We are stressed. About money, work, family, the news. Hopefully you have helpful stress management techniques like meditation and exercise, but here’s one you’re probably missing: magnesium. Magnesium supports the stress centers of our brains and, without it, our brains cannot properly regulate stress.

Unfortunately, there is a lack of magnesium in the Standard American Diet, leaving about half of us magnesium deficient and at greater risk for elevated stress, anxiety, mood imbalances, and other conditions.

So, how can you get adequate levels of magnesium to your brain? The simple answer is to consume magnesium rich foods. But studies show that when these foods are grown on industrial farms in poor soil, they can actually be magnesium deficient. And to make matters worse, recent studies show that synthetic and salt forms of magnesium, even in high doses, may be poorly absorbed, may not pass through the blood-brain barrier, and can have a limited range of benefits.

The good news is that many whole foods grown on organic farms in healthy soil are naturally rich in magnesium, foods like Swiss chard, nuts, and buckwheat. The magnesium in these foods is housed within a natural matrix of proteins, fats, and fibers, giving it a greater ability to travel through the blood-brain barrier.

Integrate whole-food based magnesium into your diet to help regulate your stress response, reduce anxiety, and improve mood.

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