| Copyright (c) 2007 Stephen Lau | | | | than 300 enzymatic reactions in the human body. In |
| Your mental depression may be related to your diet, | | | | addition, magnesium is responsible for |
| in particular, your nutritional deficiency. | | | | neurotransmission abnormalities - the precursors of |
| Mental depression and many autoimmune problems | | | | different types of mental disorders. |
| are chemically and environmentally related. Specifically, | | | | To reverse magnesium or nutritional deficiency, you |
| your mental depression may be due to the chemicals | | | | need to change your diet. Magnesium is a |
| in your foods and the environment, which upset the | | | | youth-preserving mineral. As you age, your |
| normal functioning of neurotransmitters, resulting in | | | | magnesium level declines due to poor absorption and |
| imbalance of brain chemicals. | | | | inadequate diet. Two-thirds of elderly Americans eat |
| Unfortunately, many people with mild depression | | | | less than 75 percent of the RDA for magnesium, and |
| simply ignore their mental disorder, thinking their | | | | only 25 percent of Americans meet the RDA for |
| depressive episodes are no more than "seasonal | | | | magnesium. |
| blues"; while those with major depression are more | | | | Magnesium is found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, and |
| likely to look upon medications as their "magic bullet." | | | | legumes. |
| Of course, mental depression, which is a complex | | | | If necessary, take a supplement of 200-300 |
| mental illness, may be due to many factors. | | | | milligrams of magnesium. Given that you are living in a |
| However, one common cause of mental depression is | | | | highly polluted environment, you should take a high |
| diet. Nutritional deficiency may play a pivotal role in | | | | dose of multi-vitamins and multi-minerals, and large |
| manipulating the chemicals in your brain, which are | | | | doses of omega 3 fatty acids, if you are not |
| implicated in different types of depression. | | | | consuming a great deal lot of fish, such as salmon. |
| To illustrate, magnesium deficiency is prevalent | | | | Dr. James D. Gordon of Georgetown University |
| among the Americans. Why is that? Due to lack of | | | | School of Medicine recommends: |
| funding to support studies in this seemingly | | | | "Eliminate foods that are heavily processed and have |
| unprofitable area of research, there have not been | | | | been adulterated in any way with any kind of food |
| many studies on the impact of magnesium deficiency | | | | additive, preservative, coloring, artificial flavoring, |
| on the American health. | | | | artificial sweetener. Aspartame has been shown to |
| Magnesium deficiency is responsible for many health | | | | cause serious brain damage in animal. . ." |
| problems, including allergies, panic attacks, | | | | The rule of thumb, according to Dr. James Gordon, is |
| cardiovascular disease, hypertension in children, and | | | | simple: Eat whole foods. You were created to eat |
| premenstrual syndrome. In particular, those individuals | | | | whole foods, not pop tarts. |
| who are low in magnesium tend to be more likely to | | | | If you think you can eat a whole food, and then a |
| have emotional problems. If your brain chemistry is | | | | processed food occasionally, you will still be getting |
| balanced, you can handle almost any type of stress. | | | | the nutrients from you whole food, think again! The |
| If not, then stress can exacerbate your emotional | | | | chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics from a |
| problems to the breaking point. | | | | processed food may have significant long-term |
| Physical symptoms of magnesium deficiency include | | | | biological effects on your intestinal functioning, and |
| twitches, cramps, muscle tension, muscle soreness, | | | | thus preventing you from taking in nutrients from |
| backaches, neck pain, constipation, urinary spasms, | | | | you whole food. |
| menstrual cramps, and difficulty in swallowing. Other | | | | According to Dr. James Gordon, you should eliminate |
| common mental symptoms are insomnia, anxiety, | | | | all types of sugar, except honey or rice syrup. Look |
| hyperactivity and restlessness with constant | | | | at the concentrated sugar content in every Coke |
| movement, panic attacks, and premenstrual irritability. | | | | and other carbonated beverages that flood the |
| If you sigh a great deal, or have frequent headaches, | | | | consumer market. Remember, food manufacturers |
| you may be deficient in magnesium too. | | | | have everything to gain, and you have everything to |
| Magnesium deficiency plays a critical role in mental | | | | lose, except your weight. |
| depression. All chemical reactions in the body require | | | | Your mental depression may be a diet-related mental |
| an enzyme system to initiate the biochemical | | | | disorder. |
| reaction, and magnesium is a critical co-factor in more | | | | |