Don't underestimate the power of magnesium!

In conjunction with strengthening muscles through exercise, for those who are dealing with chronic pain in your feet, back, knees, etc it might be worth considering looking into some trans-dermal magnesium therapy. Sounds complicated but really it is so simple to do.

It is well discussed and well accepted by many in the health industry (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/01/19/magnesium-deficiency.aspx,  http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/844214, http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/magnesium-supplement-oral-route-parenteral-route/description/drg-20070730) most north Americans suffer from varying levels of magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is one of those crucial minerals which when in balance can make a marked difference between being productive and struggling with a wide range of at times debilitating health issues. For a good article on why magnesium is so important for our overall health please visit http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/magnificent-magnesium/. Here are just a few of the many affects of magnesium deficiency: (see the above article for a more detailed list)

• ADD/ADHD
• Anxiety disorders
• Auto-immune disorders
• Crooked teeth/narrow jaw in children from Mg deficient mothers
• Dental caries
• Depression
• Diabetes, types I and II
• Gut disorders including peptic ulcer, Crohn’s disease, colitis
• Insomnia
• Migraines
• PMS—including menstrual pain and irregularities
• Thyroid disorders

Magnesium gel is an easy and effective way to improve your health and ease sore muscles, as well as speed up injury recovery. One tablespoon of magnesium oil or gel trans-dermaly will provide you with 600 mg of magnesium. I find it particularly helpful to put it on immediately after a workout about 20 mins before I shower or take a bath. If I am feeling particularly sore or worn out I might complement that with an Epsom's salt bath. While Epsom's salt is another good way to absorb some magnesium, because it is make from magnesium sulfate and not chloride (the latter of which is much more readily assimilated) it is soothing and does give some benefit.

You can take a magnesium supplement, which I recommend right before bed, but many people find taking magnesium orally is hard to digest and to get a therapeutic amount often causes diarrhea. So i would suggest to take it orally to bowel capacity or less, and that will vary with each person, and try trans-dermal supplementation.

To take magnesium transdermally you can either go to your local health food store, superstore often carries the calm brand of magnesium gel and sometimes even has it on sale. The other option is to make your own, which is easy and much less expensive.

To make your own magnesium oil all you need is equal parts of magnesium chloride crystals and distilled water. Bring water to a boil add crystals and dissolve. remove from heat and let cool. If you would like a higher concentration then increase the crystals. You can put it in a spray bottle and use about 10-20 squirts a day.

Another nice option is a lovely recipe I found for magnesium lotion on this website http://creativechristianmama.com/how-to-make-magnesium-oil-lotion/ I plan on giving this one a try and will let you know how it works.

So as you journey into barefoot living you may want to consider as part of your transition, to help ease some of the sore muscles and/or to help repair some of the more chronic injuries which have kept you in orthotics and supportive shoes, home trans-dermal magnesium therapy. Oh and while you are having your little magnesium bath don't forget that there is nothing like a good quality dark chocolate truffle or ten, I mean two, to help add a little extra magnesium to your day and a glorious smile to your face!

Pax!

Good things come to those who wait

In my previous post I wrote about my journey back to running, a journey that has taken some time and that to some extent I am still on. There are days that, in my head, I want to run faster, longer and harder, however my body has very different plans for me...

I am still healing and part of that means pacing myself in all that I do. I asked a friend to read my previous little blurb and she made a very good comment. She said, having decided to try to get back to running herself by rebuilding her foot strength through bare footing it, that had she not known that there would be a period of sore tender muscles she might have given up at the outset.

It's funny because until she pointed that out I had not realized that I had not read anything, that I could remember, in any of the literature I read, and I read a lot, about sore achy muscles being a normal part of rebuilding strength in ones feet? Which is odd. It makes perfect sense that in the process of strengthening a muscle which has been neglected for years, in some cases decades, there would be some sore muscle moments? Doesn't it? 

Anyone who has neglected exercise for a period of time, or has taken it easy and then jumped back in, knows that neglected muscles get sore when we give them a workout. Who has not gone on that first run in weeks, months, or years, and not felt a little tender all over for a day or two. Eventually that passes, but even when we are in peak shape, when we push ourselves a little harder, challenge ourselves a little bit more, we feel some tenderness. Or maybe that is just me and old age creeping up...?

So if you decide to take a stab at bare footing it remember to take it slow and, among the many other bits of advice that are worth paying heed to, the best of which from my point of view can be found on the xero shoe website xeroshoes.com and sock doc's http://sock-doc.com/, don't be discouraged by some tenderness and soreness, this too will pass. That being said, please listen to your body, don't overdo it, and tenderness is not the same as injury pain! If you think you have hurt yourself and the pain is not just tenderness rest, ice, and wait for it to dissipate before going out again. If necessary go to your chiropractor or physiotherapist and have it looked at.

Have a great run/slog/walk!

Pax!