Storytime! About seven years ago, I was teaching fifth grade at a very challenging school with a very challenging group of kids. I also had three teenagers of my own. To say I was stressed out would be a major understatement. I felt like at any minute, I would just snap and go off screaming at a kid therefore, most likely losing my job. Or, I’d walk out and the result would be the same, no job for Heidi.

Several months before, I had given up every single supplement and herb I had taken on and off over the last few decades because, honestly, I was still dealing with the same old issues; chronic sinus infections requiring antibiotics, allergies, asthma, constipation, candida, chronic and severe iron anemia, ridiculously low hemoglobin, serious fatigue and of course, irritability and short temper. So why keep wasting money if I was still feeling like crap?

Over the years I had dove into finding a solution to my anemia because I felt that was foremost. I hoped that if I could figure that out, my fatigue would go away and then I could tackle the other health issues.

It was throughout this process that I came upon two things that COMPLETELY turned my health around. One was the plant powders I so lovingly share and the other was the glorious Anderson Sea MD magnesium.

Within 2 days of taking my liquid magnesium in my water a few things happened; I was sleeping better, I wasn’t constipated as much and I was calmer! Even my own children noticed my more relaxed disposition, and I actually had patience for dealing with OPC (other people’s children) who swung brooms at me, threw desks and would fight and cuss each other simply about where to sit.

Why is magnesium so magical?

Magnesium is necessary for so many body functions! There’s at least 800! Some of the things we aren’t aware of but many we do feel and notice such as these below – (As tempting as it is, try not to go down every single rabbit hole source!)

• more stable blood sugar levels
• regulating muscle and nerve function
• production and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. (National Institutes of Health)
• has protective effect against heart disease, helping to maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)
• energy levels – it is required for ATP synthesis, the energy currency of our cells
• aids in the absorption of other important nutrients such as calcium, potassium, and vitamin D
• reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as it improves insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation. (Journal of Diabetes Investigation)
• reduces inflammation in the body (a contributing factor to most chronic diseases) (Nutrients)
• improves mood and reduces symptoms of depression, as it regulates neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation. ( Current Opinion in Psychiatry)
• can help reduce the frequency and severity of migraines. (Headache Journal)
• aids in fetal development and can reduce the risk of complications such as preeclampsia. (BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth)

And the list goes on.

Are you starting to see the light?

Sources of Magnesium

I am always a proponent of getting our essential nutrients from foods first when we can. And while many of my favorite foods are high in magnesium…

• pumpkin seeds
• dark chocolate
• cashews
• peanut butter
• black beans
• quinoa
• avocado
• spinachit is still so hard to get enough of certain things, like magnesium. Plus, we lose magnesium when we are stressed. Hmmm…Is the lightbulb completely turned on now? If learning more about this incredibly necessary mineral interests you, check out the Mineral Resource International blog https://www.mineralresourcesint.com/blog/, or the queen of magnesium, Dr. Carol Dean https://www.drcarolyndean.net/.

So if you are wondering if you need more magnesium, I’ll just throw it out there and say YES most likely. The kind I love is ionic (meaning it’s easier to get into your system) has the naturally occurring trace minerals and it’s 3rd party GMP certified. 3rd party certifications give us peace of mind about what you are putting into your body. (This is another reason I love my plant powders. They are also certified by a third party – NSF so what is on the label is in the bottle, nothing less, nothing more like pesticides, heavy metals, fillers, etc.)

We can live without a lot of things; love, toilet paper and all cotton sheets hung to dry on the line but that doesn’t mean we will thrive. There is no doubt magnesium is necessary in order to thrive. I hope you will consider your intake and whether supplementing is what you’ve been missing.