If you’re a regular at the clinic you have probably heard us talking about how important supplementing with magnesium is, especially for woman. Magnesium is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body and impacts blood pressure, metabolism, nervous system, fertility, muscles, immune function and many other aspects of health. Some experts claim that magnesium deficiency is the single largest health problem in our world today.
Why is magnesium deficiency so widespread?
There are many reasons that deficiency is so widespread in modern times (even though it wasn’t in the past). Depleted soil conditions mean that plants (and meat from animals that feed on these plants) are lower in magnesium. Use of chemicals like fluoride and chlorine in the water supply make magnesium less available in water since these chemicals can bind to it. Additionally common substances that many consume daily, like caffeine and sugar deplete the body’s levels and … and so does stress!!!
In other words, the lucky (but small) percentage of the population that live near the ocean (a good source of magnesium), eat food grown in magnesium rich soil, drink magnesium rich water, and don’t suffer from stress or consume sugar or caffeine might be ok… but the rest of us might need a top up.
Magnesium deficiency can present in the body in many of the following ways:
- Cramps, muscular spasms, eye twitches, chronic tightness and muscular pain and stiffness.
- Anxiety, restlessness and irritability
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Palpitations and irregular heart beats (Arrhythmia)
- PMS, hormone issues or scanty or painful menstrual cycle
- Sleeping issues or insomnia
- Fatigue
Magnesium seriously is the ultimate relaxation mineral for the mind and the body. Have you noticed there are magnesium float tanks popping up everywhere? They are just big baths of magnesium salts. So rather than spend $75 for an hour of floating, grab some salts for your own bath or foot bath at home. When your in the bath the salts absorb via the skin – ‘transdermally’ which is a very effective for magnesium to enter the blood stream for immediate restoring.
We encourage using magnesium everyday to help build up stores in the body. There are several ways of achieving this:
- Orally – powered, capsule or drops in water daily
- Topically – spray or crystals in bath or foot bath
Magnesium is high in many foods we eat, however often we just cant consume enough that is adequate for our recommended daily intake.
Magnesium rich foods include:
- Spinach and Chard – 157 mg
- Dark Chocolate – 95mg
- Pumpkin seeds (1/8 cup) – 82mg
- Almonds – (1 cup) -80mg
- Black beans – (1/2 cup) -60mg
- Avocado – 1 medium -58mg
- Figs – (1/2 cup) 50mg
- Yoghurt – (1 cup) – 50mg
- Banana – 1 medium – 32mg
Have a question? Discuss below or book in for a appointment.