Food for thought: Musings from my personal health experiences

Without going into too much detail about my health, I need to have yearly blood work completed in order to be properly treated for a few health conditions..  Prior to my doctor ordering this year's test, I mentioned to him that I still felt like my body wasn't using food properly. To be honest, I'm not really sure if I could offer a more clear explanation as to why I feel/felt this way. I have always had an almost "other-wordly" ability to be in tune with my own body {another thing that drives my husband a little batty BUT after 21 years of marriage, he has learned to trust it now}. Thankfully, this has helped my physicians to diagnose issues that, over time, would have negatively impacted my quality of life and longevity. Like my husband, my doctors have learned to trust my observations and comments.  My mention of "not using food properly" led my doctor to add a magnesium level check to my long list of routine testing. {Seriously, 6 vials of blood this year!} When he mentioned it, I thought "magnesium? What is that going to do for me?" HA! Well, it turns out A LOT as some of you might already know. Here are just a few {you can learn more here} interesting facts that I learned about magnesium when I jumped in full force to learn about it:

• Responsible for the proper functioning of over 300 biochemical reactions in the body
• It is ESSENTIAL for our body to perform/function
• None of our cells can function without it
• 65-75% of adults are DEFICIENT
• Regulates metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins
• Maintains normal muscle and nerve function 
• Helps to regulate sleep

Well, I DID end up showing a magnesium deficiency, despite eating a diet rich in top sources. I am now taking supplements and have increased my food sources of magnesium. I am ALREADY feeling better. I am sleeping better, my  leg cramps are non existent and my heart "flutters", which were becoming far too frequent, have also lessened/subsided. I am fully aware that I could be experiencing the Placebo Effect but I'll take it because I can finally do my Yoga without having to adjust 50 times due to leg cramping. Seriously, I would get a leg cramp from barely pointing my toe to put it into my shoe! Did I mention that I was sleeping better too?! 

My point in writing this very honest post is that as I've been studying this mineral and the effects of a deficiency, I began to think about my picky eaters. So much of the foods we crave and choose are because of what we are lacking or needing. I was craving salt and chocolate and I'm not usually a salt lover. Interestingly, both of these can point to a magnesium deficiency. Unfortunately, the more sugar/carbohydrates you consume, the more magnesium you need to balance it. If you are deficient you can crave carbohydrates which then leads to an even bigger deficiency. Further, if your body is not absorbing nutrients as it should due to other causes {Celiac, Crohn's, Diabetes etc...} you will become deficient which, in turn, keeps you deficient because you can't absorb it from your food adequately.  See the connection now with picky eaters? Many picky eaters have diets that are very carb/sugar heavy and many have GI issues, both diagnosed and undiagnosed. 

Now, I'm certainly not suggesting that every picky or selective eater is deficient nor am I trying to impart guilt on parents who already feel a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety about their child's diet. READ ME LOUD AND CLEAR that I am not wanting anyone to feel that way. I, simply, want to raise awareness about two things that hit me as I was studying and learning about magnesium for my own health:

1. Many of our kiddos may be choosing foods based upon what their bodies are needing and parents and professionals need to be open to discussions/dialogue about this possibility. This is NOT new information BUT it is worth repeating. 
2. Time and time again {and obviously this personal issue was no exception} I am reminded that children {even Tweens and Teens} can not adequately describe what they are feeling when they eat. Nauseous? Itchy? Fatigued? Crampy? Not right? Reflux? etc... 

I was able to articulate what I was feeling when I ate which led my doctor to run the test. This ultimately led to me feeling better because we were able to take the steps necessary to solve the problem. Our kiddos don't have that option. They rely on us.  

Ironically, I ran across an article on Twitter this morning, written by a prominent GI physician, reminding us of this very thing. We MUST be excellent observers of our children when it comes to their bodies and the reaction to food within their bodies. Many of the answers we need/desire will be answered when we become careful observers both as parents and professionals-a GREAT reminder for each of us. 

How about you? Have you learned you or your child have a vitamin/mineral deficiency? I'd love to hear your story. 

Until next time...keep growing and blooming. 

Jen