Tip 248: Magnesium, the Neglected Mineral
Magnesium
is often neglected in h
u
man nutrition. Green v
e
getables, s
o
ybeans, brown rice, sunflower
a
nd sesame seeds are
e
ssential
so
u
rces of this
mineral.
All human tissues contain small amounts of magnesium. The Adult human body contains about
25 gm of this mineral. The greater part of this
am
ount is present in bon
e
s in combi
n
ation with phosphate
a
nd carbona
t
e. Bone as
h
es contain
less than o
n
e per cent magnesium. About
one-fifty of the total magnesium in t
h
e body is present in the
soft tissues,
where it is
mainly bound to protein. Next to potassiu
m
, magnesium is the predominant metallic
a
c
tion in living
cells. The
b
ones seem to provide a reserve supply of this mineral in case
of shortage elsewhere in the body.
Biochemists call magn
e
sium the " cool, alkal
i
ne,
refreshing,
sleep-promoting mineral". Magnesium
helps one keep calm and cool duri
n
g the swelt
e
ring summer months. It aids in keeping ne
r
ves relaxed and normally balanced. It is nec
e
ss
a
ry for all m
u
scular ac
t
ivity. This mineral is in activator for most of the enzyme sys
t
em involving
carbohydrate, fat and p
r
otein in energy-pro
d
ucing reac
ti
ons. It is
involved in the production
o
f lecithin which prevents building
up of cholesterol and c
o
nsequent a
t
herosclerosis. Magnesi
u
m promotes
a healthier cardiovascular system and aids in
fi
ghting depr
e
ssion. It h
e
lps prevent calcium deposits in kidneys and
gallston
e
s
and also brings relief fr
o
m indigesti
o
n.
Magnesium
is widely distributed in f
o
ods. It is a
p
art of the chlorophyll in green vegetables. Other good sources of
t
his mineral
are nuts, s
o
ybeans, alfalfa, apples,
f
igs, lemons,
peaches, almonds, whole grains,
brown rice, sunflower seeds and s
e
same seeds. The recommended dietary allowances for magnesium are 350 mg per day for adult man, 300 mg for women and
450 mg during pregnancy and lactation. Deficie
n
cy can lead
to kidney damage and kidney stones, muscle cramps,
arterioscler
o
s
is, heart at
t
ack, epi
l
ept
i
c
seizur
e
s
,
nervous irritability, marked depression and
confusion,
impaired protein metabolism and premature wri
n
kles. Chronic alc
o
holics o
f
ten
show a low plasma ma
g
nesium co
n
c
entration
a
nd a high urinary output. They may, there
f
ore, require
magnesium
therapy especially in an
acute attack of delirium tremens. Mag
n
esium has
a
lso proved useful in
b
la
d
der and uri
n
ary problems and in epileptic
seizure. This
m
ineral toget
h
er with vitamin B6 or pyridoxine h
a
s also been
found effective in
t
he prevention and treatment of kidney stones. Magnesium
can be tak
e
n in therapeutic
doses up to
700 mg a day.
Tip 249. Manganese, the Mental M
i
neral
Ensure adequate cons
um
ption of manganese f
o
r intellige
n
ce and coord
i
nation.
The human body contains 30 to 35
mg of man
g
anese, widely distributed throughout
the tissues.
It is
found in the
liver, pancreas, kidney,
and pituitary glands.
This mineral helps nourish the nerves and brain and aids in the coordination of nerve impulses and muscular actions. It helps eliminate fatigue and reduces nervous irritability. Manganese is found in citrus fruits, the outer covering of nuts, grains, in the green leaves of edible plants, fish and raw eggyolk. No official daily allowance of manganese has been established, but 2.5 to 7 mg is generallyaccepted to be the average adult requirement. A deficiency of this mineral can lead to dizziness, poor elasticity in the muscles, confused thinking and poor memory.
|