Note from Carolyn:
Here is a great article on picking the right foods and being open to supplements. I get my magnesium through my foods and a good multi-vitamin.
Article continues...
The National Academy of Sciences reported that Americans are critically lacking in adequate amounts of magnesium; men receive only 80% of the recommended daily allowance and women only 70%.
Most people basically associated magnesium only as an important mineral necessary for proper utilization of calcium. What they don’t know is that magnesium is required for well over 350 different enzymes, not to mention the hundreds of other essential functions within the body.
How the Depletion Happened…
I’ve written about the serious consequences of industrial farming and food processing in articles and my books. Now there’s another consequence due to depleted soil that lacks essential minerals like those where the following crops are grown like vegetables, grains, fruits, seeds, legumes, beans, etc...
Food processing also depletes a large amount of naturally-occurring magnesium in the refining processes. The baby-boomer generation is now paying the high price of chronic disorders from these processed foods and farming practices mostly implemented after WWII – magnesium deficiency being a major disorder that translates to chronic illnesses.
Magnesium Depletors...
- Excessive stress (physical or mental)
- Caffeine (more than one cup per day)
- High protein diet
- Excessive calcium intake (very common)
- High sodium diet
- Refined sugars
- Medical drugs of all types (includes over-the-counter drugs)
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Diuretics (water pills)
- High perspiration or sweating
- Diarrhea
- White sugar and flour
- Diabetes (causes magnesium loss rapidly)
- Soft drinks (especially cola type)
- Surgery (anesthetics, medications, etc.)
- Chronic pain (the body uses magnesium quicker than its replaced)
- High carbohydrate diet
- High cholesterol or triglycerides
Consequences of Deficiency…
According to Carolyn Dean, M.D., the decline of magnesium in our diets has been gradual – from a high of 500 mg/day at the turn of the century to barely 175-225 mg/day in 2010. The recommended dose for women over age 30 is generally around 320 mg/day.
The ironic part of this magnesium depletion dilemma is that pharmaceutical drugs used to treat the conditions listed below only serve to further deplete magnesium and other essential minerals. If you or someone you know experience any of the following conditions, consult with your health professional and ask to have your magnesium levels checked.
Yes, taking supplemental magnesium and eating foods high in this mineral can help reverse these conditions. However, you may have to try several magnesium supplements before finding the one that best agrees with your body and doesn’t cause abdominal cramping, loose stools and intestinal gas and/or bloating. Remember, if you aren’t absorbing it, it’s doing more harm than good!
Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency Include:
Allergies Anxiety and panic attacks
Asthma Attention Deficit Disorder
Bowel disease Blood clots
Back/neck/joint pain without strain Constipation/incomplete evacuation
Cystitis Depression
Diabetes Fatigue
Fibromyalgia Gynecological problems
Heart disease Hypertension
Hypoglycemia Insomnia/restless or unrestorative sleep
Kidney disease Musculoskeletal conditions
Mitral valve prolepses Migraine headaches
Nerve problems Osteoporosis
Reynaud’s syndrome Tooth decay
Food as Medicine – Foods High in Magnesium…
Each of the following mg are based on a 3 ounce serving.
- Kelp- 760 mg
- Wheat bran- 490 mg
- Molasses- 258 mg
- Brewer’s Yeast- 231 mg
- Buckwheat- 229 mg
- Brazil nuts- 225 mg
- Dulse (sea vegetable)- 220 mg
- Filberts- 184 mg
- Wheat germ- 336 mg
- Almonds- 270 mg
- Cashews- 267 mg
- Peanuts- 175 mg
- Wheat grain- 160 mg
- Millet- 163 mg
- Pecans- 145 mg
- English walnuts- 131 mg
- Rye- 115 mg
- Tofu- 111 mg
Dr. Gloria Gilbčre
