Uncategorized Archives - Kathryn Matthews

6 Easy Ways to Get More Magnesium

kathryn matthews — Sat, 11 Feb 2023 20:53:22 +0000

Magnesium.

This powerhouse mineral is critical for overall mind-body health and well-being. Yet, even if you make mindful, anti-inflammatory food choices, it is still hard to get enough of this mineral from food alone because modern farming practices have stripped our soils of the minerals our bodies need. It is still important to eat magnesium-rich foods…just realize that food sources alone will not be enough to raise your magnesium to an optimal level! Considering supplementing with magnesium as magnesium deficiency is associated with myriad health conditions and chronic diseases, from diabetes and heart disease, to digestive issues, autoimmune conditions and mood disorders, like anxiety.

Six easy ways to get more magnesium

1. Eat magnesium-rich foods. Leafy greens, nuts, seeds and herbs (nettles and burdock root) and other foods mentioned above.

2. Enjoy dark chocolate (80% or higher) in moderation. Better yet, add raw cacao nibs, organic cacao powder or organic unsweetened cocoa powder to smoothies, shakes or raw treats. The less sugar, the more magnesium!

3. Snack on nuts and seeds. Almonds. Cashews. Pumpkin seeds. sunflower seeds.

4. Reduce “magnesium-suckers”. Smoking, processed foods, sugar, high alcohol consumption, exposure to environmental toxins and stress.

5. Soak for 20-30 minutes in magnesium salts. You can soak in a tub—or do a foot soak—using Epsom salts (1 cup for a food soak; 2 cups for a bath soak) or these high-quality magnesium bath flakes (1-3 cups for a bath or foot soak).

6. Supplement with magnesium.

How much you take is very individual; it depends on how depleted you are. Overall, most Americans are below baseline intake. Two out of three Americans do NOT consume the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for magnesium: 320 mg for women and 420 mg for men (1). Dean also points out: At best, your body is actually only absorbing about half of what is taken in (2).

There are different types of magnesium. Magnesium citrate powder is a popular form. Magnesium oxide, the form that doctors will often recommend to patients, is the last absorbable form of magnesium (about 4%).

Personally, I use the following types of magnesium, which are highly absorbable and beneficial for increasing intracellular levels of magnesium:

—Transdermal magnesium oil
—Magnesium glycinate
—Slow-release magnesium malate + B Vitamin co-factors

Supplementing with magnesium is fairly safe. There are, however, 4 exceptions who should NOT supplement with magnesium: Those who have 1) kidney failure, 2) myasthenia gravis, 3) excessively slow heart rate or 4) bowel obstruction (32).

In The Magnesium Miracle, Dean notes that, even when taken at high doses, an oral magnesium, like magnesium citrate, has no side effects, except loose stools. This laxative-like effect is the body’s fail-safe mechanism of releasing any excess magnesium that it does not need. It is also a sign to either reduce the overall dosage or to take smaller amounts in divided doses.

That said, if you are taking prescription medications, check with your doctor first before supplementing with magnesium.

Sources: October 2022 | The Power of Sleep

kathryn matthews — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 01:55:51 +0000

1 National Sleep Foundation. 2018 Sleep in America Poll. Mar. 12, 2018

2 Cleveland Clinic. Human Growth Hormone. June 21.2022.

3, 9 Healthy Sleep. Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Sleep, Learning and Memory. Dec. 18, 2007.

4, 5 Garbarino S, Lanteri P, Bragazzi NL, Magnavita N, Scoditti E. Role of sleep deprivation in immune-related disease risk and outcomes. Communications Biology. 2021 Nov 18;4(1):1304.

6 Al-Abri MA. Sleep Deprivation and Depression: A bi-directional association. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2015 Feb;15(1):e4-6. Epub 2015 Jan 21

7 Mellman TA. Sleep and anxiety disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2006 Dec;29(4):1047-58; abstract x.

8 Science. Sleep Drives Metabolic Clearance from the Adult Brain. Oct. 18, 2013, Vol. 342, Issue 6156, pp. 373-377

10 Sleep Foundation. The Link Between Sleep and Job Performance. Sept. 22, 2022.

11 Grandner MA, Alfonso-Miller P, Fernandez-Mendoza J, Shetty S, Shenoy S, Combs D. Sleep: important considerations for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2016 Sep;31(5):551-65.

Welcome to the Year of the Tiger!

kathryn matthews — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 19:42:15 +0000

It’s the Year of the Water Tiger! What does this mean for us?

In the Chinese zodiac, the tiger represents power, daring and a tendency to do everything on a grand scale. The tiger is associated with qualities, such as strength, boldness, passion and bravery.

This is why the theme of Tiger years is about going big (as in taking risks)—or going home.

The element of water adds another layer to this particular Tiger year. The water element represents wealth and health. So, while 2022 is a year that could bring financial abundance, it is also an important year to pay attention to your health.

Water Tiger years are also associated with strong and, at times, fluctuating emotions. Some people thrive amid chaos. So, on the positive side, you may finally have the courage to pursue a longtime passion (e.g., starting your own business). On the flip side, negative attributes associated with the water element are fear, tentativeness and indecisiveness, which can leave you feeling “stuck” in a job, relationship or circumstance.

Because tigers are quick to action, we can expect the Year of the Tiger to be filled with drama—whether in personal relationships, career or a political climate of unrest and/or upheaval. So, be prepared for people, places, circumstances and situations to suddenly or radically change—without warning!

Wishing you an abundant, healthy and happy Year of the Tiger!