Magnesium deficiency continues to rise each and every year.  Millions of Americans suffer from poor health due to low magnesium levels in the body.  In fact, it’s safe to say that low magnesium levels are a modern day epidemic.  Research done in 2008 found that close to half of the general population was deficient in this mineral (1).

If we fast forward to today, it’s a safe assumption that the number of individuals with low magnesium levels in the body has risen.  Unfortunately, symptoms of magnesium deficiency often get misdiagnosed and harmful medication is given to the patient in order to mask the symptoms.

Interestingly, low levels of this mineral in the body can result in symptoms such as anxiety and depression (2).  This raises a red flag since the use of antidepressants has grown exponentially over the last decade.

Luckily, juicing every day is an excellent plan for combating several mineral deficiencies in the body.  However, before we talk about juicing, let’s first discuss the importance of magnesium in the body.

Magnesium – The Master Mineral

Magnesium is often referred to as the master mineral by many health experts.  This is because it governs over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body (3).  Almost every single process in the body is dependent on an adequate supply of this vital mineral.

Magnesium has the unique ability to drastically lower stress levels in the body and control the “flight or fight” response.  As a result, magnesium is extremely beneficial for those with anxiety or depressive disorders.

Also, this mineral plays an extremely important role in the prevention of food allergies.  Low magnesium levels can often cause food intolerance to foods high in histamine.  These foods include fermented food, dried fruits, aged meats, cheese, some nuts and seeds, cacao, and fish.  Typically, Daimine Oxidase (DAO), an enzyme produced by the body, is needed in order to breakdown excess histamine in the body.  Unfortunately, an adequate supply of this mineral is needed in order to produce this enzyme in sufficient amounts (4).  As a result, low levels of magnesium can result in a several different food allergies.

Healthy aging also requires significant amounts of this mineral daily.  In fact, many health experts consider it to be an important mineral for enhancing longevity in the body.

Symptoms of Low Magnesium

Symptoms of low magnesium in the body are easy to identify.  Below is a small list of symptoms that are highly related to a magnesium deficiency in the body.

• Muscle Twitching
• Restless Legs (night time)
• Anxiety/Depression
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Inability to hand stress
• Food allergies
• ADHD

If you suffer from any of these symptoms there is a possibility that you have a magnesium deficiency.  It’s important that you treat the deficiency and do not allow it to become chronic.  Long term mineral deficiencies can often lead to full blown disease. 

Noble Prize winning Linus Pauling once said, “Every disease in the body can be traced back to a mineral deficiency.”  Consequently, correcting mineral deficiencies is of the utmost importance.

Luckily, our Juice Me Better Juicing Recipe Book contains several different magnesium rich juice recipes which can help naturally boost magnesium levels in the body!

Causes of Magnesium Deficiency

There are several causes of magnesium of deficiency in the body.  The most recognizable cause of this mineral deficiency is poor diet.  Diets high in sugar and processed foods are naturally low in this beneficial mineral.  Unfortunately, the majority of the population eats this type of diet.

A whole foods diet consisting of organic foods is a great strategy for both prevention of mineral deficiencies and longevity.  This means no sugar, processed foods, vegetable oils, and packaged foods.

Also, pathogenic overgrowths in the gut such as small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) can contribute to a magnesium deficiency.  This is because pathogens in the gut can steal nutrition from the foods we eat. In this case, it won’t matter how many magnesium rich foods you eat until you get rid of the SIBO.  There are several different herbs such as ginger, wormwood, turmeric, cloves, and garlic that have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.  You can also read our post on how juicing can help fight Candida for more effective strategies on combating SIBO naturally.

How Juicing can Help Magnesium Deficiency

Juicing can be a godsend for anyone dealing with a magnesium deficiency.  This is because raw juice contains an abundance of this mineral that is naturally bound to chlorophyll.  Chlorophyll is a green pigment that offers tremendous health benefits towards the human body.  Like magnesium, chlorophyll is extremely beneficial for the body.

With that said, all dark leafy greens will contain high amounts of this crucial mineral.  It’s for this reason that the base of all your raw juices should be primarily dark leafy greens.  The rest should consist of small amounts of fruits and herbs.  We have found that 70% dark leafy greens, 20% fruits, and 10% herbs works extremely well for restoring depleted mineral reserves in the body.

Below is a small list of fruits and vegetables that contain high amounts of magnesium and other beneficial trace minerals.

• Red Leaf Lettuce
• Cucumbers
• Spinach
• Cilantro
• Green Lettuce
• Arugula
• Dandelion Greens

Ditch the Magnesium Supplements

Magnesium supplements are synthetic and not natural for the human body.  Unlike the organic version found within all raw green juices, synthetic magnesium is poorly absorbed in the body.

It’s also in isolated form which is extremely unnaturally and does not occur anytime in nature.  All food in its natural state has a wide array of vitamins and minerals that work synergistically together in the body so that each one is kept in balance.

Isolated magnesium supplements can cause imbalances in the body due to lack of other accompanying minerals needed to keep balance.  It’s for this reason that raw green juices are extremely beneficial for restoring balance and depleted mineral reserves in the body.

Also, raw green juices offer so much more to the body than just magnesium.  High amounts of antioxidants and phytochemicals are also present in all raw green juices.  Antioxidants help protect the body against free radical damage and can promote healthy aging in the body.

Find a Juicer on any Budget

Finding the right juicer to fit your needs can be confusing.  With thousands of different home juicers on the market, it’s hard to know if you are making the right decision.

Luckily, we have a comparison and buyers guide page that goes over everything you need to know about home juicers.  This page also outlines the best juicers on any budget.  Don’t waste your hard earned money on a mediocre juicer.  A quality juicer should last several years.

In fact, it’s not uncommon for a quality juicer to last up to 20 years!  With that said, having a home juicer is serious advantage to both your health and wallet.  Not only will it be cheaper than compared to store bought raw juice, but you also have the freedom to create your own healing recipes based on your individual needs.

If you’re serious about your health and want to avoid a mineral deficiency, buying a home juicer is an absolute must.