23 Herbal Cancer Treatments, via Brother Aloysius

By Laura
Because I whole-heartedly support natural and herbal treatments as allied and complementary medicine --- herewith are twenty-three herbal treatments for cancer, which come from an old book by Brother Aloysius. It is just one of hundreds of books which have been sneered at and hidden away by The Powers That Be in conventional medicine. Rather than scientifically investigate these traditional medicines, they chose to not only close off this knowledge from the public, but forbade medical students to study these books – OR EVEN KNOW OF THESE BOOKS. Conventional medicine decreed that only pharmaceutical medicines and occasional surgery were bona fide treatments for any illness or disease, a decision formalized in 1910 by what is known as the Flexner Report.
Anyway, here are Brother Aloysius’ recommendations. You are free to use any of them in support of whatever conventional treatment you elect. Many people elect to go to a Doctor of Oriental Medicine in addition to their Western-trained physicians, precisely because they use herbal-based medicines.
NOTE: Reprints: You are encouraged to reprint and distribute the cancer remedies. No, I do not own the rights and I do not guarantee the results, but there can be no “rights” to healing knowledge. Medical cures are a right that we all own.
CANCER-like ulcerations can sometimes be treated successfully by
means of the following remedies:

1- Boil together in 1 quart water:
1/8 cup oak bark
1/3 cup sage
2 tablespoons common wormwood
1/3 cup tormentil
1/2 cup horsetail
When the ingredients have boiled for fifteen minutes, strain through a cloth. Then add 1/2 pound honey and bring to a boil again briefly. Wipe the sores with this twice a day. The herbs can also be steeped in alcohol and the honey added later.

2- Place a fairly thick layer of CARROT scrapings on the sores and renew it as soon as it begins to dry.

3- According to Mathiolus, there is no remedy more splendid for curing cancer than the herb of the BLESSED THISTLE (Cnicus Cbenedictus). A woman with cancer of the breast, eaten nearly through to the bone, was cured [cured!] by a decoction of the blessed herb. The sores should be washed four times a day with the decoction and, after each wash, powder from the dried leaves should be sprinkled on them. This remedy is also excellent for old sores.

4- Drink tea made from GOOSEGRASS. In addition, place the freshly cut herb on the sores, or use compresses of the decoction of dried goosegrass.

5- Mix together fresh COMFREY crushed with rye bread and place this on the cancerous sores.

6- It is also recommended to apply crushed fresh CHERVIL mixed with honey.

7- It is most efficacious to drink three cups AGRIMONY TEA daily, and to use powdered agrimony root in all food.

8- Crushed fresh green leaves of AGRIMONY, mixed with lard, applied as a plaster, is very beneficial for cancer or fistulas.

9- Bruised CINQUEFOIL with the root, mixed with old lard (pork fat) applied as a plaster is a very effective remedy.

10- Crush fresh STINGING NETTLES, add a little salt, and apply on the cancer sores.

11- Make a strong decoction of leaves, stalks and seeds of the white dead-NETTLE (Lamium album), and apply throughout the day as compresses.

12- Put live (male) LOBSTERS in the oven to dry in an earthenware pot; pound them to a fine powder; take some of the powder and mix with an equal quantity of finely chopped GARLIC. Place this mixture in a very fine linen bag, sew up the bag, tightly bind it to the cancerous area by means of a bandage so that it cannot slip. Leave for 24 hours, then remove it and bury it forthwith in the ground as it spreads a pestilential air. Before removing the bag, it is advisable to tie a cloth with some kind of perfume, camphorated spirit or simply vinegar over the nose. The bag should not be removed with bare hands.
Immediately after removal of the bag, a quantity of elder flowers drawn in buttermilk, or boiled in it, should be bound over the cancerous area. The patient should drink a little buttermilk and rest in bed for 12 hours.
The elder flowers should then be removed.
If the cancer is not cured [cured!—Isn’t that amazing?] the last remedy should be repeated. As long as the bag of lobster powder, etc., remains on the cancerous area, the patient should be kept awake [NOTE: danger of noxious fumes]. A priest, who had cancer of the tongue, informed me that he was cured in 24 hours by means of this remedy. The scar could be clearly seen. It should be noted that this remedy is for closed cancer.

13- The sap of the common TOADFLAX (Antirrhinum linaria) with the sap of the greater burnet SAXIFRAGE cannot be praised highly enough for cancer sores.

14- Apply WINE-YEAST mixed with an equal quantity of ALUM to the cancerous place.

15- JUNIPER WOOD OIL is praised for both internal and external cancer.

16- [RECIPE] The following cancer ointment has been most highly recommended to me and used for more than 30 years by a brother in the monastery:
1 1/4 cup old pork fat
3 1/3 pounds yellow wax
5/8 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sage
1/2 cup white lily bulbs
2/3 cup black tar
1/2 cup sugar candy
1/4 ounce lead oxide
14 ounces red lead
4 ounces white vitriol
3 teaspoons spirits of white vitriol
Fry the well-chopped pork fat, sage and lily bulbs together; firmly squeeze it through a cloth, place in a glazed earthenware pot, add tar, wax, oil and sugar, leave to boil  slowly, stirring continually, until the water in the lily bulbs and sage has evaporated. Remove from the fire, allow to cool a little, then add, while stirring, the lead oxide, the red led, the white vitirol, and the vitriol spirits and keep on stirring until the ointment is stiff and cold. During the boiling process scum will form from the tar; this should be skimmed off.
The ointment should be smeared on chamois leather, applied and renewed once a day. The cancer sores should be kept really warm while this ointment is being used.
This cancer ointment may be applied to both open and closed cancers. In addition, the patient should drink three cups of tea made from walnut leaves picked halfway through June.

17- Take equal quantities of FIGS, GARLIC and LEAVEN; pound them together in a china mortar. With open cancer or cancer sores, apply a fresh poultice daily, preferably in the morning.

18- Pound some GARLIC and place between two thin linen cloths on open or closed cancer. With open cancer renew every hour, with closed cancer as soon as it begins to dry. (Pub. note: this will burn the skin and form scar tissue.)

19- For cancer of the womb [Possibly they mean ovaries?] , take WALNUT BLOSSOM TEA.

20- For internal cancer, or stomach cancer, tea made from the leaves of the MARIGOLD (calendula officinalis) is most efficacious.

21- For cancer of the tongue, a recommended remedy is to sprinkle CAMPHOR powder on the affected area a few times daily and to take mouth washes of HORSETAIL TEA and salt. It is also good to give the tongue a daily cold watering, if the cancer is near the tip of the tongue. [Caused by Tobacco?]

22- A lady from Brussels was cured in six months of a bleeding cancer, which had been treated unsuccessfully for a long time by using the following remedies. Throughout the day, use as many compresses of HORSETAIL decoction as possible, alternating now and then with compresses of alum water. In addition, each week use two short compresses of hayseed decoction and a few washes. The lady, who is now about 80, still enjoys good health.

23- To remove the putrid SMELL of cancer, try using finely pounded cloves that have been boiled in vinegar to keep the air pure. Or place ground coffee in the room. You could also mix 100 parts pure gypsum with 3 parts coal tar and place in the room.

An interesting natural therapy for hay fever, allergies, etc.

 by Laura

I have long been a big supporter of natural treatments and medicines that are derived directly from nature. They may be taken as teas, decoctions, or processed into little pills to take when the plants are not available in winter.

But here is a case where someone just instinctively made his own common-sense “potion”, plastered it to his skin, and in only a few days was symptom-free.

The gentleman shall be known only as C. S. of Mount Vernon, Washington, since he may not want the status of online celebrity-hood.

But he wrote a letter to leaders who run a summer camp, hoping it might help kids afflicted with hay fever while at camp.

His experience was this: “I gathered the pollen from the grasses that were blooming, mashed them up, and mixed them with Vaseline. I put a glob of that mixture in the crook of my arm, figuring it was a sensitive area, and wore it for two or three days. The hay fever symptoms disappeared.” He repeated this in August when ragweed season starts, and had the same success. This relieved his long-standing “summer misery” as he called it, of the previous thirty years before trying this remedy.

No one knows how he hit upon this approach, but it makes sense for a lot of reasons. First of all, I like that fact that he gathered pollens that were in HIS local area, and not some random, generic treatment that may or may not be specific to the local offenders where he lived.

Second, he placed his mixture directly on his skin. It is wise to avoid internal use of even herbal medicines and treatments unless one has been trained by a knowledgeable herbalist. The elbow, I suppose, was chosen because it is out of the way of cuffs, watchbands, and jewelry. It also has thinner skin than is found on the arm itself.

Third, it is just amazing that this treatment worked so quickly! Compare this to the months of injections proposed by the average allergy physician to desensitize a patient to, for example, grass pollen.

So I applaud Mr S for sharing his experience for a very common ailment that afflicts millions every year. I, too, used to take Claritin for assorted allergies but it seemed very silly and even counter-productive to take a treatment all year round when most of the offenders were each present only a few weeks of the year. Makes moolah for the drug companies, tho.  

A Reference for Massage Therapists in Using Aromatherapy Scents

 by LS

One of the good items included in the Salon Ovations book is a brief aromatherapy reference guide, which I include below with some personal observations on some of them.

I provide you with a short list of the most common or popular herbal scents and their uses. But first, it may be helpful to first group herbs by their usefulness in applying them to a particular situation:

THE CALMING HERBS-

Lavender is probably best known of this group's members. The whole list is: Camphor, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Melissa, Rose, Ylang Ylang.

Chamomile, Jasmine, and Rose all lend themselves to use as a tea. An herbal mix of any of these may be blended and stuffed into a closely-woven mini-pillow for use as a sleep aid.

THE STIMULATING HERBS-

Camphor, Cinnamon, Clove, Eucalyptus, Oregano, Peppermint, Pine, Rosemary, Spearmint, and Thyme. Rosemary really is for remembrance! And many people find that a hankie with a few drops of peppermint oil on it helps when they have to think hard; take a whiff before exams or writing reports.

THE ASTRINGENT HERBS-

Birch, Cedarwood, Cypress, Frankincense, Grapefruit, Juniper, Myrrh, Rosemary, Sage, and Sandalwood. For external use, essential oils from these plants can be helpful in healing skin breaks or preventing breakouts.

THE MOISTURIZING HERBS-

Chamomile, Neroli, Orange, Patchouli, and Rose.

Many women enjoy lotions based on such things as almond oil, olive oil, or other high-quality oils with a touch of one of these essential oils. Orange and Rose give a very pleasing scent to the hands and face, too.

THE ANTI-STRESS HERBS-

Basil, Chamomile, Geranium, Lavender, Melissa, Neroli, Sage, Sandalwood, and Ylang Ylang.

Lavender scent has even been shown to lower blood pressure in controlled studies. Chamomile is popular in teas taken before bedtime. Lavender is essential in any herbal sleep pillow.

THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY HERBS-

Chamomile, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, and Neroli.

I am still waiting for commercial topical ointments to be made using these herbal ingredients, but one can still make one's own blend by adding a few drops of essential oil to a good olive oil, almond oil or peanut oil base.

THE ANTI-BACTERIAL HERBS-

Bergamot, Cedarwood, Lemon, Lemongrass, Myrrh, Peppermint, Tea Tree, Thyme, and Ylang Ylang. Peppermint and Thyme are members of the mint family, which carry an ingredient called thymol, a natural antiseptic.

THE ANALGESIC (painkilling) HERBS-

Camphor, Chamomile, Clove, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Oregano, Peppermint, Rosemary, and Wintergreen. Some of these like the mints and wintergreen are very cooling, which soothes hot, inflamed areas or injuries. You may also find that adding a few drops of essential oil to your after-bath lotion can ease the soreness after a hard day of cycling or playing sports – try eucalyptus, or for very hard physical effort, camphor. Clove oil, of course, can be applied directly to toothache until you can get to your dentist.

THE LIST

BASIL- Anti-stress, antiseptic, or toning.

BENZOIN GUM- Antiseptic, sedative, or euphoric (raises one's mood).

BERGAMOT- Anti-acne, helpful for psoriasis or eczema, antiseptic, healing, deodorizing, fights infection, uplifting. Do not expose to sun.

BIRCH BARK- Astringent, similar action to wintergreen, reduces muscle soreness and joint stiffness.

CAMPHOR WOOD- Stimulating and soothing, tends to cool first and then heat. Stimulates heart. Is analgesic, antiseptic, rubefacient, sometimes a vasoconstrictor. Stimulates circulation. Overuse could be toxic, so if you have chronic muscle or joint pain you should see a physician to determine your exact condition.

CEDAR WOOD- Antiseptic, astringent, sedative. Helpful for treating skin eruptions, psoriasis, eczema, or seborrhea.

CHAMOMILE- Calms the nerves, sedative, soothes inflammation, reduces stress, antidepressant, antiseptic, analgesic, anti-allergenic. Good for minor burns. Commercially used as a colorant. May reduce body temperature (that is, it may be used for minor fevers). Keeps other plants healthy, so it is good to have it in your herb garden.

CINNAMON- Antiseptic, stimulant, warming in cold weather. Adding this to your food in winter helps you keep up your body temperature. Must be diluted.

CLARY SAGE- Antidepressant, relaxant, antiseptic, calming, euphoric, warming, sedative.

CLOVE- Analgesic, antiseptic, stimulating, strengthens memory, soothes muscles. Must be diluted.

CYPRESS (fruit)- Vasoconstrictor, antiseptic, astringent, sedative, helpful for varicose veins. Has similar effects to juniper and pine.

EUCALYPTUS- One of the best antiseptics, disinfectant, analgesic, astringent, rubefacient, and decongestant. Helpful for sore muscles. Has a pronounced cooling effect on the body; helpful for fevers.

FENNEL SEED- Antiseptic, toning, diuretic.

FRANKINCENSE GUM- Antiseptic, calming, astringent, sedative, warming, toning, rejuvenating. Slight anti-inflammatory effect.

GERANIUM- Anti-inflammatory, enhances relaxation, analgesic, antiseptic, sedative. Blends well with other oils. Reduces anxiety and is uplifting.

GRAPEFRUIT- Astringent, cleansing, stimulant, toning. Has anti-cellulite effect or reduces water retention.

JASMINE FLOWER- Soothing, relaxing, antiseptic, anti-depressant, slight anti-inflammatory effect. Is considered the queen of flowers due to the fact it is somewhat more expensive than others.

JUNIPER (fruit)- Astringent, antiseptic, invigorating, toning, anti-toxic, rubefacient, diuretic. Has both stimulating and relaxing effects. Stimulates circulation.

LAVENDER- Antiseptic, relaxant, analgesic, anti-toxic, diuretic, sudorific, reduces inflammation, very cleansing and purifying, anti-stress, soothes burns, anti-acne. Considered the most useful and versatile.

LEMON (fruit)- Antiseptic, bactericidal, detoxifies, purifies.

LEMONGRASS- Antiseptic, purifying, sedative and stimulating at the same time. Great for oily hair and skin. Must be diluted.

MELISSA- Antiseptic, anti-depressant, relaxing, stress-busting, anti-allergenic.

MYRRH GUM- Antiseptic, astringent, sedative, toning, purifies, reduces inflammation, cools the skin, anti-aging?

NEROLI (flower)- Anti-depressant, calming, softens the face, sedative, non-irritating, soothes redness and inflammation, induces calm. (Neroli comes from the bitter orange, Citrus vulgaris, which should not be confused with sweet orange oil.)

SWEET ORANGE- Calming, soothing, reduces nervousness. Revives the complexion.

OREGANO- Antiseptic, analgesic, muscle relaxant, stimulant, energizes.

PATCHOULI- Antiseptic, anti-depressant, sedative, nerve stimulant, rejuvenating. Good for dry skin. Similar to myrrh in effects.

PEPPERMINT- Antiseptic, analgesic, cooling, sedative, antibacterial, vasoconstrictor. Main ingredient is menthol.

PINE WOOD- Antiseptic, reduces fatigue, reduces muscle stiffness. Great for the bath as a soak.

ROSE- Antiseptic, astringent, sedative, relieves stress or tension, purifies and cleanses, re-hydrates, cooling, anti-depressant. Good on dry skin. Is the queen of flowers due to its cost and the fact it is the least toxic of all essences.

ROSEMARY- Antiseptic, toning, helps memory, loss, very stimulating, analgesic, invigorating, also reduces muscle soreness. Is a universal aid.

SAGE- Stimulant, astringent, antiseptic, toning, uplifting, restores energy of whole entity.

SANDALWOOD- Antiseptic, astringent, sedative, toning, anti-depressant, reduces nervous tension, soothing. Good for acne.

SPEARMINT- Stimulant, antiseptic, soothes redness, invigorating. Similar to camphor – cooling then warming.

TEA TREE- Anti-bacterial, fungicidal, virucidal, sudorific, energizes. Great for acne. Stimulant to the immune system.

THYME- Antiseptic, reduces fatigue, germicidal, non-irritating. Must be diluted.

WINTERGREEN- Antiseptic, analgesic, relieves sore muscles and joints. Must be diluted.

YLANG YLANG- Sedative, calms the nerves, anti-depressant, decongestant, relaxing. One of the most pleasant to use. Good on oily skin. Euphoric.  

IMA Goes Out of Business, Members Lose Liability Insurance Coverage

by LAS

Scandal closes insurer for Massage Therapists

Massage Magazine and Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) sent out a mass email today (August 26, 2010) that International Massage Association (IMA) is now defunct. This affects thousands of massage therapists who bought insurance through IMA, a specialty insurer who carried liability insurance plans tailored to the risks that massage therapists face.

According to Massage Magazine, Will Green, owner of the the now-defunct IMA, "sent an e-mail to IMA members on July 21, 2010 informing them that IMA's broker and insurance companies terminated their contract with IMA in April 2010 because IMA failed to pay at least $600,000 of premiums it had collected from its members."

Mr. Green declared in that email that he would sell his farm and commercial properties to satisfy the obligation to cover the unpaid premiums. While Mr. Green has not commented publicly on just what transpired, it appears that his insurance broker quit and Mr. Green is in a dispute with him.

Mr. Green had tried to sell the insurance business earlier this year due to the financial straits it was in. Three different buyers backed out.

The scandal has now culminated in the closing of IMA, as it is now out of business.

Another massage magazine, Massage Today, ran an article this week titled "What Became of IMA?" This prompted a response from Mr. Green in the form of an email to former IMA members.

ABMP has posted a notice on the scandal on its website. Their statement reads in part, "Mr. Green reached out to ABMP in March, when he knew his organization was in trouble. We paid attention because we did not want to see 15,000 massage therapists be left out in the cold. But, after investigation, we determined we were not prepared to potentially put at risk the health of our own organization and our 72,000 members, considering the problems surrounding the IMA Group."

Whether massage therapists who hold liability policies with IMA will suffer from exposure to loss (lawsuits, or other claims against them) is an unanswered question.

The Massage magazine email reads in its entirety: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Aug. 25, 2010) MASSAGE Magazine recently learned that the IMA has gone out of business and is no longer renewing insurance coverage for its members.

IMA President Will Green sent an e-mail to IMA members on July 21, 2010 informing them that IMA's broker and insurance companies terminated their contract with IMA in April 2010 because IMA failed to pay at least $600,000 of premiums it had collected from its members.

In that e-mail, Green wrote that he fell into a depression upon learning that illegal actions had been committed in relation to his company. "I did not pursue a legal remedy," he wrote. "I went into a depression without even realizing it I am not faultless. I began to sabotage the business through hurt and anger last year I owe the insurance broker about $600,000 and am selling my farm and commercial building to pay that debt."

Green is now encouraging his former customers to purchase insurance with a new company he claims to be affiliated with, the National Association of Massage Therapists. Green's entire e-mail is posted on: www.massagemag.com/MMIPresponse.

In efforts to provide full disclosure, The Doyle Group, publishers of MASSAGE Magazine and Chiropractic Economics, also offers insurance to massage professionals, through MASSAGE Magazine Insurance Plus (MMIP) (www.massagemagins.com). A comparison of all major liability insurance programs for massage therapists, including AMTA and ABMP, is located at www.massagemag.com/insurancecomparison.

SOURCES:
ABMP Responds to Statements Made by IMA Owner Will Green on Closure of IMA Group, ABMP.com, August 26, 2010, www.abmp.com/news/abmp-responds-to-statements-made-by-ima-owner-will-green-on-closure-of-ima-group/

Associations Respond to IMA Owner, Christie Bondurant, MassageToday.com, August 2010, www.massagetoday.com/print_friendly.php?pr_file_name=http%3A%2F2Fwww.massagetoday.com%2Fmpacms%2Fmt%2Farticle.php%3Fid%3D14267%26no_paginate%3Dtrue

MMIP Response to Statements Made By IMA Owner Will Green, MassageMag.com, July 27, 2010, www.massagemag.com/MMIPresponse

What Became of IMA?, Ramon G. McLeod, MassageToday.com, August 2010, http://massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=14262

Is Your Job Hurting You? Are You Losing Your Grip?

by Laura Sos-now-ski

A decent Massage Therapist can do wonders for your aching arms and hands. Incipient cases of tendinitis or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can yield to the gentle touch of an MT. By gently palpating your extremities, he or she can tell which muscles are involved, and begin to soothe hypertonic (tense, hard, knotty) areas.

Be alert for symptoms like tingling or numb fingers in the morning, dropping items, not being able to squeeze a scissors, etc.

I have been working on friends and clients and it is very rewarding to know that I am making a difference. One friend felt like his arm was falling apart, and it was losing strength. Just a few minutes of palpating and kneading, and he felt good as new. Another woman friend handles packages at a shipping service, and was surprised I found a sensitive spot up near the elbow joint.

This service is so important for not just workers but anyone who directs Employee Wellness programs at a company. For those are the people who can make a difference in the company's bottom line by cutting not only absences due to arm/hand pain, but keeping the company's premiums low for Workman's Comp and health insurance.

Please email me at lauraalthea (at) yahoo.com or at lausosnows (at) aol.com. Let me know what is on your mind and how I can help you. AND in a special offer just for my readers, anyone who gets me into a company Wellness Program as a provider will get his or her massages fr*ee.*

*for as long as I am a provider of the Chair Massage service at your company.

Research Finds TMJ Related to Hip Pain

By Laura Sos-now-ski

Massage therapists know that a client's pain is often related to distant areas of the body. A new study shows that function of the temporomandibular joint affects hip pain.

"Influence of the temporomandibular joint on range of motion of the hip joint in patients with complex regional pain syndrome" was conducted by researchers at Hanover Medical School in Hanover, Germany.

This study evaluated if patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) would have an increase in range of motion (ROM) after myofascial release and a similar ROM decrease after jaw clenching, whereas in healthy subjects these effects would be minimal or nonexistent.

Two groups were tested: patients with CRPS and a control group. Hip ROM (alpha angle) was measured at three time points as follows: baseline, after myofascial release of the tm joint and after jaw clenching for 90 seconds.

Comparison of the CRPS and control groups was made using t tests. Total score and pain reported for the last four weeks were significantly different between the two groups. This is according to information published on www.PubMed.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

"The results suggest that temporomandibular joint dysfunction plays an important role in the restriction of hip motion experienced by patients with CRPS, which indicated a connectedness between these 2 regions of the body," the researchers noted.

Magnesium and Sports Performance

Below is the text of a research paper I did for a course in Sports Massage. It explains how magnesium is related to sports performance, and how to raise blood levels of this essential mineral. Hope you enjoy it.

Magnesium, Epsom Salts and Sports Performance;
or, How to become a better athlete just by soaking in the tub

A Paper by Laura A. Sosnowski
Sports Massage class, Fall 2008
Instructor: Stephanie Petersen

Supplementation among athletes at any level has become a booming industry, with most attention and dollars focused on exotic and potentially harmful anabolic steroids. However, perhaps their attention should focus more on the basics of vitamins and minerals, essential elements that are commonly deficient even among apparently well-fed Americans. Specifically, we will examine magnesium deficiency and depletion, and the effects of supplementation on sports performance as well
as overall health.

According to an online reference, the average mixed American diet supplies about 120 mg of
magnesium per 1,000 calories (NationMaster.org, 2003-2005), yet according to revised dietary
guidelines, that intake level can well put most of us into depletion territory.

Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element found within the human body; a 190-lb person possesses approximately 1 oz (23 gr) of magnesium (faqs.org). Yet at least ten percent of us are deficient in magnesium. Most of us do not recognize the signs of magnesium insufficiency until blood levels drop to severe levels; symptoms include personality changes, muscle spasms, tremors, numbness and tingling and in extreme instances, convulsions and delirium (NationMaster.com, 2003-2005).

Magnesium is essential to both bone and muscle health, with the most important muscle in the body,
the heart, especially vulnerable to signs of deficiency.
The body stores about half its magnesium inside the cells of tissues and organs. The other half is
combined with calcium and phosphorus inside bones. A tiny amount—just 1 percent—of the body's
magnesium circulates within the blood at a constant level (Lukaski et al, 2004).

The absorption of orally administered magnesium is unpredictable, but 45 percent is the usual
estimate. Both magnesium hydroxide and magnesium oxide are capable of raising serum magnesium
levels when administered orally (NationMaster.com, 2003-2005).

Research on the effects of supplementation on sports performance or on other performance measures has been frustrating due to inconsistent results; but it is difficult to determine which form of magnesium was used in each study and whether one form is more easily absorbed than another. Different forms of magnesium also vary widely in actual magnesium content. See charts below for details.

Percent Magnesium Content of Oral Supplements
Mg Oxide -- Mg 60 percent
Mg Carbonate -- 45 percent
Mg Hydroxide -- 42 percent
Mg Citrate -- 16 percent
Mg Lactate -- 12 percent
Mg Chloride -- 12 percent
Mg Sulfate -- 10 percent

As you can see, supplements vary widely in levels of actual magnesium content. (Data from National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, 2005.)

What other functions and health conditions are affected by low magnesium levels?

Hypertension – “An observational study with four years of follow-up, found that a lower risk of hypertension was associated with dietary patterns that provided more magnesium, potassium, and dietary fiber... Foods high in magnesium are frequently high in potassium and dietary fiber. This makes it difficult to evaluate the independent effect of magnesium on blood pressure.”

Diabetes – “Magnesium plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism. It may influence the release and activity of insulin, the hormone that helps control blood glucose (sugar) levels. Low blood levels of magnesium (hypomagnesemia) are frequently seen in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Hypomagnesemia may worsen insulin resistance, a condition that often precedes diabetes, or may be a consequence of insulin resistance.”

Osteoporosis – “Bone health is supported by many factors, most notably calcium and vitamin D.
However, some evidence suggests that magnesium deficiency may be an additional risk factor for
postmenopausal osteoporosis. This may be due to the fact that magnesium deficiency alters calcium
metabolism and the hormones that regulate calcium. Several human studies have suggested that
magnesium supplementation may improve bone mineral density.”

Cardiovascular Disease – “Some observational surveys have associated higher blood levels of
magnesium with lower risk of coronary heart disease. In addition, some dietary surveys have suggested
that a higher magnesium intake may reduce the risk of having a stroke. There is also evidence that low
body stores of magnesium increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms.” (All four above quotes from
National Institutes of Health page on Magnesium, 2005.)

Mitral Valve Prolapse – “A significant body of evidence [suggests] that magnesium deficiency is at least a symptom of MVP and that many of the symptoms of MVP syndrome are reduced or resolved by magnesium supplementation” (Nelson, 2007).

Some recent sports and exercise studies show that healthy levels of magnesium help human
beings to perform work and exercise with less effort and tire far less quickly. The Henry Lukaski and
Forrest Nielsen studies put a small group of post-menopausal women on a normal but supplemented
diet for 35 days, then on a magnesium depletion diet for 93 days, and then back on a supplemented diet for 49 days. They were put through exercise tests at the end of each dietary phase. The women in a magnesium depleted status required more oxygen to to reach their target heart rate on the exercycle; in other words, their muscles required more oxygen to do the same amount of work (Lukaski, 2002). Related studies show that muscles tire more quickly when in a magnesium-depleted state.

Events that take from one to seven minutes to complete were the most affected. A list of athletic events
in that range include running a mile or the 1500 meters, or swimming several laps of a pool. A 1998
German study tested blood samples of triathletes – athletes who swim 500 meters, bike 20 kilometers,
and run 5 kilometers. Those with magnesium orotate supplementation showed higher blood levels of
oxygen (an increase of 208% compared to an increase of 126% in the controls), while showing better
performance times (Golf et al, 1998).

Modern Americans' levels of dietary magnesium are further impacted negatively by the depletion of magnesium levels in the soil, as a result of intensive agriculture. Rejection of hard water over artificially softened water also leaves us without a common, natural and free source of dissolved magnesium. E.B. Flink, author of "Magnesium Deficiency in Human Subjects: A Personal Historical Perspective," has listed numerous causes of magnesium deficiency. He classifies them into nutritional causes (dietary insufficiency, alcoholism); intestinal causes (diarrhea, malabsorption); excess loss of magnesium through the kidneys (due to disease or the influence of drugs, especially diuretics); endocrine and metabolism causes (hyperthyroidism, pregnancy, excessive lactation, high levels of serum calcium); and genetic and neonatal causes (Myerson, 1989).

Not only is the soil depleted, but our efforts to supplement with calcium has thrown all our
dietary minerals out of balance: “Interestingly, our focus on getting enough calcium is another factor in
decreased magnesium levels. In a delicate dance of balance, calcium depletes magnesium yet calcium
functions best when enough magnesium is present. Studies indicate that taking a calcium supplement
without enough magnesium can increase the shortage of both nutrients. Researchers have found that
many Americans have five times as much calcium as magnesium in their bodies, although the proper
ratio for optimum absorption of both minerals is two to one” (Breyer, 2008).

Liquids with dissolved magnesium may be the most effective way to quickly restore blood levels of this element. An astonishing British study showed that merely taking Epsom salt baths for twelve minutes a day can raise blood levels. And with some evidence that those who drink hard water have the benefit of improved heart health, it is also interesting that Dasani bottled water has some magnesium sulfate added to improve “mouth feel” (NationMaster, 2003-2005).

The above-mentioned British study was conducted by the University of Birmingham with a small group of subjects. Blood levels of magnesium rose by an average of ten parts per million just after one bath, and rose an average of nearly 40 ppm after a week of daily baths. It seems astonishing that a mineral could cross the skin barrier, but I suspect that the sulfur helped to transfer the mineral.

To quote the study:

In other experiments using excised human skin, we found that sulfate does penetrate across the skin barrier. This is quite rapid so probably involves a sulfate transporter protein... To check this, 2
volunteers wore ‘patches’ where solid MgSO4 was applied directly to the skin and sealed with a waterproof plaster. Plasma/urine analysis confirmed that both Mg and sulfate levels had increased so this is potentially a valuable way of ensuring Epsom salts dosage if bathing is not available.
Interestingly, both volunteers, who were > 60 years old, commented without prompting that ‘rheumatic’ pains had disappeared (Waring, 2004).

Using the skin to “inject” magnesium supplements into one's system opens up a whole new range of options. Suggestions listed in one article to combine it with lotion or coconut oil, to sponge bathe in a solution, or to spray it on oneself like a mist, do not seem so far-fetched after all (EnzymeStuff.com, 2002).

One wonders if magnesium depletion is at the root causes of the little understood phenomenon of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and other modern ills. It is disappointing to note that studies using magnesium to treat CFS have had mixed results (MotherNature.com, 1998-2005).

One can only hope that our craze for calcium will abate, and be replaced with a healthier concern for a natural, organic, and balanced diet, together with the simple self-treatments our grandmothers used.

(A couple other charts were included in the paper, but they do not transfer well to this format. However, please refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrient
Database Web site: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl. for a chart of foods rich in magnesium. Also, you may look up the chart of recommended daily allowances for all ages at the Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, 2005.)

SOURCES:
Breyer, Melissa, Amazing Health Benefits of Epsom Salt Baths, Care2 Green Living, April 2008, http://
www.care2.com/greenliving/health-benefits-of-epsom-salt-baths.html .
Epsom Salts, EnzymeStuff.com, 2002 -- updated Aug. 2005,
http://www.enzymestuff.com/epsomsalts.htm .
Golf, S.W., Bender, S., and Gruttner, J. On the significance of magnesium in extreme physical
stress, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University Medical School, Justus-
Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany, 1998, abstract at http://cat.inist.fr/?
aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=1638288.
Lack Energy? Maybe It's Your Magnesium Levels, USDA, May 2004, http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/
archive/may04/energy0504.htm . (Reprinted from the May 2004 issue of Agricultural Research
magazine.)
Lukaski, Henry C; Nielsen, Forrest H, Dietary magnesium depletion affects metabolic responses during
submaximal exercise in postmenopausal women, The Journal of Nutrition, May, 2002,
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7229/is_/ai_n30048561?tag=artBody;col1 (abstract), and as PDF
at http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/132/5/930.pdf.
Magnesium, Faqs.org, www.faqs.org/sports-science/Je-Mo/Magnesium.html, undated .
Magnesium, NationMaster.com encyclopedia, 2003-2005, http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/
Magnesium-sulfate .
Magnesium, MotherNature.com, 1995-2008,
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Ency/Index.cfm/Id/2879002.
Magnesium, Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, Jan. 2005,
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp .
Myerson, Ralph, Magnesium maximizes heart health; magnesium appears to be essential for the
integrity of the heart, Better Nutrition, Dec. 1989,
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0860/is_n12_v51/ai_8199735.
Nelson, Terry, The dangers of magnesium deficiency in endurance athletes, Organ Internist, Dec. 2007,
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDL/is_/ai_n24940334 .
Waring, R.H., Report on Absorption of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) across the skin, University of
Birmingham, 2004,
http://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/articles/Report_on_Absorption_of_magnesium_sulfate.pdf .