Beyond the Magnesium Hype-- What You REALLY Need to Know

In the last few years, magnesium has taken center stage as a cure-all for everything from migraines, to diabetes, to osteoporosis. But what is the truth? Should you be taking a supplement every day or can you rely on your diet to provide all the magnesium you need? Read on to find out. Your body uses magnesium for more than 300 chemical processes to keep you healthy (and happy!). Because you are constantly using this vital mineral, your body works very hard to keep blood levels of magnesium steady and available for use. When you use up the available magnesium in your blood, your body will try to get more of it from food or withdraw it from storage in your bones and soft tissues. If it cannot get enough from both sources, your blood magnesium will be low. That is when you’ll begin to see symptoms like the following: • Fatigue • Headaches • High blood pressure • Irregular heart beat • Softening and weakness of bone • Muscle spasms, cramps, or weakness If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor immediately. You may have a life threatening magnesium deficiency or other serious medical condition. While the blood test your doctor gives you to test magnesium levels is very helpful, remember that it does not tell you how much magnesium you are storing in your bones and soft tissues. Your may need more magnesium in your body’s storage "banks" to function most optimally. It is important to understand the significance of adequate magnesium storage in the body. You need a lot of magnesium in a pinch for an acute illness or stressor. Your body will rely on its stored resources to get you through your health crisis. So, the question remains. Should you supplement with magnesium or rely on food sources? First, ask yourself if your daily food intake includes the following: green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans and peas, whole grains, and seeds. These healthful, wholesome foods are high in magnesium and tend to have lots of fiber and tons of other nutritional goodies as well. Fish is another good source of dietary magnesium. If you answered yes, you eat plenty of these healthful foods every day, the chances are that your diet provides all the magnesium you need for good health. But here’s another question. Do you have any of the following conditions that put you at risk for low magnesium storage? • Drinking too much alcohol • Diabetes • Chronic diarrhea • Congestive heart failure • Low potassium levels • Low calcium levels • Taking water pills or an acid reducing drug (proton pump inhibitor) • Excessive sweating • Excessive urinatio Unfortunately, low magnesium stores often have no clear signs or symptoms. As a rule of thumb, seniors are at a higher risk than middle-aged people. African Americans have the lowest magnesium intake compared to White and Mexican Americans. So if you are in a higher risk group or have one of the conditions mentioned above, there’s a good chance your magnesium stores are low. In this case, supplementation is a great option — as long as you consult with your and doctor and don’t overdo it. He or she can tell you what type of supplement is best for your particular health status and how much to take. If you have any medical conditions or if you take any medication, it is also important to inform your doctor before you take a magnesium supplement. A magnesium supplement is actually a kind of medication and may interact with other medications. People with kidney problems need to be especially careful with ANY medications and supplements. While you must be careful about not exceeding the recommended daily dose of magnesium supplements, remember there is no limit to how much magnesium you can get FROM FOOD. That’s because your body is such a marvelous creation. Your gut is smart enough not to absorb an excess of NATURAL magnesium found in food. But a magnesium supplement is actually a highly processed, concentrated form of pill. It does not follow the absorption pattern of magnesium-rich food. I compiled a list of magnesium-rich foods that you may like to mix and match. Aim for at least 400 magnesium a day from your food. Magnesium Rich Foods: Nuts and Seeds mg/serving almonds, dry 1/4 cup 105 Brazil nuts, dry 1/4 cup 80rncashews, dry 1/4 cup 89rnflax seeds, grounded 1 tablespoon 39rnpeanuts, roasted or dry 1/4 cup 67rnpeanut butter 2 tablespoon 50rnpecans, dry 1/4 cup 38 pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup 185rnsesame seeds, whole 1 tablespoon 32rnsesame butter (tahini) 1 tablespoon 58rnsquash seeds 1/4 cup 185rnsunflower seeds 1/4 cup 128rnwalnuts, chopped 1/4 cup 63rnwatermelon seeds 1/4 cup 140 Vegetables mg/serving avocado, pureed 1/2 cup 35rnasparagus 1/2 cup 18rnbeets 1/2 cup 32rnbroccoli, cooked 1/2 cup 51rncollard greens, cooked 1/2 cup 20rnco 1/2 cup 27rnpotato with skin 1 medium 48rnscotch kale 1/2 cup 30rnseaweed 1 oz 58rnspinach, cooked 1/2 cup 78rnsweet peas 1/2 cup 32rntomatoes, raw 1 cup 20rntomato paste 6 oz 70rnwinter squash 1 cup 27 Fruits mg/serving banana 1 medium 33rncherries 1/2 cup 16rnpineapple 1/2 cup 18rnraisins 1/2 cup 26rnraspberries 1 cup 27 Beans mg/serving blackeyed peas 1/2 cup 45rnblack beans, cooked 1/2 cup 60rnkidney beans, cooked 1/2 cup 35rnlentils, cooked 1/2 cup 36rnpinto beans, cooked 1/2 cup 43rnsoybeans 1/4 cup 63 Meat and Fish mg/serving beef 3 oz 21rnchicken 3 oz 21rnturkey 3 oz 21rnblue fish 3 oz 21rnflat fish 3 oz 26rncod 3 oz 30rnhalibut 3 oz 24rnscallop 3 oz 46rnshrimp 3 oz 36rntempeh, cooked 3 oz 66rntofu 3 oz 25rntuna 3 oz 30 Dairy Products mg/serving milk (regular or skim) 1 cup 30rnyogurt 8 oz 32 Grains and Cereals mg/serving bran flakes 1/2 cup 42rnbrown rice, cooked 1/2 cup 42rnbulgur 1/2 cup 29rnbuckwheat, dry roasted 1/2 cup 180rncream of wheat, quick cooking 1 cup 15rnmillet, cooked 1 cup 77rnoat bran 1/4 cup 55rnoatmeal, cooked 1 cup 60rnquinoa 1/2 cup 60rnpuffed and shredded wheat 1/2 cup 19rnraisin bran cereal 1 cup 77rnrice bran 1/4 cup 230rnrye 1/2 cup 90rnspelt 4 oz 95rnwheat bran, crude 1/4 cup 90rnwheat germ, crude 1/4 cup 69rnwhole wheat bread 1 slice 23 Keep reading to discover the keys for defusing ticking health bombs that could be lurking in your body at WholeHealthAlerts.com. 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