Let’s face it at one time or another we’ve all been under stress. It’s a fact of life in this modern world we live in. Between the kids, cars, bills, deadlines and more it’s easy to understand why so many are stressed out and need stress relief. How many? Well according to a national poll conducted by NPR, the Robert Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health more than 1 in every 4 Americans say they had a great deal of stress in the previous month. 115 Million people said they experienced a major stressful event in the past year.[1]
While occasional stress is normal, prolonged stress can cause some pretty serious health issues ranging from high blood pressure and heart disease to diabetes and premature death.[2] As you can imagine, finding a natural solution to help you effectively manage stress is something that can significantly improve your health.
Best Kept Secret
So what is the best kept secret for stress relief? The answer might surprise you but it’s magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral found in the body, in many foods we eat and is available through supplementation. However research shows that over 50% of Americans do not get enough magnesium from the foods we eat each day. Magnesium is vitally important for optimal health because it’s a co-factor involved in more than 300 enzyme systems and biochemical reactions such as muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, and blood pressure. [3]
Magnesium is known as the anti-stress mineral, because it supports your adrenal system which is something that needs to work overtime when you’re under stress. As a result, stress can deplete your levels of magnesium and when that happens your nerve cells become over-reactive. All of this causes you to become highly sensitive and nervous in stressful situations. [3] So maintaining adequate levels of magnesium can help your body more effectively deal with stress and improve your overall health.
What can you do?
There are a few simple things you can do to help maintain adequate levels of magnesium:
- avoid eating processed foods,
- learn to eliminate and manage stress in your life as much as possible
- and supplement your diet with natural magnesium. [4]
References
- For Many Americans, Stress Takes A Toll On Health And Family. (n.d.). Retrieved October 14, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/07/07/323351759/for-many-americans-stress-takes-a-toll-on-health-and-family
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Feature, R. M. (n.d.). 10 Stress-Related Health Problems That You Can Fix. Retrieved October 14, 2016, from http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/features/10-fixable-stress-related-health-problems
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Magnesium — Health Professional Fact Sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved October 14, 2016, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
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More Magnesium For Less Stress. (n.d.). Retrieved October 14, 2016, from http://www.tasteforlife.com/retail-partners/features/more-magnesium-less-stress
