It is December, one of the most stressful months in the Western culture. We have lots on our plates every day but as the holiday season draws nearer the intensity increases for most of us. It’s during this time that a little known mineral can provide much needed support: magnesium.
Magnesium is often over looked in the importance of our mineral balance. As women we are made aware of the need for calcium and calcium supplements but what about magnesium? According to Dr. Christiane Northrup “Magnesium and calcium work together, but magnesium may actually play a more important role. It controls the entry of calcium into each and every cell–a physiological event that occurs every time a nerve cell fires!”
Magnesium deficiency is a huge problem in our society. As Dr. Mark Hyman says, “the reason we are so deficient is simple: Many of us eat a diet that contains practically no magnesium — a highly-processed, refined diet that is based mostly on white flour, meat, and dairy (all of which have no magnesium).”
Common issues of magnesium deficiency are:
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Asthma
- Constipation
- Heart disease
- Hypertension
- Infertility
- Nerve problems and muscle spasms
- Obstetrical problems
Magnesium is an antidote to stress, it can help you sleep, it is essentially the relaxation mineral. “Anything that is tight, irritable, crampy, and stiff — whether it is a body part or an even a mood — is a sign of magnesium deficiency.” Which means during this time of year supplementing with magnesium and eating foods that are high in this mineral can be incredibly valuable.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, having difficulty sleeping, and/or feeling overly stressed, contact me and we can determine together if magnesium supplementation is right for you. Don’t spend another holiday season feeling too stressed out to enjoy the festivities.
Noteworthy:
Foods that deplete magnesium: excess alcohol, salt, coffee, phosphoric acid in colas, profuse sweating, prolonged or intense stress, chronic diarrhea, excessive menstruation, diuretics (water pills), antibiotics and other drugs, and some intestinal parasites.
Foods that have a high magnesium content: Kelp, wheat bran, wheat germ, almonds, cashews, buckwheat, brazil nuts, dulse, filberts, millet, pecans, walnuts, rye, tofu, soy beans, brown rice, figs, dates, collard greens, shrimp, avocado, parsley, beans, barley, dandelion greens, and garlic
http://drhyman.com/magnesium-the-most-powerful-relaxation-mineral-available-577/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christiane-northrup/magnesium-calcium_b_509115.html