It is a known fact that New Zealand has soil which is lacking in a vital mineral, Magnesium. Here is information relating to Magnesium deficiency which every Kiwi needs to know:
Magnesium Deficiency – The Symptoms
Deficiency symptoms have three categories:
Early symptoms include irritability, anorexia, fatigue, insomnia, and muscle twitching. Other symptoms include poor memory, apathy, confusion, and reduced ability to learn.
Moderate deficiency symptoms consist of rapid heartbeat and other cardiovascular changes.
Severe deficiency of magnesium could lead to tingling, numbness, sustained contraction of the muscles, and hallucinations and delirium.
Because magnesium plays such a wide variety of roles in the body, the symptoms of magnesium deficiency can also vary widely. Many symptoms involve changes in nerve and muscle function. These changes include muscle weakness, tremor, and spasm. In the heart muscle, magnesium deficiency can result in arrhythmia, irregular contraction, and increased heart rate.
Because of its role in bone structure, the softening and weakening of bone can also be a symptom of magnesium deficiency. Other symptoms can include: imbalanced blood sugar levels; headaches; elevated blood pressure; elevated fats in the bloodstream; depression; seizures; nausea; vomiting; and lack of appetite.
Some further symptoms of magnesium deficiency are irritability and belligerence.
Another symptom of magnesium deficiency is depression . Depression is a mood disorder that can lead to suicide. The activity of serotonin receptors is affected by changes in magnesium levels. Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary says that serotonin is a potent vasoconstrictor and is thought to be involved in neural mechanisms important in sleep and sensory perception. A relationship between migraine and magnesium has been established. There is also a connection between migraine and major depression. It has also been found that magnesium relieves the depression of premenstrual syndrome by changing serotonin activity.
This suggests that part of the high rate of violent crime, being currently experienced in New Zealand, could be mitigated by ending the magnesium deficiencies that have been imposed as a result of government approval of magnesium-deficient water, magnesium-deficient white flour products such as white bread and buns, and cola drinks which cause loss of Mg due to phosphates contained in cola drinks, and high-fat diets which combine with Mg in the digestive tract forming useless magnesium soaps which are excreted. Thus, fast food meals of hot-dogs or hamburgers on magnesium-deficient buns, accompanied by greasy fries, and washed down with colas, may eventually lead to Mg-deficiency, reductions in serotonin, and increases in violence.
A connection between magnesium deficiency and suicide has been found. In a study of suicide statistics, French scientist M. L. Robinet discovered that:
The comparison of geological maps and statistics establishes in a striking manner the influence of the magnesium content of the soil on the number of suicides...It is evident that one doesn't commit suicide because the soil is poor in magnesium. But, those who regularly absorbed a good amount of magnesium salts have a more stable equilibrium, they support adversity with more calm and do not renounce everything to avoid some sorrow...The use of magnesium permits one to support adversity with more serenity.
Important Nutrient Interactions
How do other nutrients interact with magnesium?
The relationship between magnesium and calcium is one of the most actively researched, and yet not fully understood mineral-to-mineral relationships. On one hand, magnesium is required in order for calcium to maintain a balanced role in the body's metabolism. On the other hand, magnesium can compete with calcium and prevent calcium from trigger certain events, like the relay of a nerve message or the contraction of a muscle.
Because of the complex relationship between calcium and magnesium, healthy diets almost always need to contain foods rich in both minerals. Magnesium also has an important relationship with potassium, and helps regulate the movement of potassium in and out of our cells.
Finally, because magnesium can be attached to certain building blocks of protein (called amino acids), increased intake of protein can sometimes help improve the body's magnesium status.
Read More: The On-line Magnesium Library:
http://www.mgwater.com/index.shtml
