High blood pressure puts you at risk of heart disease.
There are many suspected causes of heart disease—smoking, lack of exercise, stress and obesity.
But the medical profession is coming to the conclusion that magnesium deficiency is another risk factor.
The International Journal of Molecular Science published a study showing that magnesium increases flexibility in veins and arteries, promoting cardiovascular health.
If the effect is as great as it shows to be, magnesium deficiency could be a major contributor to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases.
Are you at risk?
Magnesium deficiency is much more common than most people realize. It is estimated that 64% of men and 67% of women have inadequate magnesium intake.
This seems to get worse as we get older, when we are more at risk of hardening of the arteries. In fact, more than 80% of the population over the age of 71 are not getting enough magnesium in their diets.
If low magnesium is contributing to poor cardiovascular health, then a small investment in magnesium supplements is a good choice because it’s difficult to get enough from diet alone.
For example:
1oz of dark chocolate provides 16% of your daily magnesium
1 medium avocado has 15%
1 cup of black beans offers 30%
3.5oz of tofu has 13%
5oz of cashews offers 100%
And these are some of the most magnesium rich foods.
According to the website Ancient Minerals, the amount of magnesium in vegetables has been declining in the last 70 years. Pre-1950 figures show that there’s been a decrease of 25-80% of magnesium in our produce.
If you are relying on processed foods, there is even more bad news. Processed foods remove 80-95% of total magnesium.
When increasing your magnesium, the Cleveland Clinic says:
“Magnesium that is naturally present in food is not harmful and does not need to be limited. Magnesium in dietary supplements and medications should not be consumed in amounts above the upper limit, unless recommended by a health care provider.
Magnesium provides a host of health benefits and protection for your body. Your heart, muscles, and kidneys all need magnesium to work properly. The mineral also helps build strong teeth and bones.
Magnesium is also a key electrolyte, which means you if you are deficient, you will feel fatigued and experience muscle cramps when exercising.
Talk to your doctor about getting 500-1000mg of magnesium each day.
