Magnesium – A first step in blood pressure control!
MAGNESIUM IS A CENTRAL ELEMENT IN THE CONTROL OF OUR BLOOD PRESSURE. OUR BIOCHEMISTRY DOES NOT FUNCTION WELL WHEN WE HAVE AN INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF THIS INGREDIENT OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOUP WE KNOW TO BE OURSELVES. MOST NOTABLY, OUR BLOOD VESSELS FAIL TO RELAX PROPERLY, CONTRIBUTING TO HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
ECLAMPSIA IS A CONDITION WHICH MAY BE FAMILIAR TO MANY OF US. ASSOCIATED WITH LATE PREGNANCY, IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURE, WHICH CAN INDEED BE CRITICAL. THE TREATMENT USED FOR DECADES IS MAGNESIUM. IT IS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT ADDRESSES THE BIOCHEMISTRY OF THE CONSTRICTED BLOOD VESSEL, ALLOWING IT TO RELAX.
MAGNESIUM IS INVOLVED IN MANY BIOCHEMICAL PROCESSES IN OUR BODIES. ESTIMATES ARE IN THE HUNDREDS.
MAGNESIUM IS CALCIUM’S PARTNER. NEITHER DO THEIR JOB NEARLY AS WELL WITHOUT THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE OTHER. CALCIUM GETS ALL THE PRESS, BUT MAGNESIUM DESERVES JUST AS MUCH.
INSUFFICIENT MAGNESIUM MAY MANIFEST ITSELF IN THE FORM OF MUSCLE CRAMPS, IRREGULAR HEART BEATS, DIZZINESS, WEAKNESS, CONFUSION AS WELL AS MANY OTHER WAYS.
WE GET MAGNESIUM IN OUR FOOD. DEFICIENCY RESULTS FROM INADEQUATE FOOD SOURCES, POOR ABSORPTION, AND LOSING TOO MUCH IN THE URINE.
FOODS CONTAINING GOOD AMOUNTS OF MAGNESIUM:
DARK LEAFY GREENS: SPINACH, COLLARD GREENS ETC.
AVOCADO
NUTS: ALMONDS, PECANS, BRAZIL NUTS WALNUTS ETC. WE JUST GET A NUT MIX AND KEEP IT OUT FOR HAVING A SOME PERIODICALLY DURING THE DAY. WE KNOW ABOUT THE CALORIE COUNTERS, BUT HAVE REALIZED WITH ALL THE HORMONES AND BIOCHEMISTRY INVOLVED, NUTS DON’T SIMPLY TRANSLATE TO WEIGHT.
THE BROCCOLI FAMILY THEY ARE ALWAYS NUTRIENT RICH WINNERS
DARK CHOCOLATE (IT SEEMS THIS IS ALWAYS A FUN CHOICE)
BEANS: DON’T FORGET CHICKPEAS, LENTILS AND BLACK-EYED PEAS
WHOLE GRAINS: BROWN RICE, OATS, BUCKWHEAT, WHOLE GRAIN PASTA AND QUINOA. REMEMBER THAT “REFINED GRAINS” ARE MORE PROPERLY TERMED “DEPLETED GRAINS”
FISH
YOGURT: (AVOID THE SUGARED ONES)
POOR MAGNESIUM ABSORPTION:
MAINTAINING A HEALTHY GUT WITH PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS CAN HELP.
USING SUPPLEMENTS WHICH ARE EASILY ABSORBED WILL WORK.
LOSING TOO MUCH MAGNESIUM IN THE URINE:
DIURETICS “WATER PILLS” DO THIS.
NATURAL DIURETICS LIKE CAFFEINE AND BEER. WE ALL KNOW THIS.
THIS IS ALL PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE FOR HEART HEALTH. WE SHOULD MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH MAGNESIUM, CALCIUM, VITAMIN D3 AND VITAMIN K2.
SO, DO WE JUST ROUGHLY ADJUST BASED ON THIS KNOWLEDGE, OR DO WE MEASURE TO SEE IF WE ACTUALLY HAVE ACHIEVED THE RESULT WE WANT?
GOOD: A SERUM MAGNESIUM TEST IS BETTER THAN GUESSING. THE PROBLEM IS THAT 99% OF MAGNESIUM IS NOT IN THE BLOOD, BUT IN OUR CELLS. IN OTHER WORDS, THE TEST ONLY MEASURES THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE ROAD, WHEN THERE MAY BE VERY FEW AT THEIR DESIRED DESTINATION.
BETTER: RBC MAGNESIUM TEST. THIS MEASURES THE MAGNESIUM IN THE RED BLOOD CELLS. IF OUR RED CELLS DON’T HAVE ENOUGH, WE CLEARLY NEED MORE.
BEST: IONIZED MAGNESIUM AND/OR EXA TEST CAN BE HELPFUL FOR SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL BUT WON’T BE OF MUCH VALUE FOR MOST OF US.
WE ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT EACH OF US IS UNIQUE, THUS WE ALWAYS CONSULT WITH OUR PERSONAL HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.
IDEALLY, MAGNESIUM IS NORMALIZED BEFORE ANY TREATMENT FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. WHEN ALREADY BEING TREATED WITH PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR SPECIFIC ABNORMALITIES LIKE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, DIABETES, OR INTESTINAL DISEASE, MAGNESIUM WILL HAVE AN EFFECT AND MUST BE CAREFULLY ADJUSTED WITH MEDICATIONS IN MIND.
IF NEEDED, SUPPLEMENTAL MAGNESIUM CAN BE TAKEN IN MANY FORMS. WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT TAKING CERTAIN MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENTS BY MOUTH CAN RESULT IN DIARRHEA SO START WITH A LOW DOSE AND INCREASE AS TOLERATED. WE ALL KNOW MILK OF MAGNESIA AS A COMMON LAXATIVE.
ORAL FORMATIONS, TOPICAL GELS AND LOTIONS AND MAGNESIUM BATH SALTS ARE AVAILABLE. EPSOM SALT (MAGNESIUM SULFATE) HAS LONG BEEN USED ORALLY AS A LAXATIVE, BUT FOOT SOAKS OR BATHS CAN RESTORE MAGNESIUM LEVELS. For Epsom salt baths, use 2 cups of Epsom salt in the tub and soak for 15 minutes 2 or 3 times a week. What a relaxing way to provide our body with one of the critical components it craves.
SWIMMING IN SEA WATER ALLOWS MAGNESIUM ABSORPTION THROUGH THE SKIN.
MAINTAINING A NORMAL MAGNESIUM IS BASIC TO OUR HEART HEALTH.