Deena_Bean wrote: »

@Sunny_Bunny_ I'm going to look in to that book. I did buy Magnesium supplements a month or so ago, but I think I bought the "wrong" variety. I can't remember now which one I have, but I don't think it's the one people talk about. So then I get concerned about it some. I read that if you supplment magnesium you should also supplement vitamin K, vitamin D and I think it was Calcium. Then the potassium thing pops up in there somewhere as well and says that you can dump magnesium more if you supplement potassium. Then you add sodium in. It starts to get really kind of like a tangled web of crazy. It's like trying to balance everything with supplements starts to feel neurotic to me...like it shouldn't be so hard to balance these things. Is this an issue people encounter who aren't eating low carb, because it didn't seem to come up as often (or ever really) in discussions of eating "balanced" diet of moderation. Gets a little overwhelming.

I initially bought the wrong magnesium too. And I bought 2 huge bottles of it since it was buy 1 get 1 free! I have magnesium oxide which is one of the least absorbed, so I take 4 times the amount the bottle says. I just keep taking it since I have it and it's also helped with slow moving digestion from over consumption of cheese and protein from time to time. But, even with that less effective form, my foot/leg cramps all cleared up. I keep an eye on sodium too but that alone wasn't enough to keep the cramping under control before. The only potassium supplementing I do is with NuSalt, so I'm not even reaching the predetermined setting MFP has in my diary, so I'm not at risk of over supplementing potassium. I think the risk of dumping the other is only in cases of over supplementing.
I don't recall reading that Vit K and D are specifically recommended when taking Magnesium, it may be, I just don't know about that, but I do know that if supplementing Vit D, it is recommended to also add K. And that even goes into detail about specific forms too.
What I recall hearing about calcium was that most people already get enough calcium but show deficiencies because it's not able to be utilized by the body due to lack of magnesium. And, when not utilized correctly, it ends up in tissues creating pain, often arthritis, So my understanding is that if you are eating foods with it, and don't have any health issue requiring more than average, then magnesium alone creates better calcium absorption making supplementing it mostly unnecessary. At least at higher amounts anyway. There seems to be a balance with mag and calcium... Where you don't want to over do calcium... I honestly can't remember what information specifically gives me that idea, but I've listened to a few podcasts recently where this was discussed and that's the idea I took away from that particular part. I mostly listen to Livinlavidalowcarb, Ketovangelist and Fatburningman, so it should be one or more of them that covered the subject.

I think people that aren't eating low carb are honestly less aware of how these things affect their health and we first learn about it through the basic need to replace sodium from the water loss and the learning process just goes from there. I firmly believe that everyone needs to supplement at least magnesium for the vital role it plays and vitamin C at high doses for the amazing immune benefits it can provide. I've become particularly interested in supplements and have done some fair reading/podcast listening about a select few so far. I don't doubt I'll have strong ideas about others as I continue to learn. Lol
My dad doesn't eat low carb at all. His idea of a meal is a whole can of fruit and a can of ravioli! Taking sodium, magnesium and fish oil has helped him more than anything his doctors had done in months, with his low blood pressure and chronically dry skin which made him have the worst break out ever from his Agent Orange rash.
He had suffered for months and the doctors just gave him steroid creams and told him to stand up slower... Never ever did anyone mention taking sodium or supplements that help balance hydration. As a matter of fact they kept giving contradicting advice to drink more water... And then tell him he was drinking too much water.. The only thing they said about salt was to put some on food. But he only eats one meal a day, so he couldn't possibly get enough!
Anyway, I'm rambling now. Sorry

I will eat smaller amounts of rice and potatoes. I don't cook them for myself, it is either when I go out or when I eat at my mom's. So, about twice a week. I avoid bread and pasta. Bread tends to really bind up my digestion and I'm usually sorry I ate it, pizza especially. I do eat a lot of veggies, weekdays I eat a big salad at lunch and then dinner almost always involves more salad or veggies. I do eat a lot of apples (I eat more variety of fruit in the summer time).

Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »

If you read The Magnesium Miracle, The Magnesium Miracle (Revised and Updated Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/034549458X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_shoLwb62CNBWE , you will never go another day without supplementing.

Thank you too. This looks interesting. I hope to read it next week.

@Sunny_Bunny_ Do you take the orange flavour vitC or regular C tablets?

I currently started keto again, but when I was eating more carbs 100ish, I was eating some breads. Wheat products are my downfall, even organic/full grain. My trigger for hunger cravings is wheat grain. Pasta, bread, cake, cookies...I'm off to the races if I eat those regularly. Perhaps it is the added sugar in those products? Not sure.

So after I achieve my GW by June 2016 I plan on steering clear of those and instead reincorporating organic brown rice, organic squashes and organic potatoes as my higher-carb foods. Maybe even legumes. However peanut butter is another trigger food for cravings for me.

Deena_Bean wrote: »

Do you still eat any breads/pastas or is your carb allotment to allow for fruits/veggies that are higher in carbs? I stay under 100 carbs (total, not net) per day. I've had a few occasions where I've chosen pasta or bread (in the form of pizza only) as my carbs for the day - or a breakfast bar (usually Atkins). For example, last night I had homemade lasagna that was around 45 or so carbs (noodles/sauce/cottage cheese,etc). I'm just curious if many people fall in the "no bread, no pasta, no rice" or just sort of go with whatever they want that fits in. I haven't suffered any cravings or weird hunger from going this route, so I plan to stick to it - just wondering how others handle it.

I am not eating white potatoes, rice, bread, cakes, cookies, pasta and I have been very sparingly on the sweet potatoes and quinoa and my carbs stay close to the 100 side... I do eat oatmeal for the fiber and I see carbs in crazy things like cherry tomatoes... and some of my protein. I am finding it very hard to get to the 25-50 range that I want to be in.

KETOGENICGURL wrote: »

AuntStepie..yes Mg does NOT show up in a normal blood test, it takes a very special and hard to find lab that does the Magnesium RBC test…unless people are near death they will show NORMAL every time, even when they are VERY low..this confuses doctors who know very little about Mg. ..up to 80% of USA adults are way too low in Mg..and too high in calcium( which causes th cramping and heart attacks) …so a good MG supplement is necessary, even VEGGIES no longer have the correct Mg or Iron content as ourgranparents got, due to factory farming..this is where buying from a local organic farmer who DOES amend soils, or rotates crops will deliver Mg in food..otherwise you have to supplement.

@KETOGENICGURL So, what does it say about me that my magnesium actually tested low on the blood test. Does anyone know?