Once thought to be relatively rare, magnesium deficiency is more common than most physicians once believed. Why? The primary source of magnesium comes from our soil. However due to modernized farming methods, our soils are rapidly becoming depleted of this important mineral. As this happens, the percentage of magnesium present in the foods we consume decreases as well. Studies have shown, for example, that the produce we eat today is a shadow of the nutritional quality of just 60 years ago. This is a recipe for disaster. It is believed that over 80% of American men and women have a magnesium deficiency, but remain dramatically under-diagnosed because it doesn’t show up on a blood test! (Only 1% of the magnesium in your body is stored in your blood.)
Why does this matter to you and your dreams of having a child?
Magnesium is thought by many to be the most important overall mineral in our body’s health. According to Norman Shealy, MD, PhD, an American neurosurgeon and a pioneer in pain medicine, “Every known illness is associated with a magnesium deficiency and it’s the missing cure to many diseases.” Not only does Magnesium help regulate calcium, potassium and sodium, but magnesium is essential for cellular health and is a critical component of over 300 biochemical functions in the body.
More importantly to you, the soon-to-be-mom, proper magnesium levels are important for the production of progesterone, a hormone that’s important in the menstrual cycle and is sometimes called “the hormone of pregnancy.” Normal levels can also help a women’s tissue growth and recovery during pregnancy and may help your baby receive more nutrition through the placenta. Healthy levels can also alleviate morning sickness, hypertension, level mood swings and ward off pre-term labor!
However on the flip side, low levels of Magnesium can attribute to an increase in muscle contractions that lead to cramping, poor fetal growth, preeclampsia, and even fetal death.
The battle with infertility is an emotional roller-coaster. It is stressful. When one is deficient in magnesium, stress levels, caused by the stress-chemical of cortisol, increase dramatically. And in turn, magnesium levels plummet even further. To restate that simply: Magnesium deficiency causes stress, which in turn decreases magnesium – it’s a vicious circle.
How do you know if you have a Magnesium deficiency?
There are many symptoms that could be an indication of low Magnesium levels such as leg cramps, headaches, insomnia, fatigue and high blood pressure. However you may or may not experience these symptoms and still have a deficiency. I do have an easy “tell” you can try by applying magnesium oil directly to your skin. (Transdermal application can be the easiest and most effective way to increase magnesium levels.) I recommend spraying magnesium oil on your arms, legs, and stomach daily. You can use 10-20 sprays per day. If you have a deficiency, it will tingle on the skin the first few times it is used. Normally this will fade after a few applications, but you can dilute with more water if it bothers you too much. I also recommend using Natural Calm in the evening before bed or an ionic supplement. (In total, a pregnant woman shouldn’t exceed 500 mg per day, from all sources, unless severely deficient.)
Magnesium is a nutrient that is essential to your over-all health even before the ‘trying to conceive’ stage and has lasting implications to both your fertility and the eventual development of a healthy baby. Get on top of it now and watch as wonderful changes happen!
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Sarah Clark empowers couples to discover how lifestyle and diet can dramatically impact their chances of conceiving. She was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure at 28 and had both her kids with donor eggs. Not until years later did she discover that the root cause of her infertility was a food intolerance. Ready to gaze into your baby’s eyes….but struggling. Download 10 step Checklist here
