Approximately ten days prior to menstruation, when your ovaries are least active, your blood calcium drops steadily and progressively. This can result in premenstrual tension, nervousness, headaches, insomnia, and mental depression.
Because the decreased blood calcium acts as a stress, the production of certain hormones is stimulated and salt and water can be retained in your body, often causing breasts, hands, face, and feet to swell, weight to increase 5 – 10 pounds, headaches, resistance to allergies and infections to decrease markedly. (Interesting point is that crimes of violence committed by women take place mostly during this period – which shows how badly some girls or women are affected by PMS.)
The first day of menstruation your blood calcium takes a still greater nose dive, causing muscle cramps in your emptying uterus and sometimes elsewhere in your body.
Should your blood calcium drop dangerously low, convulsions can result. Yet, if adequate calcium is obtained and efficiently absorbed, both premenstrual tension and menstrual cramps can be prevented.
During menopause, the lack of ovarian hormones causes severe calcium deficiency symptoms to occur. When this happens, large amounts of calcium should be taken, which will help reduce irritability, hot flashes, night sweats, leg cramps as well as mental depression.
Even after a woman no longer menstruates, there is often one week in a month when she might have a pseudo-menstrual cycle and calcium-deficiency symptoms can be particularly noticeable at such times. It would be wise to increase the calcium intake at such a time.
It is important to note that calcium should not be taken without its balancing partner, magnesium, in a 2:1 ratio along with some form of acid such as apple cider vinegar or vitamin C. This is because calcium and magnesium are both alkaline and need to have the “acid” to bring it to the correct pH so the body can absorb it.
This is even more vital if stomach acid is low or poor. Eating excess sugar or refined carbohydrates alkalizes the digestive system and prevents absorption of most minerals and can actually lead to acid reflux, strange as it may seem.
It is important to note that non-optimum symptoms in the body do not usually show for a deficiency of only one nutrient but many, even if only one or two are manifesting. A truly healthy body will not have symptoms.
Believe it or not, it is possible for menstruation and menopause to be uneventful. We were not designed to suffer.
Getting corrections done is simply finding the right solution. Don’t despair, it can be resolved. In order for your body to absorb calcium, it needs magnesium in a 2:1 ratio and vitamin C to create the correct pH so that your body can absorb it speedily.
We have formulated our Instant CalMag-C in this way so you can feel the difference literally in minutes. Two parts calcium gluconate to one part magnesium carbonate with vitamin C.
Ideally, you should take it daily and you can increase the dose if any PMS symptoms arise. It would be hard to have too much as your stomach would loosen. Even if you have loose bowels, this is not diarrhea but the magnesium, which is a natural stool softener.
Relieve your PMS or menopausal symptoms with nature’s own remedy.
Get a discount by using this code in our shopping cart: PMS
Successes
Kids, 'Flu, Asthma, PMS
I'm a mother of two beautiful twin girls. They are both 6 years old. Last year my first daughter was suffering from 'flu. When I took her to the doctor they told me that she had asthma. She was put onto a whole range of medication. One day I explained to Anya that my child is not getting better. In fact, she is getting worse and very fast. She recommended Whey Protein, Combovite Powder which the twins love and Calmag. My kids started to use the products in November and haven't had any 'flu since then! Her asthma has disappeared!
For myself, I am using the CalMag-C and if it is that time of the month, believe me I don't have any period pains anymore! Thanks for saving my kid's life! AM Pietersburg
Restless legs, PMS, Sleep, Cramps: "Both my husband and I take Instant CalMag-C. We LOVE it. He has restless leg syndrome and this has helped a great deal. I sleep so sound and it seems to have helped with some PMS for myself- cramps and so on." LK
Cramps, PMS, Taste: My daughter would never drink any calmag no matter how badly she needed it. Last week I tried out your Instant Calmag-C and I liked the lemon taste. I thought that she might like this one. The next day she came home with heavy cramps dus to her period, and I suggested she drink the calmag. She did. She liked it and within ten minutes her cramps were gone. This is a winner!! Thanks!" MC, Florida
PMS Abdominal Cramps: By the way, two days ago I had abdominal cramps (due to having my periods) and was really acting up. I thought of your INSTANT CalMag-C and took it and after approximately half an hour the pain was getting less. Also, I really like the taste - compared to the other calmag products around, it's like a delicious tea! I definitely will promote it. HB Florida
Menstrual Cramping Miraculously Alleviated: “A friend recommended me Instant CalMag-C because I was having horrible problems with severe cramping all over my body. It definitely helps that, but even better, it has been miraculous with the horrendous menstrual cramping I’ve always suffered from my whole life! I’ve tried every supplement under the sun, including calcium/magnesium. For some reason your product works like no other for this problem. As long as I take it daily, the symptoms are usually minor. Thank you!” Z.B., Largo, FL
Less Bloated: “I’ve taken Instant CalMag-C off and on for over a year. I only drink it when I need it and of course that is too late… but it still works and helps. About a month ago I started drinking it more regularly (4 – 5 times a week for a couple of weeks) and then I forgot to drink it again. After about two weeks of not drinking it regularly I started feeling bloated, a little on edge, snappy and more tired and less energy. I realized that when I was drinking the Instant CalMag-C I felt better, had more energy, felt less grouchy and snappy. I was less bloated and had an over-all feeling of wellness.
Another big thing for me is usually two weeks before my period, I get really moody. Instant CalMag-C totally handles this. No more mood swings! In fact, I have no attention on it and I’m surprised when it’s that time of the month. Instant CalMag-C also tastes great — warm or cold. It’s now my daily treat. Before I go to bed I have a nice warm glass of Instant CalMag-C.” L.P., Clearwater, FL
Colic is usually associated with babies, but did you know that millions of adults suffer from it too?
Colic is actually severe abdominal pain caused by spasm, obstruction, or distention of the intestines. As we all know, a spasm is caused when a muscle tightens up and doesn't relax.
An inability of muscles or organs to relax or stop spasming can be caused by deficiencies of calcium and magnesium. When it comes to the intestines, it is important for peristalsis that the muscles contract and relax so they can push the food through your intestinal tract. If you’re deficient in either of these, the muscles can either not contract or not relax.
Many newborn babies suffer from this same condition. If the mother has been deficient in either of these minerals, guess what? Baby will be deficient too.
There is nothing more exhausting than having a new baby in the house who is suffering from colic.
Besides being deficient in calcium and magnesium and so unable to relax, the new mother has added stress in that she now has a crying unhappy baby who cannot relax. This just compounds the problem and so she becomes more stressed.
It’s simple to resolve this problem. Start using Instant CalMag-C a couple of times a day and increase gradually until both mother and baby have no more spasms and both are relaxed and happy.
Instant CalMag-C's formulation is a crucial part of the solution to the problem. It has been formulated in a very specific way for fast absorption. It doesn't have to be digested because it is ready for absorption the minute you drink it.
Use promo code Colic to get $2 off.
See our success story from a new mother in Russia who resolved her baby's colic problem with Instant CalMag-C.
"Recently we became happy parents.
"When I was getting ready to become a mother, I studied a lot of material but did not conceive what it means “colic” on babies. Nobody could tell me exactly why it happened and how I could handle them.
"When I found that my baby has colic I did not know what to do, I started to use different ways, including giving her special medicines, magnesium, bacteria, but she got worse.
"Then I stopped to give her anything except breast milk and holding her in my arms all the time. I was exhausted in a couple of days.
"One midwife advised me to take calmag every day after I delivered a baby. I was taking one cup of CalMag-C every day and one cup of magnesium drink every day. I was thinking that the source of our troubles is in something else.
"But my consultant on vitamins advised us to increase gradually the dose of CalMag-C intake while colic don’t cease. She said that the body should get enough amount of calcium and magnesium, because it was not getting enough of them a long period of time and, as a result, baby had colic.
"So I was gradually increasing the amount of CalMag-C intake and I started to see the progress with my baby, it happened not in one day, but also gradually. So in two weeks from then my baby was all OK!
"So my baby is not now even 2 months old, but she is not suffering from colic, though “professionals” say that it is normal for babies to suffer from colic until they are 3 months old.
"I wish everyone to have calm and healthy children!"
The answer is a deficiency of tissue calcium. Here’s how it works.
There is some relatively unknown data about sunburn that I’d like to share with you in the hope that it will help if you or anyone you know who gets a tad too much of it – the sun, I mean.
The ultraviolet rays from the sun convert skin oil to vitamin D. Too much of it is referred to as hypervitaminosis D. What happens is that vitamin D’s opposing partner, vitamin F (another name for polyunsaturated fatty acids), is low in comparison to the amount of vitamin D.
Vitamin D’s job is to get calcium from your stomach and pull it into your blood stream and vitamin F’s job is to take it from your blood stream into your tissues. If you’re low on vitamin F, not only will the vitamin D pull calcium from your stomach, but it will also pull the calcium from your tissues back into your blood stream. It’s the F that gets it into and keeps it in the tissues!
So, should you get too much vitamin D and be deficient in F, your blood calcium level will increase while the tissue calcium levels will decrease.
That is the reason that people who are in the sun a lot get thick skin. They don’t get enough vitamin F, which creates calcium deficiencies in their tissues.
Hives – those big welts you get around the tender parts of your body from being in the sun too much – are a sign of tissue calcium deficiency. Sunstroke is also a sign of low tissue calcium levels. Sunstroke is due to high blood calcium levels with low tissue calcium levels.
Excess vitamin D from extreme exposure to the sun is known to cause cancer. You may have read articles that recommend you stay out of the sun and that sunshine is hazardous to your health. Well, it’s only dangerous to people who are vitamin F deficient. Vitamin D is essential to good health and the sun is a great way to get it as long as you ensure you have enough vitamin F to balance it up.
Symptoms of low vitamin F levels include itching of the skin, the canker sores some people get inside their mouths or herpes breakouts in the genital area.
So, any time you have an itchy skin, get canker sores in your mouth or breakouts below the belt, hives or sunburn, you need vitamin F and calcium. Make sure your children have enough so they don’t suffer from their time in the sun.
Besides this, please ensure you get enough minerals, including salt and potassium to prevent dehydration and I’m not talking about the junk stuff like what is purported to be electrolytes as well as adequate water.
Get the real thing. If you’re not sure what that is, you’re welcome to write me and ask.
"Stress is so prevalent in our daily life that we have become desensitized to it and the message it is trying to give us, which is to slow down.
Anxiety is a chemical reaction created when the adrenals glands respond to a stressful event, such as low blood sugar by releasing adrenaline. Adrenaline is very useful if you’re trying to escape from a stressful situation, because it stimulates the fight-or-flight response: the heart rate starts pumping faster; digestion slows down; energy stores are released from the liver and made available to the heart, lungs, and muscles; and the muscles of the arms and legs are activated.
All of these responses require magnesium. So each time we experience any kind of stress, our magnesium stores are tapped to create energy. This magnesium depletion itself stresses the body, which can result in panic attacks, which equals yet more stress.
Not only do our overworked adrenals cause magnesium depletion, but even more adrenaline is released under stress when magnesium levels are low in the body, leaving people feeling irritable, nervous, edgy, or even ready to explode. It’s the proverbial Catch-22. To put an end to anxiety, magnesium needs to be replaced
During stress reactions, calcium is also required to stimulate the release of adrenaline, but calcium excess causes a flood of adrenaline. However, having sufficient magnesium will buffer excess calcium and keep it within normal levels, limiting the stress response. Magnesium is important because it naturally diminishes the excitablility of the nervous system and lowers the level of calcium around nerve cells. This function of magnesium is also significant in heart disease and other stress-induced illness." Excerpted from The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean, MD, ND
Are you, like millions of others, chronically tense or anxious?
Do you suffer from a dry mouth or feel like you’re suffocating? Is your stomach constantly in a knot or having spasms? Or, do you get chronic muscle cramps? Here, let me give you some data that might explain these phenomena.
Your nervous system is a communication network that controls and co-ordinates most body activities. In addition, the nervous system works unnoticed to regulate a multitude of internal activities, such as modulating body temperature or altering heart rate, in order to maintain homeostasis – the state of balance and stability that exists in a healthy body regardless of changes in the external and internal environments of a person.
The nervous system consists of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. Your parasympathetic nervous system keeps you calm and helps slow your mind and your body down whilst your sympathetic nervous system keeps you going, going, going.
This is important because when you’re supposed to be on the go – working, exercising, in action – you need your sympathetic nervous system to be firing away and providing you with energy but, when you’re supposed to relax, unwind, eat calmly, sleep peacefully, your parasympathetic nervous system needs to take over.
In other words, a balanced nervous system will allow you to have plenty of energy when you’re supposed to but also allow you to be calm and peaceful when you’re supposed to be relaxed.
To function properly, your parasympathetic nervous system needs the alkaline minerals to create the calmness and peace whilst your sympathetic nervous system requires the acid minerals to give that energy when you need it for your work or play. But the keyword here is BALANCE. You need both the alkaline AND acid minerals but they must be in balance so you don't exclude one or the other unless you're already getting too much of one from the foods you eat.
The main alkaline minerals include, amongst others, calcium, magnesium and potassium while the predominant acid mineral is phosphorus.
Phosphorus mainly comes from your grains (breads, pastas, crackers, processed foods, pies, cakes, etc) – your typical American diet – while calcium, magnesium and potassium mainly come from your greens – of which most people don’t get enough.
The important thing to know is that you need to eat more green vegetables and fewer grains.
You can also supplement with a good quality calcium and magnesium supplement like Instant CalMag-C (see below) as well as try taking two to three teaspoons of a good quality apple cider vinegar such as Braggs in some water with raw organic honey to get some good quality potassium into your body. This is quite a tasty drink if done right and goes a long way to providing you with the potassium your body needs. It’s available online at Paul Bragg’s site. I don’t have any connections with his organization other than being a consumer of their apple cider vinegar myself.
It is simple to reduce the tension and anxiety and have a calm and peaceful night’s sleep by eating more greens and taking good quality calcium and magnesium supplement.
I wish you a tension- and stress-free day and a good night’s sleep.
Instant CalMag-C
Instant CalMag-C is a balanced calcium and magnesium supplement with vitamin C that your body can assimilate very rapidly. Unlike pills that can sit in your stomach and not be fully digested, or even at all for that matter, Instant CalMag-C has been formulated with the precise pH balance so that it can be absorbed speedily into your body. The vitamin C is what makes Instant CalMag-C’s pH balance perfect. So, your body absorbs it instantly without digestion.
"Since I lost somebody very close to me, I have a problem with anxiety attacks. It comes and goes but when I do get it, it stays for about a week where I cannot breath and therefore cannot sleep - even my lips go numb. You just don't get enough oxygen into your lungs. You want to yawn all the time in the hope that enough oxygen reaches your lungs. Anyone who has had anxiety, will know what I am talking about! I started taking Calmag-C and, within a few minutes of taking it, I can feel the breathing is calmer and I gasp less and less for air and eventually I am able to sleep. The next morning, my breathing is still normal. Instant Calmag-C really helps. I can definitely recommend it to anyone who has anxiety!" TG Pretoria
“Having a few days of not taking Instant CalMag-C, I noticed I was feeling anxious about things. I really noticed how much it helped me to feel less stress after taking it. Many thanks for your help.” J.K., United Kingdom
I’m feeling very philosophical because of the World Cup Soccer fever. There are so many teams involved from all the continents of earth and the whole focus is on a game that will result in one winner.
Actually, there will be more than one winner. We all win regardless of whether our team comes out at the top or not.
And the big win is that we are all focused on what I can only describe as a real and pleasurable game instead of the usual negative stuff (games) we have shoved in our faces daily.
All our diverse cultures share a common reality: A love of sport and/or just plain support of one’s team.
It’s really the spirit of the game that makes us all win. Sport is such a great and appropriate field for us to pit our skills and wits. It’s also a great way of pulling a country (team) and the world (a bigger team) together.
I don’t think South Africans will ever forget how Nelson Mandela used the World Cup Rugby in 1995 (hosted and won by South Africa) to pull our country together. For me, the biggest win was the spirit of my people and the sparkle in their eyes.
In a typically white man’s sport, Mandela got the black people to rise above the past of our country – which was only just a year or two earlier – and focus on winning. When we put aside our differences and rise above them, we truly win because that is the only way we can find solutions.
You couldn’t have made anyone feel miserable if you tried! For several hours there was no crime or dissension as everyone’s attention was riveted on the game and the outcome. Jubilation rippled through the country as the most unlikely people watched the game together and hugged each other when we won.
The movie “Invictus”, produced by Clint Eastwood, starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon is based on what this great leader achieved for our country and the two actors did it full justice!
The word “invictus” means unconquerable and is a reflection of Nelson Mandela’s attitude and his ability to rise above his 27 years imprisonment and then pulling a very willing country together.
Calcium and Magnesium – A Winning Combination for Sports Men and Women!
We have Instant CalMag-C customers all over the world on every continent so I shouldn’t really take sides but, hey, I’m South African so, for this occasion, I will support my team. I’m sure you understand.
With all the sporting fervor the Soccer World Cup is creating, I think it is quite fitting to give you information about the benefits of calcium and magnesium for sports men and women.
Calcium and magnesium need to be in a 2:1 ratio with each other and they need some kind of acid for them to be absorbed by the body. That’s why we have made our InstantCalMag-C with two parts calcium gluconate and one part magnesium carbonate with vitamin C. This is the best combo for optimum absorption and speedy results.
Read what some of our sporting customers have to say about Instant CalMag-C
Exercise, Muscles not Sore
"That white powder (calmag) really works! I can exercise much harder every day. It helps me sleep. I wake up and my muscles are not sore anymore. I feel like I can work much harder at gym and in my sport. My muscles are recovering much faster. I also don't worry so much anymore." …. Sean, South Africa
Energy level, Sports
"I started taking Instant CalMag-C before my weekly squash game and my energy level (while playing) has risen markedly since taking it. My opponents are asking me where I'm getting the extra zip from and I'm not about to tell them my secret." TA - Businessman, Auckland, NZ
No More Soreness
“I recently started using Instant CalMag-C after exercising and I no longer experience that soreness associated with exercise. I also noticed more flexibility and greater range of motion in the joints as well as a more restful night’s sleep.” D.C., Chiropractor, Clearwater, FL.
Handles my Leg Cramps
I was looking for a Calcium/Magnesium combo because I knew one was needed to absorb the other. Whenever I get a cramp in my leg I take some Calmag and the cramp dissipates quickly." Nick, USA
Sore Muscles & Joints
“Because of the nature of the sport I participate in, I am inclined to suffer from sore muscles and joints but taking Instant CalMag-C helps immensely. I religiously take it and it’s also important for muscle function. I very seldom get ill. This in itself says a great deal as athletes often suffer from ailments due to the stress they place on their bodies.” J.H., Bruma, South Africa
Energy Renewed
“You know, that Instant CalMag-C of yours is magic! I hadn’t been taking it for a while but then I was getting very tired on my walks so I took one dose this morning and easily walked a long distance, about three miles.” Mrs N., London, England (75 years old)
Did you know that the hard water containing calcium bicarbonate (the kind that leaves a calcium deposit in your teakettle) is the best for drinking? As annoying as it is to have those deposits, you should cheer when you see them because then you know you are getting some sorely needed minerals.
Do not confuse calcium bicarbonate with calcium carbonate. Calcium bicarbonate is completely assimilated and builds your bones by combining with the organic phosphorus (an important mineral) found in grains (we do not encourage the dead refined stuff sold nowadays and neither the GMO – genetically modified organism - variety) and lecithin (an emulsifier) in natural fats.
It is this calcium bicarbonate that is essential in the blood stream in preventing children from becoming susceptible to polio, colds and the diseases of childhood which produce fevers.
In fact, calcium bicarbonate deficiency alone can cause a child to have a recurrent fever that disappears at once on the administration of calcium lactate or calcium gluconate (both of which form calcium bicarbonate after absorption).
Calcium deficiency fevers are common in children during the ages of rapid bone growth, especially where the child is getting too much of the cereal foods such as processed dry cereals, without enough hard water calcium. The phosphorus is out of proportion to the calcium bicarbonate intake. Phosphorus needs to be kept in balance with calcium.
Besides the aforementioned fevers, this imbalance being created by the high-phosphorus processed cereals creates an inability to relax and results in what is known as hyperactivity. The child is “wired” and cannot relax or sit still.
This is no different to the feeling you get when you have had too much coffee and the resultant caffeine overload. In most cases, the hyperactivity in a child is merely an imbalance of phosphorus to calcium unless, of course, the child has been consuming high-caffeine beverages but then the solution is still to give them calcium with its balancing partner magnesium and some B Complex vitamins. Give it to the adults too and see how they calm down too.
Our Instant CalMag-C is made with two parts calcium gluconate and one part magnesium carbonate and added vitamin C to create the correct pH balance for speedy absorption and utlilzation by the body. Order yours today, give your children daily doses and see the difference!
Calcium, along with its balancing partner magnesium, is perfect for any teething baby too. These two minerals coat the nerves, alleviate the pain and improve their immune function, which results in a much happier baby – and family.
Calcium is the only mineral to have its own regulating gland, the parathyroid glands (they’re the glands near the thyroid but have nothing to do with the thyroid)! Calcium’s main functions are:
1. To provide electrical energy for your nervous system. The way it does this is to provide the means for electrical impulses to travel along your nerves. Calcium is what your nervous system uses to conduct “electricity”, which is why the most common deficiency symptoms are nervous system ones such as depression, weakness, tiredness – like a power failure.
2. To provide the electrical energy needed by your muscles, which really just brings us back to the nervous system as it controls the nerves that conduct the electricity into your muscles. In order for them to function correctly, they need to contract and relax.
Pretty much like a heartbeat. Your heart is just a big ole muscle. It contracts and relaxes. Calcium is what makes it contract to pump blood through your body. That’s why deficiencies in calcium can cause heart and other muscular problems. They can’t contract without adequate calcium. Symptoms can include weakness, muscle cramps or spasms, PMS symptoms, tension etc.
3. To provide strength for your skeletal system. Most people know that calcium is necessary to build strong bones and teeth. However, your bones actually serve as a good vault, like in the bank where you keep your reserves – a storage depot. When you have sufficient calcium, your body can draw on these reserves when needed. Any time your body needs calcium your parathyroid glands make a withdrawal to compensate for shortages or deposit excesses back into the vault. Pretty neat, huh?
It’s not only for the prevention of osteoporosis or kidney stones but is vital for life and the prevention of tension, anxiety or stress.
Calcium, the most abundant mineral in your body, is required for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, secretion of hormones and enzymes, and transmitting impulses throughout your nervous system. Your body strives to maintain constant concentrations of calcium in blood, muscle, and intercellular fluids.
It also happens to be the most powerful painkiller there is - far superior to morphine!
Colds, ‘Flu and Polio
Hard water containing calcium bicarbonate (the kind that leaves a calcium deposit in your teakettle) is the best for drinking. Do not confuse this with calcium carbonate. Calcium bicarbonate is completely assimilated and builds your bones by combining with the organic phosphorus (an important mineral) found in grains (we don't encourage the dead refined stuff sold nowadays) and lecithin (an emulsifier) in natural fats.
It is this calcium bicarbonate that is essential in the blood stream to prevent children from becoming susceptible to polio, colds and diseases of childhood which produce fevers.
In fact, calcium bicarbonate deficiency alone can cause a child to have recurrent fever, a fever which disappears at once on the administration of calcium lactate or calcium gluconate (which form calcium bicarbonate after absorption). Calcium deficiency fevers are common in children during the ages of rapid bone growth, especially where the child is getting too much of the cereal foods such as processed dry cereals, without enough hard water calcium. The phosphorus is out of proportion to the calcium bicarbonate intake. Phosphorus needs to be kept in balance with calcium.
Some Calcium Deficiency Symptoms
Symptoms of hypocalcemia (hypo=low + calcemia=calcium) include numbness and tingling in the fingers, depression, stress, insomnia, tension, hyperactivity, inability to “switch off”, muscle cramps, convulsions, lethargy, poor appetite, and abnormal heart rhythms, etc, etc.
And What Of Magnesium?
Whilst calcium contracts your muscles, magnesium relaxes them.
Take the heartbeat example above. The calcium contracts your heart and magnesium relaxes it. That’s how muscles work. If you’re deficient in calcium, your muscles can’t contract. If you’re deficient in magnesium, they can’t relax. Either way is not good.
Magnesium is also needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in your body. It helps your body maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps your heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps your bones strong.
Magnesium also helps regulate your blood sugar levels – making it vital for diabetics and hypoglycemic people, promotes normal blood pressure, and is involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. Magnesium also plays a role in preventing and managing hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Magnesium is absorbed in your small intestines and excreted through your kidneys.
Some Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms
Early signs of magnesium deficiency include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness. As a magnesium deficiency worsens, numbness, tingling, muscle contractions and cramps, seizures (sudden changes in behaviors caused by excessive electrical activity in the brain), personality changes, abnormal heart rhythms, and coronary spasms can occur. A severe magnesium deficiency can result in low levels of calcium in the blood (hypocalcemia) as well as low levels of potassium (hypokalemia).
Calcium and Magnesium Ratios
Calcium cannot be utilized without its balancing partner, magnesium. They work in tandem. In order for your body to be able to utilize calcium, it needs to be in a 2:1 ratio with magnesium with the correct pH so that they can be absorbed.
Calcium and magnesium are both alkaline and need some kind of acid to be absorbed. Vitamin C or apple cider vinegar does a pretty good job to create an optimum pH.
Instant CalMag-C
That’s why we made Instant CalMag-C the way we did: two parts calcium gluconate with one part magnesium carbonate and vitamin C to ensure that both the proportions and pH are correct. This makes it absorb speedily.
Most people feel the effects within minutes.
Instant CalMag-C is great for the whole family – from baby to granny!
Click here to order CalMag-C now. Price breaks available and we ship internationally: www.calmagstore.com/
One of the main problems with parties - especially children's parties - is that the increased consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates (white flour products, etc) can turn the children into literal monsters.
Have you ever wondered why that is?
Well, one of them is that they have not had enough protein and real food before starting on the "binging" but also sugar and refined carbohydrates just deplete their stores of calcium and magnesium and this frazzles the nerves and turns on the frenzy that is so hard to control.
They're having a hard time of it too. You've probably experienced that buzzy feeling when you can't sit still or relax.
All that's happened is that the reserves of calcium and magnesium have reduced to zero, if there was even enough to start with.
The solution is simple.
Before embarking on any trip away from home, ensure they've had a good protein meal with sufficient vegetables - preferably salads - and are well rested. Give them a dose of Instant CalMag-C too and take a bottle with you. There are sure to be other children having the same problem and you can help them relax and feel better so everyone can have a lot more fun - instead of tantrums and crying bouts.
Every living being has an endocrine system that consists of a number of glands: the hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, adrenals, pancreas and gonads. Endocrine means to secrete within.
These endocrine glands are ductless and they produce and secrete hundreds of hormones directly into your blood stream. These hormones each have their own purpose in a specific target organ like the liver, kidneys, brain etc. Hormones are special chemical substances. The word “hormone” means “to spur on”.
You may have heard about chemical imbalances, usually referred to in context of the brain. What this means is that the hormones are not balanced. The only way you can know this is by the proper testing of your hormones. There is nothing mysterious about it, despite the fact that it may leave a person feeling like they have some mysterious disease or genetic fault.
Hormones are biochemical substances that get secreted by your glands into your bloodstream and travel to target organs so those organs can carry out their own specialized function. Many people associate hormones only with sex hormones but there are hundreds of other hormones, each with their own special function.
Functions regulated by hormones include metabolism (the breaking down or building of chemical elements); water and mineral balance; growth and sexual development; and the body’s reaction to stress; digestion of food, sleep, and many more.
Definition of biochemical: bio- comes from the Greek word meaning “life” and a chemical is any substance that can undergo a chemical process or change.
Hormones
Each hormone has a different shape as it has to be able to “dock” into the “receptor site” of the target organ. Not only does this hormone have to “dock” into the receptor site but it also has to “turn” like a key. You’ve probably experienced this. You have a key that goes into the lock perfectly but won’t turn because it's the wrong key? In the same way, these hormones have to “dock” and “turn” to fully complete their task or to “open the door”.
That’s why synthetic hormones can cause problems. The hormones can “dock” but can’t “turn” the “key”. It is vital for a healthy body that these “keys” can turn so that the proper hormones can be sent to the target organs to carry out the hundreds of body functions such as sleep, digestion, energy, metabolism, falling pregnant, delivering the baby, controlling weight etc.
Some hormones come in “opposing” pairs or what is known as antagonistic pairs. In other words, they oppose each other. For example, if your blood sugar goes too high, insulin (a hormone) will tell your liver to lower your blood sugar but if it drops too low, glucagon (another hormone) will tell your liver to raise your blood sugar.
This is so your body can maintain an optimum balance known as homeostasis. Homeostasis is the ability or tendency of an organism or cell to maintain internal equilibrium – balance - by adjusting its physiological processes regardless of external influences. Your body will do everything it can to maintain homeostasis.
The Different Glands of the Endocrine System
Listed below are the glands that form part of your endocrine system. Definitions for each one are covered lower down.
Constantly living under conditions of stress, excesses, trauma, hazards, pollution, drugs (medical and other) and chemicals eventually weakens and undermines the efficient functioning of these glands. So, let’s get to understand their functions.
Hormones are very powerful chemicals and when they are in sync and in the right quantity, the body purrs. These tiny glands are small wonders and they need to be in good working condition to maintain good health.
The Master Hormone Gland – The Pituitary - And Its Connector – The Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. It is called “hypo”-thalamus because it is below the thalamus which is an area of the brain where pain and other sensory information is interpreted and recognized.
The secretion of hormones from the anterior (front portion) pituitary is controlled by the production of hormones by the hypothalamus, which can be split roughly into two main types of hormones:
• hormones that tell the pituitary to switch on production of a hormone (a releasing hormone); and
• hormones that tell the pituitary to switch off production of a hormone (an inhibiting hormone)
The hormones secreted by the posterior pituitary are produced in the hypothalamus and then passed down a tube between the hypothalamus and the pituitary (the pituitary stalk) from whence they are then secreted into the blood.
The hypothalamus' hormones cause smooth muscle to contract, control water balance, are responsible for breast milk, the body's temperature control, gastric reflexes, maternal behavior, blood pressure, feeding, immune responses. They're also responsible for manufacturing neurotransmitters that allow the messages to be passed along the nervous system.
The pituitary puts out hormones that break down stored fat, increase the production of protein and muscles, and stimulate all junior glands such as the ovaries, testicles, thyroid and adrenals. It also contracts the uterus during childbirth and stimulates milk production.
The pituitary is known as the master gland, the top executive of your hormonal system. It is no larger than a pea, is located in the brain and has two sections called the anterior and posterior - anterior means toward the front and posterior towards the back. These two sections of the pituitary gland produce a number of different hormones which act on different target glands or cells. Hormones produced by them are:
Anterior Pituitary
Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone (ACTH)
Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Luteinising hormone (LH)
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
Prolactin (PRL)
Growth hormone (GH)
Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone (MSH)
Posterior Pituitary
Anti-diuretic Hormone (ADH)
Oxytocin
When a body has abnormally low or high levels of hormones, it indicates a possible problem with the hormone boss, the pituitary gland.
The Pineal Gland - Your Body’s Night/Day Switch
The pineal gland is situated in the middle of your brain and is about the size of a pea. It is a light-sensitive organ that produces a hormone called melatonin when it’s dark. Human beings start producing melatonin from as early as 3 months old and continue until about the age of 20 years at which point production begins to decrease.
Melatonin is the hormone that influences sleep!
It also affects temperature, helps to fight a wide range of cancers and guards the nervous system against degeneration from such things as Alzheimer’s disease and strokes. Being low on melatonin can cause such things as depression, bone loss, insomnia, fibromyalgia, some seizure disorders and migraines.
For melatonin production to occur, it is important to go to bed without any lights, electronic equipment of any sort – including TV’s, cell phones, computers etc – in the room. The darker it is the better for melatonin production. Lights can prevent it from being produced.
Since the advent of all the modern electronic devices and lighting, more people than ever experience problems with insufficient melatonin production and, as a result, sleep.
If you’re having difficulty sleeping, make sure your room is dark, has no electric clock, TV, computer, cell phones or any other electronic devices in it. In fact, make your bedroom into a space of tranquility and keep all devices in other parts of your home.
The other important factor is that you need enough sleep. Your body repairs itself during sleep. Just like you can’t drive your car while it is in the repair shop, so your body needs to be inactive and resting for repair to take place so get enough sleep. Ideally, bodies need about 9 - 10 hours of melatonin production per day. This means that the light going into your eyes needs to be low to none for 9 - 10 hours per day. When a body has abnormally low or high levels of hormones, it indicates a possible problem with the hormone boss, the pituitary gland.
The Thyroid Gland – Your Metabolism Controler (And Energy Producer)
The word thyroid merely means “shield-shaped”. Look at pictures of the thyroid and you will see why this is so. It produces hormones which do two important things:
1. They help the necessary enzymes and electrolytes pass into the cell
2. They help the actual processes of energy production in the mitochondria. (See below for definition.)
Your metabolism – the rate at which you produce and use energy – is regulated by the pituitary and thyroid glands, and the hypothalamus (in the brain), but the actual energy release occurs inside the body’s individual cells. It is here that the thyroid’s role is actually felt. Each cell has an “energy-generating station” called the mitochondrion, which uses enzymes to combine carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, forming carbon dioxide and water, and releasing chemical energy.
The thyroid produces four hormones - T4 (thyroxine), T3 (tri-iodothyronine or liothyronine), T2 (di-iodothyronine), and T1 (mono-iodothyronine) - and these regulate all the processes of energy release within the body's cells.
Some symptoms of poor thyroid function include:
• feeling tired and sleeping a lot
• feeling the cold easily
• dry and/or pale skin
• coarse, thinning hair and brittle nails
• sore muscles, slow movements and weakness
• a hoarse or croaky voice
• a change in facial expression
• depression
• problems with memory and concentration
• weight gain
• constipation
• fertility problems and increased risk of miscarriage
• heavy, irregular or prolonged menstrual periods
• a slow heart rate
Overactive and underactive thyroid
The opposite condition to hypothyroidism is hyperthyroidism. This happens when the thyroid is overactive and produces too much thyroid hormones. This speeds up your body's metabolism, leading to symptoms such as weight loss and anxiety.
Iodine Deficiencies or Insufficiencies
The body needs iodine, which is a mineral, to make thyroid hormones. Deficiencies or insufficiencies of iodine are the leading cause of hypothyroidism - underactive thyroid.
Parathyroid Glands - Your Calcium Regulators
The parathyroid glands are four small glands located in the neck behind the thyroid. (The prefix “para-“ simply means alongside of, beside, near, resembling, beyond, apart from, or abnormal.)
The thyroid and parathyroid are NOT related. The parathyroid glands are named because they are adjacent to the thyroid. They’re behind the thyroid but have completely unrelated functions.
The ONLY purpose of the parathyroid glands is to regulate the calcium level within a very narrow range in the body so that the nervous and muscular systems can function properly. That’s all they do. No other element in your body has its own personal regulator but calcium balance is that important that it got one. This does not mean that the other minerals are not also vital for life.
The parathyroid glands measure the amount of calcium in the blood every minute of every day and if the calcium levels go down a little bit, the parathyroid glands note it and make parathyroid hormone (PTH) which goes to the bones and withdraws calcium (makes a withdrawal from the calcium vault) and puts it into the blood. When the calcium in the blood is high enough, then the parathyroids shut down and stop making PTH.
Neat, huh?
The Adrenal Glands – Your “Stress” Glands
The adrenal glands are small, triangular glands located above both kidneys. They are separate glands to the kidneys but take their name from being close to the kidneys (or renals as the kidneys are also known, hence the word ad-renal). The adrenal glands work interactively with the hypothalamus and pituitary glands in the following process:
1. Help the hypothalamus produce certain hormone-releasing hormones (corticotropin-releasing hormone), which stimulate the pituitary.
2. Help the pituitary, in turn, to produce the necessary hormones (corticotrophin hormones) that stimulate the adrenal glands to produce cortisol.
The adrenal glands consist of two parts, the cortex or outer portion and the medulla, the inner portion.
The adrenal cortex (the outer portion) releases:
1. Corticosteroid hormones:
a. Hydrocortisone hormones, also known as cortisol, controls the body’s use of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
b. Corticosterone which, together with cortisol, suppresses inflammatory reactions in the body and also has an effect on the immune system.
2. Aldosterone hormone which inhibits the level of sodium excreted into the urine, maintaining blood volume and blood pressure.
3. Androgenic steroids (androgen hormones) which have a minimal effect on the development of male characteristics.
The adrenal medulla (the inner portion of the adrenals) releases:
1.Epinephrine (also called adrenaline) increases the heart rate and force of the heart contractions, facilitates blood flow to the muscles and brain, causes relaxation of smooth muscles, helps with conversion of glycogen to glucose in the liver – plus other activities.
2.Norepinephrine (also called noradrenaline) has strong vasoconstrictive (vaso = blood vessel and constrictive = constriction). effects, thus increasing blood pressure.
The Thymus Gland
The thymus gland is a relatively unknown gland so there is not much to say about it other than that it is very involved in immune function. It is a pink-grey organ that lies underneath the top of the breast bone.
The thymus processes a type of white blood cell known as a T-lymphocyte. These T-lymphocytes govern cellular immunity which means they help cells recognize and destroy invading bacteria, virus, etc as well as abnormal cell growths such as cancer and foreign tissue.
The thymus gland is involved in antibody production. When you are exposed to bacteria, your thymus gland should immediately get the lymphatic system to start producing antibodies. It takes about seven days to completely produce enough antibodies to destroy the bacteria.
As we get older, our thymus gland tends to dry up. It’s not as active as it was when we were younger. A child has a large thymus gland, often twice the size of an adult’s. As we get older, we tend to lose the ability to build antibodies. If a person has an infection that lasts more than seven days, his antibody production is not at full strength.
