Magnesium Health Watch

Whether you get your dietary magnesium through magnesium-rich foods or supplements, your nutritional intake directly affects your nervous system and ability for muscles to relax.  Having a properly functioning muscular and nervous systems is important in fighting stress and depression.

Magnesium supplements can help you get the necessary calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and other nutrients you need every day.   Some of these supplements also have a uniquely calming and restorative effect.  One of the most easily absorbed and tasty magnesium supplements is
Natural Calm by Peter Gillham’s Natural Vitality. Peter Gillham is a clinical nutritionist, chemist, as well as a pioneer in the field of nutritional research.  His work has highlighted the importance of proper nutrition for fighting conditions such as stress, depression, fatigue, PMS and insomnia.

Here’s what Healthnews says about the relationship between magnesium and stress:

“Magnesium depletion—as it’s called—is caused by many small things such as alcohol, smoking, sweating too much, drug use, hypothyroidism (low production of metabolism), diabetes, sugar, carbohydrates, sodium, or calcium-filled diets, and finally stress.

Stress can cause over- or undereating and trigger depression which can lead to a low metabolism with inactivity. It can also increase bad habits such as smoking and drinking, which tend to lead to bigger health issues such as cancer and heart disease.”

Magnesium: The Stress Buster.

An interesting study conducted at Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have concluded that people who are at risk for diabetes should eat a diet high in magnesium-rich foods.  This helps decrease the likelihood of getting diabetes.  Earthtimes shares some information about the study:

“In the first study, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health evaluated the dietary intake of specific nutrients for more than 85,000 women and more than 42,000 men, in data supplied over 18 years for the women and over 12 years for the men. They found that the men and women whose diets included the largest amounts of magnesium were the least likely to develop type 2. Most of the participants in the studies consumed magnesium through foods, such as whole grains, nuts and green leafy vegetables; less than 5 percent of those followed took magnesium supplements.”

Magnesium diet lowers diabetes risk.

This informative article by magnesium expert Carolyn Dean profiles three patients in different circumstances, all dealing with magnesium deficiency.   One patient had heart palpitations and the potential of adult onset diabetes.  Another was suffering from migraines.  For each patient, they discuss symptoms and how they dealt with the magnesium deficiency, through either magnesium-rich foods, magnesium supplements or both.

Here’s an excerpt:

“I gave Mary a list of magnesium-rich foods that she needed to start eating, which included nuts, beans, greens, and seeds such as sunflower and pumpkin. Mary realized that she’d been avoiding almost all of these foods: She thought nuts were fattening, beans gave her gas, and greens never seemed fresh enough at the supermarket. She had never even thought about eating seeds.”

The article is actually an excerpt from Dean’s book, “The Miracle of Magnesium.”

THE MIRACLE OF MAGNESIUM | Toronto Canada alternative health natural medicine green living.

This Alternative Health Journal article mentioned a study at the University of Kentucky Medical Center showing that eating magnesium-rich foods as part of your diet can reduce the probability of gallstones in those who have a family history of this condition.

“The Kentucky researchers found that not getting enough magnesium can increase your triglycerides and lower HDL or good cholesterol. It adds up to compromising health on many fronts. They studied more than 42,000 men over a decade. Other studies have confirmed the potency of dietary magnesium.

There is a simple solution: Eat more plant-based foods to up your intake of fiber.”

Magnesium Foods Prevent Gallstones, Hypertension, Memory Loss by Bob Condor – Alternative Health Blog – Alternative Health Journal.

This amazing study reported that male smokers can reduce their stroke risk by increasing the amounts of magnesium-rich foods they eat.  Magnesium has been shown to reduce blood pressure, and this may correlate with its ability to reduce the risk of stroke.  Moral of the story?  Eat your magnesium!

The article states:

“Finnish men who smoked more than five cigarettes a day were enrolled in the study after providing complete dietary information, and included 26,566 participants, aged 50 to 69 years The average follow up time was 13.6 years. The men who consumed at least 589 mg/day of dietary magnesium daily were found to have a significantly lower risk of ischemic stroke than those who consumed the average amount of 373 mg/day.”

Magnesium Rich Foods Cuts Risk of Stroke in Male Smokers by 15% | LIVESTRONG.COM.