The Master Mineral

I’ve reported the importance of minerals in the past, citing that most vitamins do nothing by themselves unless the appropriate minerals are there to activate and facilitate them.  We should be getting all our vitamins and minerals naturally from foods grown in healthy soil in the form of organic fruits and vegetables.  Unfortunately, I don’t see many who consume enough of these foods.  Furthermore, many chemicals including those found in processed “junk” foods and prescription drugs are known to deplete the body of these vitamins and minerals.  One crucial mineral that an estimated 80% of the population is deficient in is magnesium.

Magnesium is involved in over 300 metabolic processes in the body and is considered to be the “master mineral”.  For one thing magnesium is necessary to move calcium into bone to prevent osteoporosis.  It is also an anti-inflammatory mineral that protects against arthritis, Alzheimer’s, high blood pressure, heart problems, and diabetes.  Even with its importance, many Americans are not getting enough magnesium.  While blood testing is necessary to know for certain, here are some signs that you might have a magnesium deficiency:  calcium deficiency, muscle cramping, weakness and tremors, nausea, anxiety and confusion, high blood pressure, constipation, respiratory problems, dizziness, fatigue, poor memory, and migraine headaches.  Obviously, these symptoms can be associated with numerous other problems.  However, if you find that you experience several of these, doing a trial run of magnesium supplementation might be a good idea.

When supplementing with the mineral, I recommend a magnesium citrate like Natural Calm. It is in a powder form and can be drank and will absorb more readily. It is almost impossible to get too much magnesium, however, if you do take in too much you will likely experience diarrhea and possibly heart-rate irregularities. In some cases, a magnesium citrate sensitivity may cause bowel cramping and digestive distress.  If this occurs, I recommend using our Magnesium Glycinate supplement instead of Natural Calm. While supplementation is effective, ideally you should be getting magnesium along with all your other vitamins and minerals from real food.  Here are some food sources high in magnesium: pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds, black beans, spinach squash, okra, along with cashews and almonds.  We’ve used magnesium in our office for years mostly as a natural reliever of muscle spasms and cramping.  In doing this, I’ve found many people to get relief of high blood pressure, constipation, and migraine headaches.  Always remember that nature has an innate way of providing us with what we need.  Eat the right foods to get the appropriate vitamins and minerals and most symptoms, ailments and diseases could be prevented.