Magnesium is a nutrient that has so many and varied uses and is often overlooked as a way of relieving stress, aiding sleep, relaxing muscles, aiding digestion, detoxification and the list goes on.
Magnesium (Mg) was a revelation to me when I discovered it. I had been experiencing high levels of anxiety for about a decade before I stumbled across it. Because of the anxiety I had very tight muscles, so tight in fact that, at its worst I wasn't even able to raise my head to the normal position. It was turned down towards my chest. At this point I went to a doctor who prescribed muscle relaxants for me. This worked well but I didn't like to take medications and so after a day or I stopped them. I suffered for many years more before I tried some Mg and was amazed to find that at the right dosage it had much the same effect!
I've now become a bit of a Mg evangelist and go around telling anyone who mentions muscle tension or anxiety to try it.
There are lots of ways that you can administer Mg. It can be absorbed through the skin or taken orally. To absorb it through the skin you can either soak in magnesium water or spray it directly onto the skin. The different applications have different benefits and I'll go into those in just a minute. One way that you can soak your skin in it is to go to a float tank that is much like a big bath with a lid if you like. You can completely close the lid and be in total darkness and quiet and because there is so much Mg in the water your body floats with zero effort.
Floating can be very good for recovering from things like dislocated shoulders where the weight is taken off the area of injury. They are also very good for aiding sleep. You would be hard pressed to be able to have a float for an hour and not be able to go home and had a very good night sleep.
If your budget is limited or if you can't get to a place when you can do a float then a packet of epsom salts (which is a form of Mg) in a bath will have similar results although you won't quite get the same floating effect, it will have a relaxing effect. Even a tub of warm water and Mg in it can help relax your feet and leg muscles and aid relaxation and sleep. For the bath and foot bath epsom salts that you can purchase at the super market or chemist is perfect for this.
Magnesium oil can be purchased at any health food shop as a spray as well. The spray is perfect for when you need relief fast such as when you have cramps or menstrual cramps and it's also very handy for travelling. I've used it to great effect when recently had dental surgery. I sprayed some on beforehand and because it worked fast, I took it with me and applied it during the surgery when I started to get tense. It worked perfectly and the dentist didn't have a problem at all because he was enjoying working on a patient that was so relaxed.
I feel taking Mg orally is a good way of having a more sustained application of Mg and my brand of choice is Herbs of Gold, specifically the product Mag Forte that comes in tablet form. You'll find it in health foods shops here in Australia and also online.
The reason I like this product is because I can feel the benefits from it. I put this down to the fact that the tablets have 4 different types of Mg.
There are so many more benefits from taking Mg but I have focused in this post on the benefits that I have derived personally and understand for myself.
In the next post I've listed the different types of Mg and the benefits of each one so you can get a better understand of its uses for yourself!
I'd be interested to hear your experience with Mg, have you tried it? What effect did it have? Have you continued to take it?
Good to know the different types if magnesium and their different functions.
Great info, thanks for breaking it down and the many more benefits of this natural mineral.
I never paid attention what effects they had on my sleep or muscle. certainly will do now. Oh wow, I never heard about the magnesium bath and will check it out. Thanks for Schauspieler knowledge.