The Nutrient Power Couple by Gary Hopkins
August, 2016
As a Holistic Health Practitioner I do a lot of independent study on a variety of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and herbs for therapeutic effect in the body. Although there are a wide variety of these nutrients that are essential to the body’s nutritional profile, there are two specifically that I feel are crucial because most people that I meet are either chronically deficient or are just not taking enough of them. These two nutrients are Magnesium and Vitamin C.
VITAMIN C
The human body does not make Vitamin C and does not store it like other nutrients. For this reason it is vital that we make sure to consume it daily. Just some of the benefits of Vitamin C are:
- Powerful boost to the Immune System
- Diminishes the effects of stress
- Lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke
- Helps produce Collagen in the body, which helps repair damaged skin and tissues
- Treats common cold and flu symptoms
- Improves blood flow
- Helps regulate sugar levels
- Used as a Cancer treatment
- Helps reduce and improve Asthma and Arthritic symptoms
These are just a few of the functions that Vitamin C performs in the body. Getting a good clean source of C is also very important. I suggest getting your C from organic food or from organic food based supplements – more detailed information on this listed below in the resources area. The reason for this is because Vitamin C from organic food has a complete nutritional profile versus the synthetic version that most people are familiar with which is called Ascorbic Acid.
Ascorbic Acid is a manufactured (synthetic) form of Vitamin C. It is usually made from the starches of genetically modified corn. This version has an incomplete nutritional profile and is missing the natural enzymes that help the body absorb it properly. This results in the body only being able to absorb about 25 percent of whatever you are ingesting in the moment. So, if were to take a 1000 mg Vitamin C tablet (made from Ascorbic Acid) then your body would only absorb about 250 mg of the original 1000 mg. In comparison when taking organic Vitamin C, either in the form or organic food or supplements made from organic food, because it still has its natural enzymes, the body can absorb 100 Percent of it, which is obviously a more efficient way to take it and more beneficial for your body.
Although I prefer organic Vitamin C to the Ascorbic Acid version of Vitamin C, before switching full time to organic I had used the Ascorbic Acid for many years with great success. It is very inexpensive and that is why most people buy it over the organic version. However most people use it incorrectly by not taking enough of it. For more information on dosing Ascorbic Acid, GO HERE. If you want to make your own Organic C supplement then check the resources area below.
Most people on the standard American diet are not getting enough Vitamin C in their system. So, I suggest making an effort to get it at every meal. Whether it is an oral supplement or through proper food choices the body needs it to perform. For reference the resources area below also includes articles with foods that are high in Vitamin C.
MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is an essential nutrient in the human body because it is part of more than 300 chemical functions that happen in the body. It is also stored in the muscles and the bones and helps with the absorption of calcium. A deficiency of magnesium in the body can lead to numerous medical issues including muscular issues such as cramping, tremors or twitches, spasms, and muscular weakness. Other symptoms may include fatigue, foggy brain, insomnia, irritability, memory issues and loss of appetite, just to name a few. Some of the benefits of taking Magnesium are:
- Helps with deeper sleep
- Relaxes muscles
- Helps regulate mood by calming
- Promotes nerve health
- Regulates levels of Calcium, Potassium and Sodium
- Excellent for Heart Health
- Helps increase energy during the day
- Used as a diuretic, helps to keep you regular
- Can help in preventing migraines
- Helps prevent Osteoporosis
Magnesium is another nutrient that a lot of people I meet are deficient in. Again, because of the standard American diet people just do not get enough of it and suffer as a result. The two best ways I have found to get more magnesium in your diet is either by taking it orally or through the use of Epsom salt baths. Dosing tips for taking Magnesium orally can be found HERE.
Because Magnesium is sometimes used as a diuretic, some people can be a little too sensitive to the oral dose and in turn unable to get enough Magnesium into their system for their needs. For these folks I recommend taking the Epsom Salt baths. Epsom Salt baths are a great way of boosting the magnesium levels in your body, because Epsom Salts are Magnesium Sulfate and can be absorbed transdermally. These baths are a very easy way to get a big dose of Magnesium through the skin while bypassing the ingestion process, hence no diuretic effect. I have clients that prefer this method because of their bowel sensitivity to Magnesium.
The preferred bathing method would be to dissolve 2 cups of salts in the hottest water you can stand and then soak in them for 25 to 30 minutes. This can be done 4 to 5 times a week once a month or 1 to 2 times a week for a 2 or 3 months to get your body back on track. Either way you break up the time is fine, as the goal is to boost your internal levels so that the Magnesium can start working for you. This can also be done with foot soaks, just use 1 cup of salts in a foot basin with the same time regimen.
Final Thoughts
In closing it is my observation that these two nutrients can either greatly enhance, or diminish (by not getting enough) your everyday health and well being. Of course there are other important essential nutrients that the body needs however in my practice I commonly see the effects of the deficiency in these two nutrients time and time again. The good news is that this is an easy and inexpensive fix. Whether you move toward a more plant based organic diet or you use supplements, either way can benefit you greatly. Personally I find a combination of both has been the most efficient for me but that choice is yours.
Please review the links above and below for more information on dosing techniques and nutrient dense foods.
August, 2016
As a Holistic Health Practitioner I do a lot of independent study on a variety of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and herbs for therapeutic effect in the body. Although there are a wide variety of these nutrients that are essential to the body’s nutritional profile, there are two specifically that I feel are crucial because most people that I meet are either chronically deficient or are just not taking enough of them. These two nutrients are Magnesium and Vitamin C.
VITAMIN C
The human body does not make Vitamin C and does not store it like other nutrients. For this reason it is vital that we make sure to consume it daily. Just some of the benefits of Vitamin C are:
- Powerful boost to the Immune System
- Diminishes the effects of stress
- Lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke
- Helps produce Collagen in the body, which helps repair damaged skin and tissues
- Treats common cold and flu symptoms
- Improves blood flow
- Helps regulate sugar levels
- Used as a Cancer treatment
- Helps reduce and improve Asthma and Arthritic symptoms
These are just a few of the functions that Vitamin C performs in the body. Getting a good clean source of C is also very important. I suggest getting your C from organic food or from organic food based supplements – more detailed information on this listed below in the resources area. The reason for this is because Vitamin C from organic food has a complete nutritional profile versus the synthetic version that most people are familiar with which is called Ascorbic Acid.
Ascorbic Acid is a manufactured (synthetic) form of Vitamin C. It is usually made from the starches of genetically modified corn. This version has an incomplete nutritional profile and is missing the natural enzymes that help the body absorb it properly. This results in the body only being able to absorb about 25 percent of whatever you are ingesting in the moment. So, if were to take a 1000 mg Vitamin C tablet (made from Ascorbic Acid) then your body would only absorb about 250 mg of the original 1000 mg. In comparison when taking organic Vitamin C, either in the form or organic food or supplements made from organic food, because it still has its natural enzymes, the body can absorb 100 Percent of it, which is obviously a more efficient way to take it and more beneficial for your body.
Although I prefer organic Vitamin C to the Ascorbic Acid version of Vitamin C, before switching full time to organic I had used the Ascorbic Acid for many years with great success. It is very inexpensive and that is why most people buy it over the organic version. However most people use it incorrectly by not taking enough of it. For more information on dosing Ascorbic Acid, GO HERE. If you want to make your own Organic C supplement then check the resources area below.
Most people on the standard American diet are not getting enough Vitamin C in their system. So, I suggest making an effort to get it at every meal. Whether it is an oral supplement or through proper food choices the body needs it to perform. For reference the resources area below also includes articles with foods that are high in Vitamin C.
MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is an essential nutrient in the human body because it is part of more than 300 chemical functions that happen in the body. It is also stored in the muscles and the bones and helps with the absorption of calcium. A deficiency of magnesium in the body can lead to numerous medical issues including muscular issues such as cramping, tremors or twitches, spasms, and muscular weakness. Other symptoms may include fatigue, foggy brain, insomnia, irritability, memory issues and loss of appetite, just to name a few. Some of the benefits of taking Magnesium are:
- Helps with deeper sleep
- Relaxes muscles
- Helps regulate mood by calming
- Promotes nerve health
- Regulates levels of Calcium, Potassium and Sodium
- Excellent for Heart Health
- Helps increase energy during the day
- Used as a diuretic, helps to keep you regular
- Can help in preventing migraines
- Helps prevent Osteoporosis
Magnesium is another nutrient that a lot of people I meet are deficient in. Again, because of the standard American diet people just do not get enough of it and suffer as a result. The two best ways I have found to get more magnesium in your diet is either by taking it orally or through the use of Epsom salt baths. Dosing tips for taking Magnesium orally can be found HERE.
Because Magnesium is sometimes used as a diuretic, some people can be a little too sensitive to the oral dose and in turn unable to get enough Magnesium into their system for their needs. For these folks I recommend taking the Epsom Salt baths. Epsom Salt baths are a great way of boosting the magnesium levels in your body, because Epsom Salts are Magnesium Sulfate and can be absorbed transdermally. These baths are a very easy way to get a big dose of Magnesium through the skin while bypassing the ingestion process, hence no diuretic effect. I have clients that prefer this method because of their bowel sensitivity to Magnesium.
The preferred bathing method would be to dissolve 2 cups of salts in the hottest water you can stand and then soak in them for 25 to 30 minutes. This can be done 4 to 5 times a week once a month or 1 to 2 times a week for a 2 or 3 months to get your body back on track. Either way you break up the time is fine, as the goal is to boost your internal levels so that the Magnesium can start working for you. This can also be done with foot soaks, just use 1 cup of salts in a foot basin with the same time regimen.
Final Thoughts
In closing it is my observation that these two nutrients can either greatly enhance, or diminish (by not getting enough) your everyday health and well being. Of course there are other important essential nutrients that the body needs however in my practice I commonly see the effects of the deficiency in these two nutrients time and time again. The good news is that this is an easy and inexpensive fix. Whether you move toward a more plant based organic diet or you use supplements, either way can benefit you greatly. Personally I find a combination of both has been the most efficient for me but that choice is yours.
Please review the links above and below for more information on dosing techniques and nutrient dense foods.
|
Resources for Vitamin C:
- Dosing information for Ascorbic Acid (Synthetic Vitamin C) - 16 Foods High in Vitamin C - Easy make your own organic Vitamin C recipe |
Resources for Magnesium:
- Dosing information for Magnesium - 10 Magnesium Rich Foods - Make Your Own Magnesium Oil |
