A deficiency in this critical nutrient makes you are twice as likely to die as other people, according to a study published in the journal "Critical Care."

It also accounts for a long list of symptoms and diseases -- which are easily helped and often cured by adding this nutrient.

In fact, in my practice, this nutrient is one of my secret weapons against illness.

Yet up to half of Americans are deficient in this nutrient and don't know it.

What is it?

I'm talking about magnesium. 

It is an antidote to stress and the most powerful relaxation mineral.

You can lose weight without changing what you eat or doing one minute of exercise!

It's a bold claim.

And don't get me wrong: Nutrition and exercise are important!

But there's another key to weight loss -- and most people don't even know about it.

It's sleep.

That's right. Besides eating whole foods and moving your body, getting enough sleep is the most important thing you can do for your health.

On the flip side, sleep deprivation makes you fat -- AND leads to depression, pain, heart disease, diabetes, and much more.

Take sleep apnea.

In this condition, your sleep is interrupted all night because your airway closes and your body startles you awake so you don't suffocate. 

This is a very common and extremely under-diagnosed problem.  It affects 18 million Americans and most are NOT treated for it.

Let me tell you about one of my patients who was in that same predicament.

Could the amount of sleep you get actually influence your weight?

If recent studies -- and the experiences of my own patients -- mean anything, the answer is a resounding yes.

Let me tell you about Jim. His problems were all too real -- but his story isn't unique.

Jim came to my office last week desperate for help. He'd gained 140 pounds in just the last three years, ballooning up from a slim 186 lbs to a whopping 320 lbs.  But he wasn't eating more than most people. Instead, some very specific lifestyle changes were to blame for his weight gain.

What had happened during those three years to make Jim pack on so many pounds?

Well, a lot.