Magnesium-Rich Foods For Recovery!

I don't know if you're like me, and you space out most of the time in between postures (especially in the recent super-humid temps!), but if you ever do stop and listen in you'll often hear the teachers mention magnesium as an important mineral for dealing with muscle cramps and spasms. The truth is that this is just the start of what this important mineral can do - in fact, every active person needs to make sure they have an adequate supply of magnesium. Given the fact that exercise can deplete you of it, it becomes all the more important as a Bikram-enthusiast to know how you can load up on the stuff!

What Magnesium Does

Magnesium is crucial to not only recovery and repair, but to the function of your cells and certain enzymes, and even plays a role in metabolism and fat loss. It is often used to improve sleep quality as well as to promote healthy muscles and cell tissue. Other things that magnesium can improve include:

• Osteoperosis
• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Insomnia and other sleep disorders (magnesium helped me overcome 3 years of insomnia)
  

A typical adult needs between 300 and 400 milligrams per day, and you can visit this link to learn more, as well as which foods are high in it. Or simply look at the following table:

Beans, black	1 cup	120
Broccoli, raw	1 cup	22
Halibut	1/2 fillet	170
Nuts, peanuts	1 oz	64
Okra, frozen	1 cup	94
Oysters	3 oz	49
Plantain, raw	1 medium	66
Rockfish	1 fillet	51
Scallop	6 large	55
Seeds, pumpkin and squash	1 oz (142 seeds)	151
Soy milk	1 cup	47
Spinach, cooked	1 cup	157
Tofu	1/4 block	37
Whole grain cereal, ready-to-eat	3/4 cup	24
Whole grain cereal, cooked	1 cup	56
Whole wheat bread	1 slice	24

If you think you may be lacking magnesium then consider trying to eat one of these foods each day, or discuss a magnesium supplement with your health care practitioner. You can also add a pinch or organic unbleached sea salt to your Bikram water. It's fantastic for hydration and for replacing minerals.

So - have you had your magnesium today?

Not just Food for Yoga - Food for Life!

Kat

If you enjoyed this post then please visit me over at my regular blog BodyIncredible.com for tips on nutrition, lifestyle, motivation.