Magnesium Health Watch

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.

We wanted to let you know about our ever-expanding Magnesium Rich Foods site on Squidoo.  There, we post additional information on magnesium-rich food sources, magnesium mineral supplements and more.  This includes informative videos, great tips on from experts, and featured nutritional products from Amazon.

Visit: http://www.squidoo.com/magnesiumfoods

We love emphasizing the importance of getting your magnesium from food sources.  Magnesium is everywhere if you know where to look.  This article provides some ideas for ways to get more magnesium in your diet.  It also includes one of the most delicious kid-friendly, magnesium-rich treats called “ants on a log.” (more…)