Magnesium is one of those nutrients we don’t hear about too much, despite the fact that it’s one of the most abundant minerals in our bodies.
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Moreover, it’s the fourth most abundant mineral that we have!

So what role does magnesium play?
Do we really need to be consuming magnesium or taking supplements?
Let’s find out…

• Magnesium helps lower our stress levels. In fact, magnesium is often referred to as the “relaxation mineral.” Serotonin, which is a natural mood stabilizer found mostly in our digestive system, requires magnesium for its production. Therefore, it is recommended that we take magnesium to help manage our stress, anxiety, and mood disorders. In turn, a magnesium deficiency can affect our stress level and emotional state.
• Magnesium is used in hospitals and given to patients intravenously who are having heart palpitations – the magnesium helps slow down their heart rate.
• Magnesium is necessary for numerous chemical reactions in our body, including making DNA.
• Magnesium helps maintain our brain function by relaying signals between our body and our brain. It prevents overstimulation of nerve cells, which could result in brain damage.
• Magnesium helps regulate muscle contractions – it opposite to calcium to help our muscles relax. Magnesium is commonly recommended for treating muscle cramps.
• Magnesium has also been linked to helping reduce the risk of many diseases, including arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes. Several studies have shown that migraine headaches are associated with low levels of magnesium.

Despite magnesium being so abundant in our body, many people don’t get enough of it.
Some studies say that up to 68% of adults don’t get enough magnesium in accordance with the recommended daily intake (RDI).

So how much magnesium should we be consuming on a daily basis to keep our body functioning as it should?Adult men should consume 420 mg/day, while adult women should consume 320 mg/day.
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There could be consequences from consuming too much magnesium or not enough magnesium:

• Too much magnesium can cause various symptoms, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, and irregular heartbeat.
  
  Therefore, you might not want to take a supplement that contains magnesium if you are already getting enough magnesium through your food and other sources.

 

• A magnesium deficiency (called hypomagnesemia) could lead to various health conditions, including muscle twitches and cramps, osteoporosis, fatigue, high blood pressure, asthma, heart disease, and diabetes.

Now that we know the importance of magnesium, where do we find magnesium?

Good news! There are plenty of magnesium-rich natural food sources.

• Pumpkin seeds (check out the recipe below for making Creamy Pumpkin Seed Butter)
• Raw almonds and cashews (raw nuts are better than roasted nuts – roasted nuts lose magnesium during the roasting process)
• Dark chocolate
• Black beans, peas, and soybeans
• Green leafy vegetables (spinach)
• Whole grains (oat bran)
• Herbs (coriander, chives, dill, sage)

Magnesium can also be absorbed through the skin, so consider using a magnesium oil or lotion that contains magnesium.

But, clearly the easiest (and yummiest) way of getting in your daily magnesium - is to include plenty of food sources high in this multi-tasking mineral, such as creamy pumpkin seed butters! Get the recipe right here 

Have you said “bye bye” to sleeping through the night?
 
Are you feeling exhausted or “running on stress hormones” all day?
 
Do not fear, I have some great tips (and an amazing recipe) for you!
 
The science of sleep is fascinating, complicated and growing
 
Sleep is this daily thing that we all do and yet we're just beginning to understand all of the ways it helps us and all of the factors that can affect it.
 
Lack of sleep affects just about everything in your body and mind.  People who get less sleep tend to be at higher risk for so many health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer; not to mention effects like slower metabolism, weight gain, hormone imbalance, and inflammation.  And don't forget the impact lack of sleep can have on moods, memory and decision-making skills.
 
Do you know that lack of sleep may even negate the health benefits of your exercise program? (Gasp!)
 
OMG – What aspect of health does sleep not affect???
 
Knowing this it's easy to see the three main purposes of sleep:

• To restore our body and mind.  Our bodies repair, grow and even “detoxify” our brains while we sleep.
• To improve our brain's ability to learn and remember things, technically known as “synaptic plasticity”.
• To conserve some energy so we're not just actively “out and about” 24-hours a day, every day.

 
Do you know how much sleep adults need?  It's less than your growing kids need but you may be surprised that it's recommended that all adults get 7 - 9 hours a night.  For real!
 
Try not to skimp!
 
(Don't worry, I have you covered with a bunch of actionable tips below.)
 
Tips for better sleep

• The biggest tip is definitely to try to get yourself into a consistent sleep schedule.  Make it a priority and you're more likely to achieve it.  This means turning off your lights 8 hours before your alarm goes off.  Seven. Days. A. Week.  I know weekends can easily throw this off but by making sleep a priority for a few weeks your body and mind will adjust and thank you for it.

 

• Balance your blood sugar throughout the day.  You know, eat less refined and processed foods and more whole foods (full of blood-sugar-balancing fiber).  Choose the whole orange instead of the juice (or orange-flavoured snack).  Make sure you're getting some protein every time you eat.

 

• During the day get some sunshine and exercise.  These things tell your body it's daytime; time for being productive, active and alert.  By doing this during the day it will help you wind down more easily in the evening.

 

• Cut off your caffeine and added sugar intake after 12pm.  Whole foods like fruits and veggies are fine, it's the “added” sugar we're minimizing.  Yes, this includes your beloved chai latte.  Both caffeine and added sugar can keep your mind a bit more active than you want it to be come evening. (HINT: I have a great caffeine-free chai latte recipe for you below!).

 

• Have a relaxing bedtime routine that starts 1 hour before your “lights out” time (that is 8 - 10 hours before your alarm is set to go off).  This would include dimming your artificial lights, nixing screen time and perhaps reading an (actual, not “e”) book or having a bath.

 
So how many of these tips can you start implementing today?
 
Click here for a Recipe for a Caffeine-free latte for your afternoon “coffee break”:

​There are so many things that can go wrong with the skin: dryness, redness, blemishes, etc. 

Healthy skin is a reflection of internal health. There are many creams and cosmetics to put on top of your skin. But, there are also lots of things you can do to nurture and nourish your skin to better health from the inside.
 
How better to do this than with food?
 
Your skin needs many nutrients: water, essential fats, vitamins, and amino acids. Here are five foods (and drinks and lifestyle tips) I highly recommend if your goal is healthier-looking skin. As a bonus, I have included a short list of some key foods to consider avoiding.
 
Let’s dive in.
 
Skin Food #1 - Water
 
No doubt hydration is key for healthy-looking skin! Water and other hydrating fluids are great to help your skin stay moist and supple.
 
And for a bit of an extra anti-inflammatory hydrating boost, try boosting your water with anti-inflammatory green tea (sugar-free if possible).
 
Skin Food #2 - Fish
 
Fish contains many nutrients important for skin health - omega-3s, and vitamins A and D to name a few.
 
Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory to help cool the flames of inflammation. Vitamin A can help with blemishes and dryness, while vitamin D helps with skin tone.
 
Skin Food #3 - Bell peppers, citrus, and broccoli
 
Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in our body. It’s also known to help our skin stay firm and supple.
 
Vitamin C is necessary for your body to make collagen. So foods rich in vitamin C are great for your skin. Cue: bell peppers, citrus, and broccoli.
 
FUN FACT: Overcooking vitamin C-rich foods can destroy some of the skin-supporting vitamins. So, try having these lightly steamed or raw for maximum vitamin C levels.
 
Skin Food #4 - Bone broth
 
Homemade bone broth contains a lot of the amino acid glycine. Glycine is another essential component of the skin protein collagen.
 
Glycine helps speed the healing of the skin and the gut. Win-win.
 
Skin “Food” #5 - Sleep more & stress less
 
I know these aren’t exactly foods, but they’re an important part of naturally great skin. When we don’t sleep enough, or stress too much our body flips on systems that affect our whole body… including our skin.
 
Stress hormones can increase inflammation and lead to not-so-healthy looking skin. Prioritize sleep and stress management, and you can see results in your life, and in your skin.
 
Watch out for these foods
 
Some foods are allergenic or inflammatory. These can cause all sorts of issues in your body, including affecting your skin.
 
It's hard to come up with one list of inflammatory or allergenic foods for everyone. Each person is biochemically unique, so you may have to go through this and see what applies to you. There are a few common allergens that may be a good bet to eliminate from your diet.
 
The first is processed foods. These are pretty much not-so-good for everyone. And they can affect your health in so many ways, including how your skin looks & feels. Try ditching pre-packaged and fast foods in favour of whole foods as much as possible. Not just for your skin, for your whole body (and mind).
 
The second is gluten. While only a small number of people have serious reactions to gluten (i.e., celiac disease), many more people are intolerant to it. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and a few other grains. Many people have had several health concerns, including skin issues, clear up after eliminating gluten from their diets.
 
Third in line is dairy. It could be a hormonal response or even an insulin response. We don't quite know why, but many people who cut out dairy report better skin
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Conclusion
 
Skin health is not just about what you put on your skin, but what your skin gets from the inside too. There are lots of important nutrients and foods to help support healthy skin. Which also means, that there are lots of foods that can affect your skin in negative ways as well.
 
Hydrating, eating nutrient dense whole foods, and avoiding common allergenic and inflammatory foods might make all the difference for you.
 
Do you have an awesome recipe or tips for people to eat more of these “skin-healthifying” foods? Let me know in the comments below.

Click here for an awesome skin-enhancing Omega-3 vitamin C rich​ recipe!