Magnesium and our Diet - St. Vincent IPA

While often neglected and downright forgotten about, Magnesium is one of the most essential nutrients in our body and plays a role in over 300 different functions. From energy production, regulation of nerves and muscles, and even DNA synthesis, ensuring you get enough magnesium is important to staying healthy.

Up to 60% of Americans are not getting enough magnesium in their diets daily, and it can have effects that are hard to notice and some that are easy to miss. The first symptoms of magnesium deficiency are the less noticeable ones that slowly onset and become a new norm. Some are physical like a loss of appetite, fatigue, or weakness while others can be mental such as having issues concentrating and problems with memory. Once you reach a major deficiency, the severe symptoms become present. Numbness can set in and muscles can begin to contract and cramp due nerve function failing and you can even begin to experience seizures. On the other hand, by maintaining a healthy amount of magnesium in your diet you can reduce the chances of migraines, osteoporosis, diabetes, and heart disease.

Magnesium is found in many tasty and healthy foods that can be quite easy to incorporate in your diet. For your meals you can add some greens like spinach and kale, or you can add some legumes like black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and garbanzo beans. Even having a glass of milk can provide you with a boost of magnesium. Throughout your day, snack on some pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, cashews, or dark chocolate (70%+) to ensure you are reaching you are consistently reaching your daily recommended values.

Sources: