Sue Richards, regular Canadian gal, heats up as her reproductive Best Before Date expires.
Monday, 25 September 2006
We hear a lot about the importance of calcium levels but rarely do I hear anyone speaking about magnesium.
Get this you hot, sweating, exhausted menopausal babes. Magnesium regulates your body temperature and energy level, plus aids in muscle relaxation. It helps to metabolize your carb and protein intake and is one of the minerals involved in bone and tooth formation. Low magnesium levels can cause migraines and heart palpitations. Mood swings, depression and fatigue can all be connected to low magnesium levels.
Well then. Bring on the magnesium I say!
But wait, I’ve been told two conflicting stories about how to get magnesium. One claims that a diet rich in legumes, nuts, leafy green veggies, soybeans, whole grains and oily fish will keep your levels up. The other source suggested that we’ve stripped much of our mineral content from the soil so unless you’re eating organic, chances are good that you’re not getting enough magnesium. This source recommends a supplement. But not with pills. Rather a topical magnesium lotion is suggested due to how much easier it is for your body to absorb.
Okay, so I’ll buy the lotion story…. I know that using topical creams is far superior to ingested pills. And the organic advice fits under my idea of common sense. But how do I get my peri-menopausal levels checked and what should I be getting?
Guess what. I found no mention on the ABC’s of checking your levels. One source simply said everyone is deficient. Even daily intake recommendations vary wildly from source to source. One says 350 mgs per day. Another says 500 - 1,000 mgs.
Like the good little meno-detective I am, I’ll set my magnesium-sniffing nose to the task of getting closer to the bottom of this mystery. While I’m search, chew on some organic broccoli. Apparently it won’t hurt.
Sue Richards
Tags: My Menopause Blog, my menopause blog,Breast of Canada,Sue Richards, peri-menopausal, breast+cancer awareness month, menopause relief, organic+diet, information on menopause,menopause symptom, magnesium, wisdom, womens health news, hot flash, menopause symptoms .
September 26th, 2006 at 11:19 am
Sue this post is a lifesaver. Lately my muscles have been so stiff (not joints mind you) that I have been swimming in analgesic creams that really do nothing. I am convinced the stiffness and soreness is menopause related because it responds to heat and massage…but always returns. I too will try and sniff out more about magnesium creams. Thanks so much…I feel like your info was meant for me (and proabably a whole lot of other sufferers).
September 26th, 2006 at 11:40 am
hey Sue: I found a recipe for magnesium cream that uses inexpensive over the counter ingredients if anyone is interested. I am willing to try it…I will let you know how it works. It is basically made with epsom salts and oils.
September 26th, 2006 at 11:52 am
I started taking some “senior fomula — gentle on the stomach” vitamins recently, hoping to stop my hair from falling out (aaargh — this aging process!) and ended up with terrible heartburn. My physician said it was likely due to the magnesium… so the topical cream sounds like a good idea.
September 26th, 2006 at 1:06 pm
Jonna,
Excellent news on the cream recipe. I’d love to get it from you! And post it too.
Julia, topical help appears to be on the way!
Sue
September 26th, 2006 at 5:45 pm
What I’ve read indicates that we also need magnesium in 1:2 proportion to our calcium for best bone use. Since menopausal calcium recs run in the 1200-1500mg/day range, that means that 600-750 of magnesium is needed just for that purpose. For women using hrts of any kind, magnesium is also purportedly needed to properly metabolize the hormones. So, yeah, all kinds of good reasons to need a good helping of magnesium every day to keep up. I’m presently using the combo magnesium/calcium citrate/vitamin D tabs you can get in the humongo bottles at places like Costco, but that topical does sound interesting. I see that wikipedia’s entry mentions a gel form, which sent me to a google search that provided some interesting hits.
October 2nd, 2006 at 11:02 am
Keep writing and posting on this. I happened to be doing a similar search yesterday on temperature regulation and came across the magnesium link.
If you know where creams are, post a link, please….
November 29th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
Bathing in epsom salts is a long-time remedy for sore muscles as the magnesium in the salts is absorbed through the skin and it relieves the soreness. I have tried it and it really works. That’s why it is the basis for most sports bath salts.
Don’t see why it wouldn’t help with other stuff, too. And, epsom salts are super cheap!
January 12th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Dr. Norman Shealy MD, PhD has producrd a magnesium lotiion for just your situation. You can order it online. Just search Dr. Shealy and you will find his site.
March 1st, 2008 at 5:55 am
Really pleased to have found this site - mum has CFS/FM and no help in site from regular doctors - over here most of them don’t even believe it exists! Would dearly love recipe for the Magnesium sulphate cream. Anything to reduce pain levels! Will do more research…
April 12th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I’m in the menopause years and use Wild Yam cream for hot flashes. I buy it from Swanson Vitamins through Amazon.com for $5.00 per jar and it works great for hot flashes and arthritis. To improve concentration and metal clarity, I’ve come up with this recipe for magnesium.
My interest in magnesium was piqued after reading Dr. Michael Lyon’s book “Healing the Hyperactive Brain”. What I wanted to find was a non-oral way to increase magnesium.
What I’ve learned from Dr. Lyon’s book and other info from medical research websites is:
Omega 3 essential fatty acid (Flaxseed Oil or Salmon Oil)
Combined with Magnesium makes the “brain fuel” DHA
Various studies suggest adequate/optimal DHA enhances brain/memory function, has actually caused new neurons to grow, improves eyesight, and various other benefits.
My cost effective solution to a non-oral approach to achieve the above is a simple ” cream/lotion” that can be made for less than $15.00 USD per 8 oz. in under 5 minutes! Here’s the method:
1. Filter a large bottle of Milk of Magnesia though paper or cloth (I used a #6 cone coffee filter). Discard the liquid and keep the approximately 1/3 cup thick residue inside the paper cone.
2. Melt coconut oil (I melted a pint jar of coconut oil in the microwave in less than 1 minute)
3. Combine and mix at high speed for approximately 1 minute:
2/3 cup melted coconut oil (Omega 6 essential fatty acid)
1/3 cup flaxseed oil (Omega 3 essential fatty acid)
1/3-1/2 cup Milk of Magnesia (thick residue from the filter)
4. Pour into a container with a cover and refrigerate until the coconut oil re-solidifes.
5. Use liberally as a hand and body lotion. It’s good for skin, and absorbs well into the skin. Improved brain function, increased memory and concentration is discernable about an hour after use.
There’s nothing harmful in the mixture and it’s helped me immeasurably. My prayer is that it will help others, as well.
God Bless!
Chey
P.S. Do a search on “Omega 3″ and “Magnesium” and read the research for yourself! I truly believe that ADD and ADHD may be nutritional deficiencies, possibly from the pre-natal stage.
My sister’s kids, with ADHD and “autism” love to have it massaged into their backs and feet and she said it’s improved their moodiness and concentration dramatically.