Magnesium for Relaxation, Insomnia and Constipation

Many people are very concerned with their calcium intake, however, not so many people are aware of how important magnesium is and the fact that many people are deficient.  Lots of people have trouble getting sufficient vegetables into their diet.  At the end of this post I am posting a link to foods containing magnesium, so you can nourish yourself without supplementing if you want to.

Magnesium’s primary function is enzyme activation.  It also plays a critical role in energy production.  Bones contain 60 percent of the bodies magnesium and the other 40 percent is in the cells.

Several signs of magnesium deficiency are muscle cramps, insomnia, fatigue and irritability.  Some diseases connected to low magnesium are kidney stones, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, PMS, menstrual cramps and insomnia.

I found in my own personal experience that it was useful to supplement with 500 mg for sleep some nights. As it relaxes the body it also helps to move the bowels first thing in the morning, so it can be useful if constipated.  For constipation I take 1000 mg at night just before bed.

The reason why many people are deficient in magnesium is because they eat too many processed foods.  Eating a whole food diet, high in leafy greens, nuts and seeds is a great way to get more magnesium in your diet.  It is also better to get nutrients from food whenever possible as the foods are easier to digest than supplements.

HEALTHY RECIPE FOR NUTRIENT DENSE SMOOTHIE

Here is a recipe I created for a high vitamin and mineral smoothie.

SESAME FLAX SEED SMOOTHIE

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons flax seeds whole (do not use pre-ground flax seeds they may rancid)

1 banana

1 handful fresh lettuce

I tablespoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon chlorella

1 – 4 drops stevia

fresh water

I created this recipe a year or so ago as I wanted one that was affordable for most people.  Some recipes have so many expensive ingredients that they don’t work for people with lower incomes. This will keep you nourished and regular for a low price.  Please note this recipe is for two people.

It’s important to drink this drink within five minutes of making it as the flax seeds become sticky fast and it is not so enjoyable then.

This smoothie contains all the 8 essential amino acids and more, so even if you don’t eat well for the rest of the day you will have had a nutrient dense drink to start to your day.  It should fill you up for three to four hours.

Here is a link to foods highest in magnesium content http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=75 

Bibliography

Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements, Michael T Murray ND 1996 Prima Publishing

www.whfoods.com

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/flaxseed-expire-11185.

Magnesium for Relaxation, Insomnia and Constipation

Reasons You’re Bloated and Foods That Relieve Bloating and Constipation

Reasons You’re Bloated and Foods That Relieve Bloating and Constipation

Home Remedies to Heal Constipation in Infants

It is hard to watch your infant struggle with constipation. Luckily, there are some home remedies you can use to help her. I have used all of these methods with excellent results.

What is infant constipation & how to relieve it

Constipation in infants means that a hard stool is stuck in the colon and needs more liquid to help move it through. Your baby should have nourishing, easy-to-digest liquids to help the constipation. Breast milk is a perfect nourishing liquid. Babies on formula and over 4 months old can have homemade bone broth as well. Exclusive breast feeders can have homemade bone broth at 4 months as well, or whenever they start solids.

Why bone broth?

Bone broth is hydrophilic, which means that it attracts digestive juices to it when it is being processed in Baby’s gut. This will help the stool move through the colon more smoothly. Also, broth has easily absorbed gelatin, magnesium, and lots of fat to ease digestion and soothe the gut. Bone broth is also very easy to make at home. Breast milk is 50% cholesterol, so babies naturally need fat to help digest any food. The Magnesium in bone broth relaxes the intestinal muscles, allowing the stool to pass. As well, Magnesium attracts water, so it will add water to the hard stool. If you’ve been told to give Baby more fiber, remember that fiber requires liquids to pass through the colon. So if the fiber intake is increased, so must the liquids increase.

Weaning and dehydration may be the cause of constipation

Sometimes constipation in infants is caused by weaning and subsequent dehydration. Try to get as much breast milk as possible in Baby, even if you have to get it from a milk bank. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International is a great resource for weaning gently and safely. Try to stay away from soy milk, cow milk, nut milks, and even homemade nut milks. If these types of milk are given before your baby’s digestive system is mature, she can develop food allergies, nut allergies, autoimmune disorders, or eczema. If your baby’s formula is soy-based, get the book The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care by Sally Fallon Morell for making homemade, nourishing formula that is soy-free.

When Baby is over the age of one, she can have coconut water. Only give coconut water in small amounts, diluted, and not before sleeping (because of the risk of cavities). Try to buy coconut water in glass bottles because cans are lined with BPA.

Are you rushing solids?

Make sure that baby is developmentally ready for solids. If your baby has allergies or any type of autoimmune disorder, many Naturopathic Doctors recommend waiting until 10 months to 1 year before starting solids, as these babies are very sensitive to any foreign proteins going into their body. If you’ve started solids before Baby is sitting up on her own or is under 6 months old, try going holding off on solids. Although starting solids is very exciting for us Mamas, we need to curb our excitement by waiting until Baby shows us that she’s ready. Thus, if baby constipation starts suddenly it might be caused by solids. Start  your baby with bone broth, which is really easy to digest. But make sure to consult with a Doctor before starting solids to ensure Baby is ready.

Foods for infants already eating solids:

• Avocado


• Coconut oil (yes, all by itself!)


• Fresh papaya


• Homemade Pearsauce (stewed pears + no sweeteners)


• Blueberries


• Grass-fed butter with stewed fruit


• Bone broth


• Cooked beets. Sometimes one serving of cooked beets can do the trick!


• Stewed prunes & apricots pureed (see recipe below)

Foods for older babies & toddlers:

• Bone broth, not only for constipation but for bone development, skin health, brain health, and excellent development.


• Soak rolled oats overnight with water + 1TB whey from yogurt. Cook the oats until soft the next morning. Mix with coconut milk, butter, and pureed stewed fruit (prunes or pears). It should be watery, not thick. Remember, lots of liquids!


• Cooked kale, steamed green beans, fresh cucumbers, avocado, or cooked beets.


• Lots of liquids! Water, coconut water, breast milk. Stay away from sugary juices. Juice some carrots/ginger/cooked beets + a little apple juice + 1TB of fresh whey from yogurt (to help with digestion).

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Stewed Prunes & Apricots Recipe

½ cup of Organic (no sulfur) dried apricots & prunes

2 cups of warm or hot water

1 cup Organic Apple or Orange juice

Sprinkle of cinnamon

Soak apricots and prunes in 2 cups of warm or hot water for 1 hour or up to 12 hours (warmer temperature will speed it up). Then, simmer them in apple or orange juice with a sprinkle of cinnamon for 25-35 minutes. Puree it until smooth. What a tasty treat for Baby! Prunes have potassium, vitamin C, and are full of fiber to help constipation. You can add a small amount of honey if the end result isn’t sweet enough (perhaps 1 tsp).

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Try Eliminating Processed Foods

If Baby is eating solids, cut out processed grain products from her diet.

Avoid:

• Packaged infant rice cereal


• Granola


• Cereals


• Muffins


• Cakes


• Cookies


• White breads


• Packaged crackers (make homemade whole grain ones!)


• Tortillas


• Pasta


• Buns

Processed wheat products are difficult to digest and leak into the bloodstream causing allergies, reflux, development issues, and stunted growth. Thus, best carbohydrates for children are whole plant foods that are unprocessed and homemade. Factory processing destroys enzymes and vitamins in packaged foods.

Examples of whole carbohydrate foods:

• Boiled potatoes mashed with grass-fed butter


• Soaked (for 12hrs) and cooked quinoa


• organic jasmine rice cooked with plenty of butter/olive oil


• nourishing stews and casseroles with millet, pearled barley or amaranth mixed in

Always pair a starch with 50% fat just like when baby was nursing. Introduce Baby to new flavors of ancient grains and seeds! Even homemade coconut flour pancakes are much better for (an over 1 year old) Baby than packaged cereals. But, you will thank yourself later if you don’t add too many sugary foods to Baby’s diet early on. She will not expect the sweet taste later in her life and will have a healthy relationship to eating.

If my food suggestions don’t help, try putting baby in a warm bath and massaging her belly gently.

What if the constipation is chronic?

If it is chronic or baby is in pain, be sure to see your pediatrician for treatment options. If you think your baby might have a food allergy, see a Naturopathic Doctor who can help guide you through the GAPS diet or an allergy diet. Naturopathic Doctors are holistic practitioners. That means that they can offer treatments with Acupuncture, herbs, diet alterations, allergy testing, lifestyle changes, and can also see Baby regularly for her check-ups. Also, Naturopathic Doctors usually have a list of good foods to start Baby on that are hypo-allergenic and easy on digestion.

Rosemary Hansen is a published author and devoted Mama. She is a self-taught traditional foods chef. Her lifelong dream is to have a flock of pet dairy goats. Visit her blog for more natural baby articles + a Bone Broth Recipe: www.NaturalEczemaMama.com/rosemary-blog

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/naughty-nutrition/201202/taking-stock-soup-healing-body-mind-mood-and-soul

Fallon Morell, Sally & Enig, Mary. Nourishing Traditions (1999). Pages 116-118.

http://www.constipation-remedies-for-all.com/fibers.html

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007). K Murakami, S Sasaki, H Okubo, Y Takahashi, Y Hosoi, M Itabashi and the Freshmen in Dietetic Courses Study II Group. 61, 616–622. 6 December 2006. http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v61/n5/abs/1602573a.html

http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/20/magnesium-the-most-powerful-relaxation-mineral-available/

http://www.babycenter.com/0_constipation-in-babies_79.bc

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/health-concerns/childhood-illnesses/constipation-2

http://www.drgreene.com/qa-articles/babies-and-constipation/

Home Remedies to Heal Constipation in Infants

A Simple Juice to Fight Against Constipation and Why It Works Great

It’s not a good experience if you suffer from indigestion, constipation or heartburn, while these related digestive issues are common these days. Different types of digestive problems are affecting lots of people all over the world, no matter adults or children.

Constipation is one of the main symptoms of the digestive disorders. When you suffer from constipation, you can not have a regular bowel movements, and other symptoms may also occur: feel pain in the abdominal part, passing stools are hard, and you’ll have less than 3 bowel movements in a week.

There are lots of treatments for the digestive issues, while problem such as constipation can be managed with the help of some home remedies. Given below is a juice recipe which is highly recommended for constipation.

A Natural Juice against Constipation

Ingredients:

• 4 broccoli


• 2 cups cabbage leaves


• 2 medium green apple


• 4 leaves of lettuce

Clean the ingredients and juice them with 200 ml cold water. Drink this juice several times a day for relieving the symptoms related to constipation.

Apple contains a natural laxative to boost bowel movements.

The high fiber content in cabbage aids stimulate the digestive system, thus preventing and relieving the digestive problems.

Broccoli is also rich in fiber, thus aiding digestion, preventing constipation.

Following is a list of herbal remedies you can also try to cure constipation, try them instead of medicines for relieving your symptoms and getting long-term benefits for your health at the same time.

Dandelion root: Boiling dandelion root in water to make tea, drink this tea will help you if you suffer from chronic constipation.

Licorice: This herb treats constipation by increasing the intestinal responsiveness.

Senna: Popular used in herbal teas, senna also works effectively to relieve constipation.

Lemon Balm: Another natural aid for relaxing the digestive tract, it’s often consumed as a tea to treat constipation and other stomach issues.

Flaxseeds: They are helpful as their high amounts of fiber content.

Aloe Vera: Aloe Vera juice is packed with mild laxative properties that are useful in preventing and treating constipation.

Sources:

1)http://www.ehealthzine.com/10-health-benefits-of-cabbage.html
2)http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/remedy/Common-Digestive-Disorders.html
3)http://www.bestherbalhealth.com/natural-juice-constipation-cleansing-body/

A Simple Juice to Fight Against Constipation and Why It Works Great