“So why is magnesium so important? It plays a big part in keeping the heart healthy, making sure bones are strong and helping the body absorb other important minerals such as calcium and potassium.”
About.com
Full Story: http://thyroid.about.com/b/2005/05/26/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-benefits-of-magnesium.htm
… “Nutritionist Patrick Holford goes one step further. He claims that high-sodium table salt has more to account for than just high blood pressure and heart disease and can actually create mineral imbalances that lead to health problems. “Minerals work together and need to be balanced,” he explains. “For example, potassium and magnesium works with sodium to regulate water balance and nerve and muscle impulses. The more sodium you eat, the more potassium and magnesium you need. Few of us eat enough of these, yet we eat high amounts of sodium in salt. This leads to potassium and magnesium deficiency, where muscles become tight, nerves become over stimulated and you feel more anxious.”
As magnesium is involved in maintaining bone density and hormone balance, low levels may compromise bone strength and lead to premenstrual problems. That’s where swapping table salt for mineral-rich salt can make a difference. “
“Magnesium-rich foods such as spinach can reduce the risk of developing type2 diabetes.”
American Chronicle, January 16, 2008
Full Story: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/48696
Dec. 30, 2007 Seacoast Online
“Besides a high intake of fluids and adequate calcium, dietary factors that appear to counter kidney stone risk are higher intakes of magnesium and potassium.”
Full Story:
“Arthur Agatston, a Florida cardiologist who is better known as the author of a diet book “The South Beach Diet”, became well known for his studies into the excess calcification that was consistently found in his patients with arteriosclerosis and coronary artery disease. He developed the severity scoring sheet for calcification of the arteries, now known as the Agatston Score.”
Excerpt from full story at http://www.newstarget.com/022398.html
“Natural Antidotes To Arterial Calcifications: Magnesium: Magnesium has been found to be another natural calcium blocker and is another natural antidote to arterial calcification (7). … It is interesting to note that Magnesium addresses the same biological target as the statin drugs – the enzyme that controls cholesterol production in the liver. Both statin drugs and magnesium inhibit the enzymatic pathway. Magnesium lowers cholesterol and triglycerides and raises HDL cholesterol. It turns out that magnesium is a natural statin (8).Another important factor afforded to magnesium is, in addition to preventing calcifications, it also inhibits the formation of coronary-artery-blocking blood clots that eventually occur as a result of calcifications within these arteries. The American diet, due to changes in fertilizers and higher intake of processed foods and lower intake of whole grains, provides less and less magnesium on a daily basis. A rich supply of magnesium can be found in spinach, various nuts, and pumpkin seeds.”
FDA contemplating crackdown on salt – Los Angeles Times
“At issue is whether the FDA should change its official classification of salt as “GRAS” — Generally Recognized as Safe — and instead declare it a food additive subject to limitations.”
AMA Urges Immediate FDA Action to Reduce Excess Salt in Food | Reuters
“Research shows most Americans consume two to three times the amount of sodium that is healthy, with an estimated 75 to 80 percent of the daily intake of sodium coming from processed and restaurant foods. Reducing the salt in our diets by 50 percent over the next ten years could save at least 150,000 lives each year.”"
American Chronicle: Five Myths About High Blood Pressure
“Salt is unfairly blamed for causing high blood pressure. Salt, or sodium, is not the culprit. It’s an imbalance of sodium, magnesium and potassium in our diet that knocks our blood chemistry out of kilter and thus contributes to hypertension.”
globeandmail.com: It takes more than calcium to fight osteoporosis
“A lack of magnesium is thought to impair the production of hormones involved in calcium balance.”
Cutting salt not the only way to lower blood pressure
“Specifically, magnesium, calcium, potassium and fibre all appear to have blood-pressure-lowering effects…”
