Page 40 - Fall2010

mineralized, leafy green vegetables, seeds, tree toms.
nuts and whole grains are fairly good sources of Oral magnesium supplements are available in organic salt chelates, such
magnesium. Certain wild-crafted forage foods re- as magnesium citrate and magnesium malate. These are fairly well absorbed,
ally stand out, however, such as nettles (860 mg per especially in powder forms to which you add water and can tailor your dos-
100 grams) and chickweed (529 mg per 100 grams), age. It is important to divide your dosage during the day so that you do not
and add many tonic and nutritive benefits to both load your body with too much magnesium in any single dose. Carolyn Dean
human and livestock diets largely due to their high recommends taking your first dose early in the morning and another in the
mineral content. Kelp, ancient denizen of the sea, late afternoon—these correspond to times when magnesium levels are low in
contains spectacular levels, as do most sea veg- the body. Is it just a coincidence that these times of low magnesium and low
etables. Remember that they are continually bathed energy also correspond to the cultural rituals of morning coffee and afternoon
in a solution whose third most abundant mineral is tea?
magnesium. And authentic, unrefined sea salt is a Loose stools indicate you are not absorbing the magnesium, but that it
very good source of magnesium, along with trace is acting as a laxative. When the magnesium travels through the intestines
minerals. Utilizing bone broths on a daily basis in less than twelve hours, it is merely excreted rather than absorbed. If you
will provide another excellent source of minerals, find you cannot overcome the laxative effect by varying your dosages, you
including magnesium, in a highly assimilable form. may want to try an oral supplement that is chelated to an amino acid, such
as magnesium taurate and magnesium glycinate, which some consider to be
STRATEGIES FOR better absorbed than the salt forms and less likely to cause loose stools.
MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENTATION For those who need a little help with digestion, such as young children,
Even with ideal digestive conditions, only older adults, and anyone with reduced stomach acid or bowel dysbiosis, con-
a percentage of magnesium in foods will be sider homeopathic magnesium, also referred to as tissue salts or cell salts.
absorbed—less when amounts in the body are Magnesia phosphorica 6X is the appropriate dosage, and it works to usher
adequate and more if there is a deficiency. This is magnesium into the cells where it belongs. It is also indicated as a remedy
also true of magnesium supplements, and there are for muscle spasms and cramps of many varieties. Mag phos can help reduce
many of them on the market to confuse you. For and eliminate loose stools while you are supplementing with oral magnesium,
the average person, magnesium supplementation is giving you a positive sign that your body is indeed taking the magnesium into
safe to experiment with on your own, especially if the cells.
you know you have symptoms that could be related Yet another option for oral magnesium supplementation is ionic magne-
to magnesium deficiency or are under extra stress, sium in liquid form, such as that offered by Trace Minerals Research. This
and so on. Excess magnesium is excreted in urine is a sodium-reduced concentration of sea water from the Great Salt Lake in
and the stool, and the most common response to Utah. Only about a teaspoon is needed to deliver about 400 milligrams of
too much magnesium is loose stools. Those with magnesium (along with seventy-two other trace minerals), which should be
renal insufficiency or kidney disease, extremely taken in divided amounts during the day. I recommend adding this to soups
slow heart rate, or bowel obstruction should avoid (made with bone-broth bases of course) as the strong mineral taste is hard to
magnesium therapy. take straight. You can also add this to spring and other drinking water to up
General dosage recommendations range from the magnesium content and use it in cooking. By “micro-dosing” your food
about 3 to 10 milligrams per pound of body weight, and water in this fashion you greatly reduce any laxative effects a large dose
depending upon physical condition, requirements of magnesium might elicit.
for growth (as in children), and degree of symp- Another potential way to get more magnesium into your system is via the

FOOD SOURCES OF MAGNESIUM
In milligrams per 100 grams
Kelp 760 Pecan 142 Beets 25
Wheat bran 490 Walnut 131 Broccoli 24
Wheat germ 336 Rye 115 Cauliflower 24
Almonds 270 Tofu curdled by Mg nigiri 111 Carrot 23
Cashews 267 Coconut meat, dried 90 Celery 22
Blackstrap molasses 258 Collard greens 57 Beef 21
Nutritional yeast 231 Shrimp 51 Asparagus 20
Buckwheat 229 Corn, sweet 48 Chicken 19
Brazil nuts 225 Avocado 45 Green pepper 18
Dulse 220 Cheddar cheese 45 Winter squash 17
Filberts 184 Parsley 41 Cantaloupe 16
Peanuts 175 Prunes 40 Eggplant 16
Millet 162 Sunflower seeds 38 Tomato 14
Wheat whole grain 160 Sweet potato 31 Milk 13
40 Wise Traditions FALL 2010