The Magnesium Miracle is a book by Dr. Carolyn Dean, which was updated in 2017 to include almost a third more information. The book offers a comprehensive guide to the health benefits of magnesium, which can help to alleviate a large number of conditions, symptoms and diseases including heart disease, depression, osteoporosis, diabetes, stroke and asthma. Dr. Carolyn Dean discusses not only how magnesium can provide numerous benefits both in alleviating and guarding against a whole host of illnesses and in general wellbeing, but she also draws upon her years of medical and nutritional expertise to offer recommendations on other lifestyle, dietary and supplementary changes people can make in conjunction with increasing magnesium intake.
Dr. Carolyn Dean has authored more than 35 books to date, has over 30 years’ experience in the health industry and is a qualified medical doctor.
The Natural Approach
While Dr. Carolyn Dean has extensive medical experience, she believes in following a more natural approach wherever this is viable. She questions the sense in switching addictions to things such as cigarettes, alcohol, drugs or even sugar to prescription medication without first exploring the potential metabolic causes underlying this. She offers a variety of suggestions to improve nutrition in order to improve health, including lists of foods that are high in magnesium. Dr. Dean explains the science behind how an increase in levels of magnesium intake can have myriad health benefits and help to combat or alleviate a wide variety of medical conditions.
Learn more about the importance of good nutrition for health in the embedded short video.
Recommended Intake of Magnesium
In The Magnesium Miracle, Dr. Carolyn Dean points out that the vast majority of people do not ingest the appropriate amount of magnesium. On average, women get around 70% of their Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of this essential mineral and men average 80%. However, according to Dr. Dean and many other professionals, the RDA may not actually be high enough in the first place. Even if it is assumed to be high enough, there are still a lot of people wandering around with a magnesium deficiency. Even people who follow healthy diets may not be getting enough, as soils these days are so deficient in essential minerals. The recommended intake changes depending on age, gender and, for women, whether they are pregnant or lactating. However, a typical, healthy adult male will need more than 400mg of magnesium daily, while women will need more than 300mg.
In the PDF attachment, learn more about the six macro-minerals needed to stay healthy, which include magnesium.
Sources of Magnesium
As with most vitamins and minerals, the best sources are from food. Green, leafy vegetables and foods that are high in dietary fibre are likely to contain higher levels of magnesium. It is also often added as a supplement to certain fortified foods such as breakfast cereals. Magnesium can also be found in water, including tap water as well as mineral water. However, depending on the brand and the source, the content can vary as widely as 1mg to 120mg per liter. In the infographic attachment, view some examples of foods that are high in magnesium content and the percentage of recommended daily value that comes from these foods.
Magnesium supplements are also available to help raise the levels in the body. In The Magnesium Miracle, Dr. Carolyn Dean lists different magnesium supplements, ranking them in order of bioavailability. She also discusses the different advantages and disadvantages between different types of supplements, such as homeopathic magnesium and magnesium oil.