Prevention & Recovery
Tips for Staying Healthy this Winter Season
Prevention & Recovery
Tips for Staying Healthy this Winter Season
During the long dark winter months, our bodies need additional support for optimal functioning.
A decrease in sunlight can affect our mood, disrupt sleep patterns and limit the amount of time we spend outdoors. While there’s little we can do to combat Mother Nature, there is much we can do to keep our bodies running well with some simple strategies – among them, eating nutrient-rich foods, getting enough sleep and taking nutritional supplements to boost the intake of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, when needed.
Why Magnesium?
Magnesium is one of nature’s “powerhouse minerals,” says Andrea Donsky, registered holistic nutritionist, health and wellness TV expert, and founder of naturallysavvy.com, a website that offers the latest news on making healthier food choices. In fact, it plays a role in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. “Magnesium is necessary for everything from bone formation to proper muscle functioning like our heart and brain to stress levels, sleep and anxiety.”
According to Health Canada, the recommended daily intake for an adult woman is between 310 and 320 milligrams of magnesium a day and for an adult man between 400 and 420 milligrams a day.
Among its many health benefits, magnesium plays a role in improving calcium absorption, which maintains bone density and lowers the risk of osteoporosis.
Where do I get magnesium?
The best dietary sources of magnesium come from green leafy vegetables (spinach and chard), nuts (almonds and cashews), seeds (pumpkin and quinoa), black beans, high-fiber cereals and grains (brown rice), avocado, edamame, bananas and yogurt.
However, research consistently shows that we’re not getting enough magnesium from the foods we eat alone, and a diet high in sugar, caffeine or alcohol could actually deplete our magnesium stores, says Donsky. “Up to 70 to 80% of us may be deficient in magnesium.”
The Mayo Clinic states that low magnesium levels in the body have been linked to a host of diseases, including osteoporosis, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
How do I know if I’m deficient in magnesium?
There’s no single test to measure levels – magnesium is inside bones and cells and only about 1% shows up in the bloodstream (so a blood test isn’t useful). Instead, Donsky recommends paying attention to some common signs, including:
•Muscle cramps
•Muscle twitches
•Fatigue or weakness
•Palpitations
•Headache and migraines
•Numbness and tingling
•A change in bowel movements
•An increase in stress (which can also deplete magnesium further) and anxiety
•Insomnia
In these cases, magnesium supplements can be useful.
What type of magnesium is best for me?
Magnesium supplements are available in a variety of forms and types.
One of the most common types is magnesium oxide, which has been shown in new research to prevent and treat headaches and migraines, says Donsky. It’s also used to maintain the body’s ability to metabolize nutrients as well as to treat digestive disorders, including heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and stomach ulcers from stomach acid.
Magnesium citrate is often used to help with immune and digestive issues, as well as headaches/migraines and bone and muscle functioning, says Donsky.
Other types of magnesium include glycinate – which Donsky notes can have a calming effect that is good for anxiety, stress and insomnia – and chelate, which is naturally found in food, to help calm muscle spasms and tight muscles, as well as heal wounds.
Nature’s Bounty, a Leader in Magnesium Supplements
Nature’s Bounty, which has been providing high-quality vitamins and nutritional supplements to support a healthy lifestyle for more than 40 years, offers a lineup of magnesium products to help incorporate magnesium to your daily routine with ease. Its Absorbable Magnesium, which contains oxide, is available in soft gel format to make it is easier to swallow and absorb for maximum benefit. Nature’s Bounty also offers a Magnesium Citrate product, a Magnesium plus Electrolytes as well as a Magnesium Oxide product, which are recommended in the maintenance of overall good health. Magnesium helps maintain proper muscle function and assists the body’s ability to metabolize nutrients. Magnesium also helps in the development and maintenance of bones, teeth and tissue formation, making it something to consider adding to your wellness routine.
Interested in learning more? Visit the Nature’s Bounty website to learn more and where to buy.
Comments