Scroll down for list of magnesium rich foods...
Do you take magnesium? If so, do you know why?
It might be because someone at the gym suggested it, you heard that it helps you sleep, relieves muscle aches, or you've just read that we all lack magnesium?
How much do we know about this essential mineral? When it comes to supplements and anything you put into your body, research and knowledge are key.
Many people take magnesium, due to benefits for better sleep, due to relaxing the muscles. Also keep in mind the following 3 points:
Supplementing with magnesium is likely to only help your body's symptoms, if it deficient in the first place
Restless legs may be due to lack of iron
Other factors, such as lack of sunlight and physical activity, or too much caffeine may impair sleep.
General info about magnesium
Magnesium is found throughout the body and is key in many roles. It is found mostly in the bones, then muscles, soft tissue, fluids and blood.
Many people are deficient in magnesium, partly due to age and partly due to lack of healthy food.
Magnesium is required for assisting around 600 enzymes to carry out biochemical reactions in the body. So it it super important!
Role of magnesium in the body include:
building strong bones & proteins
regulating blood sugar
digestion
metabolism (converting food into energy)
gut health
blood pressure
muscle & nerve functioning
helping the heart to maintain a steady heart beat
it helps to manage lactic acid build-up in muscles
TIPS for including more magnesium in your food:
Add almonds & hemp seeds to yoghurt, and sunflower seeds to stir fries, salads and any plated meal
Create meals with legumes, tofu & spinach/leafy greens:
Add legumes, nuts and seeds to meat and fish dishes
Green smoothies with avocado & leafy greens
Add nuts & seeds to muesli or morning oats
Create snack bowls, eg: apple, nuts & cheese, veggies & hummus.
Hempseed Tabbouleh - see blogs for recipe. It's yum!
Magnesium lowers risk of chronic illness:
Evidence shows that a magnesium rich diet lowers risk of various chronic illnesses. Evidence also shows that eating a diet rich in quality whole-foods (REAL foods) lowers risk of disease, because good food contains minerals.
Signs of magnesium deficiency: NOTE, The symptoms listed could be related to many health issues! Check in with your health practitioner before self-diagnosing.
Weakness
abnormal heart beat
muscle cramps
twitching
loss of appetite
fatigue
nausea
Is our food deficient in magnesium?
This is a big question. Who knows?! is the answer. It depends on what country you live in, the source of your food and how it is grown. Absorption of magnesium will also depend on your current health and health of your gut microbiome.
I encourage everyone to source non-GMO, organic food where possible. However there are no guarantees.
If your food is grown in soil which is low in microbiology, then it may be low in certain nutrients.
Eating a healthy diet with magnesium rich foods, and eating less processed foods - (especially highly processed pre-packaged meals which contain additives and stabilisers)- means you are likely to be able to gain enough magnesium from your food. It would depend on your lifestyle, the health of your gut microbiome and the source of your food.
If you are a reasonably healthy person, with an uncomplicated health history, it is reasonable to assume you'll gain enough magnesium through diet. I have it occasionally or if I'm experiencing body aches or headaches, or digestive challenges and recently increased it for a week.
Extra/sufficient magnesium from food or supplements can help with:
period pain
muscle pain
headaches
reducing inflammation in the body (a pre-curser to a range of chronic illnesses)
digestion
gut health
mood support
heart health
promote rest and sleep. *note: restless leg may be an iron deficiency
may boost exercise performance
Does Magnesium help you sleep?
Magnesium plays a role in helping muscles relax after contracting, which could help if your muscles are tight. A relaxed body is more conducive to sleep.
Restless leg syndrome
is commonly blamed on a magnesium deficiency, however may be due to an iron deficiency. A blood test can help determine mineral levels
People at risk of deficiency may include those with any of the following health issues:
Vitamin D deficiency
Older people
Post menopausal women
Crohn's disease
Celiac
Other gut disorders
Dietary deficiency - diet high in pastries & refined white flour, low in vegetables, nuts and seeds
Too much sugar and caffeine
Chronic diarrhea
Diabetes
Thyroid issues
Gastric bypass
Certain medications including chemotherapy & proton pump inhibitors.
Food for thought:
There are different types of magnesium, such as "malate", "citrate" or "lactate", chelated or not chelated... etc. Do your own research and seek advice.
If your diet is deficient, don't rely on supplements to fix you. There is a special synergy between your body and micro-nutrients (vitamins & minerals)
Don't develop a habit of taking magnesium every morning "just because"
Don't develop a habit of taking magnesium every night, believing it will "make" you sleep
If you are drinking too much caffeine, sitting for prolonged periods, or engaging in exercise without stretching, address these first! The supplement may be pointless without looking at ways to improve lifestyle
Look at the root cause of your issues, rather than bandaids
Remember to stay hydrated with clean, fresh water.
Supplements:
A instagram reel I created about magnesium has attracted nearly 9000 views, so people are clearly interested in this.
Gaining proper information about what your body needs and learning about foods to nourish your body will pave the way to a healthier you!
Find out just how much of the supplements to take and be aware of the interactions with other minerals in the body.
I'm all for supplements when they will be beneficial, I take some sporadically. My body's needs will be different from every one of you reading this.
Your body's ability to make and absorb certain minerals and vitamins (micronutrients) may become depleted after around the age of 50, or menopause.
Put food first, assess your individual health journey and then see if you need supplements.
Look for opportunities to add seeds - like on this soup
Balance is key
Supplements are often in much higher doses than we would gain from food, which may cause an imbalance.
Minerals and vitamins from supplements may not be absorbed so well as from certain food pairings and food sources, which is why the supplement values are much higher than in food.
Magnesium supplements can be taken orally or topically, applied to the skin. It depends on your particular needs.
When it comes to supplements, just 'cos one is good, doesn't mean 2 is better...
If you're taking supplements, it may be an idea to "take-stock" sometimes! Review your supplements and check in with your health practitioner to see if you still need them, and if they should be varied in amount, or times that you take them. Unless they are prescribed, maybe you could take a break from them, have a day off, and allow your body to enjoy the natural ebb and flow of micronutrients from the food you eat?
The discovery of isolating specific minerals and vitamins has been nothing short of amazing. This discovery has saved lives and has changed everyday life for many of us.
However, when using supplements, it's good idea to know what you are taking, why and how the supplement may affect other interactions in your body.
NOTE: Taking supplements can be essential and lead to amazing results.
Too many supplements may be unnecessary, cause stomach issues or lead to a mineral imbalance or deficiency.
One mineral can block, or help absorption of another
mineral. Minerals (and vitamins) in foods interact in complex and subtle ways.
There is a synergy between these micro-nutrients in food.
I hope you found this useful! I always aim to provide a balanced view.
I found the info for this blog from various sources, including my nutrition knowledge, medically reviewed info from Healthline.com and from Harvard University.
Holistic Nutrition is about eating real, whole food for overall wellbeing. My focus is on gut health; the gut-brain link and the role of the gut microbiome for your body's everyday functioning.
Would you like to know more about eating for improved health? Let's chat! Message me to arrange a 30 minute free chat to see how we can work together.
Eat Well & Be Well everyone! love Laura
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