Driving back from a long weekend visiting family in Washington D.C, the trip was quite intense. The highway seemed full of time bombs, I nearly got into two accidents due to high speeding cars. Everyone seemed incredibly restless. I was tailgated twice by cars trying to force me to go past the speed limit.
I get it, quarantine played a number on all of us. Now as the world opens back up ‘reentry anxiety’ is a concern for many. In an interview with SELF magazine, Inger Burnett-Zeigler, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, noted the real stresses that come with getting life back to normal. This might include the stress that comes with going back to work at your office instead of from the comfort of home, waking up earlier for a long morning commute, or the anxiety of feeling obligated to attend social events and family gatherings again. FOGO (Fear Of Going Out) is real!
Several years ago, I walked into my local vitamin store and met the owner, David helped me find a wonderful vegan multivitamin. I am so grateful I did because he is so incredibly knowledgeable and helpful when I need him most. When I came to him with anxiety and panic of all things covid last year, he suggested I start taking magnesium. He explained modern farming methods had depleted many of the foods we currently eat from this important mineral.
A landmark study on the topic by Donald Davis from the University of Texas (UT) at Austin’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry was published in December 2004 in the Journal of American College of Nutrition. They studied the U.S Department of Agriculture nutritional data from both 1950 and 1999 for 43 different vegetables and fruits, finding “reliable declines” in the amount of protein, calcium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2), and vitamin C over the past half-century. Davis and his colleagues chalk up this declining nutritional content to the preponderance of agricultural practices designed to improve traits (size, growth rate, pest resistance) other than nutrition.
Magnesium is an important nutrient the body needs to stay healthy and provides many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure as well as making protein, bone, and DNA. Shortly after taking my magnesium supplements, I felt so much better and I started sleeping A LOT better too. I have been taking them daily ever since.
The following table shows the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for magnesium intake by age and sex, according to the ODS Trusted Source
|
Age |
Male |
Female |
|
1–3 years |
80 mg |
80 mg |
|
4–8 years |
130 mg |
130 mg |
|
9–13 years |
240 mg |
240 mg |
|
14–18 years |
410 mg |
360 mg |
|
19–30 years |
400 mg |
310 mg |
|
31–50 years |
420 mg |
320 mg |
|
51+ years |
420 mg |
320 mg |
I think it’s pretty safe to guess the average person gets way less than the recommended dietary allowance. But there’s no reason to fret because there are many wonderful natural ways to get your average daily dose. Greens, nuts, seeds, dry beans, whole grains, wheat germ, wheat, and oat bran are all rich sources of magnesium. Epsom salt baths are also a great way to relax and absorb this element (Epsom salt is made from a mix of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen). Additionally, there are supplements one can buy, I suggest going with one of the many reputable brands out there. Make sure to consult with your healthcare provider first.
*These statements are the author’s sole opinion and have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult with your doctor before starting any new health regimen.
