A Healthy You: Magnesium - The Forgotten Nutrient

Everyone talks about calcium, potassium, Vitamin D and fish oil, but we hardly ever hear much about magnesium.Your body uses magnesium to make body tissues, especially bone. It is also part of more than 300 different enzymes that trigger chemical reactions throughout your body.It is used to move nutrients in and out of cells and send messages between cells. Three out of five Americans do not receive a necessary daily supply of magnesium.Magnesium may be the most common deficient mineral in human nutrition. Magnesium is found mostly in plant foods. Leafy greens such as spinach, kale and Swiss chard are great sources.In addition ,so are nuts, seeds, whole grains such as oatmeal. A banana provides 32 mg of magnesium and ½ cup cooked spinach provides 75 mg.Adult men need about 420 mg and women need about 320 mg per day.General symptoms of magnesium deficiency are migraines, sleeping difficulty, depression, anxiety and constipation. Diets high in magnesium rich foods appear to be protective against chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart concerns.A key function of magnesium is that it helps relax your muscles, including your heart. Also, magnesium may help improve sleep, anxiety, menstrual cramps.Challenge: Eat a dark green leafy lettuce salad three times this week.A Healthy You is a regular column about nutrition, healthy living and cancer care. It is written by Cindy Gates, RD and LD and the Cancer Center’s Oncology dietitian, herbalist and Certified Wellness Coach.Photo by paqman, via Flickr.com