Epsom Salt & My Favorite Mineral

My favorite mineral is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body.

My favorite mineral keys over 300 physiologic reactions in the body.

My favorite mineral is demanded by every cell in the body or the cell will die.

My favorite mineral has become woefully lacking in the food supply due to modern soil depleting methods.

My favorite mineral is now woefully lacking in about 80% of Americans.

Can you guess what my favorite mineral is?

My favorite mineral is Magnesium.

What does Magnesium help the body achieve?

• Strong bones by giving both rigidity & flexibility to them thereby preventing osteoporosis
• Strong teeth
• Hormonal homeostasis
• Nervous system health (decreases stress, promotes restful sleep, decreases pain, lessens concentration problems like ADHD, lessens brain fog)
• Cardiovascular health (regulates blood pressure, lessens congestive heart failure, decreases coronary artery disease, enhances circulation, balances out calcium in the body so as to decrease arterial calcification)
• Decreases strokes
• Prevents and reverses kidney stone formation
• Decreases asthma severity
• Decreases allergies
• Decreases constipation

What are the four most common medical complaints I see in my office that are quite likely due to a deficiency of Magnesium in the body?

• Migraine headaches
• Heart palpitations
• Muscle cramps/spasms
• Insomnia

What depletes magnesium in the body?

• Caffeine
• Sugar (it takes almost 30 molecules of magnesium to metabolize a single glucose molecule)
• Alcohol
• Birth control pills
• High blood pressure medications
• Diuretics
• Insulin
• Some antibiotics
• Sweating (i.e. from exercise)

Are you deficient?  As I mentioned above, my favorite mineral is woefully lacking in about 80% of Americans.  So, chances are ‘yes’.

Magnesium, unfortunately, is lacking in our foods and water and when it is taken orally, it is often not absorbed well by the gut, especially if you have gut dysbiosis (unbalanced gut bacteria) or are deficient in Vitamin D.

How can you get magnesium?

Leafy green vegetables are one of the healthiest ways of getting magnesium from your food.

Assuming you have good kidney function it is almost impossible to overdose on magnesium when taken orally, so start low and slowly increase until your symptoms resolve and/or you get loose stool, at which point you should back off slightly until bowel regularity is achieved.  This is the point that your body tissues and blood will become nicely saturated with magnesium.  I find that chelated Magnesium glycinate is usually the best tolerated by people for oral consumption.  Most other forms will give uncomfortably loose stools long before enough gets into your blood stream to achieve meaningful benefits.  Many people do well with a product called Natural Calm.

Transdermal magnesium can be gotten from magnesium oil or lotion rubbed on the skin or from a magnesium salt bath.  This is great if one’s digestive system is not working optimally as the gut is bypassed with this method.

This brings me to Epsom Salt.  Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate.  Unless you are allergic to Epsom salt, it should be in almost every household for its many uses, since it can be used for things like:

• Relaxation & Improved Sleep – add 1-2 cups of Epsom salt to a warm bath and soak for 20 minutes.
• Aches & Pains (either acute or chronic) – add 2 cups to a warm bath and soak for 20 minutes.
• Headache Relief – add 2 cups to a warm bath and soak for 20 minutes.
• Relief for Sunburn, Itchy Skin, & Bug Bites – 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt dissolved into 1 cup of water then cool then spritz onto the skin or use wet compress on skin.
• Splinter Removal – soak in concentrated Epsom salt water to pull the splinter out.
• Laxative (for occasional constipation) – a teaspoon of Epsom salt dissolved in water can help.
• Facial wash – add a dash of Epsom salt to your normal face cleanser to help exfoliate skin while giving it nourishing magnesium.
• Smooth skin – for healthy smooth skin, ½ cup Epsom salt mixed with ¼ cup olive oil or coconut oil, then in the shower scrub mixture into skin.

So there you have it.  Now you know my favorite mineral and why I like Epsom salt so much.

Medical Disclaimer: Information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. The information is a result of years of practice and experience by Yoshi Rahm, DO. However, this information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. 

Do not use the information provided in this article for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or homeopathic supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read in this article.

Information provided in this article and the use of any products or services related to this article by you DOES NOT create a doctor-patient relationship between you and Yoshi Rahm, DO or any other physician featured in this article. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.