Why You Should Consider Magnesiun!
Hi everybody! And a warm welcome to my inaugural blog post for NECA. I want to start by saying how jazzed I am to be part of the team here. I've been a patient at the clinic since last summer and I'm thrilled to bring what I do to the community.
During my many visits, as well as the time I've spent getting to know patients as they check in for their acupuncture treatments, the nutritional topic I hear discussed most frequently is magnesium. Magnesium is an immensely important macromineral. It's also often overlooked so I'm glad it's become a popular suggestion at the clinic.
Magnesium's most well-known function is to help muscles relax after calcium causes muscle contraction. Because of this contraction-relaxation relationship in the muscles, magnesium is essential for proper heart function - the most important muscle. Magnesium can be used to combat stress, high blood pressure, kidney stones, PMS symptoms, and, with the help of vitamin B1 (thiamine) and a little extra water, it can even help alleviate hangover symptoms...you know, in case you're still struggling after that wild New Year's party last week...
But, as I mentioned, the importance of this mineral is so often forgotten and deficiency is becoming all too common. While talking with a patient in the office last week, I was asked why it's such a common deficiency. There are a few answers to that question including drinking soft water, alcohol, and caffeine, common prescription drugs, poor digestion, and artificially fertilized soil. But there's an even more pressing reason why magnesium deficiency is reaching epidemic proportions: sugar.
Gasp.
Yes. Sugar. Check this out. The process of turning nutrients into energy is called metabolization. The metabolic process doesn't just happen though; it needs fuel and raw materials. One of those materials is...you guessed it: magnesium. Now, back to the sugar. In order for our bodies to metabolize 1 molecule of glucose (sugar), more than 28 molecules of magnesium are needed. And let's just say, most folks aren't eating just 1 molecule of sugar each day. In fact, the USDA reported (2014) that the average American consumes 150-170 POUNDS of refined sugar every year. It's easy to see how we might be depleting our body's magnesium now, eh?
If you are deficient in magnesium, you might have any number of the following symptoms:
Fatigue
Irritability
Poor memory
Depression
Insomnia
Headaches
Muscle spasms, cramps, or weakness
High blood pressure
Irregular or rapid heartbeat
If you suspect your symptoms might be attributed to low magnesium, the good news is it's pretty easy to find. Excellent sources include dark green vegetables (especially the leafy ones), seafood, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole/unrefined grains.
Adding more magnesium to your diet is just one piece to the puzzle. Making sure your digestion is working optimally is hugely important. And neither of those ideas will help much without removing the factors that are depleting your magnesium (sugar!).
