Many people take calcium
supplements but few take sufficient amounts of magnesium. They do not realize that the calcium that they
take is not being absorbed by their bodies because of a potential magnesium deficiency.
This is an excerpt from my book...
The Importance of Magnesium
Most people do not realize the importance of magnesium in the body. Magnesium is the
fourth most abundant mineral in the human body. In fact, about 50% of all the magnesium in
your body is found in your bones!
Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps
maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy
immune system, and keeps bones strong. In addition, Magnesium helps regulate blood sugar
levels and promotes normal blood pressure.
But why is magnesium so important? Well we need
magnesium to help regulate calcium and also to help metabolize these and other minerals.
Magnesium deficiency affects the hormones that help us efficiently process and absorb
calcium in our bones. Doctors used to tell us that we did not need all that much magnesium
compared to the amount of calcium that we needed. We had always been told that we only need
half as much magnesium as calcium in our bodies. But recent studies have proven this wrong.
In fact, we really need about equal amounts of magnesium as calcium in our bodies in order
to have strong bones.
A good illustration of this is to think about chalk and ivory. Chalk is 100% calcium.
Ivory, on the other hand, is about half calcium and half magnesium. We know that a piece of
chalk is very brittle and easily snaps. But ivory? Ivory is extremely strong. What would you
rather have as the composition of your bones?
Which Foods Are Rich In Magnesium?
Luckily, there are many foods which are great sources of magnesium. These include:
- Meat
- Green vegetables
- Sea food
- Potatoes
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Lima and kidney beans
- Most nuts
- Seeds (such as sunflower seeds)
- Soy products
- Peanut butter
- Whole grains
- Shredded wheat
- Dairy products
- Unsweetened cocoa power
Refined grains are generally low in magnesium. When white flour is refined and processed,
the magnesium-rich germ and bran are removed. Bread made from whole grain wheat flour
provides more magnesium than bread made from white refined flour. To help improve bone
density and help your
osteoporosis, skip white refined flour and use whole grain wheat flour instead.
Tap water can also supply magnesium, but the amount varies depending on your water
supply. "Hard" water (which naturally contains more minerals) contains more magnesium than
"soft" water. If you have a water softener in your home, you are likely stripping out all of
the magnesium from your water supply.
