If I were to write a blog article on every use of magnesium, I’d probably end up with a book instead of a blog article. So to keep this within reading length I will choose 5 of the main reasons magnesium is awesome.
MAGNESIUM FOR NERVE & MUSCLE FUNCTION
Ever wondered why when you’re super stressed, your eye twitches? Maybe other muscles in your body twitch or cramp but I’ve noticed a lot of the time its eye twitches. That is because when you are stressed, cortisol (the stress hormone) rises in your body and flushes magnesium out. Magnesium is essential for muscle and nerve function!
Magnesium is beneficial for stress, anxiety and plays a huge role in learning and memory. Supplementation is used for a number of health issues including headaches and migraines, pain syndromes, hyperactivity in children and even Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease.
When exercising, magnesium can help to ease post-exercise muscle fatigue and pain. Just quietly, I love the feeling you get in your muscles after a workout, but for some, the pain can be uncomfortable – especially if you have a job where walking like a cowboy is kind of out of the question.
HORMONES
Magnesium has shown in studies to support thyroid hormone balance, improve cortisol (stress hormone) and melatonin (sleep hormone) measures, and can support women who suffer from painful periods and premenstrual syndrome including fluid retention. It’s shown pretty promising results in treating metabolic syndrome, glucose, and insulin metabolism and even in pre-eclampsia!
If you have been diagnosed with a thyroid issue or adrenal insufficiency or suffer from PMS or other hormonal imbalance issues, talk to your naturopath about supplementation with magnesium.
MAGNESIUM FOR BOWEL HEALTH
Magnesium is very common in people with inflammatory bowel disease – mainly due to lack of absorption with such an ‘angry’ digestive system and this deficiency in people with bowel issues can lead to cramps, bone pain, fatigue, and depression.
It is common knowledge that magnesium supplementation is great for constipation. Constipation usually arises from low dietary fibre, dehydration and magnesium deficiency and can usually be corrected by addressing these issues.
HEART HEALTH
This amazing mineral also plays a huge role in maintaining normal heart rhythm and healthy blood vessels. Research shows us that magnesium deficiency can lead to hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and reduced blood supply to the heart.
The heart is a big muscle so it’s understandable that magnesium would be a major part of maintaining its health.
If you have a family history of heart disease, book an appointment with your naturopath to discuss preventative measures and possible magnesium supplementation.
MAGNESIUM FOR STRESS, ANXIETY, AND SLEEP
I touched on these briefly before but I think they deserve their own section. We are all so stressed, wired, strung out and sleep-deprived! It’s like the zombie apocalypse is here, right now.
With our increasingly demanding lifestyles, our increasing workload, list of chores and things to do, coupled with the fact our soils are so low in magnesium, not to mention our lowered intake of magnesium-rich foods – it’s no wonder we’re all zombies.
I strongly believe everyone would do better on a magnesium supplement, especially we stress heads! It would help us sleep better, manage tasks better, feel happier as well as benefit all that I have listed above.
SOURCES
Unfortunately, our soil is so depleted of magnesium; our food sources aren’t quite as rich in magnesium as they once were. Supplementation is necessary a lot of the time.
Legumes, whole grains, nuts, dark green leafy veggies, cacao, seeds are the best sources of magnesium.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking to take your health and well-being to another level, why not get involved in Martial Arts? At Wu Xing Dao Kung Fu, we take a holistic approach to Martial Arts. It’s not just about learning self-defence and punching and kicking, it’s also about self-discipline, health and nutrition.
After you have enrolled in martial art classes, we take time to help you understand the different types of martial arts and the various life skills that come with them. This allows you to make an informed decision when choosing the martial arts style you would like to learn. We ensure that every trainee learns how to defend themselves effectively as well as enjoy the many other health benefits that martial arts offer.
Please call us today on 0410 249 217 or leave a message and we’ll get back to you ASAP.