Over the past few weeks we’ve been discussing the fat soluble and water soluble vitamins. This week, we’re going to shift gears and start discussing minerals.

To recap let’s review the difference between a vitamin and mineral.  A vitamin is any compound that contains carbon and therefore is organic.  There are two classes of vitamins…fat soluble A, D, E and K or water soluble, B and C.

Minerals on the other hand do not contain carbon and are what we call inorganic.  There are macro- minerals and micro-minerals.  Macro-minerals are calcium, chloride, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sodium.  Micro-minerals are:  chromium, iron, copper, zinc, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and iron.

There are many factors that can decrease the absorption of vitamins and minerals which include:  alcohol, caffeine, antibiotics, stress, corticosteroids, aspirin, diuretics, oral contraceptives, sugar and tobacco.  Therefore if your lifestyle includes any of these factors and you are not well there could be a good chance that you are not absorbing your essential nutrients.  You will learn over the next few weeks the critical affect that each of the vitamins and mineral have over the health of your body.

This week we will be discussing Magnesium

Magnesium is found throughout the body, particularly in the bones and teeth.  Magnesium is needed throughout every system in the body over 300 different enzymes use magnesium for biochemical reactions.

What it Does:

• Gives bones and teeth their structure
• Needed for relaxation in all muscles
• Needed for regulating heartbeat
• Needed for nerve transmission
• Helps decrease blood pressure

Absorbing and Utilizing Magnesium:

• Magnesium is best absorbed on an empty stomach or at bedtime.
• If you are taking calcium supplements make sure to be supplementing with magnesium as well.

Found In:  spinach, swiss chard, arugula, navy beans, pumpkin seeds, artichokes, seaweed and flax seeds just to name a few.

It’s important to mention that toxicity from magnesium is not common. If you suffer from kidney disease then you do need to be careful that you body is eliminating.

If you have any questions regarding which supplements you should or should not be taking feel free to contact us to set up a consultation.  650.224.6886 or 650.207.7727

Picture by: http://www.epicurean.com/articles/images/artichoke.gif

Reference:  The power of nutrient dense food by Patti Weller

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