Have you ever experienced one of those intense muscle cramps so painful that it wakes you in the middle of the night? This is a good indication of low magnesium levels.
Magnesium is a trace mineral we require for numerous functions in the body. I see more people deficient in magnesium than any other mineral.
Are your bones strong? Over half the body’s magnesium is in our bones making it a very important substance in the bone matrix. Many people think ‘calcium’ when they hear ‘bones’. Calcium has been advertised as the most important bone-strengthening mineral. I believe magnesium is just as important in maintaining a strong skeletal system – essential for a healthy bone structure and to absorb calcium into the bones along with Vitamin D, boron, and manganese.
Healthy hearts: Magnesium is said to be the single most important mineral for cardiovascular health, and deficiencies in it have been linked to a number of cardiovascular risks including high blood pressure, heart irregularities, heart attacks, atherosclerosis and angina. Magnesium helps maintain a healthy blood pressure by dilating the arteries and it assists in heart irregularities by relaxing the heart muscles, calming the body and putting less stress on the heart and the vessels that transport the blood.
Nervous tension: It can be hard to relax your mind if you can’t relax your body. Magnesium is essential in relaxing your muscles and the nerves. It acts like a chemical gate-blocker, relaxing the nerve by not allowing calcium to over-activate it. A lot of clients complain about feeling anxious, stressed and irritable – more often than not signs of a magnesium deficiency.
Other indications could include: Muscle cramps, twitching and spasms, fatigue, migraines/headaches, menstrual cramps, insomnia, depression, allergies/asthma, irritable bowel syndrome.
Causes of magnesium deficiency: Other than a low dietary intake of magnesium, a weak digestive tract can inhibit its absorption. Weaknesses in digestion can include stagnate digestion, regular diarrhoea and inflammation (usually caused by an autoimmune response). Other major causes are due to regular caffeine and alcohol intake which reduces the amount of magnesium stored in the body.
All minerals including magnesium come from our diet as they cannot be made by our body. There are a number of foods that are naturally high in Magnesium (raw pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, spinach, chard, dark leafy greens, fish and bone broths). Even though you may consume lots of these foods other factors can inhibit or decrease the absorption of magnesium. For example steaming or boiling your leafy greens will result in a loss of Magnesium as it is water soluble.
Ways to increase your magnesium levels: Other than an increase in dietary intake with supplements, the most effective way to increase your levels is to tone your digestive tract. This can be improved by reducing your mucus-forming foods (eg. flour, sugar, dairy) and eating a high alkaline diet which will increase your stomach acids allowing your minerals to be absorbed properly. Now relax the mind, calm your body and give thanks to Magnesium! Peter Birkkjaer
st. Herbal Wisdom Holistic Centre