Magnesium Notes [7/21/2026]

--- Notes - Magnesium

Taking magnesium supplements on an empty stomach can increase your risk of diarrhea, cramping, and nausea. Taking them with food helps mitigate these digestive issues.

If your magnesium is low, you will most commonly crave chocolate or sweet foods in general. Because cocoa is an excellent natural source of magnesium, the body often subconsciously drives you toward chocolate to help replenish the missing mineral.

The kidneys are the most affected organ system by magnesium because they strictly regulate its levels in your bloodstream. They act as the body’s filtration system, determining whether to excrete excess magnesium in the urine or retain it when levels are low

Aside from the kidneys, magnesium deeply impacts muscles and the heart. It regulates the electrical activity and contractions in these tissues, which is why a deficiency frequently causes muscle twitches, cramps, and abnormal heart rhythms.

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What to Limit: Be mindful of foods and drinks high in phytic acid (like unsoaked grains), calcium, caffeine, and alcohol, as they can inhibit or reduce how much magnesium your body absorbs.

Foods and drinks that block magnesium absorption primarily do so by binding to the mineral in the gut or forcing the kidneys to excrete it. Key culprits include high-oxalate greens (e.g., spinach, beet greens, almonds), phytic acid in beans and whole grains, high-calcium meals, colas with phosphoric acid, caffeine, and alcohol.  Taking high doses of calcium alongside magnesium can sharply decrease magnesium absorption.  Phosphoric acid, a common additive in sodas, interferes with magnesium retention and triggers the kidneys to excrete more of the mineral.  Coffee, tea, and energy drinks act as mild diuretics, prompting your body to flush out more magnesium via urine.

Magnesium is primarily depleted by medications (like proton pump inhibitors and diuretics) and lifestyle factors like chronic alcohol use and unmanaged stress. Ultra-processed foods, high sugar intake, and gastrointestinal issues also severely limit your body’s ability to absorb and retain adequate magnesium.  Phytates (Phytic Acid): Found in the hulls of seeds, bran, and some raw beans, phytates bind with magnesium to form insoluble compounds that pass through the digestive tract

Gastrointestinal Disorders: Conditions like Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, or chronic diarrhea severely impair your gut’s ability to absorb magnesium.

Type 2 Diabetes: Uncontrolled diabetes leads to frequent urination, which flushes excess magnesium out of the body.

Foods — Maximum per day list [7/11/2026] {for Kidney,Liver,Diabetes,Dementia}

Diet Lists --- Avoid/Limit Lists
  • Maximum per day:
  • 1 hot dog [1/2 hot dog per meal on ½ slice of bread]
  • 4 slice of bread [only 2 slices of actual bread]
    • 1 small muffin or roll [count as 1 slice bread]
    • ½ large muffin or roll [count as 1 slice bread]
    • 4 crackers [count as 1 slice of bread]
    • 4 crackers [count as 1 slice of bread]
    • 2  half-gram crackers [count as 1 slice of bread]
    • 2 half-cinnamon crackers [count as 1 slice of bread]
    • ½ hot dog roll [count as 1 slice of bread]
    • Cookie 4 small or 1 larger with no chocolate therein [no sugar middle]
  • 1 slice baloney [1/2 slice per meal or snack]
  • 1 slice of vegan cheese [1/2 slice per meal or snack]
  • 4 level tsp of peanut butter [try to use as little as possible]
  • 2 level tsp of preserves [no jam – to much sugar]
  • Don’t use sugar free unless it uses stevia only
  • 5 level tblsp coconut milk [no cows milk] powder or ½ cup liquid coconut milk
  • 14 oz decaf coffee [watered down version] [use stevia]
  • 14 oz decaf black tea [no cream/stevia] [not watered down version]
  • 14 oz green tea [no cream/stevia] [not watered down version]
  • Stevia unlimited up to 10 tsp a day
  • Meats, fish, poultry – 4 oz per day including any eggs [cooked only] or peanut butter
  • 3 servings fruit of 4 oz each
  • 3 servings veg of 4 oz each [includes fries]
  • 1 hand full [useable pieces] of swee potato fries BAKED – once a week only
  • Ketchup 2 oz only
  • BBQ sauce 2 oz only
  • Sweet and Sour 2 oz only
  • Mayonnaise [egg free and milk free version] 2 tblsp only
  • Italian Salad Zesty dressing [4 oz only]
  • Oatmeal 1/3 cup [before cooked] [breakfast]
  • Sugar 4 tsp only [ includes that in cookies, etc.]
  • Peanut Butter fudge [equivalent to 1 candy bar] — on Christmas,New Years, and/or Easter,Halloween
  • Follow “Avoid/Limited List”
  • 12-16 points [WW] only
  • 9 carb points only per day

 

Current Weight Loss Status

--- Current Weight Loss Status

 

 

7/16/2026 – 256.7 pounds — 1.2 pounds gained — ate cookies, bread [lots] — I was very bad.

6/29/2026 – 255.5 POUNDS

6/19/2026 – 257.2 pounds  [total lost so far is 65 pounds] [from 5x to 3x in clothing]

5/25/2026 – 262.2 pounds
{I lost my old status message.}  Started at 322 pounds in 2025.

Avoid/Limit List [7/21/2026] Added Magnesium

Diet Lists --- Avoid/Limit Lists

Added Magnesium = N   and the magnesium column.  Had to continue Misc and Starchy Categories.

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Source:  AI Overview

Memory problems and dementia are not the same thing. Memory loss is a primary symptom, but dementia is a much broader condition. Memory issues can stem from normal aging, stress, or vitamin deficiencies, whereas dementia is a progressive decline that significantly impairs your ability to perform daily tasks.

Understanding the difference involves knowing how memory problems relate to normal aging and dementia:

Normal Aging vs. Dementia

While some degree of forgetfulness is common as people get older, the impact on everyday life is the main differentiator:

Normal Forgetfulness: You might occasionally forget an appointment, misplace your keys, or struggle to find a word, but these lapses do not disrupt your ability to live independently or handle daily routines.

Dementia: This is a broad term for diseases (like Alzheimer’s disease) that damage the brain. Beyond short-term memory loss, individuals with dementia experience severe declines in thinking, reasoning, language, and the ability to complete basic daily activities without help

 Potential Reversible Causes of Memory Problems

 Not all memory problems are permanent or caused by a brain disease. Many medical issues can mimic dementia-like symptoms but are treatable, including.

  • Vitamin B-12 deficiencies
  • Thyroid problems (hypothyroidism)
  • Untreated sleep apnea
  • Depression or anxiety
  • Certain prescription and non-prescription medications