Could a Little Magnesium Solve Your Problems?

I have recently been learning more and more about the mineral magnesium. I have even been supplementing with it and have been finding the benefits are changing my health in great ways! As most of my readers know, I am a foods first holistic nutrition consultant. I will always recommend you try to get the foods high in magnesium before supplements but according to Health Canada nearly half the population is deficient in magnesium. When deficient, supplementation can get the body what it needs and running optimally far more quickly than with food alone, especially if there are health related issues stemming from the deficiency.

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. It is involved in more than 600 cellular reactions and 60% of it is found in our bone. The rest is found in muscles, soft tissues and fluids like the blood. All cells need magnesium and all cells contain it. If you are deficient in magnesium you could be experiencing some of the following symptoms:

• Restless legs

• Muscle cramps

• Migraines

• Fatigue

• Anxiety

• Insomnia

• Weakness

• Depression

• High blood pressure

• Inflammation

The recommended daily intake, which is the average daily intake level recommended to meet our basic nutrient requirements is about 320mg for an adult female and about 420mg for the average adult male. If you consume too much magnesium the biggest side effect, you need to worry about is experiencing loose stool.

There are some dietary and lifestyle considerations you should keep in mind if you find you may be deficient in magnesium. A big one is cutting back on processed and junk foods. These foods provide very little magnesium (little nutrient value at all really) and can make your issues worse. Another consideration is cutting back on coffee, alcohol and soft drinks. These beverages act to remove magnesium from the body so are not helping you with absorption. If you consume lots of beans and whole grains, it’s best to soak them before cooking to reduce the phytic acid that can interfere with magnesium absorption in the gut. Cutting sodium, as it competes with magnesium, can be helpful as well. Raw greens contain lots of magnesium but also have oxalic acid which can interfere with magnesium absorption as well. To get the most out of your greens, it’s best to lightly steam them.

Here are the top ten foods to help increase your magnesium:

1. Pumpkin Seeds

2. Spinach – lightly steamed

3. Swiss Chard – lightly steamed

4. Black Beans – soaked first

5. Flax Seeds

6. Almonds

7. Cashews

8. Dark Chocolate

9. Avocado

10. Wild Salmon

As discussed in the beginning, sometimes supplementation is the best way to get yourself on track and get relief from the symptoms you may be experiencing. There are many different forms magnesium can be supplemented. For example, Mg-Threonate is great for brain health, Mg-Glycinate will help with relaxation and sleep and Mg-Malate will help with increasing energy levels. There is Mg-oxide which is said to improve athletic performance and mg-Chloride to help with detoxification pathways in the body and nervous system function. For constipation Mg-sulfate is helpful and Mg-Taurate is said to be helpful for cardiovascular health.

There are also a few supplement choices which might not be as great. Mg-Citrate helps with constipation but can pull a lot of water into the intestines leading to dehydration. Mg-hydroxide has some known side effects such as nausea, fatigue and loss of appetite and then Mg-Apartate and Mg-Glutamate are known excitotoxins so use caution with these forms. In all cases, especially if you are taking medications, talk to your doctor or pharmacist to be sure that you are choosing the right supplement for you. Remember that choosing foods first is a safe way to increase your magnesium without the worry of interactions.

Do you want to know more? Are you interested in getting even healthier? Would you like to know more about how you can begin to get to the root issues holding you back from reaching your health and wellness goals? Let’s chat about how holistic nutrition consulting and health coaching can help you make your own healthy changes so that you can feel your best every single day. I can provide recipes, meal and snack ideas and support changes to transform your health! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about! Visit www.noshoesnutrition.com and sign up for a FREE consultation.  I work with women from all over the world individually or in groups so don’t let anything hold you back!