Oh My MAGNESIUM GLYCINATE
So why is a massage therapist and bodyworker talking about magnesium in a blog post? How many of us could answer the question: Why do we need magnesium in our diets?” Well I have had to learn the hard way why we need this in our diets and as time has gone on I find myself having to learn more and share more with my clients about this topic. I wanted to share just a brief summery of why this mineral is in my option one that everyone should make sure they are getting enough of in their diets in one way or the other.
The cliff notes on is that magnesium is used in the human body to help regulate our body functions as well as make up tissue and body fluids. Just to give you a sample of some of the many functions we are talking about here:
- Glucose and fat breakdown within the body which helps to regulate our blood sugar and body weight.
- Is one of building blocks of making DNA and RNA structures for cell reproduction (think clear new skin).
- Regulation of cholesterol production (“good” and “bad” cholesterol) on a daily basis.
- Hormones get produced in correct quantities when we have all the parts that make them up, one of which is magnesium.
Magnesium is knows as a macro-mineral, which means it is need to absorb a large amount of it to stay healthy. Other macro-minerals we need for good health are calcium, sodium, and potassium which many people consume to little of or way to much of depending on your overall diet. We need about 25 grams per day they say for good health but depending on a number of factors we could need more. So how can we tell if we are short on magnesium without a blood test? Physical symptoms of low magnesium are:
- Tics
- Muscles spasms with no outward signs of injury to a nerve
- cramps
- seizers
- unexplained anxiety
- Impaired memory
Along with some of these symptoms there are some well known and verified health conditions associated with low magnesium levels:
- Depression
- ADHD
- Migraine Headaches (which I see often)
- Type 2 Diabetes (even if it runs if families it can be an indication as diets among family members tends to be similar)
What if I want to know if I am low on magnesium? Well, you have a couple of options on this one but I suggest asking for a blood test for all of your vitamin and mineral levels. You can request the test be done at your doctors office (don’t expect your insurance carrier to cover that BTW). You can go to a nutritionists or even request an at home testing kit from a reputable lab which can also provide you with a print out of your levels (that does mean they will also tell you what they are supposed to be).
How do I get more in my diet?
Sources of magnesium:
- dark leafy green veggies
- nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds
- Macjerak or tuna
- beans
- avocados
- bananas
- dark chocolate
- Supplements (go for glycinate rather than other less refined products in increase absorption)
Hope this helps guys! Don’t forget to see verify if this is right for you by another trusted medical professional before taking action. Never trust just one source with you good health.
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