Magnesium article by ancient minerals
Magnesium article by ancient minerals
Topical Magnesium: How It Works
Humans have been using the skin as a direct pathway into the body for centuries, and only recently have we begun to understand the science behind it.
INTRO ABSORPTION HISTORY STUDIES INCREASE INTAKE WHY TRANSDERMAL
Topical Magnesium
Topical magnesium, a method of delivering minerals to the body through the skin, may seem at first mysterious and new, but it’s based on both age-old principles and cutting edge science.Have you ever used a patch to help you quit smoking, or to alleviate pain? What about Ben Gay? Or how about that expensive skin creme you bought to help give your skin a healthy glow?
If you’ve used or are familiar with any of these products, then you are familiar with the basic concepts behind topical applications of magnesium.
How is topical magnesium absorbed through the skin?
The skin, the largest organ of the body, has three primary functions:
Temperature control
Detoxification
Barrier function
While one function of the skin, its barrier function, is to keep water and moisture in while keeping germs and toxins out, the skin’s other functions, temperature control and detoxification, could not occur if the skin was truly a complete barrier.When you sweat, for example, you are both controlling your body’s temperature and naturally excreting toxins through your skin. If you can push out toxins, you can pull them in as well. One example of this phenomenon is that fact that a person who regularly uses underarm deodorant containing aluminum will actually show aluminum content in a fecal or urine test.
A Definition of Dermal Absorption
In fact, many substances do pass into the body from the outer surface of the skin and into the circulation. To understand how this works, imagine a tightly woven fabric. While from a distance it may appear impervious, at close range it is actually highly porous. It is this porous nature of the skin, with its millions of tiny openings, that allows not only sweat and other toxins to escape, but also enables the absorption of some substances.
The process is known as dermal absorption. Once a substance passes through the outer layers of skin, it passes into the lymph and local vascular (blood vessel) system and soon after into the bloodstream. 1
Dermal Absorption
While the exact mechanisms of skin transfer are yet to be completely understood, three routes of penetration have been hypothesized:
Intercellular Skin Absorption, which occurs between the cells of the “stratum corneum”, the outermost layer of the skin
Transcellular Skin Absorption, where substances actually pass through the skin cells themselves
Skin Absorption Through the Follicles and Glands, also known as ”appendageal absorption”, which may also exhibit ”reservoir effects” in which substances may be stored within the glands for absorption over time
Skin Permeability: The Good and The BadSome of the most convincing stories of substances passing into the body via the skin come from governmental agencies actively studying and monitoring dermal absorption through their chemical safety divisions.
A 2005 report published by the World Health Organization takes a very clear position on skin permeability:
While the skin does act as a barrier, it is not a complete barrier. Many chemicals do penetrate the skin, either intentionally or unintentionally, and cutaneous metabolism does occur. Because of its large surface area, the skin may be a major route of entry into the body in some exposure situations.”
This “major route of entry” has become a concern in many circumstances where toxic substances are released into air, water, and even city water supplies.The California Environmental Protection Agency issued a report entitled “Chlorinated Chemicals in Your Home”, warning of the risks of cancer due to chlorinated chemicals. The agency issued the statement: “Taking a long, hot shower in a typical small shower stall can substantially increase your exposure to chloroform. If you use indoor spas, hot tubs, or swimming pools, you are also likely to be exposed to high levels of chloroform.” 2
Health Canada has estimated that skin exposure to certain toxic hydrocarbons in the Great Lakes may be as dangerous as oral exposure, issuing alerts to bathers, especially those affected by sunburn, which may enhance absorption. 3
Worker safety is an issue. Workers in various industries have suffered poisoning, in some cases fatal, from substances penetrating exclusively through the skin and into the bloodstream, such as through dermal exposure to leaded gasoline and insecticides. 4
The European Commission and the World Health Organization have both issued Guidance Documents, such as the “Guidance Document on Dermal Absorption” and International Programme on Chemical Safety Environmental Health Criteria serve to instruct agencies on how to protect workers from exposure to toxic compounds.
While government agencies such as those above work to stop the transfer of chemicals through the skin, transdermal drug delivery methods seek to take advantage of it. Transdermal patches are produced as delivery systems for nicotine, hormones, pain killers, and others.These methods are coveted for their clear advantages over oral medications, as outlined by Stanley Scheindlin, pharmaceutical chemist, in the journal Molecular Interventions:
Patients often forget to take their medicine, and even the most faithfully compliant get tired of swallowing pills, especially if they must take several each day. Additionally, bypassing the gastrointestinal (GI) tract would obviate the GI irritation that frequently occurs and avoid partial first-pass inactivation by the liver.” 5
While transdermal drugs are well known in the medical community, the difference with magnesium oil topical treatments is, of course, the fact that magnesium is an essential mineral to the human body, in a natural form. Thus, use of topical magnesium oil products brings all the advantages of transdermal applications, but none of the disadvantages of introducing foreign substances into the body.Transdermal magnesium is a needed substance. While the chemicals in transdermal pharmaceuticals are actively filtered, inactivated, and excreted by the body’s detoxification systems, magnesium is welcomed and actively taken in by the cells.
See also:
Watch video interviews on topical magnesium.
Learn about Ancient Minerals ultra pure magnesium products.
Continue reading:Are there studies on topical magnesium?
Can I increase skin absorption of magnesium?
Why use topical magnesium?
What is the history of transdermal delivery?Humans have been using the skin as a direct pathway into the body for centuries, and only recently have we begun to understand the science behind it.
history of transdermal deliveryMany people are familiar with the healing properties of saunas, used quite often for detox and general well-being. Saunas are the closest modern equivalent to the ancient practice of “balneology”, a healing method that can be traced to antiquity.
Ancient treatments in fact involved a variety of transdermal therapies ranging from mineral baths, to herbal compresses, to mud packs, to steam and sweat lodges. These topical remedies were not limited to one culture, but were a part of many of the documented societies spread throughout the world.
In Homer’s Odyssey he frequently mentions the bathing habits of his heroes, drawing repeated attention to the significance of the deed. In the tenth century Paul of Aegina, a great physician, discusses balneology in a medical text, specifically detailing various forms of mineral waters for different ailments.
The city of Bath in England took its name from the hot mineral springs it contains. The traditional tale of its origins told of how the son of an ancient king contracted leprosy. After he was banished from the palace he found the mineral waters in Bath and returned miraculously healed of the disease.
When Ponce de Leon and Hernando DeSoto sought the “Fountain of Youth” in the new world, many speculate that the exaggerated tales that arose referenced the healing properties of a mineral-dense geothermal spring. Prior to commercialization, these same hot springs were a place where the native Indian populations would bring their sick or wounded, and would fight viciously to protect what they felt was sacred ground.
More recent examples of topical and transdermal therapies can be found from the 18th through the early 20th century and eventually led to the technological advancements seen today. Throughout Europe, the skin as a gateway for medical therapy became increasingly popular in the late 18th century. In an age where open wounds often led to infection, topical remedies were favored over risky surgeries. For instance, soaking in sulfurous mineral baths became a widespread treatment for gout, which might otherwise have meant amputation.Early editions of the United States Pharmacoepia (USP) contained several plasters, pastes applied with a cloth binding cover, which are precursors to current transdermal patches. Similarly, herbalists utilize compresses and ointments based on the healing properties of plants.
In the same way that modern science has not only verified but also capitalized on traditional knowledge of the power of herbs and plant constituents, ongoing studies today explore the mechanisms of skin absorption, gradually confirming the practices of healers from before written history.
Are there studies on topical magnesium intake?
Documented research on the effect topically applied magnesium chloride has on blood chemistry includes the work of Dr. Norman Shealy, M.D. Ph.D. Founder of the American Holistic Medical Association, Dr Shealy enlisted sixteen individuals with low intracellular magnesium levels.
Participants were instructed to perform a 20 minute foot-soak with magnesium chloride flakes, in addition to spraying their entire body once daily with magnesium oil. After just four weeks of foot soaking in magnesium chloride, 75% of participants showed a very significant increase in their cellular levels of magnesium. 6
A second study, conducted by Dr. DH Waring at the University of Birmingham, demonstrated that a 1% solution of magnesium sulfate in a warm bath had immediate effects on serum levels of magnesium. 7
Finally, a study in Poland specifically addressed the issue of ion diffusion through the skin. Using ion chromatography, researchers demonstrated in vitro that the metal cation magnesium can in fact diffuse through the skin.
These Polish researchers found evidence for multiple routes of absorption:
Diverse influences… on the grade of metal ion permeability suggest the presence of different routes of ions penetration through the skin. It is also supported by different transportation characteristics of individual ions through the skin over time.” 8
Notably, the concentrations explored in this study were only low level atmospheric concentrations, compared with the much higher concentrations typically employed in therapeutic applications of topical magnesium oil.There is also no shortage of positive reports from medical professionals and consumers regarding the health benefits achieved from using magnesium chloride topically. Many of these reports describe immediate and profound impacts on health through the use of topically applied magnesium chloride, and frequently come from individuals whose oral dosages of various magnesium compounds have previously fallen short of their expectations.
Learn more:
Read the detailed reviews and results of those using topical magnesium.
Learn more about Dr. Shealy’s study and other studies on transdermal magnesium therapy.
Can I increase the total skin absorption of topical magnesium oil?There are a number of factors that increase the amount of magnesium oil absorbed through the skin. They include:
Increasing the area of application
Increasing the amount of time the application is left on the skin
Increasing the frequency of application
Varying the location of application, with areas such as the scalp and armpits exhibiting higher rates of absorption
Increased temperature of the area of application
Well-hydrated skin
Individual choices will vary based upon preferences and individual response. Consult our Guide to Magnesium Application for more information.Why use topical magnesium oil when there is magnesium in food?
Though it’s possible and preferable to get magnesium from a variety of sources, studies show that most Americans have magnesium deficient diets, with one in five getting less than half the RDA for magnesium in their daily diets. 9
Oral supplementation, on the other hand, is affected by numerous things in your gut – no matter what type of oral magnesium you use. Because all magnesium taken orally is potentially laxative, the ability to absorb magnesium through the GI tract is limited by shortened transit time.
Oral magnesium can be inconvenient as well, due to the amount needed for adequate dosage. Adequate magnesium is typically not added to multi-vitamins in an attempt to reduce the size and dosage, and magnesium supplements themselves can be large.
Considering these difficulties and the numerous factors that may negatively impact oral magnesium absorption in the GI tract, topical magnesium shows clear benefits.
A Cornerstone for Achieving Vibrant Health
ancient minerals transdermal magnesium
From pain killers to anti-depressants to hormone replacement, countless people have turned to transdermal medicine, whether because they can’t swallow pills, their digestive systems are impaired, or simply due to personal preference.Using magnesium transdermally addresses all of these concerns.
Topical magnesium:
Is safe, convenient, affordable and effective.
Allows you to maximize the amount you’re getting daily without having to worry about diarrhea, digestion, or swallowing additional pills several times a day.
Is especially helpful with pain and can be applied directly to the trouble area with immediate results, rather than waiting for it to work its way through your GI tract.
So long as a molecule or ion is small enough to pass through the porous surface of the skin, it will eventually end up in your blood stream. Topical magnesium takes advantage of the absorptive properties of body’s largest organ, putting it to work for you in the form of a simple spray, soak, or massage.The skin is a living, breathing organ — the most efficient organ for detoxification with tremendous potential for re-mineralizing the body. What happens when combine the human body’s most well functioning organ with one of the most life giving minerals available? A cornerstone for achieving vibrant health.
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References
1. ↑ Kielhorn J, Melching-Kollmuß S Mangelsdorf I. Dermal Absorption: WHO/International Programme on Chemical Safety, Environmental Health Criteria. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2005. Available at: http://www.who.int/ipcs/features/2006/ehc235/en/index.html. Accessed August 23, 2010.
2. ↑ Air Resources Board. Chlorinated Chemicals in Your Home. Indoor Air Quality Guideline. California Environmental Protection Agency; May 2001. Available at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/clguide.pdf
3. ↑ Moody RP, Chu I. Dermal exposure to environmental contaminants in the Great Lakes. Environmental Health Perspectives. 1995; 103(9):103–114.Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1518828/. Accessed August 24, 2010.
4. ↑ Barrett CW. Skin Penetration. Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. 1969;20:487-499.
5. ↑ Scheindlin S. Transdermal Drug Delivery: Past, Present, Future. Molecular Interventions. 2004; 4: 308–312.
6. ↑ Sircus M. Transdermal Magnesium: A New Modality for the Maintenance of Health. Available at: http://www.omega3global.com/shop/images/pdfs/transdermal_magnesium.pdf. Accessed March 18, 2010.
7. ↑ Waring R.H.. Report on magnesium sulfate across the skin. School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham. Available at: http://www.mgwater.com/transdermal.shtml. Accessed September 23, 2010.
8. ↑ Laudańska H, Lemancewicz A, Kretowska M, Reduta T, Laudański T. Permeability of human skin to selected anions and cations–in vitro studies. Research Communications in Molecular Pathology and Pharmacology. 2002; 112(1-4):16-26.
9. ↑ King DE, Mainous AG 3rd, Geesey ME, Woolson RF. Dietary magnesium and C-reactive protein levels. Journal Of The American College Of Nutrition. 2005 Jun;24(3):166-71. Available from: MEDLINE with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 6, 2009.
Pain is how a body communicates with the brain about a stressor it perceives. This subjective, emotional, and unpleasant sensation is not new to the human condition. Our ancestors experienced pain long before modern pain medication was available to them. Their ‘pharmacy’ was nature.What sort of natural pain relievers did they use?
Herbs for Pain
Our ancestors had intimate knowledge of plant medicine and within that, the use of herbs for pain. Herbs have been used for thousands of years to treat ailments;1 proving nature to be both safe and effective as natural pain medication. Today, pharmaceutical companies create synthetic medicinal compounds based on traditional plant remedies. Consequently, these new chemicals have to be proven safe and effective,2 and as in the use of opioid medications, have yet to be proven so.3
A very short list of herbs that our ancestors used as natural pain killers include:4 5 6
Ginger (Zingiber officinale): anti-inflammatory and diffusive, warming and drying, commonly used in cooking or freshly juiced for arthritis, migraines, and menstrual cramps7
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): anti-oxidant, circulatory stimulant and nervine, warming and drying, commonly used in cooking, as a topical oil, tincture or tea8
Willow (Salix spp.): plant from which salicylic acid (aspirin) is derived, it is inflammation modulating, fever reducing, cooling and drying; the bark, leaves, and catkins are used commonly in decoctions, tinctures, and teas9
Cottonwood (Populus spp.): anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, cottonwood is cooling and drying, commonly made into a salve or tincture
Arnica (Arnica spp.): anti-inflammatory and stimulating, arnica is warming, cooling, and drying, commonly used as a salve or tincture10
Hot and Cold ExposureYou may be familiar with the power of an ice pack or heating pad to relieve pain. While these devices were unavailable to our ancestors, they experienced pain relieving benefits of hot and cold exposure through cold water immersion and heat as experienced via fire or a healing sweat lodge, for example.11
Functionally, heat and ice work to influence the circulatory network near the site of an injury in opposite ways. Immediate icing of an acute injury reduces swelling and the experience of pain by restricting blood vessels, slowing down tissue metabolism to prevent further damage.12 Given this, warming a fresh injury can exacerbate pain and potentially delay healing.
Thermotherapy (warmer temperatures) can reduce the perception of chronic pain and encourage long-term recovery from an injury. Similarly, cryotherapy (colder temperatures) reduces the sensation of chronic pain quicker than modern anti-inflammatory medication alone.13 From this, we can intuit that experiencing a wider range of temperatures than we are accustomed to is great natural pain medicine.
Ecotherapy
Ecotherapy, the practice nature immersion for physiologic and psychologic healing, is a modern solution to the problem of nature disconnection. Ecotherapy is understood to reduce the perception of pain,14 15 perhaps by re-introducing one to familiar primal sensory inputs, like sun, earth, or even plant hormones.16 17
Human skin, which plays a large part in sensing our environment, is known to have a complex neuroendocrine system. It is possible that exposure to our ancestral environment mitigates perception of pain via communication within and across our largest organ.18 19 20
Earthing
‘Earthing’ or ‘grounding’ is the process of touching the ground with your bare skin. Grounding is well known for its application to electrical and plumbing systems that are required to be connected to the earth for safety reasons. The study of ‘grounding’ our bioelectrical bodies is in its infancy, but small scale trials suggest that touching the earth with your bare skin relieves pain in the body.21 22
Mineral-Rich Waters
The pain relieving and health promoting benefits of soaking in mineral-rich waters has a deep ancestral tradition. In addition to the primal inputs of sun, fresh air, and natural movement, soaking in mineral-rich waters can bring transdermal magnesium into your body, a nutrient involved in over 300 cellular processes, including pain management.23 24 25 26 27 28 Magnesium benefits are nearly countless.
Science, typically slow to confirm tradition, may not be asking the right questions with respect to the healing powers of natural waters. The ecosystem within our skin contains microbes that provide immune support to our bodies and can communicate with sensory neurons.29
They also have an intimate relationship with magnesium (and presumably other elements) that keeps pathogenic microbes in check.30 31 32 33
Could it be that our skin microbial communities expect natural inputs to remain in balance and to reduce our perception of pain?
Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is a free, self-regulated, natural chronic pain relief strategy. Is it also a time-tested approach in changing the experience of pain, with thousands of years of history. Zeidan and Vago (2016) describe ideas in an ancient Buddhist text Sallatha Sutta (The Arrow) where those who meditate fully experience the ‘first arrow’ or the sensation of pain and are able to release the ‘second arrow’ or the evaluation of pain.
The practice of sitting still and working to keep awareness in the present moment has been demonstrated in clinical practice to shift perception of chronic pain and improve pain symptoms in a broad range of disorders.34
Social Support
The experience of pain is recognized to have a social component.35 While our ancestors lived in community, raised by extended family and friends, people are much more likely to live alone today. Loneliness is correlative to the perception of pain.36
A recent systematic review found social support works to decrease and reappraise pain-related stress and assist one with pain coping mechanisms.37 As ‘pack animals’, it is no surprise that social support, whether perceived or received, is a powerful moderator of chronic pain.
The Bottom Line
The incidence of chronic pain is increased today relative to the time of our distant ancestors due to the rise of largely preventable ‘diseases of civilization’ characterized by chronic inflammation.38 It is reasonable to assume that a return to the natural inputs of our ancestors would reduce incidence of pathologic pain in our society today.39
In other words, the best natural painkiller is a lifestyle change. Try these time-tested methods to discover the best natural pain killer for you.
It is to actively assume your role in the ecosystem by eating nutrient dense foods grown and raised from the soil, by immersing yourself in nature to experience sun, fresh air, movement on microbe-rich natural terrain and in natural waters, a wide range of temperatures, by cultivating supportive relationships and meaningful traditions, and by reconnecting yourself to day and night cycles for quality sleep.
Connecting with nature – and the wisdom of your ancestors – is foundational to coping with pain and healing from its source.
About the Author:
Meredith is a geologist, forager, budding herbalist, writer, and health mentor informed – and healed – by the wisdom of nature. She writes ‘The Monthly‘, a newsletter of observations about life and health, delivered to inboxes every full moon since 2013.
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References
1. ↑ Native American Ethnobotany: A database of plants used as drugs, foods, dyes, fibers, and more, by native Peoples of North America.
2. ↑ Veeresham, C. 2012. Natural products derived from plants as a source of drugs. J Adv Pharm Technol Res, 3, 200-1.
3. ↑ Rajbhandari-Thapa J, Z. D., Padilla Hm, Chung Sr. 2019. Opioid-Related Hospitalization and Its Association With Chronic Diseases: Findings From the National Inpatient Sample, 2011–2015 [Online]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Preventing Chronic Disease. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2019/19_0169.htm [Accessed].
4. ↑ Fifi, A. C., Axelrod, C. H., Chakraborty, P. & Saps, M. 2018. Herbs and Spices in the Treatment of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Review of Clinical Trials. Nutrients, 10.
5. ↑ Ghasemian, M., Owlia, S. & Owlia, M. B. 2016. Review of Anti-Inflammatory Herbal Medicines. Adv Pharmacol Sci, 2016, 9130979.
6. ↑ Forouzanfar, F. & Hosseinzadeh, H. 2018. Medicinal herbs in the treatment of neuropathic pain: a review. Iran J Basic Med Sci, 21, 347-358.
7. ↑ Anh, N. H., Kim, S. J., Long, N. P., Min, J. E., Yoon, Y. C., Lee, E. G., Kim, M., Kim, T. J., Yang, Y. Y., Son, E. Y., Yoon, S. J., Diem, N. C., Kim, H. M. & Kwon, S. W. 2020. Ginger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients, 12.
8. ↑ Lukaczer, D., Darland, G., Tripp, M., Liska, D., Lerman, R. H., Schiltz, B. & Bland, J. S. 2005. A pilot trial evaluating Meta050, a proprietary combination of reduced iso-alpha acids, rosemary extract and oleanolic acid in patients with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Phytother Res, 19, 864-9.
9. ↑ Shara, M. & Stohs, S. J. 2015. Efficacy and Safety of White Willow Bark (Salix alba) Extracts. Phytother Res, 29, 1112-6.
10. ↑ Pumpa, K. L., Fallon, K. E., Bensoussan, A. & Papalia, S. 2014. The effects of topical Arnica on performance, pain and muscle damage after intense eccentric exercise. Eur J Sport Sci, 14, 294-300.
11. ↑ Greensky, C., Stapleton, M. A., Walsh, K., Gibbs, L., Abrahamson, J., Finnie, D. M., Hathaway, J. C., Vickers-Douglas, K. S., Cronin, J. B., Townsend, C. O. & Hooten, W. M. 2014. A Qualitative Study of Traditional Healing Practices among American Indians with Chronic Pain. Pain Medicine, 15, 1795-1802.
12. ↑ Block, J. E. 2010. Cold and compression in the management of musculoskeletal injuries and orthopedic operative procedures: a narrative review. Open Access J Sports Med, 1, 105-13.
13. ↑ Dehghan, M. & Farahbod, F. 2014. The efficacy of thermotherapy and cryotherapy on pain relief in patients with acute low back pain, a clinical trial study. J Clin Diagn Res, 8, LC01-4.
14. ↑ Summers, J. K. & Vivian, D. N. 2018. Ecotherapy – A Forgotten Ecosystem Service: A Review. Front Psychol, 9, 1389.
15. ↑ Wen, Y., Yan, Q., Pan, Y., Gu, X. & Liu, Y. 2019. Medical empirical research on forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku): a systematic review. Environ Health Prev Med, 24, 70.
16. ↑ Chanclud, E. & Lacombe, B. 2017. Plant Hormones: Key Players in Gut Microbiota and Human Diseases? Trends Plant Sci, 22, 754-758.
17. ↑ Han, J. W., Choi, H., Jeon, Y. H., Yoon, C. H., Woo, J. M. & Kim, W. 2016. The Effects of Forest Therapy on Coping with Chronic Widespread Pain: Physiological and Psychological Differences between Participants in a Forest Therapy Program and a Control Group. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 13.
18. ↑ Slominski, A. T., Zmijewski, M. A., Skobowiat, C., Zbytek, B., Slominski, R. M. & Steketee, J. D. 2012. Sensing the environment: regulation of local and global homeostasis by the skin’s neuroendocrine system. Adv Anat Embryol Cell Biol, 212, v, vii, 1-115.
19. ↑ Baggerly, C. A., Cuomo, R. E., French, C. B., Garland, C. F., Gorham, E. D., Grant, W. B., Heaney, R. P., Holick, M. F., Hollis, B. W., Mcdonnell, S. L., Pittaway, M., Seaton, P., Wagner, C. L. & Wunsch, A. 2015. Sunlight and Vitamin D: Necessary for Public Health. J Am Coll Nutr, 34, 359-65.
20. ↑ Helde-Frankling, M. & Bjorkhem-Bergman, L. 2017. Vitamin D in Pain Management. Int J Mol Sci, 18.
21. ↑ Oschman, J. L., Chevalier, G. & Brown, R. 2015. The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. J Inflamm Res, 8, 83-96.
22. ↑ Ghaly, M. & Teplitz, D. 2004. The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress. J Altern Complement Med, 10, 767-76.
23. ↑ Chandrasekaran, N. C., Weir, C., Alfraji, S., Grice, J., Roberts, M. S. & Barnard, R. T. 2014. Effects of magnesium deficiency–more than skin deep. Exp Biol Med (Maywood), 239, 1280-91.
24. ↑ Grober, U., Schmidt, J. & Kisters, K. 2015. Magnesium in Prevention and Therapy. Nutrients, 7, 8199-226.
25. ↑ Engen, D. J., Mcallister, S. J., Whipple, M. O., Cha, S. S., Dion, L. J., Vincent, A., Bauer, B. A. & Wahner-Roedler, D. L. 2015. Effects of transdermal magnesium chloride on quality of life for patients with fibromyalgia: a feasibility study. J Integr Med, 13, 306-13.
26. ↑ Kass, L., Rosanoff, A., Tanner, A., Sullivan, K., Mcauley, W. & Plesset, M. 2017. Effect of transdermal magnesium cream on serum and urinary magnesium levels in humans: A pilot study. PLoS One, 12, e0174817.
27. ↑ Carbajo, J. M. & Maraver, F. 2018. Salt water and skin interactions: new lines of evidence. Int J Biometeorol, 62, 1345-1360.
28. ↑ Shin, H. J., Na, H. S. & Do, S. H. 2020. Magnesium and Pain. Nutrients, 12.
29. ↑ Chiu, I. M., Heesters, B. A., Ghasemlou, N., Von Hehn, C. A., Zhao, F., Tran, J., Wainger, B., Strominger, A., Muralidharan, S., Horswill, A. R., Bubeck Wardenburg, J., Hwang, S. W., Carroll, M. C. & Woolf, C. J. 2013. Bacteria activate sensory neurons that modulate pain and inflammation. Nature, 501, 52-7.
30. ↑ Cerca, F., Andrade, F., Franca, A., Andrade, E. B., Ribeiro, A., Almeida, A. A., Cerca, N., Pier, G., Azeredo, J. & Vilanova, M. 2011. Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms with higher proportions of dormant bacteria induce a lower activation of murine macrophages. J Med Microbiol, 60, 1717-1724.
31. ↑ Wanke, I., Steffen, H., Christ, C., Krismer, B., Gotz, F., Peschel, A., Schaller, M. & Schittek, B. 2011. Skin commensals amplify the innate immune response to pathogens by activation of distinct signaling pathways. J Invest Dermatol, 131, 382-90.
32. ↑ Sanford, J. A. & Gallo, R. L. 2013. Functions of the skin microbiota in health and disease. Semin Immunol, 25, 370-7.
33. ↑ Subramani, S., Perdreau-Dahl, H. & Morth, J. P. 2016. The magnesium transporter A is activated by cardiolipin and is highly sensitive to free magnesium in vitro. eLife, 5, e11407.
34. ↑ Zeidan, F. & Vago, D. R. 2016. Mindfulness meditation-based pain relief: a mechanistic account. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1373, 114-27.
35. ↑ Williams, A. C. & Craig, K. D. 2016. Updating the definition of pain. Pain, 157, 2420-2423.
36. ↑ Wolf, L. D. & Davis, M. C. 2014. Loneliness, daily pain, and perceptions of interpersonal events in adults with fibromyalgia. Health Psychol, 33, 929-37.
37. ↑ Che, X., Cash, R., Ng, S. K., Fitzgerald, P. & Fitzgibbon, B. M. 2018. A Systematic Review of the Processes Underlying the Main and the Buffering Effect of Social Support on the Experience of Pain. Clin J Pain, 34, 1061-1076.
38. ↑ Kopp, W. 2019. How Western Diet And Lifestyle Drive The Pandemic Of Obesity And Civilization Diseases. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes, 12, 2221-2236.
39. ↑ Kopp, W. 2019. How Western Diet And Lifestyle Drive The Pandemic Of Obesity And Civilization Diseases. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes, 12, 2221-2236.
Pain is how a body communicates with the brain about a stressor it perceives. This subjective, emotional, and unpleasant sensation is not new to the human condition. Our ancestors experienced pain long before modern pain medication was available to them. Their ‘pharmacy’ was nature.What sort of natural pain relievers did they use?
Herbs for Pain
Our ancestors had intimate knowledge of plant medicine and within that, the use of herbs for pain. Herbs have been used for thousands of years to treat ailments;1 proving nature to be both safe and effective as natural pain medication. Today, pharmaceutical companies create synthetic medicinal compounds based on traditional plant remedies. Consequently, these new chemicals have to be proven safe and effective,2 and as in the use of opioid medications, have yet to be proven so.3
A very short list of herbs that our ancestors used as natural pain killers include:4 5 6
Ginger (Zingiber officinale): anti-inflammatory and diffusive, warming and drying, commonly used in cooking or freshly juiced for arthritis, migraines, and menstrual cramps7
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): anti-oxidant, circulatory stimulant and nervine, warming and drying, commonly used in cooking, as a topical oil, tincture or tea8
Willow (Salix spp.): plant from which salicylic acid (aspirin) is derived, it is inflammation modulating, fever reducing, cooling and drying; the bark, leaves, and catkins are used commonly in decoctions, tinctures, and teas9
Cottonwood (Populus spp.): anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, cottonwood is cooling and drying, commonly made into a salve or tincture
Arnica (Arnica spp.): anti-inflammatory and stimulating, arnica is warming, cooling, and drying, commonly used as a salve or tincture10
Hot and Cold ExposureYou may be familiar with the power of an ice pack or heating pad to relieve pain. While these devices were unavailable to our ancestors, they experienced pain relieving benefits of hot and cold exposure through cold water immersion and heat as experienced via fire or a healing sweat lodge, for example.11
Functionally, heat and ice work to influence the circulatory network near the site of an injury in opposite ways. Immediate icing of an acute injury reduces swelling and the experience of pain by restricting blood vessels, slowing down tissue metabolism to prevent further damage.12 Given this, warming a fresh injury can exacerbate pain and potentially delay healing.
Thermotherapy (warmer temperatures) can reduce the perception of chronic pain and encourage long-term recovery from an injury. Similarly, cryotherapy (colder temperatures) reduces the sensation of chronic pain quicker than modern anti-inflammatory medication alone.13 From this, we can intuit that experiencing a wider range of temperatures than we are accustomed to is great natural pain medicine.
Ecotherapy
Ecotherapy, the practice nature immersion for physiologic and psychologic healing, is a modern solution to the problem of nature disconnection. Ecotherapy is understood to reduce the perception of pain,14 15 perhaps by re-introducing one to familiar primal sensory inputs, like sun, earth, or even plant hormones.16 17
Human skin, which plays a large part in sensing our environment, is known to have a complex neuroendocrine system. It is possible that exposure to our ancestral environment mitigates perception of pain via communication within and across our largest organ.18 19 20
Earthing
‘Earthing’ or ‘grounding’ is the process of touching the ground with your bare skin. Grounding is well known for its application to electrical and plumbing systems that are required to be connected to the earth for safety reasons. The study of ‘grounding’ our bioelectrical bodies is in its infancy, but small scale trials suggest that touching the earth with your bare skin relieves pain in the body.21 22
Mineral-Rich Waters
The pain relieving and health promoting benefits of soaking in mineral-rich waters has a deep ancestral tradition. In addition to the primal inputs of sun, fresh air, and natural movement, soaking in mineral-rich waters can bring transdermal magnesium into your body, a nutrient involved in over 300 cellular processes, including pain management.23 24 25 26 27 28 Magnesium benefits are nearly countless.
Science, typically slow to confirm tradition, may not be asking the right questions with respect to the healing powers of natural waters. The ecosystem within our skin contains microbes that provide immune support to our bodies and can communicate with sensory neurons.29
They also have an intimate relationship with magnesium (and presumably other elements) that keeps pathogenic microbes in check.30 31 32 33
Could it be that our skin microbial communities expect natural inputs to remain in balance and to reduce our perception of pain?
Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is a free, self-regulated, natural chronic pain relief strategy. Is it also a time-tested approach in changing the experience of pain, with thousands of years of history. Zeidan and Vago (2016) describe ideas in an ancient Buddhist text Sallatha Sutta (The Arrow) where those who meditate fully experience the ‘first arrow’ or the sensation of pain and are able to release the ‘second arrow’ or the evaluation of pain.
The practice of sitting still and working to keep awareness in the present moment has been demonstrated in clinical practice to shift perception of chronic pain and improve pain symptoms in a broad range of disorders.34
Social Support
The experience of pain is recognized to have a social component.35 While our ancestors lived in community, raised by extended family and friends, people are much more likely to live alone today. Loneliness is correlative to the perception of pain.36
A recent systematic review found social support works to decrease and reappraise pain-related stress and assist one with pain coping mechanisms.37 As ‘pack animals’, it is no surprise that social support, whether perceived or received, is a powerful moderator of chronic pain.
The Bottom Line
The incidence of chronic pain is increased today relative to the time of our distant ancestors due to the rise of largely preventable ‘diseases of civilization’ characterized by chronic inflammation.38 It is reasonable to assume that a return to the natural inputs of our ancestors would reduce incidence of pathologic pain in our society today.39
In other words, the best natural painkiller is a lifestyle change. Try these time-tested methods to discover the best natural pain killer for you.
It is to actively assume your role in the ecosystem by eating nutrient dense foods grown and raised from the soil, by immersing yourself in nature to experience sun, fresh air, movement on microbe-rich natural terrain and in natural waters, a wide range of temperatures, by cultivating supportive relationships and meaningful traditions, and by reconnecting yourself to day and night cycles for quality sleep.
Connecting with nature – and the wisdom of your ancestors – is foundational to coping with pain and healing from its source.
About the Author:
Meredith is a geologist, forager, budding herbalist, writer, and health mentor informed – and healed – by the wisdom of nature. She writes ‘The Monthly‘, a newsletter of observations about life and health, delivered to inboxes every full moon since 2013.
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References
1. ↑ Native American Ethnobotany: A database of plants used as drugs, foods, dyes, fibers, and more, by native Peoples of North America.
2. ↑ Veeresham, C. 2012. Natural products derived from plants as a source of drugs. J Adv Pharm Technol Res, 3, 200-1.
3. ↑ Rajbhandari-Thapa J, Z. D., Padilla Hm, Chung Sr. 2019. Opioid-Related Hospitalization and Its Association With Chronic Diseases: Findings From the National Inpatient Sample, 2011–2015 [Online]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Preventing Chronic Disease. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2019/19_0169.htm [Accessed].
4. ↑ Fifi, A. C., Axelrod, C. H., Chakraborty, P. & Saps, M. 2018. Herbs and Spices in the Treatment of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Review of Clinical Trials. Nutrients, 10.
5. ↑ Ghasemian, M., Owlia, S. & Owlia, M. B. 2016. Review of Anti-Inflammatory Herbal Medicines. Adv Pharmacol Sci, 2016, 9130979.
6. ↑ Forouzanfar, F. & Hosseinzadeh, H. 2018. Medicinal herbs in the treatment of neuropathic pain: a review. Iran J Basic Med Sci, 21, 347-358.
7. ↑ Anh, N. H., Kim, S. J., Long, N. P., Min, J. E., Yoon, Y. C., Lee, E. G., Kim, M., Kim, T. J., Yang, Y. Y., Son, E. Y., Yoon, S. J., Diem, N. C., Kim, H. M. & Kwon, S. W. 2020. Ginger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients, 12.
8. ↑ Lukaczer, D., Darland, G., Tripp, M., Liska, D., Lerman, R. H., Schiltz, B. & Bland, J. S. 2005. A pilot trial evaluating Meta050, a proprietary combination of reduced iso-alpha acids, rosemary extract and oleanolic acid in patients with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Phytother Res, 19, 864-9.
9. ↑ Shara, M. & Stohs, S. J. 2015. Efficacy and Safety of White Willow Bark (Salix alba) Extracts. Phytother Res, 29, 1112-6.
10. ↑ Pumpa, K. L., Fallon, K. E., Bensoussan, A. & Papalia, S. 2014. The effects of topical Arnica on performance, pain and muscle damage after intense eccentric exercise. Eur J Sport Sci, 14, 294-300.
11. ↑ Greensky, C., Stapleton, M. A., Walsh, K., Gibbs, L., Abrahamson, J., Finnie, D. M., Hathaway, J. C., Vickers-Douglas, K. S., Cronin, J. B., Townsend, C. O. & Hooten, W. M. 2014. A Qualitative Study of Traditional Healing Practices among American Indians with Chronic Pain. Pain Medicine, 15, 1795-1802.
12. ↑ Block, J. E. 2010. Cold and compression in the management of musculoskeletal injuries and orthopedic operative procedures: a narrative review. Open Access J Sports Med, 1, 105-13.
13. ↑ Dehghan, M. & Farahbod, F. 2014. The efficacy of thermotherapy and cryotherapy on pain relief in patients with acute low back pain, a clinical trial study. J Clin Diagn Res, 8, LC01-4.
14. ↑ Summers, J. K. & Vivian, D. N. 2018. Ecotherapy – A Forgotten Ecosystem Service: A Review. Front Psychol, 9, 1389.
15. ↑ Wen, Y., Yan, Q., Pan, Y., Gu, X. & Liu, Y. 2019. Medical empirical research on forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku): a systematic review. Environ Health Prev Med, 24, 70.
16. ↑ Chanclud, E. & Lacombe, B. 2017. Plant Hormones: Key Players in Gut Microbiota and Human Diseases? Trends Plant Sci, 22, 754-758.
17. ↑ Han, J. W., Choi, H., Jeon, Y. H., Yoon, C. H., Woo, J. M. & Kim, W. 2016. The Effects of Forest Therapy on Coping with Chronic Widespread Pain: Physiological and Psychological Differences between Participants in a Forest Therapy Program and a Control Group. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 13.
18. ↑ Slominski, A. T., Zmijewski, M. A., Skobowiat, C., Zbytek, B., Slominski, R. M. & Steketee, J. D. 2012. Sensing the environment: regulation of local and global homeostasis by the skin’s neuroendocrine system. Adv Anat Embryol Cell Biol, 212, v, vii, 1-115.
19. ↑ Baggerly, C. A., Cuomo, R. E., French, C. B., Garland, C. F., Gorham, E. D., Grant, W. B., Heaney, R. P., Holick, M. F., Hollis, B. W., Mcdonnell, S. L., Pittaway, M., Seaton, P., Wagner, C. L. & Wunsch, A. 2015. Sunlight and Vitamin D: Necessary for Public Health. J Am Coll Nutr, 34, 359-65.
20. ↑ Helde-Frankling, M. & Bjorkhem-Bergman, L. 2017. Vitamin D in Pain Management. Int J Mol Sci, 18.
21. ↑ Oschman, J. L., Chevalier, G. & Brown, R. 2015. The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. J Inflamm Res, 8, 83-96.
22. ↑ Ghaly, M. & Teplitz, D. 2004. The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress. J Altern Complement Med, 10, 767-76.
23. ↑ Chandrasekaran, N. C., Weir, C., Alfraji, S., Grice, J., Roberts, M. S. & Barnard, R. T. 2014. Effects of magnesium deficiency–more than skin deep. Exp Biol Med (Maywood), 239, 1280-91.
24. ↑ Grober, U., Schmidt, J. & Kisters, K. 2015. Magnesium in Prevention and Therapy. Nutrients, 7, 8199-226.
25. ↑ Engen, D. J., Mcallister, S. J., Whipple, M. O., Cha, S. S., Dion, L. J., Vincent, A., Bauer, B. A. & Wahner-Roedler, D. L. 2015. Effects of transdermal magnesium chloride on quality of life for patients with fibromyalgia: a feasibility study. J Integr Med, 13, 306-13.
26. ↑ Kass, L., Rosanoff, A., Tanner, A., Sullivan, K., Mcauley, W. & Plesset, M. 2017. Effect of transdermal magnesium cream on serum and urinary magnesium levels in humans: A pilot study. PLoS One, 12, e0174817.
27. ↑ Carbajo, J. M. & Maraver, F. 2018. Salt water and skin interactions: new lines of evidence. Int J Biometeorol, 62, 1345-1360.
28. ↑ Shin, H. J., Na, H. S. & Do, S. H. 2020. Magnesium and Pain. Nutrients, 12.
29. ↑ Chiu, I. M., Heesters, B. A., Ghasemlou, N., Von Hehn, C. A., Zhao, F., Tran, J., Wainger, B., Strominger, A., Muralidharan, S., Horswill, A. R., Bubeck Wardenburg, J., Hwang, S. W., Carroll, M. C. & Woolf, C. J. 2013. Bacteria activate sensory neurons that modulate pain and inflammation. Nature, 501, 52-7.
30. ↑ Cerca, F., Andrade, F., Franca, A., Andrade, E. B., Ribeiro, A., Almeida, A. A., Cerca, N., Pier, G., Azeredo, J. & Vilanova, M. 2011. Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms with higher proportions of dormant bacteria induce a lower activation of murine macrophages. J Med Microbiol, 60, 1717-1724.
31. ↑ Wanke, I., Steffen, H., Christ, C., Krismer, B., Gotz, F., Peschel, A., Schaller, M. & Schittek, B. 2011. Skin commensals amplify the innate immune response to pathogens by activation of distinct signaling pathways. J Invest Dermatol, 131, 382-90.
32. ↑ Sanford, J. A. & Gallo, R. L. 2013. Functions of the skin microbiota in health and disease. Semin Immunol, 25, 370-7.
33. ↑ Subramani, S., Perdreau-Dahl, H. & Morth, J. P. 2016. The magnesium transporter A is activated by cardiolipin and is highly sensitive to free magnesium in vitro. eLife, 5, e11407.
34. ↑ Zeidan, F. & Vago, D. R. 2016. Mindfulness meditation-based pain relief: a mechanistic account. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1373, 114-27.
35. ↑ Williams, A. C. & Craig, K. D. 2016. Updating the definition of pain. Pain, 157, 2420-2423.
36. ↑ Wolf, L. D. & Davis, M. C. 2014. Loneliness, daily pain, and perceptions of interpersonal events in adults with fibromyalgia. Health Psychol, 33, 929-37.
37. ↑ Che, X., Cash, R., Ng, S. K., Fitzgerald, P. & Fitzgibbon, B. M. 2018. A Systematic Review of the Processes Underlying the Main and the Buffering Effect of Social Support on the Experience of Pain. Clin J Pain, 34, 1061-1076.
38. ↑ Kopp, W. 2019. How Western Diet And Lifestyle Drive The Pandemic Of Obesity And Civilization Diseases. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes, 12, 2221-2236.
39. ↑ Kopp, W. 2019. How Western Diet And Lifestyle Drive The Pandemic Of Obesity And Civilization Diseases. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes, 12, 2221-2236.
Pain is how a body communicates with the brain about a stressor it perceives. This subjective, emotional, and unpleasant sensation is not new to the human condition. Our ancestors experienced pain long before modern pain medication was available to them. Their ‘pharmacy’ was nature.What sort of natural pain relievers did they use?
Herbs for Pain
Our ancestors had intimate knowledge of plant medicine and within that, the use of herbs for pain. Herbs have been used for thousands of years to treat ailments;1 proving nature to be both safe and effective as natural pain medication. Today, pharmaceutical companies create synthetic medicinal compounds based on traditional plant remedies. Consequently, these new chemicals have to be proven safe and effective,2 and as in the use of opioid medications, have yet to be proven so.3
A very short list of herbs that our ancestors used as natural pain killers include:4 5 6
Ginger (Zingiber officinale): anti-inflammatory and diffusive, warming and drying, commonly used in cooking or freshly juiced for arthritis, migraines, and menstrual cramps7
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): anti-oxidant, circulatory stimulant and nervine, warming and drying, commonly used in cooking, as a topical oil, tincture or tea8
Willow (Salix spp.): plant from which salicylic acid (aspirin) is derived, it is inflammation modulating, fever reducing, cooling and drying; the bark, leaves, and catkins are used commonly in decoctions, tinctures, and teas9
Cottonwood (Populus spp.): anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, cottonwood is cooling and drying, commonly made into a salve or tincture
Arnica (Arnica spp.): anti-inflammatory and stimulating, arnica is warming, cooling, and drying, commonly used as a salve or tincture10
Hot and Cold ExposureYou may be familiar with the power of an ice pack or heating pad to relieve pain. While these devices were unavailable to our ancestors, they experienced pain relieving benefits of hot and cold exposure through cold water immersion and heat as experienced via fire or a healing sweat lodge, for example.11
Functionally, heat and ice work to influence the circulatory network near the site of an injury in opposite ways. Immediate icing of an acute injury reduces swelling and the experience of pain by restricting blood vessels, slowing down tissue metabolism to prevent further damage.12 Given this, warming a fresh injury can exacerbate pain and potentially delay healing.
Thermotherapy (warmer temperatures) can reduce the perception of chronic pain and encourage long-term recovery from an injury. Similarly, cryotherapy (colder temperatures) reduces the sensation of chronic pain quicker than modern anti-inflammatory medication alone.13 From this, we can intuit that experiencing a wider range of temperatures than we are accustomed to is great natural pain medicine.
Ecotherapy
Ecotherapy, the practice nature immersion for physiologic and psychologic healing, is a modern solution to the problem of nature disconnection. Ecotherapy is understood to reduce the perception of pain,14 15 perhaps by re-introducing one to familiar primal sensory inputs, like sun, earth, or even plant hormones.16 17
Human skin, which plays a large part in sensing our environment, is known to have a complex neuroendocrine system. It is possible that exposure to our ancestral environment mitigates perception of pain via communication within and across our largest organ.18 19 20
Earthing
‘Earthing’ or ‘grounding’ is the process of touching the ground with your bare skin. Grounding is well known for its application to electrical and plumbing systems that are required to be connected to the earth for safety reasons. The study of ‘grounding’ our bioelectrical bodies is in its infancy, but small scale trials suggest that touching the earth with your bare skin relieves pain in the body.21 22
Mineral-Rich Waters
The pain relieving and health promoting benefits of soaking in mineral-rich waters has a deep ancestral tradition. In addition to the primal inputs of sun, fresh air, and natural movement, soaking in mineral-rich waters can bring transdermal magnesium into your body, a nutrient involved in over 300 cellular processes, including pain management.23 24 25 26 27 28 Magnesium benefits are nearly countless.
Science, typically slow to confirm tradition, may not be asking the right questions with respect to the healing powers of natural waters. The ecosystem within our skin contains microbes that provide immune support to our bodies and can communicate with sensory neurons.29
They also have an intimate relationship with magnesium (and presumably other elements) that keeps pathogenic microbes in check.30 31 32 33
Could it be that our skin microbial communities expect natural inputs to remain in balance and to reduce our perception of pain?
Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is a free, self-regulated, natural chronic pain relief strategy. Is it also a time-tested approach in changing the experience of pain, with thousands of years of history. Zeidan and Vago (2016) describe ideas in an ancient Buddhist text Sallatha Sutta (The Arrow) where those who meditate fully experience the ‘first arrow’ or the sensation of pain and are able to release the ‘second arrow’ or the evaluation of pain.
The practice of sitting still and working to keep awareness in the present moment has been demonstrated in clinical practice to shift perception of chronic pain and improve pain symptoms in a broad range of disorders.34
Social Support
The experience of pain is recognized to have a social component.35 While our ancestors lived in community, raised by extended family and friends, people are much more likely to live alone today. Loneliness is correlative to the perception of pain.36
A recent systematic review found social support works to decrease and reappraise pain-related stress and assist one with pain coping mechanisms.37 As ‘pack animals’, it is no surprise that social support, whether perceived or received, is a powerful moderator of chronic pain.
The Bottom Line
The incidence of chronic pain is increased today relative to the time of our distant ancestors due to the rise of largely preventable ‘diseases of civilization’ characterized by chronic inflammation.38 It is reasonable to assume that a return to the natural inputs of our ancestors would reduce incidence of pathologic pain in our society today.39
In other words, the best natural painkiller is a lifestyle change. Try these time-tested methods to discover the best natural pain killer for you.
It is to actively assume your role in the ecosystem by eating nutrient dense foods grown and raised from the soil, by immersing yourself in nature to experience sun, fresh air, movement on microbe-rich natural terrain and in natural waters, a wide range of temperatures, by cultivating supportive relationships and meaningful traditions, and by reconnecting yourself to day and night cycles for quality sleep.
Connecting with nature – and the wisdom of your ancestors – is foundational to coping with pain and healing from its source.
About the Author:
Meredith is a geologist, forager, budding herbalist, writer, and health mentor informed – and healed – by the wisdom of nature. She writes ‘The Monthly‘, a newsletter of observations about life and health, delivered to inboxes every full moon since 2013.
Read Next
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References
1. ↑ Native American Ethnobotany: A database of plants used as drugs, foods, dyes, fibers, and more, by native Peoples of North America.
2. ↑ Veeresham, C. 2012. Natural products derived from plants as a source of drugs. J Adv Pharm Technol Res, 3, 200-1.
3. ↑ Rajbhandari-Thapa J, Z. D., Padilla Hm, Chung Sr. 2019. Opioid-Related Hospitalization and Its Association With Chronic Diseases: Findings From the National Inpatient Sample, 2011–2015 [Online]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Preventing Chronic Disease. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2019/19_0169.htm [Accessed].
4. ↑ Fifi, A. C., Axelrod, C. H., Chakraborty, P. & Saps, M. 2018. Herbs and Spices in the Treatment of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Review of Clinical Trials. Nutrients, 10.
5. ↑ Ghasemian, M., Owlia, S. & Owlia, M. B. 2016. Review of Anti-Inflammatory Herbal Medicines. Adv Pharmacol Sci, 2016, 9130979.
6. ↑ Forouzanfar, F. & Hosseinzadeh, H. 2018. Medicinal herbs in the treatment of neuropathic pain: a review. Iran J Basic Med Sci, 21, 347-358.
7. ↑ Anh, N. H., Kim, S. J., Long, N. P., Min, J. E., Yoon, Y. C., Lee, E. G., Kim, M., Kim, T. J., Yang, Y. Y., Son, E. Y., Yoon, S. J., Diem, N. C., Kim, H. M. & Kwon, S. W. 2020. Ginger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients, 12.
8. ↑ Lukaczer, D., Darland, G., Tripp, M., Liska, D., Lerman, R. H., Schiltz, B. & Bland, J. S. 2005. A pilot trial evaluating Meta050, a proprietary combination of reduced iso-alpha acids, rosemary extract and oleanolic acid in patients with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Phytother Res, 19, 864-9.
9. ↑ Shara, M. & Stohs, S. J. 2015. Efficacy and Safety of White Willow Bark (Salix alba) Extracts. Phytother Res, 29, 1112-6.
10. ↑ Pumpa, K. L., Fallon, K. E., Bensoussan, A. & Papalia, S. 2014. The effects of topical Arnica on performance, pain and muscle damage after intense eccentric exercise. Eur J Sport Sci, 14, 294-300.
11. ↑ Greensky, C., Stapleton, M. A., Walsh, K., Gibbs, L., Abrahamson, J., Finnie, D. M., Hathaway, J. C., Vickers-Douglas, K. S., Cronin, J. B., Townsend, C. O. & Hooten, W. M. 2014. A Qualitative Study of Traditional Healing Practices among American Indians with Chronic Pain. Pain Medicine, 15, 1795-1802.
12. ↑ Block, J. E. 2010. Cold and compression in the management of musculoskeletal injuries and orthopedic operative procedures: a narrative review. Open Access J Sports Med, 1, 105-13.
13. ↑ Dehghan, M. & Farahbod, F. 2014. The efficacy of thermotherapy and cryotherapy on pain relief in patients with acute low back pain, a clinical trial study. J Clin Diagn Res, 8, LC01-4.
14. ↑ Summers, J. K. & Vivian, D. N. 2018. Ecotherapy – A Forgotten Ecosystem Service: A Review. Front Psychol, 9, 1389.
15. ↑ Wen, Y., Yan, Q., Pan, Y., Gu, X. & Liu, Y. 2019. Medical empirical research on forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku): a systematic review. Environ Health Prev Med, 24, 70.
16. ↑ Chanclud, E. & Lacombe, B. 2017. Plant Hormones: Key Players in Gut Microbiota and Human Diseases? Trends Plant Sci, 22, 754-758.
17. ↑ Han, J. W., Choi, H., Jeon, Y. H., Yoon, C. H., Woo, J. M. & Kim, W. 2016. The Effects of Forest Therapy on Coping with Chronic Widespread Pain: Physiological and Psychological Differences between Participants in a Forest Therapy Program and a Control Group. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 13.
18. ↑ Slominski, A. T., Zmijewski, M. A., Skobowiat, C., Zbytek, B., Slominski, R. M. & Steketee, J. D. 2012. Sensing the environment: regulation of local and global homeostasis by the skin’s neuroendocrine system. Adv Anat Embryol Cell Biol, 212, v, vii, 1-115.
19. ↑ Baggerly, C. A., Cuomo, R. E., French, C. B., Garland, C. F., Gorham, E. D., Grant, W. B., Heaney, R. P., Holick, M. F., Hollis, B. W., Mcdonnell, S. L., Pittaway, M., Seaton, P., Wagner, C. L. & Wunsch, A. 2015. Sunlight and Vitamin D: Necessary for Public Health. J Am Coll Nutr, 34, 359-65.
20. ↑ Helde-Frankling, M. & Bjorkhem-Bergman, L. 2017. Vitamin D in Pain Management. Int J Mol Sci, 18.
21. ↑ Oschman, J. L., Chevalier, G. & Brown, R. 2015. The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. J Inflamm Res, 8, 83-96.
22. ↑ Ghaly, M. & Teplitz, D. 2004. The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress. J Altern Complement Med, 10, 767-76.
23. ↑ Chandrasekaran, N. C., Weir, C., Alfraji, S., Grice, J., Roberts, M. S. & Barnard, R. T. 2014. Effects of magnesium deficiency–more than skin deep. Exp Biol Med (Maywood), 239, 1280-91.
24. ↑ Grober, U., Schmidt, J. & Kisters, K. 2015. Magnesium in Prevention and Therapy. Nutrients, 7, 8199-226.
25. ↑ Engen, D. J., Mcallister, S. J., Whipple, M. O., Cha, S. S., Dion, L. J., Vincent, A., Bauer, B. A. & Wahner-Roedler, D. L. 2015. Effects of transdermal magnesium chloride on quality of life for patients with fibromyalgia: a feasibility study. J Integr Med, 13, 306-13.
26. ↑ Kass, L., Rosanoff, A., Tanner, A., Sullivan, K., Mcauley, W. & Plesset, M. 2017. Effect of transdermal magnesium cream on serum and urinary magnesium levels in humans: A pilot study. PLoS One, 12, e0174817.
27. ↑ Carbajo, J. M. & Maraver, F. 2018. Salt water and skin interactions: new lines of evidence. Int J Biometeorol, 62, 1345-1360.
28. ↑ Shin, H. J., Na, H. S. & Do, S. H. 2020. Magnesium and Pain. Nutrients, 12.
29. ↑ Chiu, I. M., Heesters, B. A., Ghasemlou, N., Von Hehn, C. A., Zhao, F., Tran, J., Wainger, B., Strominger, A., Muralidharan, S., Horswill, A. R., Bubeck Wardenburg, J., Hwang, S. W., Carroll, M. C. & Woolf, C. J. 2013. Bacteria activate sensory neurons that modulate pain and inflammation. Nature, 501, 52-7.
30. ↑ Cerca, F., Andrade, F., Franca, A., Andrade, E. B., Ribeiro, A., Almeida, A. A., Cerca, N., Pier, G., Azeredo, J. & Vilanova, M. 2011. Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms with higher proportions of dormant bacteria induce a lower activation of murine macrophages. J Med Microbiol, 60, 1717-1724.
31. ↑ Wanke, I., Steffen, H., Christ, C., Krismer, B., Gotz, F., Peschel, A., Schaller, M. & Schittek, B. 2011. Skin commensals amplify the innate immune response to pathogens by activation of distinct signaling pathways. J Invest Dermatol, 131, 382-90.
32. ↑ Sanford, J. A. & Gallo, R. L. 2013. Functions of the skin microbiota in health and disease. Semin Immunol, 25, 370-7.
33. ↑ Subramani, S., Perdreau-Dahl, H. & Morth, J. P. 2016. The magnesium transporter A is activated by cardiolipin and is highly sensitive to free magnesium in vitro. eLife, 5, e11407.
34. ↑ Zeidan, F. & Vago, D. R. 2016. Mindfulness meditation-based pain relief: a mechanistic account. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1373, 114-27.
35. ↑ Williams, A. C. & Craig, K. D. 2016. Updating the definition of pain. Pain, 157, 2420-2423.
36. ↑ Wolf, L. D. & Davis, M. C. 2014. Loneliness, daily pain, and perceptions of interpersonal events in adults with fibromyalgia. Health Psychol, 33, 929-37.
37. ↑ Che, X., Cash, R., Ng, S. K., Fitzgerald, P. & Fitzgibbon, B. M. 2018. A Systematic Review of the Processes Underlying the Main and the Buffering Effect of Social Support on the Experience of Pain. Clin J Pain, 34, 1061-1076.
38. ↑ Kopp, W. 2019. How Western Diet And Lifestyle Drive The Pandemic Of Obesity And Civilization Diseases. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes, 12, 2221-2236.
39. ↑ Kopp, W. 2019. How Western Diet And Lifestyle Drive The Pandemic Of Obesity And Civilization Diseases. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes, 12, 2221-2236.Quality sleep is vital to optimal health. While at sleep, the brain takes control of the body to choreograph a nightly hormonal ritual, directing nutrients, clean up of waste, healing, growth, and a host of autonomic processes. Sleep issues can prove dangerous; those who are unable to surrender to a natural circadian rhythm are left increasingly vulnerable to disease.1
Thankfully, there are plenty of natural sleep supplements that come into focus when viewed through an evolutionary lens. If you’ve spent a day at the beach, odds are you slept well that night. The combination of sun and warmth, breathing fresh air, grounding, and life-giving, natural, nutrient-rich waters bathed your body with the primal information required for solid sleep. Proving the best supplements for sleep can be found in nature and within. So what are a few natural supplements that help you sleep?
Daily Sun
A good night’s sleep begins in the morning. Sleep is part of our natural circadian rhythm, a 24-hour day-night cycle that influences every cell in the body and every living cell on this planet.
Researchers understand the experience of morning sunlight synchronizes our bodies to the circadian rhythm, supporting appropriate cortisol-melatonin cycles creating wakefulness during the day and sleepiness at night.2 3 4 Sunlight also aids in vitamin D sufficiency, which may also aid in sleep.5
A daily morning walk to meet the sun is an all-natural sleep aid.
Darkness at Night
On the other end of the spectrum, when the sun goes down, lights turn on. While our ability to extend ‘daylight’ hours after dark is a boon to productivity and entertainment, it is a drain on our ability to sleep.6 7
There are several ways to use darkness as one of these natural sleeping aids:
Minimize screens in the evening, turning off screens an hour or two before bedtime is a great way to reconnect with nighttime.
Mitigate screens in the evening by wearing blue-blocking glasses and using screen filters to help your brain understand that it is no longer experiencing daylight.8
Remove or block any light sources in your bedroom. This includes digital clocks, lights on humidifiers, power cords, light pollution outside your window, everything. Even when your eyes are closed, your body senses light.9
Cool Room, Warm BathOutside, nighttime temperatures are cooler than daytime temps. Logically, a cooler indoor sleep environment helps your body sync up with its natural expectations. This reasoning is supported by research of sleep patterns in modern pre-industrial societies where sleep onset is most strongly correlated with a decrease in environmental temperature.10
In addition to cooler ambient temperatures, mammals experience a circadian shift in core body temperature from warmer in the daylight to cooler at night. A warm bath in advance of bedtime promotes vasodilation and warming of the extremities. This ‘warm bath effect’ enhances natural body heat dissipation experienced during sleep, improving sleep latency and depth.11 12
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential nutrient used in at least 80% of metabolic processes, including sleep, and could arguably be the best natural sleep supplement.13 14 Sleep duration is positively correlated with serum magnesium levels in infants (5) and Mg supplements for insomnia improved sleep quality in an elderly population.15 A quality magnesium chloride supplement is a beneficial way to help relax the body and induce a restful sleep.
It was recently discovered that Mg oscillates across cell membranes in a circadian rhythm that directly influences cellular metabolism and energy consumption. Despite its vital importance, the study of Mg transport in the body is really in its infancy.16 Magnesium oil is a good option to get magnesium to your cells while bypassing the GI tract.
Where research is lacking, an evolutionary framework shines. Magnesium is abundant in our ecosystem; it’s one of the 8 most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust.17 It’s easily weathered at the surface of the Earth and consequently found in natural soils, surface water, and seawater where it is one of 6 main ions that compose 99% of sea salts.18 From an evolutionary perspective, Mg sufficiency would have been achieved by eating food directly from the ecosystem and by immersion in natural waters.
Balneotherapy, or the practice of soaking in mineral-rich water (called ‘pelotherapy’ with the addition of mud) is shown to improve sleep quality (and reduce pain) in clinical trials.19 20 21 22 This practice is rooted in nature and can be recreated in a warm bath (see above) in your own home for a great supplement to help you sleep.
Breathing
A large retrospective study of people with insomnia concluded that all who were treated with pharmaceuticals (n=899) failed to improve. Over 90% were found to have some level of obstructive breathing or sleep apnea.23
Some researchers link the prevalence of obstructive breathing in western cultures to the epigenetic influence of poor diets. Generations of inadequate maternal nutrition (and subsequently the child) and the softening of foods lead to the narrowing of facial features.24 25 This leaves less room for the nasal cavity to develop. Smaller nasal cavities set up a negative feedback loop where it becomes harder to breathe through the nose when you don’t use it as the nasal cavity becomes increasingly prone to recurrent infection.26 27
There are centuries of observations and practices around nasal breathing that are still applicable today. Training yourself to breathe through your nose at night can improve symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea and overall sleep quality.28
Grounding
Grounding, or ‘Earthing’, is the practice of directly contacting the ground outside or being in connection to it. It is fundamentally the same as grounding electrical panels, plumbing systems, or people who work on electronics.
Indoor living (and outdoor footwear) insulates a person from the ground; a phenomenon that is entirely incongruent with human evolutionary history. To better understand the consequence of this disconnect on sleep, researchers grounded 12 people with sleep disorders every night for 8 weeks, measuring their diurnal cortisol trends at baseline and week 6. They conclude that grounding at night resynchronizes cortisol hormones with the circadian rhythm, improving sleep quality and reducing pain and stress.29
Touching the Earth is a natural sleeping aid.
The best natural sleep supplements are lifestyle shifts that reconnect you to nature and entrain your body with the circadian rhythms it longs for.
About the Author:
Meredith is a geologist, forager, budding herbalist, writer, and health mentor informed – and healed – by the wisdom of nature. She writes ‘The Monthly‘, a newsletter of observations about life and health, delivered to inboxes every full moon since 2013.
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References
1. ↑ Potter, G. D., Skene, D. J., Arendt, J., Cade, J. E., Grant, P. J. & Hardie, L. J. 2016. Circadian Rhythm and Sleep Disruption: Causes, Metabolic Consequences, and Countermeasures. Endocr Rev, 37, 584-608.
2. ↑ Yetish, G., Kaplan, H., Gurven, M., Wood, B., Pontzer, H., Manger, P. R., Wilson, C., Mcgregor, R. & Siegel, J. M. 2015. Natural sleep and its seasonal variations in three pre-industrial societies. Curr Biol, 25, 2862-2868.
3. ↑ Wams, E. J., Woelders, T., Marring, I., Van Rosmalen, L., Beersma, D. G. M., Gordijn, M. C. M. & Hut, R. A. 2017. Linking Light Exposure and Subsequent Sleep: A Field Polysomnography Study in Humans. Sleep, 40.
4. ↑ Blume, C., Garbazza, C. & Spitschan, M. 2019. Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. Somnologie (Berl), 23, 147-156.
5. ↑ Ji, X., Grandner, M. A. & Liu, J. 2017. The relationship between micronutrient status and sleep patterns: a systematic review. Public Health Nutr, 20, 687-701.
6. ↑ Blume, C., Garbazza, C. & Spitschan, M. 2019. Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. Somnologie (Berl), 23, 147-156.
7. ↑ Cho, C. H., Yoon, H. K., Kang, S. G., Kim, L., Lee, E. I. & Lee, H. J. 2018. Impact of Exposure to Dim Light at Night on Sleep in Female and Comparison with Male Subjects. Psychiatry Investig, 15, 520-530.
8. ↑ Shechter, A., Kim, E. W., St-Onge, M. P. & Westwood, A. J. 2018. Blocking nocturnal blue light for insomnia: A randomized controlled trial. J Psychiatr Res, 96, 196-202.
9. ↑ Dong, K., Goyarts, E. C., Pelle, E., Trivero, J. & Pernodet, N. 2019. Blue light disrupts the circadian rhythm and create damage in skin cells. Int J Cosmet Sci, 41, 558-562.
10. ↑ Yetish, G., Kaplan, H., Gurven, M., Wood, B., Pontzer, H., Manger, P. R., Wilson, C., Mcgregor, R. & Siegel, J. M. 2015. Natural sleep and its seasonal variations in three pre-industrial societies. Curr Biol, 25, 2862-2868.
11. ↑ Haghayegh, S., Khoshnevis, S., Smolensky, M. H., Diller, K. R. & Castriotta, R. J. 2019. Before-bedtime passive body heating by warm shower or bath to improve sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev, 46, 124-135.
12. ↑ Harding, E. C., Franks, N. P. & Wisden, W. 2019. The Temperature Dependence of Sleep. Front Neurosci, 13, 336.
13. ↑ Workinger, J. L., Doyle, R. P. & Bortz, J. 2018. Challenges in the Diagnosis of Magnesium Status. Nutrients, 10.
14. ↑ Subramani, S., Perdreau-Dahl, H. & Morth, J. P. 2016. The magnesium transporter A is activated by cardiolipin and is highly sensitive to free magnesium in vitro. eLife, 5, e11407.
15. ↑ Abbasi, B., Kimiagar, M., Sadeghniiat, K., Shirazi, M. M., Hedayati, M. & Rashidkhani, B. 2012. The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Res Med Sci, 17, 1161-9.
16. ↑ Van Ooijen, G. & O’neill, J. S. 2016. Intracellular magnesium and the rhythms of life. Cell Cycle, 15, 2997-2998.
17. ↑ Earle, S. 2019. Physical Geology – 2nd Edition Victoria, BC, BCcampus.
18. ↑ Byrne, R. Seawater [Online]. Britannica. Available: https://www.britannica.com/science/seawater [Accessed 2021].
19. ↑ Altan, L., Bingol, U., Aslan, M. & Yurtkuran, M. 2006. The effect of balneotherapy on patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Scand J Rheumatol, 35, 283-9.
20. ↑ Latorre-Roman, P. A., Rentero-Blanco, M., Laredo-Aguilera, J. A. & Garcia-Pinillos, F. 2015. Effect of a 12-day balneotherapy programme on pain, mood, sleep, and depression in healthy elderly people. Psychogeriatrics, 15, 14-9.
21. ↑ Kaya, E., Kaplan, C., Carli, A. B. & Guzelkucuk, U. 2016. Effects of Balneotherapy and Physical Therapy on Sleep Quality in Patients with Osteoarthritis Aged 50 to 85 Years. Arch Rheumatol, 31, 1-5.
22. ↑ Rapoliene, L., Razbadauskas, A., Mockeviciene, D., Varzaityte, L. & Skarbaliene, A. 2020. Balneotherapy for musculoskeletal pain: does the mineral content matter? Int J Biometeorol, 64, 965-979.
23. ↑ Krakow, B., Ulibarri, V. A. & Mciver, N. D. 2014. Pharmacotherapeutic failure in a large cohort of patients with insomnia presenting to a sleep medicine center and laboratory: subjective pretest predictions and objective diagnoses. Mayo Clin Proc, 89, 1608-20.
24. ↑ Lieberman, D. E., Krovitz, G. E., Yates, F. W., Devlin, M. & St Claire, M. 2004. Effects of food processing on masticatory strain and craniofacial growth in a retrognathic face. J Hum Evol, 46, 655-77.
25. ↑ Price, W. A. 2009. Nutrition and physical degeneration, La Mesa, Calif., Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation.
26. ↑ Kukwa, W., Guilleminault, C., Tomaszewska, M., Kukwa, A., Krzeski, A. & Migacz, E. 2018. Prevalence of upper respiratory tract infections in habitually snoring and mouth breathing children. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol, 107, 37-41.
27. ↑ Tamkin, J. 2020. Impact of airway dysfunction on dental health. Bioinformation, 16, 26-29.
28. ↑ Lavie, P. 1987. Rediscovering the importance of nasal breathing in sleep or, shut your mouth and save your sleep. J Laryngol Otol, 101, 558-63.
29. ↑ Ghaly, M. & Teplitz, D. 2004. The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress. J Altern Complement Med, 10, 767-76.Depression, anxiety, mood disorders, irritability, fatigue, and PMS are all quite prevalent in our culture. More and more people are taking prescription drugs such as SSRI’s to help alleviate symptoms. However, these drugs are not addressing any possible root causes, such as possible mineral deficiencies.
Magnesium is a life-giving nutrient and important for many functions within our cells. Our ancestors had plenty of magnesium in their diet which was rich in organ meats and vegetables from mineral-rich soil. Today our soils are depleted of minerals due to modern farming practices. Even organic produce has fewer minerals than the produce our ancestors consumed. Therefore we are not getting adequate magnesium from the foods we are eating, even if we are trying to eat an ancestral type diet.
How Does Magnesium Work in the Brain?
Magnesium is a “gatekeeper” for calcium. It allows for calcium to be excreted from cells as needed, in response to various stressors. In Dr. Emily Deans’ piece, Magnesium and The Brain: The Original Chill Pill, Dr. Deans states:
Magnesium hangs out in the synapse between two neurons along with calcium and glutamate. If you recall, calcium and glutamate are excitatory and in excess, toxic. They activate the NMDA receptor. Magnesium can sit on the NMDA receptor without activating it, like a guard at the gate. Therefore, if we are deficient in magnesium, there’s no guard. Calcium and glutamate can activate the receptor like there is no tomorrow. In the long term, this damages the neurons, eventually leading to cell death. In the brain, that is not an easy situation to reverse or remedy.
In a nutshell, when we are stressed, calcium triggers that fight or flight response that we experience, as well as the subsequent stress response in the body. Magnesium is like the cowboy lassoing the wild horse, and reigns calcium back to where it needs to be, allowing the brain and body to calm down and relax.Which Came First, Stress or Magnesium Deficiency?
Some of the symptoms one may experience with magnesium deficiency include anxiety, insomnia, moodiness, irritability, racing heart, migraines, and noise sensitivity. Depressed mood and anxiety being on the forefront of it all. When we are in chronic stress, our magnesium gets depleted even more. Therefore, a magnesium deficiency can lead to stress-related issues. However, stress-related issues can also cause a magnesium deficiency. This can become a vicious cycle for many!
There are some magnesium rich foods we can include in our diet, such as leafy greens, nuts and seeds, and even avocados. However, even with the healthiest diet most of us are still not getting adequate amounts of magnesium. By supplementing with a quality magnesium product, people often find they get better quality sleep, and relief from some of their anxiety and stress related symptoms.
About the Author:
Kathryn is a functional nutritional therapist, author, editor, and mama of two boys. She enjoys spending her free time out in nature-hiking and fishing. You can find her at www.primalmusings.com and her book “Forties on Fire” can be found on Amazon.Read Next
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Stress is a leading contributor to many illnesses.Could Your PMS Signal a Need for More Magnesium?
We dread our monthly cycles of hormonal changes, leading up to menstruation. Often times with the change in hormones, we begin to feel fatigued, moody, irritable, and lethargic. We may experience bloating, swelling, sore breasts, sleep disturbances, headaches, and increased sugar cravings. Prior to incorporating magnesium into my routine, I struggled with monthly mood swings, particularly feeling anxious and irritable on the days leading up to my period. One of the biggest things that helped me to regulate my moods and decrease symptoms, was adding topical magnesium to my routine, particularly around PMS time, when everything gets tender and sore.
After ovulation, we enter the luteal phase, or second half of our cycle. This is where our hormone levels begin to change dramatically, and the dreaded premenstrual syndrome (PMS) kicks into action. Estrogen helps make serotonin (the feel good chemical). And when estrogen drops before our period, serotonin levels drop as well. Due to decreased levels of serotonin, we tend to feel moody and irritable.
Many women in our modern society are deficient in magnesium due to low dietary intake, depleted magnesium in our soil, modern stressors (stress depletes magnesium), carbonated beverages and coffee consumption, and a high processed food, nutrient poor diet. Serum magnesium levels tend to be low when there is a severe deficiency. However, these researchers found that serum magnesium diminished significantly in the premenstrual week.
Magnesium’s uses are wide-reaching, affecting many areas of women’s health and gynecology from pre-menstrual syndrome to menopause, PCOS to endometriosis, and beyond. Craving chocolate around PMS time? Chocolate is high in magnesium, and our requirements for magnesium increase as we approach menstruation. Women have already have a lower dietary intake of magnesium than men do, and yet we need magnesium for our hormonal health.
A growing amount of evidence suggests that magnesium deficiency may play an important role in PMS. By increasing levels of magnesium, we decrease PMS symptoms. Many women (myself included) are finding relief with magnesium supplementation. However, the underlying mechanism is still yet to be fully understood. With that said, we do know that magnesium lowers anxiety and prevents insomnia, and also acts as a diuretic to help with swollen breasts and abdomen.
Magnesium is also involved in hormone regulation.
Researchers hypothesize that magnesium influences different ion levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body, and this may be why it helps with PMS, and bloating. More stabilized hormones means increased serotonin, and a better overall mood. A significant reduction of anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms (nervous tension, mood swings, irritability, and anxiety) has been noted with magnesium supplementation.
Can topical magnesium help?
Topical magnesium helped significantly with my cramping, sore breasts, anxiety, sleep, and overall mood changes during PMS. Topical magnesium bypasses the need to be digested. For many of us struggling with digestive health issues, taking a supplement internally does not guarantee we are getting the nutrients from it. Topically, we are able to increase our magnesium levels, and start to feel better fast! When I approach my monthly cycle, my sleep becomes more disrupted. I use magnesium lotion on my breasts, lower abdomen, and inner thighs right before bed. It helps me with breast tenderness, cramping, and sleep latency. As my period approaches, and abdominal cramping become stronger, I find magnesium chloride bath soaks help tremendously with all over body aches and cramping.
About the Author:
Kathryn is a functional nutritional therapist, author, editor, and mama of two boys. She enjoys spending her free time out in nature-hiking and fishing. You can find her at www.primalmusings.com and her book “Forties on Fire” can be found on Amazon.Read Next
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Stress is a leading contributor to many illnesses.Could Your PMS Signal a Need for More Magnesium?
We dread our monthly cycles of hormonal changes, leading up to menstruation. Often times with the change in hormones, we begin to feel fatigued, moody, irritable, and lethargic. We may experience bloating, swelling, sore breasts, sleep disturbances, headaches, and increased sugar cravings. Prior to incorporating magnesium into my routine, I struggled with monthly mood swings, particularly feeling anxious and irritable on the days leading up to my period. One of the biggest things that helped me to regulate my moods and decrease symptoms, was adding topical magnesium to my routine, particularly around PMS time, when everything gets tender and sore.
After ovulation, we enter the luteal phase, or second half of our cycle. This is where our hormone levels begin to change dramatically, and the dreaded premenstrual syndrome (PMS) kicks into action. Estrogen helps make serotonin (the feel good chemical). And when estrogen drops before our period, serotonin levels drop as well. Due to decreased levels of serotonin, we tend to feel moody and irritable.
Many women in our modern society are deficient in magnesium due to low dietary intake, depleted magnesium in our soil, modern stressors (stress depletes magnesium), carbonated beverages and coffee consumption, and a high processed food, nutrient poor diet. Serum magnesium levels tend to be low when there is a severe deficiency. However, these researchers found that serum magnesium diminished significantly in the premenstrual week.
Magnesium’s uses are wide-reaching, affecting many areas of women’s health and gynecology from pre-menstrual syndrome to menopause, PCOS to endometriosis, and beyond. Craving chocolate around PMS time? Chocolate is high in magnesium, and our requirements for magnesium increase as we approach menstruation. Women have already have a lower dietary intake of magnesium than men do, and yet we need magnesium for our hormonal health.
A growing amount of evidence suggests that magnesium deficiency may play an important role in PMS. By increasing levels of magnesium, we decrease PMS symptoms. Many women (myself included) are finding relief with magnesium supplementation. However, the underlying mechanism is still yet to be fully understood. With that said, we do know that magnesium lowers anxiety and prevents insomnia, and also acts as a diuretic to help with swollen breasts and abdomen.
Magnesium is also involved in hormone regulation.
Researchers hypothesize that magnesium influences different ion levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body, and this may be why it helps with PMS, and bloating. More stabilized hormones means increased serotonin, and a better overall mood. A significant reduction of anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms (nervous tension, mood swings, irritability, and anxiety) has been noted with magnesium supplementation.
Can topical magnesium help?
Topical magnesium helped significantly with my cramping, sore breasts, anxiety, sleep, and overall mood changes during PMS. Topical magnesium bypasses the need to be digested. For many of us struggling with digestive health issues, taking a supplement internally does not guarantee we are getting the nutrients from it. Topically, we are able to increase our magnesium levels, and start to feel better fast! When I approach my monthly cycle, my sleep becomes more disrupted. I use magnesium lotion on my breasts, lower abdomen, and inner thighs right before bed. It helps me with breast tenderness, cramping, and sleep latency. As my period approaches, and abdominal cramping become stronger, I find magnesium chloride bath soaks help tremendously with all over body aches and cramping.
About the Author:
Kathryn is a functional nutritional therapist, author, editor, and mama of two boys. She enjoys spending her free time out in nature-hiking and fishing. You can find her at www.primalmusings.com and her book “Forties on Fire” can be found on Amazon.Read Next
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Stress is a leading contributor to many illnesses.Could Your PMS Signal a Need for More Magnesium?
We dread our monthly cycles of hormonal changes, leading up to menstruation. Often times with the change in hormones, we begin to feel fatigued, moody, irritable, and lethargic. We may experience bloating, swelling, sore breasts, sleep disturbances, headaches, and increased sugar cravings. Prior to incorporating magnesium into my routine, I struggled with monthly mood swings, particularly feeling anxious and irritable on the days leading up to my period. One of the biggest things that helped me to regulate my moods and decrease symptoms, was adding topical magnesium to my routine, particularly around PMS time, when everything gets tender and sore.
After ovulation, we enter the luteal phase, or second half of our cycle. This is where our hormone levels begin to change dramatically, and the dreaded premenstrual syndrome (PMS) kicks into action. Estrogen helps make serotonin (the feel good chemical). And when estrogen drops before our period, serotonin levels drop as well. Due to decreased levels of serotonin, we tend to feel moody and irritable.
Many women in our modern society are deficient in magnesium due to low dietary intake, depleted magnesium in our soil, modern stressors (stress depletes magnesium), carbonated beverages and coffee consumption, and a high processed food, nutrient poor diet. Serum magnesium levels tend to be low when there is a severe deficiency. However, these researchers found that serum magnesium diminished significantly in the premenstrual week.
Magnesium’s uses are wide-reaching, affecting many areas of women’s health and gynecology from pre-menstrual syndrome to menopause, PCOS to endometriosis, and beyond. Craving chocolate around PMS time? Chocolate is high in magnesium, and our requirements for magnesium increase as we approach menstruation. Women have already have a lower dietary intake of magnesium than men do, and yet we need magnesium for our hormonal health.
A growing amount of evidence suggests that magnesium deficiency may play an important role in PMS. By increasing levels of magnesium, we decrease PMS symptoms. Many women (myself included) are finding relief with magnesium supplementation. However, the underlying mechanism is still yet to be fully understood. With that said, we do know that magnesium lowers anxiety and prevents insomnia, and also acts as a diuretic to help with swollen breasts and abdomen.
Magnesium is also involved in hormone regulation.
Researchers hypothesize that magnesium influences different ion levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body, and this may be why it helps with PMS, and bloating. More stabilized hormones means increased serotonin, and a better overall mood. A significant reduction of anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms (nervous tension, mood swings, irritability, and anxiety) has been noted with magnesium supplementation.
Can topical magnesium help?
Topical magnesium helped significantly with my cramping, sore breasts, anxiety, sleep, and overall mood changes during PMS. Topical magnesium bypasses the need to be digested. For many of us struggling with digestive health issues, taking a supplement internally does not guarantee we are getting the nutrients from it. Topically, we are able to increase our magnesium levels, and start to feel better fast! When I approach my monthly cycle, my sleep becomes more disrupted. I use magnesium lotion on my breasts, lower abdomen, and inner thighs right before bed. It helps me with breast tenderness, cramping, and sleep latency. As my period approaches, and abdominal cramping become stronger, I find magnesium chloride bath soaks help tremendously with all over body aches and cramping.
About the Author:
Kathryn is a functional nutritional therapist, author, editor, and mama of two boys. She enjoys spending her free time out in nature-hiking and fishing. You can find her at www.primalmusings.com and her book “Forties on Fire” can be found on Amazon.Read Next
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Stress is a leading contributor to many illnesses.Idac soap and skincare
IDAC SOAP AND SKINCARE Meet Isabel Duffey: The Heart Behind IDAC Soap and Skin Care
Welcome to IDAC Soap and Skin Care, where every product is thoughtfully handcrafted with love, passion, and a commitment to quality. I’m Isabel Duffey, the founder and maker behind IDAC, nestled in the beautiful landscape of Ayrshire, Scotland. My journey into crafting luxurious, natural skin care products began with a deep-rooted love for creativity and a desire to provide gentle, effective solutions that nourish both body and soul.
A Passion for Handcrafted Excellence
At IDAC Soap and Skin Care, I specialize in creating handmade cold process soaps, facial serums, sugar scrubs, tallow-based soaps and balms, herbal lip balms, and activated charcoal soaps. Each product is carefully formulated using only the finest, high-quality ingredients to ensure your skin feels pampered, healthy, and radiant.
From nutrient-rich oils to sustainably sourced tallow and botanicals, I believe in harnessing the power of nature to create skin care products that are as effective as they are indulgent. Every batch is crafted by hand in my studio, ensuring a personal touch and the highest attention to detail.
My Commitment to Quality
As someone passionate about the art of skin care, I’m dedicated to using ingredients that are safe, effective, and kind to the environment. Whether it’s the moisturizing power of tallow in my soaps and balms, the soothing botanicals in my lip balms, or the detoxifying properties of activated charcoal, each product is a labor of love designed to bring a little luxury to your daily routine.
From My Studio to Your Home
Each product is made in small batches right here in my Ayrshire studio, where creativity and care come together to deliver something truly special. I’m proud to say that everything I create is handmade by me, ensuring quality, consistency, and a personal touch in every item.
Why Choose IDAC Soap and Skin Care?
When you choose IDAC Soap and Skin Care, you’re not just purchasing a product—you’re supporting a small business with a big heart. My mission is to provide you with skin care you can trust, using natural ingredients that work in harmony with your skin.
Whether you’re looking for a gentle soap for daily use, a luxurious facial serum, or a deeply nourishing balm, you’ll find a product that’s been created with care and a love for what I do.
Thank you for supporting my small business and joining me on this journey. Together, let’s celebrate the beauty of handmade skin care.
Warm regards,
Isabel Duffey
Founder of IDAC Soap and Skin CareFinding my voice
Finding My Voice Through Abstract Art
Abstract art is more than just shapes, colors, and textures on a canvas—it’s a visual language that allows artists like me to express what words cannot. For me, it’s about capturing emotions, moments, and energy in a way that feels raw and personal.
Working from my small studio in Ayrshire, Scotland, I’ve developed a style that blends bold textures with harmonious colors, using acrylics and texture paste as my medium of choice. My palette knives and brushes become extensions of my creativity, allowing me to layer and carve textures that give each piece a tactile, dimensional quality.
What makes my work unique is the intentional blend of freedom and structure. I allow the paint to flow and form organically while maintaining a clear vision of the story I want to tell. This approach gives my artwork a distinctive balance—bold yet soft, expressive yet grounded.
Through this blog, I want to share more than just my art. I’ll bring you behind the scenes, into the heart of my creative process, and share insights into the inspiration behind my work. Whether it’s a fleeting emotion, the beauty of Ayrshire’s landscapes, or a thought that refuses to leave my mind, each piece has its own journey that I’m excited to share with you.
Abstract art is deeply personal, and that’s what makes it so powerful. My goal is to inspire you to see the beauty in the unpredictable and the imperfect. Thank you for joining me on this journey—I can’t wait to share more with you.