Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” When talking about the impact of magnesium on your health, this is especially true. Magnesium is the sixth most abundant mineral in your body and is involved in more than 300 essential chemical reactions to keep your body active and healthy. The healthy adult male requires 420 milligrams per day, while the healthy adult female requires 320 milligrams per day. This small amount is not even one-tenth of an ounce, and yet about 75% of Americans are deficient in daily magnesium.
Your body will begin to show symptoms when it is missing essential nutrients because these nutrients are the original building blocks used to make your body. While medication may lessen a symptom for a season, the only true way to eliminate that symptom is to identify the necessary ingredients your body is signaling to receive. So what are some symptoms that may indicate your body is not getting enough magnesium?
Osteoporosis – More than 10 million Americans are experiencing decreased bone density. While many assume or have been told to take calcium supplements, this is not sufficient. Magnesium is needed to transport calcium where it needs to go in the body, and magnesium is also a component of strong bone tissue. Long term magnesium deficiency is associated with decreased bone density.
Restless Leg Syndrome – a nerve condition that can produce unwanted leg movements that decrease the quality of sleep each night. Magnesium is a critical mineral for proper nerve activity. Deficiency of magnesium can result in improper communication between the brain and muscles resulting in leg twitches and uncontrolled muscle responses. Restless leg symptoms have been decreased with consistent magnesium supplementation.
Diabetes – is becoming one of the leading health concerns in the United States. More than 1/3 of the population is challenged with effective control of blood sugar. Magnesium is an essential mineral to aid in the effective control of blood sugar. Magnesium helps the cells of the body to respond quickly to insulin. Without magnesium, cells become insulin resistant and will not absorb the sugar molecule the insulin is bringing to the cell.
High Blood Pressure – The body is having difficulty relaxing partly because of a lack of nutrients that will help the body to relax. Magnesium and potassium are two essential minerals the body will use to relax. Magnesium helps muscles to relax. Both the heart and the blood vessel muscles need magnesium to be able to relax. When an individual is brought to the Emergency Room with a heart attack, magnesium will be one of the first supplements provided to help get the heart muscle in a more relaxed state.
Additional conditions associate with magnesium deficiency include: vertigo, constipation, heart arrythmia, anxiety and panic attacks, depression, brain fog, migraine headaches, and colon cancer. According to Dr. Norman Shealy, "Every known illness is associated with a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is the most critical mineral required for electrical stability of every cell in the body. A magnesium deficiency may be responsible for more diseases than any other nutrient."
Magnesium rich food sources are necessary to help you keep a healthy balance in this stressful time we live in. Avoid processed foods that do not have any magnesium in them. Choose almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds, as well as black beans, lima beans, and quinoa. Magnesium is rich in seeds and in dark green leafy vegetables. Therefore, kale, spinach, and collard greens will be good sources of magnesium. There is no danger of overconsuming magnesium from food sources.
Contact me to discuss your health goals for 2024. I can help you reach those health goals with whole food plans customized to your specific needs. You can contact me at nutritionproportion@gmail.com, or check out my website at www.nutritionproportion.net
