Minerals

Magnesium: Salt of Inner Peace

Magnesium is called both the mineral of "inner peace" and the mineral of life energy. From the point of view of orthomolecular medicine, magnesium is the most important mineral substance for humans because it cannot be stored in the body like calcium, for example, but must be supplied daily. Magnesium plays an important role in our hectic life. How we feel, whether we are up to the daily challenges, how we deal with the daily stress and whether we become ill also depends decisively on the availability of magnesium in our body. Unfortunately our food contains less and less magnesium and our body needs more and more magnesium due to our unhealthy lifestyle.

Magnesium deficiency is the result of this and a large number of complaints can be attributed to it. It leads to muscle complaints, muscle cramps, dizziness, migraine, ringing in the ears, hearing loss or even cardiac arrhythmia.

Magnesium is found in leafy vegetables, soy, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fish and fruit. However, the soils are depleted and contain little magnesium, which they can release into the plants. That is why we cannot sufficiently satisfy our magnesium requirements with food alone. For those who have a high magnesium requirement, an additional magnesium intake is unavoidable.

It is always fascinating to observe how a single injection of magnesium can alleviate symptoms and suddenly improve your general condition. More and more physicians recognize the importance of magnesium and recommend that their patients take this elemental mineral. However, the absorption of magnesium preparations in the gastrointestinal tract is severely impaired by many circumstances, so that often only fractions of the magnesium administered arrive in the cell.

Since 2007, there has been a new form of magnesium, which is sprayed onto the skin or absorbed as an additive in a bath through the skin. Initial studies have shown that the availability of this transdermally applied magnesium in the cell is considerably higher than when taken orally. This magnesium is extracted from an underground source at a depth of approximately 1,600 meters (5,250 feet) in the Netherlands, Lake Zechstein. The magnesium was deposited there about 250 million years ago and is so pure that it can be used for medical purposes without further processing.

Calcium: Food for Healthy Bones

Our bones contain 1.2 kilograms (2.6 pounds) of calcium. The rest works in the nervous system and transports important substances into and out of the cells. The opponent to calcium is phosphate. If a lot of phosphate is absorbed through food, such as with cola and sausages, then a lot of valuable calcium is excreted. This results in joint pain, wrinkles and hardening of the blood vessels.

Calcium needs gastric juice to be absorbed. With increasing age, however, less and less gastric acid is produced and thus the absorption of calcium is impeded.

Nuts, seeds, egg yolk, cabbage, spinach, fennel, legumes and dairy products are good sources of calcium.

Tip: Treat yourself to regular sunbathing or an outdoor walk. Light and sun produce vitamin D, which activates calcium absorption and bone formation.

Potassium: Good for the Heart

Potassium stimulates nerve impulses and muscle work. Potassium lowers blood pressure and produces a calming effect. It strengthens the muscular contraction especially of the heart, and influences heart rhythm. Potassium is also important for regulating the body's water balance and protein production. A potassium deficiency leads to muscle weakness, apathy, heart disorders and even heart failure.

Potassium-rich foods are include wholemeal products, green leafy vegetables, beans, meat, dairy products, bananas and oranges.

Sodium: Regulates Water Balance

Sodium fulfills several important functions in our body: It determines the water balance, regulates blood pressure, monitors the acid-base balance and nerve impulses in muscle and nerve cells. We absorb most sodium by adding table salt (sodium chloride) to foods. Sodium deficiency practically does not exist.

Phosphorus: An Important Bone Component

Besides calcium and magnesium, phosphorus is the most important component of bones. It is needed for muscle activity and all energy-consuming metabolic processes, is involved in the regulation of the acid-base balance and is a component of cell membranes. The phosphate requirement of adults of 700 mg is usually covered by food - for example cheese and sausage, ready meals or cola drinks. Phosphate deficiency is rare, and many people tend to consume too much phosphorus in their daily diet.