The mineral that saves lives and how you can help yourself back to health

Learn about a single mineral deficiency of that leads to heart attacks, diabetes, obesity, premature ageing and cancer.

I was watching the London Marathon a few days ago and remember seeing a man who was only about 200 metres away from the finish line and was really struggling to move further. Not just his legs, but his whole body were giving up on him. Other marathon runners were helping him get to the finish line which was so close and still so far away for the guy. I could not help feeling not only sorry, but sincerely worried for the poor guy. I have since learned that he has eventually got there, and more importantly – that he is alive and well.

My other thought was that not only that guy, but most marathon runners, despite months of training and preparation, would be not only severely dehydrated, but demineralised as well, with lactic acid literally burning their muscles. I imagine that the pain they experienced would be excruciating.

I don’t know what help and advice marathon runners get before and after the event and whether they are told that not only do they need to rehydrate and remineralise, but that they would need to replenish the most important mineral that would boost their endurance during the Marathon and help them recover afterwards easing the pain and reducing the risk of heart failure. The name of that mineral is magnesium.

Magnesium is rightly called “the mineral of life”. In health science, there are few chemical elements which attract so much attention and instigate so much research. The reason is that not only it participates in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, but it is also the 4th most abundant mineral in the human body and 2nd most abundant mineral in the human cell.

Magnesium helps maintain numerous tasks, such as normal muscle and nerve function, steady heart rhythm, optimal blood pressure, healthy immune system and strong bones. It also helps to maintain the blood sugar at a normal level, plays a vital role in preventing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and a whole range of other dangerous and debilitating health conditions.

About half of the total body magnesium is found in bones. The other half is found mostly inside cells of body tissues and organs. Only 1% of magnesium is found in the blood where it plays a vital role, so the body works very hard to keep blood magnesium levels constant. It plays a crucial role in the production of ATP – the power generating molecule second only to DNA which produces energy to sustain life of every living cell.

With all that said, most of us are desperately deficient in this vital mineral, some more than others. Causes of magnesium deficiency include poor soil condition, nutrient-impoverished diet with the abundance of over-processed food, high consumption of caffeine, alcohol, pollution, toxicity and stress. The results of magnesium deficiency are catastrophic: increased rates of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, debilitating muscle pain, obesity and cancer among other serious and even life-threatening conditions.

Magnesium has long been used by medical practitioners to treat a number of diseases. It has been prescribed by doctors since 1930s to treat heart disease. Being one of the most powerful natural relaxants free from damaging side-effects, magnesium has been long used as part of anaesthetics before surgery to promote muscle relaxation.

Magnesium sulphate solution is injected in hospitals to treat myocardial infarction (heart attack), since it promotes relaxation of all tissues and dilation of arteries, thus facilitating blood flow and dramatically reducing chances of further damage to the cardiac muscle.

Magnesium sulphate, otherwise known as Epsom salt, is widely used by people at home for its profoundly relaxing, therapeutic properties. Alongside it, magnesium chloride is the other widely available and easily absorbable form of magnesium. While some people use it internally, it is transdermal applications of magnesium chloride that have come to light in the past decade or so.

Our skin is a remarkable organ which has 6 main functions. One of them is absorption which forms the basis of various transdermally applied therapies. While the skin serves as a barrier for larger, harmful substances, it can absorb minute particles like ions from salts, including magnesium chloride. Having entered the body through the skin, magnesium ions get into the blood stream and in this way benefit every cell. This is by far the best way of magnesium supplementation, since it ensures that magnesium bypasses digestion.

The reason for using magnesium salts transdermally is that not everyone can utilise oral magnesium (in a tablet form). Even for people with healthy digestion only about 50% of supplemental magnesium is absorbed. The other half is eliminated. Conditions such as IBS (‘leaky gut’) can further prevent utilisation of magnesium from supplements. This makes the case for transdermal use of magnesium even stronger.

There are 2 main forms of magnesium chloride on the market: the salt solution, which is also called “magnesium oil”, and crystallised magnesium chloride salt – also known as “flakes”. Magnesium chloride is obtained by 2 main methods – evaporation of the sea water from the seas and oceans surrounding us and extraction of the underground salt deposits formed as a result of evaporation of ancient seas. This source provides the purest, unadulterated, pollution-free product.

External applications of magnesium salts:

Although it has nothing to do with conventional oils, magnesium chloride solution is sometimes called “oil” due to its somewhat oily consistency. The soft, sliding feel when rubbed on the skin makes it suitable as a massage medium or a body rub. Apply once or twice a day, or as needed, on an affected area, by massaging the solution into the body. Alternatively, book magnesium massage with a therapist.

1.   Body spray – spray on the body once or twice a day, especially before going to bed. Wait for it to dry and just sleep with it on. You can wash it off in the morning. This promotes not only pain relief in tired muscles, but also mental relaxation and restful sleep.

2.   Compress – warm up the solution (mix it with water 1:1), soak a cloth, apply on the area that is causing problems such as pain or tension, cover with a plastic sheet and a warm cloth (a scarf would do). Alternatively, secure it with a bandage. Keep it on for 1-2 hours or until the pain goes away. This is a fast acting procedure which makes the pain subside within minutes.

3.   Bath / foot bath – add 250-300g of Epsom salt or magnesium flake to a very warm bath or 100g to a foot bath, for 20-30 minutes. I don’t advise using magnesium oil for such baths, since it is already a diluted form of the salt and is therefore not as effective as more concentrated salt crystals.

4.   Far-Infrared Magnesium Body wrap – used in a clinic, this is a highly effective and profoundly healing treatment which delivers magnesium to the body quickly and in the right doses. The speed with which magnesium gets replenished during this application makes Transdermal Magnesium Therapy highly effective for cases where severe magnesium deficiency is suspected.

These are the main external applications of magnesium salts. Which one you will choose depends on what suits you best. It is important to remember that regular applications will bring long-lasting results, since a single application will relieve the problem, but only temporarily. Regular applications will not only help replenish magnesium levels in the body but will also alleviate many avoidable problems such as muscle cramps, back pain, poor sleep, anxious and stressed mind, blood sugar fluctuations, cholesterol build-up, fertility issues in men and women, prevent heart attacks, calm down restless children, promote detoxification and so much more.

Do make sure that you stock up on magnesium bath salts, rub magnesium oil on the body nightly and book magnesium-based treatments regularly!

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the body taking part in over 300 chemical reactions, such as formation of hormones, enzymes, as well as being the “spark” which activates the energy molecule – ATP. It is also one of the most effective and fastest natural relaxants.

No wonder that when we are deficient in magnesium we are exposing ourselves to a whole range of health problems – from muscle aches and pains, nightly leg cramps to much more serious and even life-threatening conditions. Many heart attacks have been prevented by doctors in emergency rooms administering magnesium injections to heart attack patients.

With all that, most people are severely deficient in this vital mineral. This deficiency would be totally preventable if only more people knew how they can help themselves with very simple but highly effective home applications of magnesium salts – by rubbing magnesium oil in the body, taking magnesium baths or booking magnesium-based treatments, such as Magnesium massage or Far Infrared Magnesium Wrap.