Hysterectomy Blog: Day 38 Marvelous Magnificient Magnesium

March 14, 2019….It’s been over 5 weeks now since my #hysterectomy and the journey has taught me so much about the body’s amazing innate ability to heal.

The pain is now just discomfort and my surgical scar looks good. As I build up my energy in preparation for returning to work, its been such a luxury to have time to soak in an #Epsom #salt #bath, a few times a week.

Epsom salt is a #magnesium compound (magnesium sulfate heptahydrate) first isolated from a well in the town of Epsom, England. Adding Epsom salt to bathwater has long been a popular home remedy. Magnesium was first isolated by English scientist Sir Humphrey Davy in 1808.

It is named after Magnesia, a district in Thessaly, Greece, Despite the widespread availability of magnesium in the diet, the World Health Organization reported that less than 60 percent of adults in the United States are meeting the adequate intake values for magnesium.

Good #dietary #sources of magnesium include #wholegrains, #leafy green vegetables (spinach especially), as well as almonds, cashews and other #nuts, #avocados, #beans, soybeans and #fish, especially halibut.

Dr Weil says, “Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. We need it to maintain muscle tissue, nerves, and bones. Magnesium also helps maintain normal blood pressure and metabolism. Beyond that, a magnesium-rich diet may help protect against metabolic syndrome, a combination of risk factors that can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.”

Magnesium helps #PMS symptoms and #depression, prevents #migraines, helps #sleep quality and plays an important role in #VitaminD metabolism. It is a cofactor to over 300 enzyme systems, affecting muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, blood pressure regulation and more.”

Adding some Epsom salts and a few drops of essential oil of lavender to a warm bath soothes my sore belly, creates a space to for me to #relax and helps me get a good night’s #rest so that I can wake up refreshed and ready for what the day may bring.