I have been having issues with muscle cramps in the foot and calf lately, so I wanted to ensure I wasn’t falling behind on a quota of minerals, such as Magnesium, that might be explain this problem.
Symptoms of a Magnesium deficiency may include:
numbness
tingling
muscle cramps
seizures
muscle spasticity
personality changes
abnormal heart rhythms
Lunch constituted a portion of Salmon, some baby Spinach leaves in a leafy green Salad, topped with Apple cider vinaigrette dressing, and garnished with Almonds, Pickled Danish Cucumbers and Walnuts.
I just needed some avocado to top it off. According to healthline.com, one medium avocado provides 58 mg of magnesium, which is 15% of the RDI.
But there are loads more good reasons to add avocado in your diet.
More Reasons to Add Avocado to your Diet
Studies have shown that eating avocados can reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol levels and increase feelings of fullness after meals.
Sounds like a powerhouse food, right?
What to Eat as a Magnesium-Rich Afternoon Snack?
Perhaps a Banana with a square or two if 70% dark chocolate?
Minerals in our diet. Not something we give much thought too, is it? But should we? What does it matter if we are deficient in a little, say, magnesium?
It turns out to be pretty important for our bodies! Without enough magnesium, one could suffer:
foot pain
muscle cramps
migraines
high blood pressure
anxiety disorders
asthma
chronic fatigue
irritable bowel syndrome
in severe cases: cardiovascular disease in the form of cardiac arrhythmia, or angina.
low magnesium has been implicated in diabetes.
Magnesium can help control premenstrual syndrome or (PMS), especially where it concern breast tenderness, headache and irritability.
Magnesium can also be useful in relaxing muscles and preventing muscular cramps, during exercise.
“It is generally recommended that women with severe PMS symptoms take 300 to 500 milligrams a day for the two weeks before and during menstruation. The RDA for magnesium is about 300 milligrams, but at least twice as much is needed to see preventive and therapeutic benefits. Supplements are definitely needed to prevent osteoporosis. Women over 50 that are not taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) probably need about 750 milligrams of magnesium every day, an amount that is hard to get through the diet alone,” according to
Oral supplements are readily available, but it is best to include as many magnesium-rich foods, into the diet, as you can, especially if you fall in to the post menopausal age group.
Dairy products, like non-fat yoghurt
Fish particularly tuna and halibut
Dark leafy greens, such as kale, mustard greens, collards, chard (silverbeet), dandelion greens, sorrel, watercress.
Foods very high in magnesium include:
Brazil Nuts,
Pumpkin and Squash seeds
Sesame seeds
Spinach
Broccoli
Almonds
Walnuts
Beans
Peas
Apricots
Avocados
Bananas
Molasses
Brown rice
Cantaloupe
Figs
Garlic
Grapefruit
Peaches
Tofu and soybeans
Wheat, and whole grains
Dark chocolate (Eating magnesium can be tasty too!!)
Several herbs, such as chamomile, cayenne, fenugreek, lemongrass, licorice, paprika, parsley, peppermint, and sage also contain magnesium.
Worth noting also is, “The consumption of alcohol, diuretics, anticonvulsants, antibiotics, digitalis, and lithium can interfere with magnesium absorption. People taking these medications should speak with their doctor about supplementing. Other factors that can decrease magnesium absorption are elevated levels of fluoride, zinc, and vitamin D; diarrhea; high-fat and high-protein diets; consumption of large amounts of cod liver oil; and frequent consumption of foods high in oxalic acid, such as cocoa, rhubarb, spinach, and tea,”
A Home by the Sea 
You must be logged in to post a comment.