Are you cranky, twitchy or restless?
Are you stressed out?
A deficiency in magnesium could be a factor.
Magnesium deficiency is a problem that causes a variety of health issues that could be prevented with small changes to diet and behavior, including soaks in an Epsom salt bath.
A lack of magnesium, for instance, can contribute to high blood pressure, hyperactivity, heart problems and other health issues, says Leo Galland, MD, founder of pilladvised.com, and director of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine.
To find out if you need more magnesium, which helps regulate the activity of more than 300 enzymes in the body, Dr. Galland says you can take the questionnaire at http://mdheal.org/mediators.htm.
Signs of a magnesium deficiency include leg and foot cramps, sensitivity to loud noises, muscle twitches and spasms or stress and irritability, says Dr. Galland, the 2011 recipient of the Seelig Magnesium Award from the American College of Nutrition.
To increase your body’s level of magnesium:
Eat more nuts, vegetables (such as broccoli) and seafood, and limit intake of sugar.
Check with your doctor about whether you should take magnesium supplements.
Soak in Epsom salt, which is actually magnesium sulfate, because magnesium can be absorbed through the skin.
“Magnesium deficiencies are very common globally, and the need for magnesium is increased by stress and a number of different health disorders,” Dr. Galland says. “An Epsom salt bath is an excellent stress reliever, it relaxes muscles and it’s another source of magnesium.”
