ARE WE GETTING ENOUGH MAGNESIUM??? - Link: Magnesium Deficiency Prevention

Along with the below INFORMATIVE article on MSN Lifestyle from Enlightened Eater re our magnesium intake, did I add 2 excellent links at the bottom of this post and a link on the title.

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I am sure that many people BESIDES Canadians are having this issue. . .

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IF YOU'RE CANADIAN AND YOU'RE READING THIS, YOU MAY NOT BE GETTING ENOUGH MAGNESIUM

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A new study shows a shortfall in Canadians' levels of this important nutrient

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It seems like we're always hearing so much about our overindulgences and all too often, very little about our nutrient shortfalls. But a new survey of what Canadians eat should be sounding the alarm bells on a key ingredient missing from our plates - magnesium. The Canadian Community Health Survey provides the latest information on food and nutrient intake data for Canadians of all ages. And it points to some critical nutrient shortfalls, especially magnesium. It's a mineral that simply doesn't get the same kind of recognition as others like calcium. But that's a different story in scientific circles as researchers find it's a major player in the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. The survey results showed that shortages of magnesium were among the highest when compared to other nutrients. More than 34 per cent of Canadians over the age of 19 consumed magnesium in quantities below the Estimated Average Requirement - the average amount you should consume in a day. . Also see: . The 5 foods you should eat every day (and how to cook 'em!)

. Easiest ways to get the nutrients you need

. Last week's Enlightened Eater: Will the HST make Canadians fatter? Not concerned about coming up short in this tiny mineral you may not have even heard of? Well, recently-published research from Palermo, Italy, found that low magnesium levels go hand-in-hand with speedier aging, and even includes even the loss of muscle mass and decreased immune system function that can accompany increasing age. If you're spending money seeking magical elixirs and expensive anti-aging supplements, you might first work on meeting your magnesium quotas. Magnesium's anti-aging power works in a number of ways. It not only acts as an antioxidant but also as a strong anti-inflammatory agent - both of which offer defences against a wide range of diseases. And if you're a migraine sufferer, there's even emerging research which shows that getting an adequate amount of magnesium may help protect against migraines. Now back to the Canadian Community Health Survey - it showed that more than one third of adults weren't consuming the basic requirement, never mind the extra that might be needed for these special conditions. And if you think that because you take a vitamin and mineral supplement, you've got your bases covered, you're likely mistaken. Most multivitamins contain only 50 or 100 milligrams of magnesium - nowhere near the recommended intake. For men, the daily recommended amount of magnesium is 420 milligrams a day for men above 31 years of age and 320 for women. So where does that leave you? If you want to decrease the odds of a host of illnesses by meeting your magnesium needs, it all comes back to some healthy-eating basics: dark leafy greens, legumes like chick peas and lentils, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and nuts. Sound familiar?

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As an added boost, magnesium is frequently found alongside some pretty impressive nutrients. So eating magnesium-rich selections can improve your intake of other important vitamins and minerals at the same time. Take spinach, as an example. It offers an arsenal of disease-fighting weapons like B vitamins, potassium, fibre, beta-carotene and lutein - and to top it off, it's packed with magnesium. Legumes, with their protein punch and cholesterol-lowering soluble fibre, are also super sources of magnesium. Switching from refined to whole grains is another way to consume more magnesium as when grains are refined, the nutrient-rich germ, which contains magnesium, is lost. While some nutrients are added back to refined grain products, magnesium is not one of them. And if you're a whole wheat eater, keep in mind that unless it states whole grain whole wheat on the ingredient list - even if the product says it's 100 % whole wheat - it's likely not a whole grain and won't provide much of a magnesium kick. Low-fat dairy products are also a terrific option to up your intake of magnesium. In addition, going nuts can improve your magnesium status. Just an ounce of nuts offer between 50 and 80 milligrams of magnesium, depending on the variety. But simply looking at how much you consume still leaves out a big part of the magnesium puzzle. If you take a diuretic (water pill) for blood pressure control, if your blood sugar readings are elevated, if you carry extra weight around your mid-section or you are elderly, magnesium can be lost from your body through urine. As a result, if you fall into any of these groups, you may need to take in even more magnesium. Rosie Schwartz is a Toronto-based consulting dietitian in private practice and is author of The Enlightened Eater's Whole Foods Guide: Harvest the Power of Phyto Foods (Viking Canada). You can find her on Twitter @rosieschwartz.

I have copied this article and added the links (as is was on MSN).

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A couple of valuable links I googled on Magnesium:

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http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp

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http://www.naturalnews.com/magnesium.html

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Cherylg .