Ditch the Sodas Already; Here’s My Alternative

February 11, 2015 By Sherri

I used to love diet sodas

From the time that it was released to the public, I loved drinking diet soda! There was nothing more refreshing than this cool, bubbly, beverage that promised me I could drink to my heart’s content without any calorie guilt.

However, after many years of consumption, I started doing research on the chemical artificial sweetener used in my soda. I soon made the connection with the soda and the migraines I was getting when I drank it. Many, like myself, never make the connection with their headaches, joint pain, dizziness or other symptoms. Some people may not experience immediate reactions, but (in my opinion) should still heed the warnings of what these chemicals are doing to their bodies! Just because you don’t notice it now, you just don’t know what havoc it could wreak over time.

I was so appalled by what I and millions were putting in their bodies, that I did a bunch of research about aspartame. In 1996, I wrote a pamphlet called, The Silent Nutri-Bomb and handed it out to all of my friends and family.

Of course, I heard every excuse in the book. The biggest one I have heard is that the person is diabetic. Well, I am sorry to say, but the artificial sweeteners block insulin, creating an even bigger blood sugar issue, fat storage and increased cravings for carbohydrates. Not good.

In most cases, people are simply addicted to sodas and don’t want to face the facts. Nevertheless, 18 years later, thank goodness there is so much more research and tons of studies available, that more people are finally becoming concerned artificial sweeteners.

Kicking any soda habit

At any rate, I could go on and on, but this article is not really just about diet soda. It is about all sodas. After I quit drinking diet drinks, I started drinking regular ones now and then.

But let’s be honest. Those aren’t good either! They have about 10 teaspoons of processed sugar, high fructose corn syrup, phosphoric acid, dyes and/or preservatives (like benzene and sodium benzoate). The high amounts of sugar alone can cause a spike in blood sugar levels, then the body reacts by putting out insulin, leading to hypoglycemic lows.

I realize people like to toss up their arms and say they don’t have a choice or why bother trying to be healthy, because there are too many things to be worried about. But these are our bodies, friends! We only have one and putting stuff in it that is harmful is a choice … and it is not a good one!

I began looking for alternatives. Of course there is water and I, for one, was very against water most of my life. It tasted awful and made me feel nauseous. Come to find out, it was all the junk they put in our tap water (chlorine, pesticides, fluoride, etc). Now I drink highly filtered water that is clean of all impurities and I add back essential minerals that are vital to our bodies.

So, for decades, I have been good and I do usually drink half my body weight in water a day. Nevertheless, I admit there is nothing like a cold glass of wet bubbly from time to time! So, without going on and on about all of my experiments, I would like to share with you some great alternatives that I came up with.

These are so delicious and refreshing that I can’t even stand a sip of soda anymore! All I taste is the gobs of sugar and grossness!

Sherri’s Bubbly Yum

My first simple, delicious alternative is to use Crystal Geyser Sparkling Mineral Water. These come plain or with light flavors. I like the plain or lime, then I add additional flavors. I use Wisdom Natural Sweet Leaf Sweet Drops. They have flavors like Valencia Orange, Berry, Vanilla Cream, Root Beer and Toffee. I tested this out on my great niece when she was 8 and she LOVED them!

OK at first, they may taste just a tiny bit bitter (though my great niece didn’t notice). But have no worries, after a couple of weeks, you don’t notice either. You see, a diet on sugar makes us insensitive to sweets. Get rid of the sugary sodas and you need less sweetness to satisfy you!

My second amazing alternative is to use just plain fruit in the sparkling water! Yup! Do you like lemon lime soda? I used to. Now it just tastes like a fake, sickeningly sweet goop! It’s easy! Just pour yourself a glass of lime sparkling water and add the juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon, then stick half of the lemon (with the peel) into the drink. The peel will help alkalinity of your body! Of course you can also use lemons, limes, oranges, pineapples or whatever you like! I promise you, you will love this SO much more than soda!

Sherri’s Refreshing Infusions

With our processed diets today, most people are way too acidic which can cause many health issues. Not only do these infusions taste good, but they are full of nutrients and can be alkalizing to your body and blood! Even though lemons and limes are acidic fruits, they are actually alkalizing foods! Cucumbers are alkalizing, as well as lubricating and hydrating to the cells and tissues. These infusions are truly thirst quenching!

If it is not flavorful enough for you, squeeze the fruits into the water as well and infuse over night.

Sherri’s Refreshing Infusion Water! SherriConnell.com

Here are some recipe ideas:

Cucumber, lemon, ginger and mint.
Grapefruit, cucumber, lemon and mint.
Orange, cucumber, lemon.
Lemon, lime and cucumber.
Watermelon, cucumber and mint.
Apple slices, cinnamon stick, mint and a teaspoon of (raw, unfiltered) honey.

Be bold and add parsley or cilantro for their detox properties. Play with the ingredients. It’s your drink and you know what you like!

Need Healthy Sweeteners?

My favorite sweetener is Like Sugar. It does taste much like sugar, without any bitter aftertaste. However, it is not quite as sweet and can be pretty expensive if you want to use it for a lot of baking. Nevertheless, Like Sugar is made of inulin, which is also a pre-biotic which helps feed the good bacteria in your gut and it is a great source of fiber! So, it is really good for you and is wonderful for many uses!

My next favorite sweetener is Sweet Leaf Stevia by Wisdom Naturals. In addition to the stevia, it has inulin in it to help cut the bitterness of stevia. It works great in drinks or baking to sweeten things!

Many people enjoy using xylitol (not made from corn). Some of them I do OK on, but I get headaches from all other sugar alcohols like erythritol and maltitol. This is probably pretty rare, because I don’t know anyone who has this problem. So, I don’t want to discourage anyone.

Anyhow, as you can see, there are many wonderful alternatives to drinking artificial sweeteners and sugar!

So, ditch the soda and drink healthy!

ADDITIONAL READING:

What Happens in Your Body When You Drink Soda?

The Aspartame end Game… And What’s Next

What Happens in Your Body When You Drink Soda?

February 6, 2015 By Sherri

Story at-a-glance+

By Dr. Mercola – August 13, 2014

Americans are finally starting to realize the dangers of soda, with nearly two-thirds (63 percent) saying they actively try to avoid soda in their diet, a new Gallup poll revealed.¹

This is a significant increase from 2002, when only 41 percent were trying to avoid soda, and a clear sign that, as TIME reported, “the soda craze is going flat.”²

Soda Consumption Falls to Lowest Level in Decades

The soda industry is a $75-billion market,³ an industry that reached its greatest heights in the US during the 1980s and 1990s, when Coca-Cola began pushing larger drink sizes and “upsizing.” Fountain drink sizes grew more than 50 percent by 1990, and in 1994, the 20-ounce plastic bottle was introduced in the US.

As people drank more and more soda, rates of obesity and diabetes soared, and while the soda industry still denies to this day any connection, research suggests otherwise. The “supersized” mentality seems to have backfired for Coca-Cola and other beverage companies, because as the health risks become clear, sales have been on a steady downward spiral.

As Businessweek reported:⁴

“For decades, soft-drink companies saw consumption rise. During the 1970s, the average person doubled the amount of soda they drank; by the 1980s it had overtaken tap water. In 1998, Americans were downing 56 gallons of the stuff every year—that’s 1.3 oil barrels’ worth of soda for every person in the country.

And then we weren’t as thirsty for soda anymore, and there were so many new drink options that we could easily swap it out for something else. Soft-drink sales stabilized for a few years…

In 2005 they started dropping, and they haven’t stopped. Americans are now drinking about 450 cans of soda a year, according to Beverage Digest, roughly the same amount they did in 1986.”

Coca-Cola Seeks to ‘Reintroduce’ Coke to Teen Market, and in ‘Guilt-Free’ Sizes

Part of Coca-Cola’s plan to bring soda back is, ironically, introducing smaller sizes, a strategy they believe might reposition Coke so “people stop feeling guilty when they drink it, or, ideally come to see a Coke as a treat.”

Smaller, 7.5-ounce minicans and 8-ounce glass bottles have been selling well. Even Sandy Douglas, president of Coca-Cola North America, says he limits himself to one 8-ounce glass bottle of regular Coke in the morning. Any more would be too many calories, he told Businessweek.

Meanwhile, Coca-Cola decided to target the teen market directly this summer. Teens, while notorious for their soft-drink consumption, have been quickly bailing ship and opting for energy drinks instead.

So Coca-Cola printed the 250 most common teen names on Coke bottles, hoping to entice teens with the “personalized” drinks. It worked. Sales increased by 1 percent in North America in the last three months.⁵

Beverage consultant Mike Weinstein, former president of A&W Brands, even noted that he goes right into high schools to find out whether teens can identify soda company slogans.

Yet, there seems to be a growing realization within the industry that, as American attitudes about diet change, and more people seek to reduce added sugar and sugary drinks in their diets, appealing to the “healthier” side of their image is needed.

And, here, too, Coca-Cola is quick to respond. They’ve invested heavily in small “healthy” beverage companies like Fuze tea, Zico coconut water, and organic Honest Tea. Coca-Cola also owns Odwalla and Simply Orange juices, Glaceau Vitaminwater, and Core Power sports drinks.

Coca-Cola Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Muhtar Kent has no intention of letting Coca-Cola’s brands, and its namesake product Coke, fall by the wayside.

A $1-billion two-year marketing blitz’s sole goal is to drive its “sparkling” division back to its former glory. And in case you were wondering… its healthy-sounding “sparkling” division includes soda, which is completely delusional.

Your Brain on Soda

When you drink soda, numerous changes happen in your body, including in your brain. A new animal study, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, found that sugary beverages may be particularly damaging to the brains of adolescents, one of the key age groups soda companies are trying to “court.”

Both adult and adolescent rats were fed sugary beverages for one month. They then were tested for cognitive function and memory.

While the adult rats did okay, the adolescent rats fed sugary drinks had both impaired memory and trouble learning.⁶ Next, the researchers plan to study whether soda leads to inflammation in the brain’s hippocampus, which is crucial for memory and learning.

Diet Coke Sales Plummet Amidst Aspartame Health Concerns

Diet Coke may not contain sugar, but that certainly doesn’t make it a better choice than regular soda. Here, too, Americans are catching on to the risks involved, especially in regard to the artificial sweetener aspartame. Businessweek, reporting on the decline in Coca-Cola’s sales, noted that while carbonated soda sales fell 2 percent in 2013, Diet Coke sales dropped 7 percent.

This, they said, was “almost entirely the result of the growing unpopularity of aspartame amid persistent rumors that it’s a health risk.”⁷ Rumors? Far from it. Research continues to pour in revealing proven health dangers to aspartame.

Among them, a recent commentary that reviewed the adequacy of the cancer studies submitted by G.D. Searle in the 1970s to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for market approval.⁸

Their review of the data found that the studies did not prove aspartame’s safety, while other recent research suggests aspartame has potential carcinogenic effects. The researchers noted:

“Taken together, the studies performed by G.D. Searle in the 1970s and other chronic bioassays do not provide adequate scientific support for APM safety.

In contrast, recent results of life-span carcinogenicity bioassays on rats and mice published in peer-reviewed journals, and a prospective epidemiological study, provide consistent evidence of APM’s carcinogenic potential.

On the basis of the evidence of the potential carcinogenic effects of APM herein reported, a re-evaluation of the current position of international regulatory agencies must be considered an urgent matter of public health.”

You may also be surprised to learn that research has repeatedly shown that artificially sweetened no- or low-calorie drinks and other “diet” foods actually tend to stimulate your appetite, increase cravings for carbs, and stimulate fat storage and weight gain.

A report published in the journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism highlighted the fact that diet soda drinkers suffer the same exact health problems as those who opt for regular soda, such as excessive weight gain, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.⁹ For the record, Coca-Cola maintains aspartame is a “safe, high-quality alternative to sugar.” Clearly they’ve not reviewed the hundreds of studies on this artificial sweetener demonstrating its harmful effects…

What Happens When You Drink Soda?

Soda is on my list of the absolute worst foods and drinks you can consume. Once ingested, your pancreas rapidly begins to create insulin in response to the sugar. A 20-ounce bottle of cola contains the equivalent of 16 teaspoons of sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). In addition to contributing to insulin resistance, the rise in blood sugar is quite rapid. Here’s a play-by-play of what happens in your body upon drinking a can of soda:

Within 20 minutes, your blood sugar spikes, and your liver responds to the resulting insulin burst by turning massive amounts of sugar into fat.

Within 40 minutes, caffeine absorption is complete; your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and your liver dumps more sugar into your bloodstream.

Around 45 minutes, your body increases dopamine production, which stimulates the pleasure centers of your brain – a physically identical response to that of heroin, by the way.

After 60 minutes, you’ll start to have a blood sugar crash, and you may be tempted to reach for another sweet snack or beverage.

As I’ve discussed on numerous occasions, chronically elevated insulin levels (which you would definitely have if you regularly drink soda) and the subsequent insulin resistance is a foundational factor of most chronic disease, from diabetes to cancer. Today, while many Americans are cutting back on sugary drinks, soda remains a dietary mainstay for many. Along with energy drinks and sports drinks, soda is among the top 10 sources of calories in the US diet (number four on the list, to be exact),¹⁰ and, in 2012, Gallup found that 48 percent of Americans said they drink at least one glass of soda a day,¹¹with proven detrimental impacts to their health.

Some Advice for Coca-Cola? Get Ready for a Class-Action Suit

Some advice for Coke, plan your budget to include a class-action lawsuit similar to those filed against the tobacco industry. These products are now well linked to the obesity epidemic and chronic disease. Coca-Cola admits to targeting teens (and has previously targeted children through in-school advertising and product placement). Now, they are making attempts to rebrand Coke with a new, healthier image. Their new “Coke Life,” a low-calorie, low-sugar soda in a green can, no less, was designed to “quiet critics,” as it contains less sugar and no aspartame.¹² Yet this new green-washed soda is just basically a cigarette with a filter.

Then there is Coca-Cola’s even more insidious side. Investigative journalist Michael Blanding revealed in his book, The Coke Machine — The Dirty Truth Behind the World’s Favorite Soft Drink, that Coca-Cola bottling plants in India have dramatically lowered the water supply, drying up wells for local villagers while also dumping cadmium, chromium, and other carcinogens into the local environment. Similar claims have been made in Mexico. In many third-world countries, they already don’t have access to clean water, making soda their only choice for a non-contaminated beverage. As the demand for soda grows, the bottling plants increase, further taxing the water supplies left, in a vicious and dangerous cycle.

Join the Growing Number of People Saying ‘No’ to Soda

In order to break free of your soda habit, first be sure you address the emotional component of your food cravings using tools such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). More than any traditional or alternative method I have used or researched, EFT works to overcome food cravings and helps you reach dietary success. Be sure to check out Turbo Tapping in particular, which is an extremely effective and simple tool to get rid of your soda addiction in a short amount of time.

If you still have cravings after trying EFT or Turbo Tapping, you may need to make some changes to your diet. My free nutrition plan can help you do this in a step-by-step fashion. Remember, nothing beats pure water when it comes to serving your body’s needs. If you really feel the urge for a carbonated beverage, try sparkling mineral water with a squirt of lime or lemon juice, or sweetened withstevia or Luo Han, both of which are safe natural sweeteners. Remember, if you struggle with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or extra weight, then you have insulin sensitivity issues and would likely benefit from avoiding ALL sweeteners.

Sweetened beverages, whether it’s sweetened with sugar, HFCS, naturally occurring fructose, or artificial sweeteners like aspartame, are among the worst culprits in the fight against obesity and related health problems, including diabetes and heart and liver disease, just to name a few. Ditching ALL of these types of beverages can go a long way toward reducing your risk for chronic health problems and weight gain, not to mention your exposure to potentially cancer-causing additives like caramel coloringand aspartame.

Insights from Sherri!

For many years, I loved drinking diet cola! However, as soon as I read about the chemical artificial sweetener used, I realized I was getting migraines when I drank it. Some people may not experience immediate symptoms, but in my opinion should still heed the warnings of what these chemicals are doing to their bodies! Anyhow, that is a topic to be discussed at another time.

After I quit drinking diet sodas, I started drinking regular ones now and then. But let’s be honest. Those aren’t good either! I realize people like to throw up their arms and say they don’t have a choice or why bother trying to be healthy; but these are our bodies, friends! We only have one and putting stuff in it that is harmful is a choice and it is not a good one!

I began looking for alternatives. Of course there is water and I do drink a ton of water all day long. Nevertheless, I admit; there is nothing like a cold glass of bubbling, wet flavor from time to time! So, without going on and on about what I have tried, I would like to share with you some great alternatives that I came up. These are so delicious and refreshing that I can’t even stand a sip of soda anymore! All I taste is the gobs of sugar and grossness!

1) Sherri’s Bubbly Soda Yum:

Crystal Geyser Sparkling Mineral Water. These come plain or with light flavors. I like the plain, then I add my own flavors. I use Wisdom Natural Sweet Leave Sweet Drops. They have flavors like Valencia Orange, Berry, Vanilla Cream, Root Beer and Toffee. I tested this out on my great niece and she LOVES them! … OK at first, they taste just a little bitter (though my great niece didn’t notice). But have no worries, after a couple of weeks, you don’t notice. You see, a diet on sugar makes us insensitive to sweets. Get rid of the sugary sodas and you need less sweetness to satisfy you!

2) Sherri’s Refreshing Infusions:

For this, you can use the sparkling mineral water or just clean, filtered water. It’s going to sound so simple, cuz it is! Just put fruit, cucumber and/or herbs into a mason jar and fill it with filtered water. Put it in the fridge for a couple of hours. Remove and pour into a glass for an amazingly refreshing treat! With our processed diets today, most people are way to acidic. Not only does it taste good, but it can also be alkalizing to your body and blood! If it is not flavorful enough for you, squeeze the fruits into the water as well and infuse over night.

Here are some recipe ideas:

Cucumber, lemon, ginger and mint.
Grapefruit, cucumber, lemon and ginger.
Orange, cucumber, lemon.
Be bold and add parsley or cilantro for their detox properties.

Ditch the soda and get healthy!

Magnesium: An Invisible Deficiency That Could Be Harming Your Health

January 23, 2015 By Sherri

Magnesium: An Invisible Deficiency That Could Be Harming Your Health

Story at-a-glance+

By Dr. Mercola

Magnesium is a mineral used by every organ in your body, especially your heart, muscles, and kidneys.¹ If you suffer from unexplained fatigue or weakness, abnormal heart rhythms or even muscle spasms and eye twitches, low levels of magnesium could be to blame.

If you’ve recently had a blood test, you might assume it would show a magnesium deficiency. But only 1 percent of magnesium in your body is distributed in your blood, making a simple sample of magnesium from a serum magnesium blood test not very useful.

Most magnesium is stored in your bones and organs, where it is used for many biological functions. Yet, it’s quite possible to be deficient and not know it, which is why magnesium deficiency has been dubbed the “invisible deficiency.”

By some estimates, up to 80 percent of Americans are not getting enough magnesium and may be deficient. Other research shows only about 25 percent of US adults are getting the recommended daily amount of 310 to 320 milligrams (mg) for women and 400 to 420 for men.²

Even more concerning, consuming even this amount is “just enough to ward off outright deficiency,” according to Dr. Carolyn Dean, a medical and naturopathic doctor.

Magnesium Deficiency May Trigger 22 Medical Conditions

Download Interview Transcript

Magnesium is often thought of primarily as a mineral for your heart and bones, but this is misleading. Researchers have now detected 3,751 magnesium-binding sites on human proteins, indicating that its role in human health and disease may have been vastly underestimated.³

Magnesium is also found in more than 300 different enzymes in your body and plays a role in your body’s detoxification processes, making it important for helping to prevent damage from environmental chemicals, heavy metals, and other toxins. In addition, magnesium is necessary for:

Activating muscles and nerves

Creating energy in your body by activating adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

Helping digest proteins, carbohydrates, and fats

Serving as a building block for RNA and DNA synthesis

Acting as a precursor for neurotransmitters like serotonin

Dr. Dean has studied and written about magnesium for more than 15 years. The latest addition of her book, The Magnesium Miracle, came out in 2014 and in it you can learn about 22 medical areas that magnesium deficiency triggers or causes, all of which have all been scientifically proven. This includes:⁴

Anxiety and panic attacks Asthma Blood clots

Bowel diseases Cystitis Depression

Detoxification Diabetes Fatigue

Heart disease Hypertension Hypoglycemia

Insomnia Kidney disease Liver disease

Migraine Musculoskeletal conditions (fibromyalgia, cramps, chronic back pain, etc.) Nerve problems

Obstetrics and gynecology (PMS, infertility, and preeclampsia) Osteoporosis Raynaud’s syndrome

Tooth decay

Early signs of magnesium deficiency include loss of appetite, headache, nausea, fatigue, and weakness. An ongoing magnesium deficiency can lead to more serious symptoms, including:

Numbness and tingling Muscle contractions and cramps Seizures

Personality changes Abnormal heart rhythms Coronary spasms

The Role of Magnesium in Diabetes, Cancer, and More

Most people do not think about magnesium when they think about how to prevent chronic disease, but it plays an essential role. For instance, there have been several significant studies about magnesium’s role in keeping your metabolism running efficiently—specifically in terms of insulin sensitivity, glucose regulation, and protection from type 2 diabetes.

Higher magnesium intake reduces risk of impaired glucose and insulin metabolism and slows progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes in middle-aged Americans.⁵Researchers stated, “Magnesium intake may be particularly beneficial in offsetting your risk of developing diabetes, if you are high risk.”

Multiple studies have also shown that higher magnesium intake is associated with a higher bone mineral density in both men and women,⁶ and research from Norway has even found an association between magnesium in drinking water and a lower risk of hip fractures.⁷

Magnesium may even help lower your risk of cancer, and a study published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that higher intakes of dietary magnesium were associated with a lower risk of colorectal tumors.⁸

Results from the meta-analysis indicated that for every 100-mg increase in magnesium intake, the risk of colorectal tumor decreased by 13 percent, while the risk of colorectal cancer was lowered by 12 percent. The researchers noted magnesium’s anti-cancer effects may be related to its ability to reduce insulin resistance, which may positively affect the development of tumors.

Surprising Factors That Influence Your Magnesium Levels

Seaweed and green leafy vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard can be excellent sources of magnesium, as are some beans, nuts, and seeds, like pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds. Avocados also contain magnesium. Juicing your vegetables is an excellent option to ensure you’re getting enough of them in your diet.

However, most foods grown today are deficient in magnesium and other minerals, so getting enough isn’t simply a matter of eating magnesium-rich foods (although this isimportant too). According to Dr. Dean:

“Magnesium is farmed out of the soil much more than calcium… A hundred years ago, we would get maybe 500 milligrams of magnesium in an ordinary diet. Now we’re lucky to get 200 milligrams.”

Herbicides, like glyphosate also act as chelators, effectively blocking the uptake and utilization of minerals in so many foods grown today. As a result, it can be quite difficult to find truly magnesium-rich foods. Cooking and processing further depletes magnesium.

Meanwhile, certain foods can actually influence your body’s absorption of magnesium. If you drink alcohol in excess, for instance, it may interfere with your body’s absorption of vitamin D, which in turn is helpful for magnesium absorption. If you eat a lot of sugar, this can also cause your body to excrete magnesium through your kidneys, “resulting in a net loss,” according to Dr. Danine Fruge, associate medical director at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Florida.⁹ The following factors are also associated with lower magnesium levels:¹⁰

Excessive intake of soda or caffeine

Menopause

Older age (older adults are more likely to be magnesium deficient because absorption decreases with age and the elderly are more likely to take medications that can interfere with absorption)

Certain medications, including diuretics, certain antibiotics (such as gentamicin and tobramycin), corticosteroids (prednisone or Deltasone), antacids, and insulin

An unhealthy digestive system, which impairs your body’s ability to absorb magnesium (Crohn’s disease, leaky gut, etc.)

Calcium, Vitamin K2, and Vitamin D Must Be Balanced with Magnesium

It may seem like you could remedy the risks of low magnesium simply by taking a supplement, but it’s not quite that simple. When you’re taking magnesium, you need to consider calcium, vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 as well, since these all work synergistically with one another. Excessive amounts of calcium without the counterbalance of magnesium can lead to a heart attack and sudden death, for instance. Research on the Paleolithic or caveman diet has shown that the ratio of calcium to magnesium in the diet that our bodies evolved to eat is 1-to-1.¹¹Americans in general tend to have a higher calcium-to-magnesium ratio in their diet, averaging about 3.5-to-1.

If you have too much calcium and not enough magnesium, your muscles will tend to go into spasm, and this has consequences for your heart in particular. “What happens is, the muscle and nerve function that magnesium is responsible for is diminished. If you don’t have enough magnesium, your muscles go into spasm. Calcium causes muscle to contract. If you had a balance, the muscles would do their thing. They’d relax, contract, and create their activity,” Dr. Dean explains.

When balancing calcium and magnesium, also keep in mind that vitamins K2 and D need to be considered. These four nutrients perform an intricate dance together, with one supporting the other. Lack of balance between these nutrients is one of the reasons why calcium supplements have become associated with increased risk of heart attacks and stroke, and why some people experience vitamin D toxicity. Part of the explanation for these adverse side effects is that vitamin K2 keeps calcium in its appropriate place. If you’re K2 deficient, added calcium can cause more problems than it solves, by accumulating in the wrong places, like your soft tissue.

Similarly, if you opt for oral vitamin D, you need to also consume it in your food or take supplemental vitamin K2 and more magnesium. Taking mega doses of vitamin D supplements without sufficient amounts of K2 and magnesium can lead to vitamin D toxicity and magnesium deficiency symptoms, which include inappropriate calcification that may damage your heart.

Tips for Increasing Your Magnesium Levels

One way to really increase your magnesium, as well as many other important plant-based nutrients, is by juicing your greens. I typically drink one pint to one quart of fresh green vegetable juice every day, and this is one of my primary sources of magnesium. Organic foods may have more magnesium if grown in nutrient-rich soils but it is very difficult to make that determination. If you opt for a supplement, be aware that there are a wide variety of magnesium supplements on the market, because magnesium must be bound to another substance. There’s simply no such thing as a 100 percent magnesium supplement.

The substance used in any given compound can affect the absorption and bioavailability of the magnesium, and may provide slightly different, or targeted, health benefits. The table that follows summarizes some of the differences between the various forms. Magnesium threonate and citrate are some of the best sources, as it seems to penetrate cell membranes, including your mitochondria, which results in higher energy levels. Additionally, it also penetrates your blood-brain barrier and seems to do wonders to treat and prevent dementia and improve memory. If you take a supplement, you can use the “bowel test” to determine if you’re taking too much magnesium. Dr. Dean explains:¹²

“The best way to tell if you are getting enough magnesium is the “bowel test”. You know when you have too much magnesium when your stools become loose. This, in fact, may be a blessing for people with constipation… [which] is one of the many ways magnesium deficiency manifests.”

Besides taking a supplement, another way to improve your magnesium status is to take regular Epsom salt baths or foot baths. Epsom salt is a magnesium sulfate that can absorb into your body through your skin. Magnesium oil can also be used for topical application and absorption. Whatever supplement you choose, be sure to avoid any containing magnesium stearate, a common but potentially hazardous additive.

Magnesium glycinate is a chelated form of magnesium that tends to provide the highest levels of absorption and bioavailability and is typically considered ideal for those who are trying to correct a deficiency. Magnesium oxide is a non-chelated type of magnesium, bound to an organic acid or a fatty acid. Contains 60 percent magnesium, and has stool softening properties

Magnesium chloride/Magnesium lactate contain only 12 percent magnesium, but has better absorption than others, such as magnesium oxide, which contains five times more magnesium Magnesium sulfate/Magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia) are typically used as laxatives. Be aware that it’s easy to overdose on these, so ONLY take as directed

Magnesium carbonate, which has antacid properties, contains 45 percent magnesium Magnesium taurate contains a combination of magnesium and taurine, an amino acid. Together, they tend to provide a calming effect on your body and mind

Magnesium citrate is magnesium with citric acid, which like most magnesium supplements has laxative properties but is well absorbed and cost effective Magnesium threonate is a newer, emerging type of magnesium supplement that appears promising, primarily due to its superior ability to penetrate the mitochondrial membrane, and may be the best magnesium supplement on the market