I've just read all of this long thread. Thank you to everyone who contributed, especially the Info Goddess mrsD.

I'm on limited finances at the moment but I'm going to look into both SlowMag and Ionic Fizz locally.

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Monolaurin from the Lauric Acid in the Omega-6 Coconut Oil has very exciting implications as an antibacterial/antifungal on antibiotic resistant infections! My son has recurrent outbreaks of staph infection so this is excellent news! (His last two episodes have required daily IVs of anti-biotics - each time it takes additional treatments to beat the infection) NOTE: Monolaurin in human breast milk is thought to be the substance that provides immunity to babies.

The following is from the NIH Database-(Research from the Phillipines-major producer of coconuts)

Novel antibacterial activity of monolaurin compared with conventional antibiotics against organisms from skin infections: an in vitro study.
Carpo BG, Verallo-Rowell VM, Kabara J.

Department of Dermatology, Makati Medical Center, Makati City, Philippines.

OBJECTIVE: A cross-sectional laboratory study to determine the in vitro sensitivity and resistance of organisms in culture isolates from skin infections and mechanisms of action of monolaurin, a coconut lauric acid derivative, compared with 6 common antibiotics: penicillin, oxacillin, fusidic acid, mupirocin, erythromycin, and vancomycin. METHODS: Skin culture samples were taken from newborn to 18-year-old pediatric patients with primary and secondarily infected dermatoses. Samples were collected and identified following standard guidelines, then sent to the laboratory for sensitivity testing against the 6 selected antibiotics and monolaurin. RESULTS: Sensitivity rates of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp., and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Gram-negative E. vulneris, Enterobacter spp., and Enterococcus spp. to 20 mg/ml monolaurin was 100% and of Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis was 92.31%. Escherichia coli had progressively less dense colony growths at increasing monolaurin concentrations, and at 20 mg/ml was less dense than the control. Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus spp. did not exhibit any resistance to monolaurin and had statistically significant (P <.05) differences in resistance rates to these antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONS: Monolaurin has statistically significant in vitro broad-spectrum sensitivity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial isolates from superficial skin infections. Most of the bacteria did not exhibit resistance to it. Monolaurin needs further pharmacokinetic studies to better understand its novel mechanisms of action, toxicity, drug interactions, and proper dosing in order to proceed to in vivo clinical studies.

PMID: 17966176 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

My dd has the same issue occasionally (about every other year on her chin). We've been using oregano tea and coconut oil for years (7 years now?) with far more success than the meds we got from the traditional system.

Mind you, we also pull all sugars/starches from her diet for about a week.

Lauric acid found in coconut oil is not an Omega-6 fatty acid.

Omega-6 fatty acids are long chain polyunsaturated acids.
Here is an article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-6_fatty_acid

Unsaturated means it has double bonds in the molecule. The 6 means where the double bond occurs in the long carbon chain.
This wiki article gives a picture of linoleic acid showing the double bonds.

Lauric acid is saturated...meaning it has NO double bonds at all between the carbons.

Here is its diagram:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauric_acid

It is converted to monolaurin in the body. There is some evidence for it being helpful for infections and thyroid functions.
Many health food/supplement sites promote this saturated fat at this time. There are some studies going on with it in regards to HIV prevention.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19262509

Here is a list of saturated fats:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturated_fat

I found this link today. It is pretty easy to use (easier than the nutritiondata.com one) and informative. It may help readers choose foods with the nutrient content they need.

Magnesium is included, but other important nutrients are listed as well.

http://www.healthalternatives2000.co...ion-chart.html

Wow lots of great info about Magnesium. So what kind of magnesium does everyone take and how much do you take. I've been taking slowmag for a few months and it has helped me dramatically with anxiety issues and my short fuse that seemed to develop during menopause. My 17 year old has been taking kirkman labs buffered magnesium glycinate for about 9 or 10 years now for his ADHD and aspergers. We are trying to figure out if 400 mg is enough for him and if he should continue with the glycinate or take another form of magnesium.

I truly appreciate your posting on this supplement to the diet as potentially beneficial in loosening the stool. Being a peripheral neuropathy patient prescribed morphine sulfates, I have certainly encountered the dreaded constipation. While using dried fruits, prunes and apricots, liberally has been beneficial in releiving bowel stress, I needed the information you have gathered as a further help here.

Many thanks,
Mark56

We are told that it is dangerous to take constipation medicines, like milk of magnesia, too often because the body becomes dependent upon them for normal bowel function. Is supplementation with magnesium tablets also a risk?

I find that I cannot take enough magnesium supplement to ease my foot cramps without it affecting my stool, and switching from citrate to malate has not worked because my foot cramps don't appear to respond to the malate version of magnesium.

Thanks!

When magnesium acts as a laxative it is by a mechanism that does not stimulate the bowel. Instead it draws water into the bowel, which then stretches the sensation receptors, to encourage evacuation.

Stimulant type laxatives however, like senna, Dulcolax etc, can desensitize the bowel receptors over time, and create dependence.

I don't believe that the saline cathartics are habit forming in the same way.

You might try gentle heat on your calf muscle to see it that relaxes the cramping. If there is reduced blood flow to that muscle the magnesium cannot get thru when taken orally. Reduced circulation also results in less oxygen getting to the muscle as well!

Soaking in epsom salts might help, or using gentle heat for 20 minutes on the calf about 45min after taking the oral tablet may work.

Just a quick question. What if a person just uses stool softeners (without the stimulants). is this okay?

thanks much

Mel