressors (stress depletes magnesium), carbonated beverages and coffee consumption, and a high processed food, nutrient poor diet. Serum magnesium levels tend to be low when there is a severe deficiency. However, these researchers found that serum magnesium diminished significantly in the premenstrual week.

Magnesium’s uses are wide-reaching, affecting many areas of women’s health and gynecology from pre-menstrual syndrome to menopause, PCOS to endometriosis, and beyond. Craving chocolate around PMS time? Chocolate is high in magnesium, and our requirements for magnesium increase as we approach menstruation. Women have already have a lower dietary intake of magnesium than men do, and yet we need magnesium for our hormonal health.

A growing amount of evidence suggests that magnesium deficiency may play an important role in PMS. By increasing levels of magnesium, we decrease PMS symptoms. Many women (myself included) are finding relief with magnesium supplementation. However, the underlying mechanism is still yet to be fully understood. With that said, we do know that magnesium lowers anxiety and prevents insomnia, and also acts as a diuretic to help with swollen breasts and abdomen.

Magnesium is also involved in hormone regulation.

Researchers hypothesize that magnesium influences different ion levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body, and this may be why it helps with PMS, and bloating. More stabilized hormones means increased serotonin, and a better overall mood. A significant reduction of anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms (nervous tension, mood swings, irritability, and anxiety) has been noted with magnesium supplementation.

Can topical magnesium help?

Topical magnesium helped significantly with my cramping, sore breasts, anxiety, sleep, and overall mood changes during PMS. Topical magnesium bypasses the need to be digested. For many of us struggling with digestive health issues, taking a supplement internally does not guarantee we are getting the nutrients from it. Topically, we are able to increase our magnesium levels, and start to feel better fast! When I approach my monthly cycle, my sleep becomes more disrupted. I use magnesium lotion on my breasts, lower abdomen, and inner thighs right before bed. It helps me with breast tenderness, cramping, and sleep latency. As my period approaches, and abdominal cramping become stronger, I find magnesium chloride bath soaks help tremendously with all over body aches and cramping.

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Magnesium and Pregnancy 11 Jan 2018 11:42 AM (7 years ago)

Magnesium Deficiency and Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a time of great joy, but along with this comes many big changes in our body, and an increased requirement for micronutrients to support both the mother and the growing fetus. One such micronutrient is magnesium. Magnesium supports a healthy pregnancy in various ways. Studies suggest links to magnesium deficiency with gestational diabetes, preterm labor, preeclampsia, and IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction). ¹⁴⁴ The fetus and the mother both require magnesium, plus there is a 20% loss of magnesium excreted through the kidneys during pregnancy. ¹⁴⁵ Therefore, it is important that pregnant women receive adequate magnesium. Some of the biggest symptoms pregnant women tend to experience include morning sickness, leg cramps, and difficulty sleeping, all of which can be associated with magnesium deficiency.

Magnesium and Morning Sickness

Magnesium plays an important role in early pregnancy. ¹⁴⁶ Restoring our magnesium levels during this time can help with morning sickness. Although the etiology of ‘morning sickness’ (nausea and vomiting during pregnancy) is not yet fully understood, we do know that as hormones such as progesterone increase significantly during early pregnancy, magnesium levels decrease. Increased levels of progesterone and estrogen can contribute to nausea and vomiting, also known as morning sickness. According to Dr Carolyn Dean, Author of The Magnesium Miracle, ¹⁴⁷ fluctuating hormones affect our magnesium levels. Many women find that by restoring their magnesium levels through diet and supplementation, morning sickness symptoms can subdue or subside. Health blogger Mommypotamus uses magnesium for morning sickness. She states,

When it comes to morning sickness, the important thing to know is that magnesium plays a crucial role in balancing cortisol, which is the primary hormone that influences blood sugar. Blood sugar swings (particularly dips) are thought to be one of the main causes of pregnancy nausea, so doctors and midwives often recommend approaches that support stable blood sugar.

Magnesium and Leg Cramps

Magnesium is a known muscle relaxer. One of magnesium’s top five general functions is to relax muscles. ¹⁴⁸ During pregnancy, mineral deficiencies can lead to an increase in leg cramping, which for some can get severe, especially at night. Researchers have found that magnesium supplementation can significantly reduce leg cramping during pregnancy. ¹⁴⁹ Topical magnesium lotion, massaged directly into the leg muscles before bed can help with nighttime muscle cramping. Magnesium oil is more concentrated than lotion, and can help with more severe cramping.

Magnesium and Sleep During Pregnancy

Sleep duration and quality changes when a woman becomes pregnant. As the baby grows, sleep can become more and more of a challenge. There are many over the counter sleep aids, however, most are not safe for pregnant women to take. Topical magnesium is a safe alternative to help ease pregnant women ease into sleep. Magnesium for pregnancy improves sleep quality, reduces periodic limb movement, and increases sleep efficiency. ¹⁵⁰ Therefore, taking time each night to massage some magnesium lotion all over before bed, can really help with sleep difficulties.

According to The Wellness Mama,

The best way to supplement with magnesium, in my opinion, is by using it on the skin. This is not only the safest way, since the body will only use what is needed, but the most effective.

Unlike internal doses of magnesium, topical magnesium does not have to pass through the digestive system and kidneys and can more quickly enter the blood and tissues of the body.

I have experimented with a variety of magnesium supplements over the years and now stick exclusively to topical magnesium spray because I found it to be the most effective (and cost effective!).

Why Ancient Minerals Topical Magnesium is Amazing for Pregnancy Symptoms

Ancient Minerals magnesium is the “Gold Standard” for topical magnesium.

Ancient Minerals products are both safe and effective for pregnancy and beyond.
Ancient Minerals lotion contains both shea butter and coconut oil, often used by pregnant women to help with moisturizing and stretch mark prevention.
Ancient Minerals topical magnesium bypasses digestion, increasing magnesium levels utilizing absorption by the skin!
Many women find that Ancient Minerals lotion can help with morning sickness.
Ancient Minerals lotion is great right before bed, to help with sleep, and night time muscle cramping.
Ancient Minerals bath flakes can help pregnant women to relax and wind down, taking pressure and weight off the muscles and joints, and allowing for the body to restore and rejuvenate, all the while soaking in the magnesium.

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Adjust Your Circadian Rhythm to Sleep Better 31 Oct 2017 11:52 PM (7 years ago)

Sleep is just as important for our health as nutrition and exercise. Culturally we tend value work over sleep. However, quality sleep can make a huge difference in the quality of the work you produce. Sleep affects every aspect of our lives and should be taken more seriously. Lack of sleep affects our mental health, our emotions, and our physical performance as well.

During the summer we get plenty of sunshine, and sunshine helps to produce quality melatonin, a hormone that helps to induce sleep and is either produced naturally or needs to be added as a supplement. During the long days of summer we fall into a “summer rhythm” with our sleep. Come fall, the days start getting shorter and we get less daylight. So how can we adjust our internal clock to ease into the darkness and still get sound, quality sleep?

Your circadian rhythm is a 24 hour built-in biological clock. Sunlight exposure triggers the body’s hypothalamus to start producing hormones to regulate this internal clock. One such hormone, the most powerful for sleep, is melatonin.

During the summer it’s easy to go out and get sunshine, but without sunlight, we don’t produce adequate melatonin. The best time of day to get sunlight and regulate the internal clock is early in the morning. This fall and winter, try getting up early to go for a brisk walk; this is a great way to get better sleep at night.

During the winter months it isn’t as easy to get adequate sunlight during the day. However, it’s just as important! If you work in an office, try to work by a sunny window and increase your sun exposure by getting outdoors as much as possible, even if it means bundling up to spend just a little time outside. Cloudy days count as well! You still get melatonin-producing rays on cloudy days.

What are some other ways to help ease into sleep?

Magnesium is an important mineral to help ease us into sleep.

Magnesium is an anti-stress mineral. It helps balance blood sugar, optimize circulation and blood pressure, relax tense muscles, reduce pain, and calm the nervous system. Yet, because it responsible for over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, it rapidly depletes, leaving many deficient.”

The best form of magnesium for easing into a good slumber is transdermal magnesium. When applied transdermally, the magnesium is able to go directly from the skin into the bloodstream. However, when taken orally, a large portion of magnesium is lost during the digestive process.

Reduce screen time before bed

Although we need sunshine during the day, we need darkness in the evening. In this technological age we are constantly viewing screens in the evening, spending our time looking at cell phone screens, television screens, computer screens, and even reading our books on screens. Blue light from these screens tricks our bodies into staying awake, and this makes it difficult to get quality sleep.

What are some ways to counteract blue light? Limit the use of any such screens for two hours preceding bedtime. Instead, get into a routine of taking a warm bath, reading a book, or doing some gentle stretching. If you do need to be on a screen before bed, you can wear special blue light blocking glasses or even blue light blocking screen covers.

When you are ready to sleep, make sure the room you sleep in is as dark as possible. You may need to use black out curtains if you are in a well-lit area. Avoid the use of nightlights, as any light can interfere with your precious sleep cycle.

Remember, getting quality sleep is a priority. As we move toward shorter days be sure to get out in the sunshine and let your body produce melatonin. Eat magnesium rich foods, and ease into a bedtime routine that does not include blue light. Sweet dreams!

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Magnesium and Brain Health 25 Sep 2016 9:57 PM (8 years ago)

Magnesium and The Brain

The exploration of the gut-brain axis is top of mind these days, however, research is now finding that nutritional deficiencies (common in our culture) can also affect our brain health and contribute to inflammatory conditions within the brain such as; depression, anxiety, alzheimer’s, other memory issues, insomnia, and certain brain related conditions. Recent research focuses on various forms of magnesium supplementation as an adjunct therapy for brain health. According to Dr Emily Deans in her piece Magnesium and The Brain: The Original Chill Pill,

When you start to untangle the effects of magnesium in the nervous system, you touch upon nearly every single biological mechanism for depression.

Although often viewed as such, the brain is not some separate entity within our body, it is connected to our entire system and works synergistically with the nutrients we consume. In his book The Oscillating Brain: ‘How Our Brain Works’ By Timothy D. Sheehan, M.D. ¹⁵¹, Sheehan explains the structure and function of the brain, and breaks down thoroughly how the brain actually works. Sheehan states, “we’ve traditionally viewed the brain as a black box- a system that can be approached only in terms of input and output without actually understanding how it works.”

Sheehan describes the mechanism of magnesium in the brain. Magnesium ions are the ‘gatekeepers’ between NMDA (short for N-methyl D aspartate) neuroreceptors and the cell membranes. These neuroreceptors are responsible for both short-term and long-term memory. Without adequate magnesium, there is essentially no ‘soldiers at the gate’ to block the free flow of ions, and this can lead to cell death, and issues related to short- and long-term recall ¹⁵². There are many brain health issues that can be impacted by magnesium.

Magnesium and Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

Magnesium aids the brain with regulation of excessive cortisol related to stress. According to Science Daily, magnesium can help reduce the release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). Magnesium has a direct impact on the function of the transport of protein p-glucoprotein, and can influence the access of corticosteroids to the brain. They concluded that all of these systems are involved in the pathophysiology of stress and depression. ¹⁵³

Magnesium ions regulate calcium ion flow in neuronal calcium channels, helping to regulate neuronal nitric oxide production. In magnesium deficiency, neuronal requirements for magnesium may not be met, causing neuronal damage which could manifest as depression. ¹⁵⁴

Magnesium ion neuronal deficits may be induced by stress hormones, excessive dietary calcium as well as dietary deficiencies of magnesium.

Research is finding a connection between magnesium deficiency and depression. Researchers reviewed case histories showing rapid recovery (less than 7 days) from major depression using 125–300 mg of magnesium with each meal and at bedtime. In these case reviews, magnesium supplementation was found to help with brain conditions such as traumatic brain injury, headache, suicidal ideation, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, postpartum depression, cocaine, alcohol and tobacco abuse, hypersensitivity to calcium, short-term memory loss and IQ loss. They concluded that the possibility that magnesium deficiency may be a huge contributing factor for many mental health and brain related conditions. ¹⁵⁵

Additional research concluded that magnesium seems to be effective in the treatment of depression and disturbance in magnesium metabolism might be related to depression. These researchers suggest magnesium supplementation as an adjunctive therapy for those struggling with depression. ¹⁵⁶ In even another more recent study, dietary magnesium intake was found to have an association with the risk of depression. This is the first prospective study with 20 years of follow-up to report the association between magnesium intake and the incidence of depression in men. Hospitalized participants receiving moderate dietary magnesium had a significantly decreased risk of getting a hospital discharge diagnosis of depression, vs those receiving the lowest intake of magnesium. ¹⁵⁷

Magnesium can also be an adjunctive therapy to post-partum depression (PPD) in women; Discovered when studying the relationship of zinc and magnesium serum levels with PPD. This was a cross-sectional study done on 122 new mothers. Their results showed no statistically significant correlation between zinc serum level and PPD. In contrast, there was a ‘significant inverse relationship between magnesium serum level and PPD, in that the increase of it, decreased PPD risk.’ ¹⁵⁸

Aside from depression, there are other areas of brain health magnesium levels can affect, such as migraine headaches, and cognitive decline/memory issues.

Magnesium and Migraine Headaches

Magnesium deficiency has been strongly associated with migraine attacks. With this theory, several potential mechanisms have been proposed, such as:

Triggered cortical spreading depression
Decreased release of substance P, stimulated cerebral artery spasm
An imbalance between mitochondrial energy production and demand

Consequently, the clinical effects of magnesium for migraines has drawn considerable attention. These researchers conducted a meta-analysis to confirm the overall effects of magnesium on migraines. Intravenous magnesium significantly relieved acute migraine within 15 – 45 minutes, 120 minutes, and 24 hours after the initial infusion. Oral magnesium significantly alleviated the frequency and intensity of the migraine. The study concluded that magnesium should be considered as adjunctive therapy for managing migraine attacks. ¹⁵⁹

According to Jay Cohen, MD in his book, The Magnesium Solution for Migraine Headaches, ¹⁶⁰ migraines occur when the muscles of the brain act erratically. Abnormal constriction and dilation of these blood vessels are the cause of migraine pain. The balance of magnesium and calcium in the cells around the arteries determines the relaxation and constriction. Calcium makes muscles constrict whereas magnesium relaxes them. Magnesium blocks the calcium influx into smooth muscle cells, thus regulating blood vessel tone. Magnesium has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system and tempers the actions of the sympathetic nervous system. Magnesium is essential for cells to maintain proper balance of other minerals such as potassium, sodium, and calcium. Cohen suggests magnesium helps migraines by:

Stabilizing blood vessel membranes
Inhibits blood vessel contraction in response to chemicals released in the early stages of a migraine
Inhibits the clumping of platelets
Reduces the synthesis and release of inflammatory mediators
Directly relaxes blood vessel tone

Magnesium and Cognitive Decline/Memory

Magnesium is also shown to be effective adjunctive therapy for age related memory loss and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

One significant study suggested that elevation of brain magnesium through dietary intake of magnesium exerts substantial positive effects on brain synapses in a mouse model of AD, actually restoring aging brains to their youthful conditions.

The study is the first to show a mechanism for reversing cognitive decline in advanced stage AD mice, and is also the first to show an effective long-term treatment in AD mice. ¹⁶¹

Another study found that in mouse models of the disease, oral administration of magnesium-L-threonate (MgT) alleviated cognitive decline by suppressing the Aβ deposition in amyloid plaques in an APH-1α/1β-dependent manner. Specifically, they found that magnesium ions suppressed amyloid plaque deposits in the brain. These are the plaque deposits associated with Alzheimer’s related memory loss. ¹⁶²

In his book Magnesium, What Your Doctor Needs to Know, Edwards discusses many of the roles magnesium plays in the facilitation of many of our functions. When it comes to cognition, magnesium regulates a key receptor that helps to support learning and memory. Edwards states that decreased brain electrical activity has been seen in people with low magnesium levels.‘For maintaining plasticity of synapses, adequate magnesium content in cerebrospinal fluid is essential. Magnesium is used for the proper activity of many enzymes within brain cells that control memory and cellular function.’ ¹⁶³

Although research is new and primarily done on mice, it’s proving positive in the associations between magnesium and brain health in general. According to Edwards, low magnesium levels cannot be diagnosed by lab tests alone. Lab tests cannot give accurate readings of magnesium in your tissue. Relying solely on blood tests, and not on signs and symptoms can lead to a misdiagnosis. If you are struggling with some of these symptoms, supplementing with magnesium (with the help of your doctor) may be helpful. Edwards suggests if you have issues with magnesium digestion, topical magnesium is a great alternative.

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