Home » Blog » Nutritional Information

Magnesium The Nutrient to Improve Your Life

Recipe Key

Written ByIngrid
swisschardIn today’s post I want to tell you about MAGNESIUM, a mineral, which 80% of Americans are deficient in.  It is alkaline minerals like magnesium that neutralize acids which build up in your system. They restore your pH to a healthy level.  Many of my clients tell me learning about their acid alkaline levels (pH) helps them understand some key issues going on in their body. As a result they were able to achieve their health goals faster and easier.

Magnesium The Nutrient to Improve Your Life

Magnesium is a crucial nutrient that prevents premature aging, reduces aches and pains, lowers your risk of diabetes… and much, much more. An estimated 80 percent of Americans are deficient in this important mineral and the health consequences are significant. One reason is our soil is depleted of magnesium. Also, the fluoride added to municipal water drains your body of magnesium. Magnesium boosts the bio-availability of vitamin B6 and good cholesterol, improves muscle functioning, and prevents osteoporosis, heart attacks, hypertension, migraines, kidney stones, and gallstones. It also helps relieve constipation and insomnia.

Health Benefits of Magnesium 

Required for more than 300 chemical reactions in the body
Magnesium is the master-key mineral. It is essential for staying healthy and is required for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. Multiple health benefits of magnesium include transmission of nerve impulses, body temperature regulation, detoxification, energy production, and the formation of healthy bones and teeth.

Reduces Risk for Diabetes
Diets low in magnesium are associated with increased insulin levels, and magnesium deficiency is common in diabetics.  Magnesium helps glucose enter your cells and turn those calories into energy for your body. Helps

Prevent Cardiovascular Diseases
One of the most important benefits of magnesium is that it is associated with lowering the risk of coronary heart disease. Magnesium deficiency increases the risk of abnormal heart rhythms, increasing the risk of a heart attack or complications after a heart attack.

Supports Detoxification
Our body detoxes everyday as part of its normal function. Magnesium plays a role in your body’s detoxification processes. This is important to prevent damage from environmental chemicals, heavy metals and other toxins we are exposed to everyday. Even glutathione, your body’s most powerful antioxidant called “the master antioxidant,” requires magnesium for its synthesis.

Regulates High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
Magnesium plays a key role in regulating blood pressure naturally.   A number of studies have shown magnesium may reduce blood pressure in people with high blood pressure and help prevent sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack, and stroke.

Helps Prevent Osteoporosis
Eating vegetables high in minerals improves bone density.  Magnesium deficiency alters calcium metabolism and the hormones that regulate calcium, resulting in osteoporosis. These 2 minerals work together.  Magnesium helps keep calcium in your cells so they can do their job better

Signs You Many Not Be Getting Enough Magnesium

There’s no lab test that will give you a truly accurate reading of the magnesium status in your tissues. Only one percent of magnesium in your body is distributed in your blood, making a sample of magnesium from a blood test inaccurate. While there are some tests your doctor can use they typically need to evaluate them in conjunction with the symptoms you exhibit. Some early signs of magnesium deficiency to keep an eye out for include:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Headache
  • Fatigue and weakness
  • Poor digestion
  • Blood sugar imbalance
  • Poor sleep
  • Muscle twitching and or leg cramps
  • Short-term memory gaps
  • Chest pains
  • Painful menstruation for women
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Depression

One Of The Best Ways to Get More Magnesium

If you want to get more magnesium, one of the best ways is through whole foods, especially dark-green leafy vegetables. Chlorophyll enables plants to capture solar energy and convert it into metabolic energy.  Chlorophyll has a magnesium atom at its center. Magnesium enables plants to utilize the sun’s light energy. In many ways chlorophyll is the plant’s version of our hemoglobin as they share a similar structure but have magnesium plugged in the middle rather than iron.

Green leafy vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard are excellent sources of magnesium. They also contain many other vitamins and minerals which alkalize and support your body. Avoid overcooking to minimize the loss of magnesium. Blending your vegetables in a green smoothie is one of my favorite ways to ensure you’re getting enough of them in your diet. When you blend vegetables you are in effect doing some of the mechanical digestion making it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients. Juicing is also a good option. Other foods which are high in magnesium are (based on a 3 oz serving):

  • Cacao, raw unsweetened  499 mg
  • Pumpkin seeds  535 mg
  • Flax seed 422 mg
  • Almonds  286 mg
  • Sunflower seeds 455mg
  • Cashews 273mg

Magnesium Supplements

Most people can keep their levels in the healthy range without resorting to supplements by eating a varied whole foods diet. I recommend a diet of 70% vegetables and 30% protein, good fats and low glycemic carbohydrates.  Organic foods may have more magnesium since it is dependent on the soil in which it is grown.

If you think you are low in magnesium consider taking a supplement.  Dr. Mark Hyman recommends 100-200 mg twice a day, one with breakfast and one with dinner.

It is best to get either magnesium glycinateor if you have a tendency toward constipation magnesium citrate.  People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor’s supervision.  Some people with severe magnesium deficiency may need more than the amount outlined here, some less. It is always best to check with your doctor.

Vitamin D needs magnesium to be metabolized, so if you are taking Vitamin D be sure you are getting enough magnesium. Pay attention to your calcium and magnesium ratio. New information shows we get enough calcium from food but our diet is too low in magnesium.

Too much calcium with too little magnesium can lead to health problems. If you are taking calcium be sure you are getting sufficient magnesium. Check with your doctor. Here is is a recipe with lots of magnesium for you to enjoy! I hope this post makes you a healthier and happy you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *