Wellness Wednesday - An Under Reported Cause of Restless Legs {photo(s)}

When did I become my sweet Momma?  I went to bed one night thinking I was me.  But after trying to settle down, I realized I couldn't stop my feet from moving, which is what Momma used to call her "nervous feet". 

After my "nervous feet" started getting in the way of my sleep EVERY night, I put on my Crunchy hat.  Never heard the term Crunchy?  Me neither, but it seems to be a word to describe people who research natural ways of dealing with health issues, or baby issues (any Crunchy Mommas out there?) or.....

crunchy

adjective, crunchier, crunchiest.

1.

crisp; brittle.

2.

Sometimes, crunchy granola. 

Informal. health-conscious and environmentally aware:  ME!

The research led me to something I never thought of before:   magnesium deficiency.  We used to be able to get our daily allotment of magnesium through our diets.  But over time even vegetables in our own gardens are susceptible to lack of magnesium because the soil is lacking it.  Overuse of the soil and erosion are two reasons our home grown goodies aren't as good for us as they used to be.  In the case of processed foods, the manufacturing process itself bleaches out needed nutrients.  

In an article from HealthLine.com, it sites research that that suggests that certain types of Restless Leg Syndrome is caused by magnesium deficiency.  It is thought that magnesium makes it easier for the muscles to relax.  

"This may be because of its calcium-blocking abilities, which help regulate the nerves and muscles instead of letting calcium “activate” the nerves. If magnesium is low, calcium isn’t blocked and nerves become overactive and trigger muscle contractions."

And because it can help magnesium-caused RLS, it also improves magnesium-caused RLS insomnia.  I really wasn't getting very much sleep and was very cranky much of the time.  

I started taking a great natural supplement, whose main ingredient is magnesium, for "regularity".

 But it has helped my RLS so much!  I started sleeping through the night, only getting up once or twice for bathroom breaks.  Even if it didn't help my irregularity, I would still take it for the RLS.

If you have RLS, I would get my magnesium levels checked first.  Then if they are low, I would look into getting on a good supplement.  Here is the link to the product I am using

Sign up today and I will send you my series that goes into greater depth and detail on gut health which is another simple thing we can do which greatly impacts our overall health.

Experience the benefits of all natural supplements first hand by clicking Shop Plexus  for one of the best brands on the market. 

For more information check out this article: 

The Link Between Magnesium and Restless Leg Syndrome
Learn How Magnesium Affects Restless Leg Syndrome
4 Little-Known Causes of Restless Legs Syndrome

Wellness Wednesday - Don't Keep Your Head Stuck in the Sand!!

On a day, one like any other day, the doctor hurt my feelings and started me on a long journey of taking my head out of the sand.

The words that would eventually change my selfd view were "You are obese."

Of course I knew I was overweight, which is a nice comfortable word.  I was actually quite cozy with that concept.

But Obese.  That was a different thing.  Pulling my head out of the sand to confront the issue has been a journey I have been on for the last year.

It was quite easy for me to ignore the pounds gained through the years.  My overall health wasn't that bad, no high blood pressure, no diabetes.  I was still active.  So in the ground my head stayed.

Then my blood pressure started going up.  And I started having other nagging issues that the older people assured me just came with getting older.  My sweet husband would assure me that no I didn't look like the other overweight people.  My head popped out of the ostrich hole enough for me to see around.

Last year, I decided to start taking supplements because the drugs I needed had worse side effects than the illness it was designed to help.  With the help of these great supplements and diet/lifestyle changes, I am glad to say, I am still obese but the numbers are improving on the scale and in the blood work.  Yay!

What brought up these ramblings is an article I recently read about the different issues being overweight can cause.  Overweight, not obese mind you.  You can now imagine what other issues can come up with being obese.

The first step of getting your health back is always to look at your health with truth, not stick you

head in the sand like I did.  Your health will only get worse with age or by neglect.

• Find ways to change your lifestyle.  Start by cutting little things you won't miss from your diet.
• Find ways to make healthier food choices.
• Research healthy supplements
• Stop eating out as much
• Start drinking more water.
• Find ways to get more active.  You don't have to stay in-doors.  Get outside.  Go for a hike.  Go camping,

All of these are very simple things we can do, and I know everyone has heard them.  So get your head out of the sand and start your journey towards better health.

Your body will thank you!

Sign up today and I will send you my series that goes into greater depth and detail on gut health which is another simple thing we can do which greatly impacts our overall health.

Experience the benefits of all natural supplements first hand by clicking Shop Plexus  for one of the best brands on the market. 

For more information check out this article: 

Increased Risk of 11 Types of Cancer Linked to Being Overweight