Cilantro is an amazing herb with fantastic health benefits.
According to Medical News Today, cilantro fights pain and inflammation, enhances skin health and has anti-fungal and anti-cancer properties
Per Dr. Josh Axe, this plant removes heavy metals from the body, cleanses the urinary tract, settles digestive upset, and acts as a calming sedative. Cilantro has been found effective for calming anxiety and improving sleep due to its unique qualities.
Watch the video below to find out more about cilantro benefits and how it can be used in many types of dishes and foods.
This video was created for you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the original calcium and magnesium based sleep aid Sleep Minerals II.
Valerie H. of Santa Clarita, California says: “I had such severe menopause insomnia that it took me hours to fall asleep even though I was extremely tired. My legs also had crawling and tingling feelings at night. I got the Sleep Minerals and after about a week, it started to work really well. I fall asleep now within 20 minutes and no more restless legs.”
Can making and drinking a cup of tea help to reduce stress and increase relaxation?
A study from the City University of London found that drinking a cup of tea does indeed help with relaxation, not only from the action of drinking it, but also from the calming ritual of heating the water or using a kettle.
The ritual of slowing down to make the tea is one of its greatest calming benefits. One of the main ingredients in the best teas is L-theanine, a non-protein amino acid that increases the levels of calming chemicals in the brain.
Many health benefits can be obtained from drinking herbal teas. Some of their medicinal effects include soothing stress, easing nausea, helping with menopausal or menstrual symptoms, relaxing muscles, and calming an upset stomach.
Take a peek at the video below to discover some of the most time-proven best teas. This video was created for you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the original calcium and magnesium based sleep aid Sleep Minerals II.
Tammy M. of Meridian, Idaho says: “I was plagued with insomnia for five years and desperate for a breakthrough. Nothing has helped me more than Sleep Minerals — I’m so sold on them I could go door to door promoting them. I’m 60 years old and have never slept so soundly.”
Here’s to your good sleep and a balanced point of view by drinking the best calming teas and taking some absorbable calcium and magnesium.
This brief video is an entertaining overview of the best minerals for creating a deeper, longer, more relaxing sleep. In this article, we will go into more detail about each one. There are four minerals that are researched and particularly proven to be good sleep remedies.
Calcium: This mineral is directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase.
Adelle Davis is one of the earliest nutritionists to base her dietary recommendations on scientific research studies. Davis writes about the roles of calcium in her book “Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit.” She suggests natural sleep remedies for insomnia and says: “A calcium deficiency often shows itself by insomnia, another form of an inability to relax. The harm done by sleeping tablets, to say nothing of the thousands of dollars spent on them, could largely be avoided if the calcium intake were adequate.”
Magnesium: In magnesium deficiency, chronic insomnia is one of the main, central symptoms. Sleep is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep. This was proven in a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.
James F. Balch, M.D., author of Prescription for Nutritional Healing, writes that: “A lack of the nutrients calcium and magnesium will cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep.”
Zinc: A study in a scientific journal found evidence indicating that zinc may be involved in the regulation of sleep. Their research concludes that the amount of sleep varies according to the amount of zinc in the blood, while orally administered zinc increases the amount and the quality of sleep in mice and humans.
Another study on zinc points in the direction that people taking extra calcium should also increase their zinc intake in order to prevent calcium from blocking zinc absorption into the body. The richest dietary sources of zinc are oysters, liver and beef, followed by nuts, popcorn, poultry and lamb.
Potassium: One recent study from the Journal “Sleep” researched the effects of potassium supplements on sleep quality. After one week of taking potassium supplements, there were significant improvements in the quality of sleep and less waking up during the night.
A deficiency of potassium can interfere with restful sleep due to the potential for stiff muscles or muscle spasms in the night. The blood needs to maintain a good balance between potassium and sodium (salt). Potassium is found abundantly in fresh vegetables and fruits, so these are a good focus as opposed to eating a lot of processed or packaged foods containing high sodium.
One popular supplement containing many of these minerals is Sleep Minerals II from Nutrition Breakthroughs. Richard P. of Parkville, Maryland says, “The Sleep Minerals are making quite a difference. I was regularly waking up at around 3:00 a.m. and after a few days use my sleep improved quite a lot. I wake up once a night to go to the bathroom, but the great thing is, I then fall back asleep and sleep several more hours. This has been a great improvement.”
Make good use of minerals in foods and supplements to ensure getting a great night’s sleep. To learn more, visit the Sleep Minerals II page.
This is Jobee from Nutrition Breakthroughs. Thanks for reading my articles on natural health discoveries and remedies.
This is #2 in a series that describes the story of how Nutrition Breakthroughs started and how it’s health articles and supplements came into being.
Around the time that Nutrition Breakthroughs started a couple decades ago, I was living in the Los Angeles area. An opportunity came up for me to do some courses that I really wanted to do in Florida.
I decided to take the trip there – all the way to another coast that I’d never been to before. In order to get the most out of my studies, it was important that I eat well, feel healthy and get a lot of restful sleep.
The only thing interfering with this is that I was unable to get hardly any sleep at all in anticipation of the trip. I got on the plane anyway for the 6 or 7 hour flight, including layovers. The plane touched down in Tampa and I had finally arrived.
As far as my sleep went in Florida, I continued to wake up several times during the night and had tremendous difficulty falling back asleep. I had studied in my nutritional research that calcium and magnesium could help people relax and sleep more deeply.
I searched around and found a product that had these minerals in it and it was formulated in a softgel with oils for better absorption. I began to take it, sometimes every hour during the night when I woke up. It started making a big difference.
I would take one of these often during the night and actually be able to go back to sleep. This was the beginning of a major advancement for Nutrition Breakthroughs. (Although not every sleep aid should be taken this frequently)!
If a supplement like this could actually help me with severe insomnia, would it be worth it for me to create a similar one for my company Nutrition Breakthroughs and help others who have this problem to sleep better too?
Tune in to the next blog article and read it to find out!
So now it’s your turn. I would love to hear from you. Was there ever a similar thing that happened to you where you were so pleased to find a natural remedy that actually worked?
Let me know by sending an email to info@nutritionbreakthroughs.com. I check this inbox myself and I may not reply to each message, but I do read each one. It helps me to provide good information that is of interest.
Can yogurt actually help with better sleep, weight loss, bone strength and immunity? Read on to find out!
There is an informative chart below with the top health benefits of yogurt and it’s healthy bacteria known as probiotics. Benefits like helping with good sleep, assisting weight loss, improving digestion, reducing risk of diabetes, lowering cholesterol and stimulating a stronger immune system. Here are some of the studies:
Yogurt for Stomach Health
One study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming yogurt or the beneficial bacteria from it, has promising health benefits for many conditions and increases the body’s immunity and ability to fight off infections. A variety of conditions were shown to improve including constipation, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, candida, stomach bacteria infections and allergies.
Bone Strength from Yogurt
A study on yogurt was published in the journal “Archives of Osteoporosis”. It reviewed the ability of yogurt to strengthen bones and found that milk and yogurt are the best dairy choices for increasing bone mineral density in the hip.
Yogurt and Good Sleep
Yogurt is also a great choice to eat in the evening to help with sleep due to the high amount of calcium it contains. The beneficial bacteria in yogurt has also been studied for its ability to create a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.
A 2017 study from the journal “Beneficial Microbes” tested the effects of yogurt probiotics on the quality of sleep. The researchers concluded: “These findings suggest that daily consumption of the Lactobacillus casei strain may help to maintain sleep quality during a period of increasing stress.” As a note, this particular strain is included in virtually all of the most popular yogurt brands.
Regarding the calcium in dairy products, William Sears, M.D. writes: “Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods.”
Plain, unsweetened yogurt is healthiest and Greek yogurt is a great, high-protein choice. Fresh fruit can be added as a natural sweetener.
Yogurt and Weight Loss
Yogurt is a boost to weight loss. A healthy supplement similar to the acidophilus used in yogurt was recently found in a Canadian study to help overweight women lose weight and keep it off. It was discovered that the supplement made the intestinal wall stronger and more able to prevent inflammatory, obesity-causing substances from passing into the intestine and entering the bloodstream.
Immunity Boosting Yogurt
Yogurt is great for strengthening and boosting one’s immunity against infection and illness per studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In particular, yogurt with the Lactobacillus bulgaricus form has been shown to reduce the frequency of colds in older adults after they ate it over a twelve-week period. This is another commonly used form of probiotic that’s widely-available in yogurts.
This news is shared with you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, a provider of natural health articles and effective natural remedies since 2001. Nutrition Breakthroughs makes the original calcium and magnesium based natural sleep aid Sleep Minerals II, as well as Joints and More, the natural solution for joint relief, aches and pains, stronger hair and nails, and more energy.
Included below is a wonderful chart that contains the top 20 health benefits of magnesium. Some of these health benefits include remedying sleeplessness and insomnia, calming the nerves, strengthening the heart, lowering blood pressure, supporting the bones, relaxing muscles and relieving headaches.
Magnesium for Sleep
Chronic insomnia is one of the main symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Sleep
in magnesium deficiency is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings.
On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep. This was shown in a study done by the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota. Other studies have found magnesium to enhance sleep and relaxation as well.
Calcium and Sleep
Calcium is also directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep, is related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.
Sleep Minerals II
This health news and the magnesium chart is shared with you by Nutrition Breakthroughs and its natural sleep aid Sleep Minerals II. Sleep Minerals II is the original magnesium and calcium based sleep remedy and is known for soothing even the worst insomnia. It helps everyone from teenagers, to women with menopause symptoms, to older seniors, to everyone in between, to get a good night’s sleep.
Tammy M. of Meridian, Idaho says: “I was plagued with insomnia for five years and desperate for a breakthrough. Nothing has helped me more than Sleep Minerals — I’m so sold on them I could go door to door promoting them. I’m 60 years old and have never slept so soundly.”
Flaxseed, also known as linseed, is a high fiber food that has been cultivated for thousands of years around the world. One of the main benefits of flaxseed is that its a rich source of the healthiest type of fat, known as omega 3 fatty acid.
This group of healthy fats also includes salmon, walnuts, chia seeds and sardines. Flax is a also complete protein source, containing all nine of the essential amino acids.
Research is showing that the benefits of flaxseed include preventing menopause hot flashes, lowering cholesterol, improving heart health and benefiting blood sugar levels. It also improves breast and prostate health and is known to be an effective laxative which helps with constipation by adding fiber and bulk to the intestines.
Flaxseed has been proven to have a dual effectiveness for both constipation and diarrhea. This study on flaxseed comes from the Natural Products Research Division of a Medical College in Pakistan. Flaxseed oil and its gel-like fiber was given orally to people and it caused a dose-dependent increase in looser bowel movements – meaning that the higher the dose, the more effective it was. The study also showed flaxseed helpful for people with diarrhea.
Mayo Clinic breast health specialist Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., recently conducted a study on crushed flaxseed for hot flashes and menopause symptoms. The women were given six weeks of flaxseed therapy, consisting of 40 grams (one and a half ounces) of crushed flaxseed eaten daily. Study participants were asked questions that were translated into their individual hot flash scores.
The result was that their frequency of hot flashes decreased by fifty percent. Participants also reported good improvements in mood, joint and muscle pain, chills, and sweating. This was a significant benefit to their health and quality of life. Dr. Pruthi said: “We are quite pleased with the improvements noted by these women in their quality of life. Not only does flaxseed seem to alleviate hot flashes, but it appears to have overall health benefits as well.”
Flaxseed may provide a way for men with high cholesterol to lower it without using drugs. The Iowa State University Nutrition and Wellness Research Center recently studied ground flaxseed for this purpose and found that it decreased cholesterol in men by around ten percent over the three month study. The men ate three tablespoons of flaxseed daily.
Flaxseed was recently studied for the improvement of blood sugar levels in a study from the “Nutrition Research” journal. In this study, overweight men and postmenopausal women who had pre-diabetes consumed ground flaxseed daily for 12 weeks. This resulted in decreased glucose and insulin levels and also an improved insulin sensitivity in the participants. Having a better insulin sensitivity is healthier as this allows the body to utilize sugar in the blood more effectively.
Flaxseeds are available as whole seeds, ground seeds and flax seed oil. The ground seeds may be the healthiest option as they contain the most protein and fiber. Flaxseeds blend well into many foods, such as smoothies, hot and cold cereals, can be sprinkled on salads or hot vegetables, and even used in home-baked goods like muffins. The seeds are best stored in the refrigerator to preserve their benefits. Most of the studies on flaxseed used one tablespoon per day.
This health news is shared by Nutrition Breakthroughs, a provider of nutrition articles and effective natural remedies since 2001. Nutrition Breakthroughs makes the original calcium and magnesium based sleep aid Sleep Minerals II. Besides being an effective insomnia remedy, Sleep Minerals II is also beneficial for women with menopause symptoms such as hot flashes or night sweats.
Anita L. of New Caney, Texas says: “I was having hot flashes every 30 minutes to an hour through the night and was so miserable. After about two weeks of taking the Sleep Minerals, I noticed an incredible difference with my sleep. I have much less interruption from flashes, I’m sleeping much better and I’m a lot more comfortable.”
Research is showing that the benefits of flaxseed include preventing menopause hot flashes, lowering cholesterol, improving heart health and benefiting blood sugar levels. It also improves breast and prostate health.
How flaxseed works?
Flaxseed has a very high amount of omega-3 fatty acids – a high quality type of fat that our body is unable to make on its own. Omega-3 fats can improve the health of the heart, brain, eyes, liver, joints and skin. Flaxseed is also a rich source of fiber, making it an excellent aid to digestion.
Will flaxseed help with constipation?
Flaxseed has been proven to have a dual effectiveness for both constipation and diarrhea. In one study, flaxseed oil and its gel-like fiber was given orally to people and it caused a dose-dependent increase in looser bowel movements – meaning that the higher the dose, the more effective it was.
Which foods help you sleep better? The Nutrition Breakthroughs Blog has provided several articles on the best sleep inducing foods, and those that follow below are the top five most popular articles of all time.
This article features a chart that summarizes research studies on foods that are high in the natural sleep hormone known as melatonin. What foods are high in melatonin? Find out more about walnuts, cherries, almonds and more. Also included in this article are good sources of potassium, calcium and magnesium – all proven to help remedy insomnia.
Melatonin levels start rising in the evening and go up to a peak level in the early hours of the morning, perhaps around 2:00 or 3:00 a.m, and then they reduce.
This may partially explain why some people can sleep fine for a few hours and then suddenly find themselves wide awake and unable to go back to sleep.
Do bananas help you sleep? Learn more about the research study that shows how tropical fruits such as bananas and pineapples increase melatonin in the body. It was published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.
What foods are sleep inducing? This article includes an informative, short chart that contains the five best foods and five worst foods for promoting sleep.
Some foods can act as natural sleep aids, while others can make your time in bed a struggle with tossing and turning all night.
This article focuses on articles from research journals that have studied which foods are best for inducing sleep, and it also has some doctor recommendations on good bedtime snacks.
This collection of natural health articles on sleep helping foods is brought to you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, a publisher of nutrition articles and supplier of effective natural remedies since 2001.
Nutrition breakthroughs makes Sleep Minerals II, the effective natural sleep aid with calcium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D, and also Joints and More, the natural solution for joint relief, aches and pains, stronger hair and nails and more energy.
Which foods help you sleep better?
Studies have shown that certain foods are high in melatonin and magnesium and can help with a better night’s sleep. These include bananas, almonds, walnuts and tart cherries or their juice. Magnesium rich foods include yogurt, avocado, figs, nut butter, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
What foods are high in melatonin?
Learn more about walnuts, tart cherries, almonds, bananas and more. Also included in this article are good food sources of potassium, calcium and magnesium – all proven to help remedy insomnia.
Do bananas help you sleep?
Bananas are very high in potassium and a deficiency of potassium can interfere with restful sleep. Eating a banana before bedtime may help reduce nighttime awakenings and provide a better, deeper night’s sleep. Potassium is found abundantly in fresh vegetables and fruits, so these are a good focus as opposed to eating a lot of processed or packaged foods containing high salt.
What foods are sleep inducing?
Studies have shown that the following foods and beverages are sleep inducing: Bananas, tart cherries, tart cherry juice, almonds, walnuts, yogurt, salmon, pumpkin seeds, pineapple, nut butter, turkey, kiwi fruit and warm milk. Soothing teas shown to help sleep include chamomile, lavender, lemon balm and passionflower.
Menopause is a natural process when the production of female hormones (estrogen and progesterone) declines and a woman stops having her monthly periods. It usually happens gradually between the ages of 45 and 55.
During this time, a woman can experience uncomfortable menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, migraine headaches, anxiety, fatigue and insomnia.
Hormone replacement therapy drugs can help hot flashes, but according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the long-term use of hormone replacement drugs can increase the risks of heart disease, stroke, blood clots in the lungs and breast disease As a result, more and more women today are seeking to use natural remedies.
One such remedy is evening primrose oil. This oil comes from the seeds of a wildflower that grows throughout the United States. In a study from the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, researchers tested the effect of evening primrose oil on 56 menopausal women aged 45 to 59 with hot flashes. The women were given two capsules per day of evening primrose (500 mg per capsule) for a continuous 6 weeks. This resulted in a 42% improvement in the severity of hot flashes, as well as beneficial improvements in their life activities.
Can magnesium help menopause symptoms? Mineral supplements such as magnesium and calcium are of good benefit to menopausal women with hot flashes and night sweats. One example is a study from the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System. Women with at least 14 hot flashes a week received 400 milligrams of magnesium oxide for 4 weeks, increasing to 800 mg. per day if needed. At the end of the study, the magnesium supplements had reduced their frequency of hot flashes from 52 to 28 per week, which is a 41.4% reduction. Fatigue, sweating, and distress were also significantly reduced.
The 29 participants in the study were breast cancer survivors, thus they were unable to take the usual hot flash medications that have estrogenic activity such as hormone replacement or soy supplements. Many women, breast cancer survivors or not, prefer to take a non estrogen-active natural remedy for hot flashes and night sweats, and the researchers concluded that magnesium appears to safely reduce hot flashes with few side effects and at minimal cost.
Can magnesium help balance hormones? Yes, in fact as menopause approaches, there is an emerging link between estrogen decline, menopause symptoms, and the aspect of mineral deficiency. Mildred Seeling, M.D. describes this in her report in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. She says “Estrogen enhances magnesium utilization and uptake by soft tissues and bone, and may explain the resistance of young women to heart disease and osteoporosis — as well as the increased prevalence of these diseases when estrogen production ceases.”
Magnesium works best when it’s balanced with calcium. The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis writes of mineral deficiency during menopause in her book Let’s Get Well. Davis says: “Calcium is less well absorbed and the urinary losses are greater when the output of estrogen decreases. Such calcium-deficiency symptoms as nervousness, irritability, insomnia and headaches are common.”
Magnesium has also been found to help other health conditions. According to Dr. Michael T. Murray, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, “In addition to helping with hot flashes, correction of low magnesium status may have additional health benefits. Magnesium deficiency is extremely common in Americans, and in addition to the well-known association between low magnesium and increased risk for cardiovascular disease, low magnesium levels have also been linked to an increase in Alzheimer’s disease, decreased muscle performance, insulin-resistance, and osteoporosis.”
Are there forms of magnesium that are more absorbable than others? Which magnesium for menopause? Some of the most highly absorbed forms of minerals are those that are mixed into a healthy base of natural oils. When carrier oils are used along with minerals in a softgel supplement, a creamy paste is formed inside that encourages increased mineral absorption. This results in a supplement that is absorbed more rapidly and fully than hard tablets or even powdered capsules.
One natural sleep aid that helps with hot flashes and night sweats and has increased in popularity among menopausal women is Sleep Minerals II from Nutrition Breakthroughs. This insomnia remedy contains highly absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleeplessness and insomnia, as well as for heart health, restless legs syndrome, bone strength, and menopause insomnia. The formula also includes vitamin D and zinc and is delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making it more fully assimilated and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.
Anita L. of New Caney, Texas says: “I was having hot flashes every 30 minutes to an hour through the night and was so miserable. After about two weeks of taking the Sleep Minerals, I noticed an incredible difference with my sleep. I have much less interruption from flashes, I’m sleeping much better, and I’m a lot more comfortable.”
Valerie H. of Santa Clarita, California says: “I had such severe menopause insomnia it took me hours to fall asleep even though I was extremely tired. My legs also had crawling and tingling feelings at night. I got the Sleep Minerals II and after several days, it started to work really well. I fall asleep now within 20 minutes and no more restless legs.”
Natural menopause remedies are a healthier option for women with hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia. For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit this page.
Can magnesium help menopause symptoms?
Mineral supplements such as magnesium and calcium are of good benefit to menopausal women with hot flashes and night sweats. One example is a study from the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System. Women with at least 14 hot flashes a week received 400 milligrams of magnesium oxide for 4 weeks, increasing to 800 mg. per day if needed. At the end of the study, the magnesium supplements had reduced their frequency of hot flashes from 52 to 28 per week, which is a 41.4% reduction. Fatigue, sweating, and distress were also significantly reduced.
Can magnesium help balance hormones?
Yes, as menopause approaches, there is an emerging link between estrogen decline, menopause symptoms and the aspect of mineral deficiency. Mildred Seeling, M.D. describes this in her report in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. She says “Estrogen enhances magnesium utilization and uptake by soft tissues and bone, and may explain the resistance of young women to heart disease and osteoporosis — as well as the increased prevalence of these diseases when estrogen production ceases.”
Which magnesium for menopause?
Some of the most highly absorbed forms of minerals are those that are mixed into a healthy base of natural oils. When carrier oils are used along with minerals in a softgel supplement, a creamy paste is formed inside that encourages increased mineral absorption. This results in a supplement that is absorbed more rapidly and fully than hard tablets or even powdered capsules.
Is magnesium better than melatonin for sleep? Magnesium has many benefits for good health, one of them being its action as an effective natural sleep aid.
Melatonin supplements are also used as a sleep remedy. These two ingredients have different qualities, different health effects, and different possible side effects.
James F. Balch, M.D., author of Prescription for Nutritional Healing, writes: “A lack of the nutrients magnesium and calcium will cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep.”
In contrast with mineral supplements, melatonin is a hormone which is produced by the pineal gland, located in the center of the brain. At night or in the dark, the pineal gland naturally releases melatonin to regulate the sleep cycle.
The body produces less melatonin with advancing age and while melatonin doesn’t require a prescription, it’s a potent hormone. It can help with sleeplessness. If too much is taken, it can result in grogginess, dizziness, stomach cramps and make it more difficult to wake up in the morning.
Is it better to take magnesium at night? One of the main symptoms of magnesium deficiency is chronic insomnia, accompanied with with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep, per a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota. Another study from the Human Nutrition Research Center found that a magnesium citrate supplement increased sleep quality in adults aged 51 to 85.
Magnesium has hundreds of health effects in the body. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center web site, inadequate magnesium appears to reduce serotonin levels in the brain. One study found that magnesium was just as effective as an antidepressant drug in treating depression.
In addition, researchers at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute reported that for every 100 milligram increase in magnesium intake, the risk of developing type-2 diabetes decreased by 15 per cent. Other studies have shown that people with migraine headaches have low concentrations of magnesium in their body.
Mildred Seelig, M.D., the leading medical researcher on magnesium says: “Many people needlessly suffer pain – including … migraines and muscle cramps – because they don’t get enough magnesium.”
Which form of magnesium is best for sleep? A recent study on magnesium for sleep came from the University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Its subjects were 46 older adults, aged 60 to 75, who were experiencing insomnia. However, it’s interesting to note that the researchers recommend their results be extended to all ages of the general population as helpful advice.
In the University study, the subjects were divided into two groups. One group received placebos, while the other received magnesium oxide tablets twice a day (250 milligrams each) for eight weeks. In the group that was given magnesium, the subjects experienced significant increases in sleep time and sleep efficiency (which is the time spent in bed vs the time spent sleeping). They also had less night time interruptions and fewer early morning awakenings. Magnesium citrate is another form that has been proven helpful for better sleep.
One possible side effect from taking too much magnesium is that the bowels may become too loose or stomach discomfort can occur — at which point less can be taken. If this side effect happens, magnesium should be taken with a full meal or a healthy snack.
Another important nutritional tip that can help to avoid any deficiencies is to balance magnesium with calcium and vitamin D rather than taking it alone. The recommended ratio is 2 to 1 or twice as much calcium as magnesium.
According to the Mayo Clinic, possible side effects of melatonin include stomach cramps, anxiety, irritability, confusion and short-term depression. Melatonin supplements can interact with various medications such as blood-thinning medications, medications that suppress the immune system, diabetes medications and birth control pills. Prolonged use may also inhibit the body’s own natural ability to produce melatonin.
This health news is brought to you by Nutrition Breakthroughs and their natural sleep aid Sleep Minerals II. Sleep Minerals II is the original magnesium and calcium based remedy and is known for soothing even the worst, long-term insomnia. It also contains vitamin D and zinc and helps everyone from teenagers, to women with menopause symptoms, to older seniors, to get a good night’s sleep.
Richard P. of Parkville, Maryland says: “The Sleep Minerals are making quite a difference. I was regularly waking up at around 3:00 a.m. and after a few days use my sleep improved quite a lot. I wake up once a night to go to the bathroom, but the great thing is, I then fall back asleep and sleep several more hours. This has been a great improvement.”
Tammy M. of Meridian, Idaho says: “I was plagued with insomnia for five years and desperate for a breakthrough. Nothing has helped me more than Sleep Minerals. I’m so sold on them I could go door to door promoting them. I’m 60 years old and have never slept so soundly.”
James F. Balch, M.D. writes: “A lack of the nutrients magnesium and calcium will cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep.” Magnesium is also beneficial for bone health and heart health. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. According to WebMD, melatonin side effects may include headache, depression, daytime sleepiness, dizziness, stomach cramps and irritability.
Is it better to take magnesium at night?
One of the main symptoms of magnesium deficiency is chronic insomnia accompanied with with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep, per a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.
Which form of magnesium is best for sleep?
A recent study on magnesium comes from the University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Its subjects were 46 older adults who were experiencing insomnia. One group received placebos while the other received magnesium oxide tablets twice a day for eight weeks. Those taking the magnesium experienced significant increases in sleep time with less night time interruptions. Another good form of magnesium for sleep is magnesium citrate.