Women Health and Environment

You probably never gave much thought to magnesium intake – but you should. It’s major player in every tissue and cell in the body.

Magnesium is critical for a smooth-running metabolism, making new protein, fluid control in cells, conducting nerve impulses, muscle contraction and hormone secretion. Low magnesium levels are linked to heart disease, muscle cramps, abnormal heart rhythms, constipation, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney stones, migraine headaches, complications during pregnancy and fibromyalgia. Active lifestyles predispose women to magnesium depletion. Dieting for weight loss, prolonged exercise, drinking soft water, excessive sweating and chronic diarrhea can leave you with dangerously low magnesium levels. Increase magnesium intake by improving your diet.

Good sources of the mineral include water, whole grains and cereals (whole wheat bread, all-bran cereal, oat bran, brown rice), fruits (grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes, dates, bananas), vegetables (broccoli, potatoes, spinach), nuts, and beans (cashews, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, almonds, lima beans) and fish (Pollock, tuna, flounder, salmon). Take a multivitamin and mineral pill or magnesium supplement (250 milligrams; such as Maginex) to fill the gap in case you don’t eat the healthy foods you should.