If you want to lose weight don't miss out on these foods high in...
Today's post is all about Magnesium and how it may be helpful for weight loss, insulin resistance, sleep, anxiety, heart health and blood pressure. Really? All that???
Yup really. In this article, I am going to share ways that Magnesium can help with fat loss, disease prevention and how to get more of it into your body. That list is at the bottom so if you're the impatient type you may want to scroll down but if you have some time, pour yourself a cup of tea and read on.
A few facts about why Magnesium is SO critical to your overall health.
Magnesium plays over 800 essential biochemical roles in your body from keeping your heart rhythm steady to building strong bones & supporting your immune system. (1)
Magnesium is is vital to activating Vitamin D (2) which plays a vital role in bone health, heart health and countless other functions.
Many studies have shown that people with Type 2 Diabetes are also deficient in Magnesium. (3)
Clinical studies have also indicated that there is a relationship between magnesium deficiency and a worsening of insulin resistance (3)
There is also a link between high blood pressure and magnesium deficiency (3)
Depending on the source you consult, experts estimate that anywhere from 30% to 90% of people are deficient in Magnesium with most landing around the 50% mark. Any way you look at it, that's a LOT of people.
You might be wondering why...why the heck are so many people so deficient in this critical mineral?
As always, this is a complicated question to answer fully but here are some of the top reasons:
An overall decrease in magnesium content in soil - so our food its becoming deficient in magnesium. (1)
The increased consumption of overly processed foods and grains (1)
Soft Drink consumption due to high phosphorus content (more phosphorus means you need more magnesium as they compete for absorption).(1)
Taking certain medications such as (but not limited to) diuretics, and antacids.
Ok Nat, this is all great but it's super-sciency - so in plain in English - what does this mean for me and most importantly what do I do about it???
I thought you'd never ask lol.
Here are some symptoms you may be experiencing that may be linked to low Magnesium:
Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Muscular Cramps in your hands or feet
Anxiety or increased stress
Blood sugar dysregulation or insulin resistance
Difficulty losing weight
Constipation
Bad menstrual cramps
Low energy
One detail to stress here is that these can be symptoms of MANY different things - so don't expect all your ailments to magically resolve from taking a magnesium supplement. However, I have seen many of these improve when people increase their magnesium intake especially if magnesium was the issue in the first place.
Here are the ways that improving your magnesium status may help you to lose weight:
Better sleep = better energy
Better insulin sensitivity means you're less likely to store fat
Better moods = Better mental energy to get out and move!
Mg Boosts cellular energy production (ATP) which also boosts your metabolism!
Mg helps with muscular contraction so helps you workout better. AND improves recovery from workouts.
Chronic constipation is NOT helpful when trying to be active...and being active helps to relieve constipation. Ergo - more magnesium, less constipation, more movement, less constipation, more energy...you see where this is going yes?
There are 3 ways to get more magnesium into your body - by eating the right foods, taking supplements, by soaking in it (no really, I'm not kidding).
Here are my favourite 10 magnesium-rich foods:
Almonds
Broccoli
Cashews
Egg yolks
Flaxseed
Dark green vegetables
Mushrooms
Pumpkin Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Sesame Seeds
DARK chocolate - make it free of sugar and you are golden!
But we did state at the beginning of this article that our soils are increasingly depleted of magnesium (among other important nutrients) so even those of us eating an awesome diet probably could use more magnesium.
Enter **supplements**.
For overall Magnesium status I recommend that my clients find a good Magnesium Glycinate supplement.
Some of my favourite brands are:
Pure Encapsulations (as they add almost no additives to their supplements)
Genestra has a GREAT Liquid Magnesium - tastes delicious and again, no additives etc..
Thorne also has great Magnesium Supplements in highly absorbable form.
How much to take?
If you suspect that you are running low on magnesium, you could try 300mg a day. But I like my clients to build up gradually so start with 150 mg for a week and then increase to 300mg.
Be mindful that too much magnesium is not always a good thing - for starters too much can cause loose stools that may require a very rushed visit to the bathroom....if this happens (although it is unlikely if you stick to Mg Glycinate), simply lower your dose next time around. This is most likely to happen if you take Magnesium Citrate - which is a good strategy to try on occasion if you suffer from constipation but not so great if you're trying to address any of the other issues we are discussing.
**It bears mentioning that if you are taking medications you should ALWAYS check with your doctor before taking ANY new supplements. Other health professionals may also be able to advise you on interactions but especially if you take a bunch of prescription meds your doctor should be your first stop.**
Last but not least, you can also soak in an Epsom salts bath before bed as a great way to relax, unwind and get a great sleep as epsom salts are rich in magnesium. Your skin, being your largest organ of absorption is a great way to get certain nutrients into your body. Also Epsom salts are dirt cheap - so this is economical too!!!
So, in closing, I hope that you now have a slightly better understanding of why magnesium is so important to your overall health, how it might help you lose weight, stay healthier and how to get more of it.
Do you take magnesium as a supplement? Did you find this information helpful? Post a comment or send me a note! I always love to hear from my readers!
(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786912/
(2) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180226122548.htm
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9056694