Kink Away Magnesium Cream is one of my best-sellers at vending events. Once I tell people the role magnesium plays with muscle cramps and charlie horses, they’re in.
This is the first product spotlight I’ve done. I plan on going through each of my products over time, giving customers insight on the backstory as well as highlighting what makes the product unique.
How Kink Away Came to Be
I used to get horrific leg cramps that would frequently wake me up at night. For a number of years I used muscle relaxers when it happened. As I started on “My Quest” for cleaner products, I knew there had to be a natural alternative. I tried eating more bananas and taking a potassium supplement, but they didn’t help.
Through the power of the internet, I discovered a magnesium deficiency *might* be the reason. I started with a basic magnesium oil, but using it was uncomfortable itchy. Over time I began making a magnesium cream, experimenting until the recipe worked well. One bonus? Using magnesium regularly has almost eliminated my Bruxism, or teeth grinding at night.
FULL DISCLOSURE: my old recipe sucked! It was NOT shelf stable and would melt at the slightest warmth. My current recipe rocks and does not have that same issue. In fact, if you purchased a previous version of Kink Away and was unhappy with the texture, please contact me immediately!
Why Magnesium?
Magnesium is such an important mineral for our bodies, and yet most American adults are deficient. It should be a mineral that is easy to get as it’s one of the most common minerals in nature.
As I’m sure you already know, Americans don’t eat anywhere near enough fruits, and especially vegetables. What we are eating is deficient in a variety of trace minerals due to commercial farming techniques. To top it all off, our drinking water is often deficient in minerals, regardless of the source. In short, 48% Americans are not getting enough magnesium every day.
Worse yet, if you have some particular health issues you may be even more deficient:
- Gastrointestinal disorders: Diseases that result in chronic diarrhea mean you aren’t absorbing nutrients like you should for optimal health.
- Type 2 diabetes: Higher urine output means more magnesium is going out with your pee.
- Alcohol dependency: Generally, alcoholics struggle with a poor diet. Other health issues that stem from alcoholism also contribute to less magnesium in the body.
- Older adults: As we age, our intestines don’t absorb nutrients like they used to.
Why This Deficiency Matters
Over 300 chemical processes in our body at any given moment are dependent on adequate sources of magnesium. Magnesium helps conduct the electricity needed for our hearts to beat. Studies show how low levels of magnesium may impact getting heart disease or a stroke. No joke, it’s that important.
Nutrient deficiencies are being linked to mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Studies show a possible link on the relationship between mineral deficiencies such as magnesium, and the steady rise in mood disorders.
What is proven is the relationship between magnesium, and other vitamins and minerals in the body. For example, we can’t metabolize vitamin D without sufficient levels of magnesium. If you’re taking a vitamin D supplement while deficient in magnesium, that in turn increases your calcium and phosphate levels. This imbalance prevents calcium from depositing where it is needed most- in our bones and teeth. When all of these are out of whack, calcification of the veins happens resulting in high blood pressure.
See what I mean about being important?
Symptoms of Deficiency
Magnesium deficiency isn’t always obvious, but there are clues.
- Muscle cramps (including Bruxism)
- Restless leg syndrome
- High blood pressure
- Migraines
- Fatigue and weakness
- Abnormal heart rate
For the love of all things healthy, please do NOT take a blog post as your guide to good health. Use this list as a starting point before talking to your health professional.
How Do I Get Adequate Magnesium
A healthy and balanced diet is always the best way to get all of your nutrients. Eating whole foods is better than taking supplements. Ideally those whole foods come from farms that use healthy soil practices, which would actually give us the nutrients that should be present.
In other words, you’re probably better off getting your produce from a local farmer’s market than a commercial farm, with a priority given to organic producers.
For many of us though, supplements are unfortunately necessary. There are several different types of magnesium to take, depending on the reason its needed. You can do an online search for, “best type of magnesium to take” to make your own educated decision.
Muscle cramps, restless leg syndrome, and even migraines, can be helped through topical magnesium. Magnesium applied to the skin is not the most efficient way to get your recommended daily value. It is excellent however, for getting it directly to where it’s needed. When you’re getting a muscle cramp, a supplement isn’t going to fix it immediately.
Magnesium chloride isn’t great to take internally, but it’s excellent when it’s applied to the skin. Mixed with water, it makes what’s called magnesium oil which can then be used on your skin. If you’ve ever tried magnesium oil though, it stings and itches like a son of a gun. I used to make and use it myself, which is how I know. Can you say, ouch!? Once I began mixing it with moisturizers however, it was a whole different ballgame.
Getting Magnesium Right Where it’s Needed
Kink Away Magnesium Cream is an excellent way to get magnesium right to where the problem is. I always keep a jar by my bedside, without fail. When I feel a muscle cramp or Charlie horse coming on, I apply Kink Away and the problem is solved before it even starts.
I rub about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon into my calves, which is where I get my cramps. Muscle tension can also be eased using Kink Away, especially in the shoulder area. Other customers have said they do the same for their restless leg syndrome, rubbing it directly on to where they have the issue. Yet another customer rubs magnesium cream around the base of her neck when she feels a migraine coming on.
Kink Away is safe for children. If your littles are struggling to settle down at bedtime, rub 1/4-1/2 teaspoon on the bottoms of their feet. With the moisturizers in it, Kink Away won’t sting like other magnesium products might.
For more intense issues in the joints or chronic issues, I suggest my relEASE 250 Hemp CBD Salve. My husband likes to mix the two together for his back injury and it has made a WORLD of difference. If you have questions about this, please feel free to contact me.
Simple Apothecary’s Kink Away Magnesium Cream
Kink Away Magnesium Cream just rocks. The shea butter and coconut oil make it nourishing to the skin, taking away the sting of magnesium oil on its own.
As always, Simple Apothecary never uses chemical preservatives or emulsifiers. This allows you to use my products without worry of chemicals. Packaging was carefully chosen to be sustainable as well. If you’re curious about my business ethics, you can read more about them here.
Kink Away Magnesium Cream comes in three sizes:
- 0.5 oz reusable and recyclable tin container
- 2.0 oz reusable and recyclable amber glass jar
- 4.0 oz reusable and recyclable amber glass jar
I encourage you to try Kink Away Magnesium Cream. Remember, if you don’t like it, I have an outstanding return policy. I seriously doubt you’ll have to use it though!
FDA Disclaimer
The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from healthcare practitioners. Please consult your healthcare professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires this notice.
