Are You Magnesium Deficient?

Magnesium is an important, low-cost, trace metal that is crucial to proper body functioning. Due to our modern diets of processed and nutrient deficient foods and soils, magnesium deficiency is a rising problem.

A government study shows a staggering 80% of Americans do not consume the recommended daily intake of magnesium. Even more alarming, data from this study suggests that 19% of Americans do not consume even half of the governments recommended daily intake of magnesium. 1

Below are a few specific reasons we should try to achieve the recommended daily intake of magnesium:

• It is beneficial for promoting optimal nerve function
• It can alleviate muscle aches and pains, reducing inflammation, improve blood flow and circulation, and supports a positive mood
• It can help support and alleviate conditions like insomnia, migraines, ADD/ADHD, constipation, anxiety, depression, and chronic fatigue
• It has also been know to help with cramps, nausea, and body odor as well.

"Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps maintain normal muscles and nerve function, keeps the hearts rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. There is an increased interest in the role of magnesium in preventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes."2

Doctors eagerly write millions of prescriptions each year for expensive patented drugs for nervousness, irritability, and jitters largely brought on by inadequate intake of magnesium. You only need to be SLIGHTLY deficient in magnesium to become irritable, high-strung, over-excitable, belligerent, sensitive to noise, and apprehensive. By allowing these symptoms to go untreated, you could develop twitching, jerkiness, tremors, irregular pulse, leg and foot cramps, muscle weakness, and insomnia. I find it alarming that doctors prescribe expensive drugs to treat these symptoms when a low-cost alternative like magnesium is readily available.

Signs of Magnesium Deficiency:

• Extreme thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Sugar cravings
• Frequent urination
• Body odor
• Mental disturbances
• Anxiety, panic attacks
• Depression
• Irritability
• Brain fog
• Moodiness
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Sensitivity to lights and sounds/noises 
• Insomnia
• Nightmares
• PMS
• Infertility
• Muscle malfunction (tightness, cramping, weakness)
• Heart flutters and/or palpitations
• Heart arrhythmia's
• Angina (due to spasms in coronary arteries)
• High blood pressure
• Thyroid issues
• Digestive issues (including constipation)
• Bad circulation (cold hands and feet)
• Tingling toes/fingers
• Low blood sugar
• Insulin resistance
• General (unexplained) pain
• Back and joint aches/pains
• Bad breath
• White/yellow/gray coating on tongue
• Cavities and tooth decay
• Allergies
• Shortness of breath
• Nerve pain
• Stroke
• Blood clots
• Kidney and bladder concerns

As you can see, the list for signs of magnesium deficiency is long and concerning. So I consider it very important to make sure my household tries to maintain proper magnesium levels. I like to keep things simple and natural so I try my best to include things in my diet that are high in magnesium. An easy way to remember what foods are good sources of magnesium is to think of fiber. Foods that are high in magnesium are usually also high in fiber.

Foods high in magnesium:

• Dark leafy greens (especially broccoli and squash)
• Whole grains
• Seeds and nuts (especially almonds)
• Beans

I have tried a few ways to increase magnesium intake outside of diet. I tried a liquid magnesium supplement, Epsom salt, and magnesium gel. While I enjoyed the ease of being able to add the liquid magnesium supplement to my water, magnesium can cause stomach sensitivity when ingested directly. Loose stool is a common symptom of improper digestion of magnesium, or a sign that you have gone over your magnesium intake.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It acts like a revolving door, allowing elements to pass through both ways. Anything that touches your skin, good or bad, is absorbed in or moved out (via sweat). When nutrients like magnesium are applied directly onto the skin, the benefits are amplified. I love taking advantage of this! Therefore, I enjoy topical applications of magnesium best, as it seems to be the most effective method for me. Stay tuned for my magnesium DIYs!



References
1. King D, Mainous A 3rd, Geesey M, Woolson R. Dietary magnesium and C-reactice protein level. J Am Coll Nutr. 2005 Jun 24(3):166-71
2. Available at: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp. Accessed June 6, 2005

FDA Disclaimer: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease."

Roasted Cherry Smoothie

What better way to celebrate summer produce than with some fresh cherries! My husband just adores cherries. Usually it's cherries paired with something chocolate, but this time he actually suggested that I incorporate a cherry smoothie into our lineup. After 11 years of marriage, I knew he wanted something with a lot of flavor, something spiced, something rich. I am a huge fan of incorporating essential oils into our recipes for their added health benefits, so I had to add some of those in for good measure. Here is what I came up with...









Ingredients:

• 1 pound Fresh Cherries
• 5 ounce serving size of Greek Yogurt (I used a 5.3oz container of plain Chobani)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Essential Oils:

• 2 drops of Lime
• 1 drop of Digestive Blend 

(You could also substitute lime juice and star of anise for the essential oils.

I only use therapeutic grade essential oils that are safe for consumption.

For more information on how to purchase these oils, please feel free to contact me.)

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

You are going to need to wash your cherries and remove their stems. I left the cherry pits in when roasting them to give them a fuller flavor. Set aside.

Mix the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and essential oils in a baking dish.

Add the cherries to the baking dish.

I used my hands to mix all of the ingredients together.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over the cherries and place in oven for 30 minutes.

When done cooking, remove cherries from oven, and let cool until room temperature.

At this point you are going to want to remove the pits from the cherries. I used my hands, tossed the seeds into the trash and the usable portion of the cherries into the blender.

Pour the remainder of the juices from the baking dish into the blender as well. 

Add the yogurt and vanilla extract into the blender. 

Place 1 cup of ice cubes into the blender, turn it on, and blend until smooth. I used the "Smoothie" button on my Blendtec. Pour into a cup (or two) and serve!

There you have it, folks, a delicious smoothie - or even dessert! It was rich and tart with a little spice. The color was gorgeous as well. 

Nerdy Extras:

You could always throw in some extra healthy goodies like flax, chia, or hemp seeds. These seeds are mild in taste and should not alter the taste of the smoothie too much.

There is so much more to cherries than their amazing taste. They're packed full of antioxidants and offer a multitude of health benefits. Cherries help ward off belly fat, lessen joint and muscle pain, help with insomnia, and are an excellent fruit choice for diabetics. Studies show that cherries can help fight off Alzheimer's and colon cancer, and reduce the risk of stroke and hypertension

Cinnamon is another antioxidant powerhouse - Like cherries, cinnamon helps to fight off Alzheimer's, has a strong Anti-Diabetic effect, and reduces the risk of heart disease. It has also been studied for its use in cancer prevention and treatment, and has strong anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. 

The Lime Essential Oil used helps support healthy immune function. I can also positively affect mood with its simulating and refreshing properties. 

The Digestive Blend Essential Oil used aids in the digestion of foods. It soothes occasional stomach upset, and helps to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract. 

FDA Disclaimer: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease."

Beauty

Beauty isn't everything, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't important to me. As much as I believe that inner beauty is infinitely more important than physical beauty, and as much as people like to say inner beauty is all that matters, it is just simply untrue in the socially archaic society we live in. Now, I'm not saying we all need to be bombshells. We don't need to be in perfect shape, have perfect make-up, perfect hair, and the perfect wardrobe. Although, that would be nice, ha! I'm just saying that we should strive to have our outward appearance reflect who we are inside. People can sometimes fail to give you a chance to show your inner beauty if your outer beauty doesn't live up to their standards. Sad, unfair, unjust, but true. People tend to put their trust into someone who, at the very least, looks like they pulled themselves together enough to make themselves presentable. After all, if you don't care enough to make yourself look professional (or whatever look you are going for), how could you expect anyone to treat you that way? That being said, intrinsic attraction, that of inner beauty is what makes or breaks it for us in our lives. After the initial state of attraction, inner beauty is what keeps that relationship intact on a long-term basis.

Making time for yourself with a busy schedule can be downright overwhelming, even seemingly impossible at times. Good news is, I'm going to post simple, practical, and quick beauty tips on this blog. As women, we are often natural caretakers, and tend to fill our time with other important things that need our attention; putting ourselves last. This is not only unfair to ourselves, but unfair to other people in our life. Having "me" time keeps me sane and helps me cope with my current stresses. There are many ways I like to indulge in "me" time, but I have to say that beautifying is near the top of my list! My guilty pleasure is locking the bathroom door and indulging in an at-home spa treatment. Sugar scrubs, facial masks, and deep conditioners are just some of my favorites! The boys in my house cannot wrap their minds around what I could possibly doing in the bathroom for that long. All they know is that when I come out I am in a fantastic mood. When I pamper myself, I feel good about myself, and when I feel good about myself, I let inner beauty shine more freely! ... what could be more beautiful than that?