Magnesium Health Watch

It’s easy to get ample magnesium from your diet if you know what to look for.  Foods like beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains and leafy greens are incredibly nutritious and packed with magnesium.

This article lists several great, magnesium-rich vegetarian recipes.   Here’s one to get you started:

Mediterranean Tomato, Lentil and Spinach Soup

Serve this hearty vegetarian soup with crusty whole wheat bread for a complete meal. I like the sharp and slightly salty addition of freshly grated good Parmesan cheese, but omit it if serving to vegans.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each dried oregano and thyme leaves
• Pinch each dried rosemary leaves, crumbled, and pepper
• 3 cups (750 mL) vegetable stock
• 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes, including juice
• 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) lentils, drained and rinsed
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 cups (750 mL) fresh baby spinach leaves
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in seasonings, vegetable stock, tomatoes, lentils and lemon juice.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach leaves until wilted, about 30 seconds. Serve with Parmesan, if desired.

Makes 8 cups (2 L), 4 servings.

More Information
Tomato Tip: If you have canned whole tomatoes rather than diced, an easy way to cut them up is using kitchen shears. Pour tomato liquid into soup (to avoid messy overflow) and cut tomatoes in the can.

Nutritional information
Per Serving: 280 cal, 20 g protein, 6 g fat, 42 g carb, 10 g fibre, 1265 mg sodium. Excellent source vit A, vit C, folate, niacin, thiamin, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. Very high source dietary fibre. Calories : 280

Welcome to Homemakers.com : Food & Nutrition : Satisfying magnesium-rich sources -.

We’re always on the lookout for magnesium-rich foods to recommend for meals and snacks.  Believe it or not, pumpkin seeds are a mineral-rich food you’ll find plenty of this time of year.   In addition to magnesium, pumpkin seeds are full of zinc, copper, manganese, phosphorous, protein and potassium.

Here’s are some suggestions for how to enjoy pumpkin seeds:

“Place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and light roast them in a 160-170ºF oven for 15-20 minutes. Roasting them for a short time at a low temperature helps to preserve their healthy oils.

Enjoy your pumpkin seeds as a healthy snack or add them to a green salad. You can even grind them up to put in pesto or add them to your favorite cereal for extra nutrition. Store the seeds in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last one to two months.”

Pumpkin Seeds Offer Great Health Benefits | HULIQ.

Millions of Americans suffer from sleep problems.  It’s particularly common to experience changes in your sleep patterns as seasonal changes in sunlight can trigger sleep disorders.  We’ve been talking a lot about how to address sleep problems through your diet.  This includes B vitamins that promote wakefulness during the day found in foods like whole grain sand leafy greens.   Also, stay away from caffeine even several hours before bedtime.

Magnesium is one mineral that can help relax the body and help alleviate insomnia.

“Known as the “anti-stress” mineral, magnesium relaxes the body and calms the nervous system. Eat foods rich in magnesium–pumpkin seeds, almonds, and green vegetables–at or after dinner and take a magnesium supplement just before bed (combine with bone-builders calcium and vitamin D for best results). Begin with 150 mg of magnesium and increase if necessary.”

Eat Your Way to a Restful Sleep — baltimoresun.com.

Studies are showing that magnesium supplements are linked to migraine prevention.  For some migraine sufferers, a daily dose of magnesium can help with attacks.  You can start with eating magnesium-rich foods.  Otherwise, oral supplements or an IV injection of magnesium sulfate can help .

“The headaches and accompanying symptoms can be triggered by a number of factors, including stress, fatigue, food sensitivities and environmental allergies. Although triggers can vary from person to person, a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that many migraine sufferers have one thing in common — relatively low levels of the mineral magnesium.

For these individuals, a daily dose of magnesium can help reduce the frequency, severity and duration of migraine attacks. The results of numerous studies support the daily use of supplemental magnesium for the prevention of migraine headaches.

In one such study, German researchers evaluated the effects of oral magnesium on 81 adult migraine sufferers.

Half the subjects received 600 milligrams magnesium citrate daily for 12 weeks, while the other half received placebo pills.

During the final four weeks of the study, the frequency of migraine attacks was reduced by 41.6 percent in the patients who received supplemental magnesium, compared to a 15.8 percent reduction in the placebo group.”

Your Health: Magnesium Helps Prevent Migraines.

Baths are an effective way to absorb vitamins and minerals, without experiencing some of the side effects that often accompany mineral supplements.    One great way to get your magnesium is through an epsom salt bath, which contains high levels of magnesium.  Your skin naturally regulates absorption so your body gets only what it needs.  It’s not like taking mineral supplements where you might be taking many times the recommended daily allowance.

Here’s what Tonic has to say about it:

“One of the most positive effects of Epsom salt soaks are that they boost your magnesium levels because the salt contains so much of this underrated mineral. But, the truth is, many of us are lacking in magnesium (check with your doctor for tests especially is you suffer from migraines as taking extra magnesium can help prevent or alleviate migraines).

Stress, too, can drain your system of magnesium, and if you think you’re getting enough of the mineral from your diet, think again. Our soil isn’t as nutrient-rich as once was and unless you’re vigilant about eating almonds and other magnesium-containing foods, you’re probably llacking adequate levels.

A twice-weekly soak for about 15 minutes in an Epsom salt bath couldn’t be a more relaxing way to get yourself on your way to magnesium magnificence!”

Soak In It: Epsom Salt Baths by Jac Chebatoris.