Magnesium is a Must

This is going to be a short post, because it’s so simple. Magnesium is a must.

It’s been found that 50-80% of people who suffer from migraines are magnesium deficient.

There’s debate about why that is so, but the effects of this deficiency are well-known.

Migraineurs who are treated with at least 400 mg of magnesium a day see a significant improvement.

“Magnesium works on the symptoms of migraines by relaxing blood vessels in the brain and inhibits the ability of calcium to constrict blood vessels.” According to the following ‘Life Extension Foundation’ report: http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008/may2008_Magnesium-Widespread-Deficiency-With-Deadly-Consequences_01.htm?source=search&key=magnesium%20migraine

There are lots of different magnesium supplements. I take my magnesium regularly as magnesium chloride mixed in water. It’s a product called Magnesium Plus, available atSunflower Natural Foods here in Antigonish, Nova Scotia (See addresses and distributor in the notes below). It’s not expensive.

Of course, there are other magnesium supplements to choose from Natural Factors Magnesium Citrate is good too), but I find this one is easily absorbed and tolerated (I’m sensitive to so many supplements!)

I recently almost ran out of magnesium, so I was rationing it and my migraines started to come back a bit. Not severe, but I wasn’t doing as well for a couple of days. So, I guess I’ll keep on taking it!
Just a thought about calcium. Most of the articles I read warned against counting on a calcium-magnesium supplement if you are deficient in magnesium. Apparently, they can cancel each other out and you're no further ahead. If you are also deficient in calcium, they recommended taking your calcium-magnesium supplement separately from your magnesium supplement.

Magnesium has a lot of other benefits and really is considered an essential nutrient, but I’ll let you read more if you like by clicking on these links: (or just Google it!)

http://www.headache-adviser.com/magnesium-migraine.html

http://headacheandmigrainenews.com/migraine-and-magnesium-new-study/

http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-chloride/

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008/may2008_Magnesium-Widespread-Deficiency-With-Deadly-Consequences_01.htm?source=search&key=magnesium%20migraine

Notes:

Sunflower Natural Foods, 194 Main St., Antigonish, NS, Canada. http://www.sunflowerhealth.ca/

The 'Original Magnesium Plus' is made in France, but is distributed by Ecotrend, Vancouver, BC. 1-800-665-7065
Instructions for using Magnesium Plus: You mix the packet in a mason jar with 250 ml of pure water and shake well. That’s your seed water which you keep in the fridge. From that seed water, you take 2 ml (be sure to shake the jar each time) and add it to a bottle with 500 ml of water In it. Then, you sip from that all morning. In the afternoon, you do the same thing again. So, you end up with 4 ml (or 400 mg) of magnesium a day. I find that I need a little more but I don’t want to drink too much water in the evening, so I just mix 1 ml of seed water in a little bit of water at bedtime.
Update October 23 2012: I found that I wasn't quite getting enough magnesium doing the above, so now I mix 2.5 ml in my water bottle twice a day (so 500ml), plus another 2.5 ml at bedtime, for a total of 750 ml of magnesium a day.
The doctors say to increase your intake of magnesium until it gives you diarrhea and then cut back a bit. So far so good for me!