Magnesium

"10 Lifestyle Strategies for 'Successful'
Aging Everyone Needs to Know About"*

You may feel there's little if anything you can do to help push back
against 'father time.' But what if you could support your brain
and cognitive function and enjoy aging with more
gusto and get-up-and-go?* Here's how...

We are all familiar with the link between getting older and normal, age-related forgetfulness, sometimes referred to as "senior moments."

Unfortunately, there is no "quick fix" or magic bullet when it comes to aging well. Generally speaking, the better you treat your body throughout your life, the better your aging experience will be.

Most people do not welcome any thoughts of getting older because for many, aging is synonymous with occasional forgetfulness as a normal part of aging and loneliness. It certainly is inevitable that you're going to get older. But I can tell you from personal experience that this does not have to be a depressing and unfulfilling time of your life.

I am fast approaching 60 and am the fittest I have ever been. I strive to live out every day to its fullest potential. I may have been able to run faster when I was younger, but I would never trade that for the muscle strength, flexibility, and knowledge that I have today. While my experiences may not be representative of your experiences, my point is that it is never too late to start implementing strategies to support "successful" aging.

Fortunately, you too can achieve wellness on both physical and mental fronts, and you can do so at any age.* The bottom line... you don't have to just reluctantly accept aging and "senior moments" as inevitable with nothing you can do to make your life more enjoyable and full of vitality.* Here's what to do...

10 Key Strategies for Healthy Aging*

Kicking the smoking habit, or better yet, never starting at all, is one of the top behaviors associated with successful aging.

Recent research identified four key behaviors associated with "successful aging"...

• Avoid smoking
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• Exercise regularly
• Eat vegetables and fruits daily

Researchers observed that incorporating each strategy on an individual basis helped increase the odds of "successful aging." But the interesting point is what they uncovered when all four strategies were combined.

When all four strategies were practiced concurrently, it was discovered that the study participants tripled their chances of avoiding many of the physical and mental normal signs of aging over a 16-year period.

This is encouraging news and enforces the principal that the more healthy habits you practice, the better your chances of enjoying life will be, as time goes by. But I do feel there are a few more strategies you can put-in-place to help smooth the aging process even more...

Finding ways to help reduce your stress are important strategies for healthy aging.

• Avoid excess sugar and fructose – Limiting the amount of sugar in your diet (particularly fructose) can be a key factor in longevity.
• Incorporate high-intensity “anti-aging” exercise – High-intensity interval-type training like Peak Fitness gives a natural boost to your human growth hormone (HGH) production essential for optimal health.
• Reduce your stress and promote positive thinking – To be optimally healthy and age successfully, it’s important to address your emotional wellness. EFT can be a very effective tool to help you lower stress and gain a positive frame of mind. 
• Take high-quality animal-based omega-3s – Due to their high intake of animal-based omega-3 fats, many experts feel it’s the primary factor behind why the Japaneseage “gracefully.”
• Optimize your vitamin D levels – Exposing your skin to safe doses of natural sunlight can help optimize your vitamin D levels and support your health as you age.

Another strategy I should mention here is fasting... and it's not always a strategy I've been a major advocate of in the past. However, there's a growing body of evidence beginning to uncover the potential link between intermittent fasting and longevity. And to that end, I've now revised my personal eating schedule to take advantage of fasting's potential health benefits.

Remember, there's really not a single "magic bullet" when it comes to aging well. It is a "package deal" in which you make the commitment to put-in-place a combination of healthy lifestyle strategies..

Supporting Your Brain Health

When it comes to a maintaining as sharp a mind as possible, there are a few additional things I strongly recommend you make part of your healthy regimen...

Amalgam fillings consist of 50% mercury, a known neurotoxin that can potentially "leak" into your system.

• Avoid grains – Excessive sugar and grains are the driving forces behind insulin resistance, one of the most pervasive influences behind less-than-optimal brain function.
• Don’t consume artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame – There are many studies that show the inherent risks from aspartame. And one of the dangers is its potential overall effect on your memory.
• Remove unfermented soy from your diet – Unfermented soy products, such as tofu, have been shown to potentially cause cognitive impairment.
• Challenge your mind daily – Find ways to stimulate your mind such as traveling, learning something entirely new, and performing thought-inspiring exercises like crossword puzzles.
• Avoid mercury – Dental amalgam fillings are a major source of mercury that can potentially "leak” vapors into your system. These “silver” fillings consist of 50% mercury, a known neurotoxin that can potentially affect your neurological health.
• Steer clear of aluminum – You may not be aware that many antiperspirants contain aluminum that you’re applying under your arms. Once absorbed there, it will enter your bloodstream and this may not be a good thing for optimal brain vitality.
• Eliminate fluoride – Fluoride is a powerful neurotoxin found in common tap water and some toothpastes.

Your Brain on Exercise – What Goes On Inside?

A professor at a prestigious medical school and clinical psychiatrist feels there’s overwhelming evidence that exercise helps promote cognitive health. He believes that even at middle age, if you begin exercising 3 to 4 times a week, you can significantly benefit your cognitive function.

Exercise helps encourage your brain to perform at its optimum level.

Exercise has always been one of my life-long passions, and one I’ve strongly recommended to friends and family alike. But what really happens inside your brain when you exercise?

Exercise encourages your brain to work at optimum capacity by its overall effects on your nervous system. Exercise...

• Causes your nerve cells to multiply
• Strengthens your nerve cells
• Helps shield them from wear and tear by promoting nerve-protecting compounds

Further, exercise triggers overall protection of your brain by how it...

• Increases blood flow to your brain
• Improves development and survival of neurons
• Promotes a healthy heart and vascular system in support of normal brain function

The bottom line... exercise helps "push" your brain to perform at its optimum level. There's compelling evidence that regular exercise promotes essential cell and tissue rejuvenation mechanisms, including potential growth of new brain cells. A healthy brain and active mind go hand-in-hand in helping you stay alert and active regardless of how old you are.

Why Eating Your Veggies Is So Important

When it comes to the food you eat, increasing your intake of fresh vegetables is a surefire way to help support your overall health, and may help promote your health as you age as well. Research has shown that vegetables, such as spinach, could be beneficial in promoting central nervous system and cognitive health.

Adding more vegetables to your diet could play a key role in promoting cognitive health.

So what turns vegetables into such powerful age-fighting allies?

Vegetables...

• Pack a powerful array of free radical-fighting antioxidants
• Contain phytochemicals which promote healthy cell reproduction and provide greater protection than individual nutrients
• Are natural sources of vitamins and minerals

And when you eat your fresh veggies raw, you'll also receive what are called "biophotons." These are the smallest physical units of light used by all biological organisms... including your body. The more sunlight a food can store, the more nutritious it can be. Raw, fresh organic vegetables are rich in light energy.

In addition to eating raw vegetables, there's an even better way I believe you can take advantage of their nutrient value...

Pay Attention to This Vital Mineral

Another challenge you face as you age is your body becomes less efficient and effective in absorbing important vitamins and minerals. So, despite a healthy diet rich in fresh organic vegetables, you may still come up short in certain nutrients.

Plus, consuming a larger number of vegetable servings a day can be somewhat difficult... and may not always be entirely practical. Certainly, vegetable juicing is a phenomenal way to overcome the serving challenge. But even then, there may be some important nutrients you simply may not get enough of.

One nutrient that comes to mind... one you probably don’t hear much about is magnesium.

Here are some key facts about this vital mineral and why I feel it's so important for you not to overlook. Magnesium...

• Is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body...
• Exists in over 300 different bodily enzymes...
• Is found primarily in your bones (50% of total body magnesium)...
• Plays a role in your body’s detoxification processes...*
• Aids your energy metabolism and protein synthesis...*
• Helps guide a large number of physiological functions...*
• Is required by glutathione (the “master antioxidant”) for synthesis...*  

This should give you a pretty good picture why I believe magnesium is so important. And the number of Americans potentially not getting enough of this mineral is estimated as high as 80%. That’s a pretty staggering number.

With all this said, how do you really know if you’re getting an adequate supply or coming up short? Keep in mind, the aging process can challenge your body’s effectiveness in absorbing any nutrient you consume.

Is It Even Possible to Determine Your Magnesium Level?

Since only about 1% of the magnesium in your body is distributed in your blood, there's really not an accurate lab test for magnesium today.

Some early signs of a potential lack of magnesium in your body include...

Due to the difficulty with determining magnesium status in your tissues, there's really not a good lab test today that will provide an accurate assessment. Additionally, only about 1% of the magnesium in your body is distributed in your blood.

• Loss of appetite and headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue and weakness

As you can see, many of these symptoms are pretty general and can result from a variety of different conditions. If you suspect you’re low in magnesium, your first course of action is to consult with a healthcare professional. But are there any steps you can take yourself to help your body get a sufficient supply?

Natural Foods Rich in Magnesium

There are a number of foods with abundant supplies of magnesium. Raw, green organic vegetables, such as spinach, are excellent choices because the center of the chlorophyll molecule (which provides green veggies their brilliant color) contains magnesium.

Chlorophyll is like a plant's version of our hemoglobin. They share a similar structure but chlorophyll has magnesium plugged in the middle instead of iron. In order to ensure you're getting adequate amounts of magnesium, I recommend you first focus on eating a variety of foods that contain the mineral. And juicing green leafy vegetables can be an excellent strategy for obtaining magnesium as well.

Here's a handy chart of specific foods that contain abundant amounts of magnesium for every 100 grams (just over 3 ounces) you consume...

Food (100 grams)	Magnesium Content (mg)
Seaweed, agar, dried	770 mg
Coriander leaf (spice), dried	694 mg
Pumpkin seeds, dried	535 mg
Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened	499 mg
Basil, dried	422 mg
Flaxseed	392 mg
Cumin seed (spice)	366 mg
Brazil nuts, dried	376 mg
Parsley, freeze dried	372 mg
Almond butter	303 mg
Cashew nuts, roasted	273 mg
Whey, sweet, dried	176 mg
Leeks, freeze dried	156 mg
Kale, scotch, raw	88 mg

Why You Still May Not Be Getting Enough

Most people can maintain healthy levels of magnesium by simply consuming plenty of foods rich in the mineral (like those foods in the chart above). However, there are certain factors (some of which I've already touched on) which can potentially impact levels of magnesium you consume and your body absorbs...

• Age – Simply growing older, your body naturally faces challenges that can lead to decreases in nutrient absorption including magnesium.
• Types of food you eat – If you consume mostly non-organic foods, their magnesium levels may be depleted due to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The levels of magnesium in food are dependent on the levels found in the soil.   
• Medication – Certain medicines can contribute to the magnesium deficit within your body.
• Practicality – It simply may not be possible for you to consume enough foods rich in magnesium. Some people may not have access to organic supplies of these foods. However, I strongly recommend that you put the extra effort in to try and find, and make some of these foods part of your regular diet. Sometimes, it just takes hard work to maintain a healthy diet.  

If any of these factors come into play in your life and you're concerned about maintaining adequate levels of magnesium, you might want to consider a high-quality supplement.

But "high-quality" is the absolute key when deciding on a magnesium supplement. There's such a wide-variety of options available to you, it can not only be confusing, but certain supplement combinations can affect the absorption and bioavailability of the magnesium nutrient.

And that's why I decided to take the guesswork out of finding a high-quality magnesium formula and put my team to task to find the best solution for you.

My 'Must-Haves' for High-Quality Magnesium Supplementation

My preferred approach when recommending any supplement is to first compile a list of the essential requirements. With magnesium, here's the list my team and I put together that I feel is an excellent guideline to help you "weed-out" those supplements that fail to make the grade.

For a high-quality magnesium supplement, make sure it...

• Completely avoids magnesium stearate – Magnesium stearate is not a source of magnesium. It is in fact a “flow agent” used in production that prevents supplements from sticking together. It can potentially inhibit absorption of nutrients in your digestive tract.
• Delivers a high-absorption formula – It’s not just about the amount of elemental magnesium found in the supplement. The formula must have high-absorption capabilities.
• Incorporates high-penetration characteristics – Absorption of magnesium is crucial but it’s also important that the nutrient is capable of penetrating key tissues and cells to be effective. 
• Takes advantage of a high-technology encapsulation and delivery system – The total formula package must include a high-quality encapsulation and delivery system to help ensure consistent protection and delivery of the mineral. In my opinion, some manufacturers really fall short in this area by employing “cheap” solutions.
• Helps manage potential discomfort – Many magnesium products are used as laxatives and antacids. Since these are not the driving-force behind this magnesium supplement, I recommend avoiding any that are specific to stool-softening and so-called indigestion aids. 
• Provides practical, easy-to-take “servings” – Supplement servings must be practical to fit into anyone’s busy schedule. Serving size should be straight-forward with well-defined guidelines.
• Is delivered by a reputable high-quality manufacturer – With years of experience, the manufacturer of the magnesium formula should have a distinguished reputation for producing consistent high-quality supplements.  

With some confusion out there about the use of magnesium stearate in supplements, I feel even more straight-talk is needed as to why you should...

Steer Clear of This 'Pretender'

Many supplement manufacturers add magnesium stearate to their formulas. However, it's not only something I don't recommend; in my opinion, it's something to seriously watch out for and avoid in any supplement you take.

But why is that... isn’t magnesium stearate a form of the mineral itself? Here’s why I strongly recommend you scrutinize any supplement and don’t go near it if contains this compound because magnesium stearate...

• Is not a source of magnesium to help boost your bodily supply
• Is a chalk-like lubricating compound used to prevent supplements from sticking together during the manufacturing process
• May be sourced from genetically engineered (GE) hydrogenated oils

The bottom line with magnesium stearate... I believe you should avoid it completely. If you're taking a supplement, make sure it's a high-quality, natural food-based supplement that does not contain potentially harmful fillers and additives like magnesium stearate. And that certainly applies when selecting a high-quality magnesium supplement.

Magnesium Supplements – A 'Mine Field' of Choices

One daunting challenge you face when searching for a high-quality magnesium supplement is that there's such a wide variety available... so much so, that it can be quite confusing as to which one is really best to help enhance your levels.

Plus, to add a bit more confusion, there's no such thing as a 100% magnesium supplement. Magnesium must be bound to another ion and that substance can affect magnesium's absorption and bioavailability.

So let me help you get through this magnesium "mine field" and show you why I believe my selection is a wise choice for you if you're looking for a magnesium supplement.

But first, let's take a closer look at the different types of magnesium supplements available out there and some characteristics of each one. Here's a helpful chart to give you some basic background information... info everyone should be up-to-date on when considering magnesium supplementation.

Magnesium supplement	Characteristics
Magnesium glycinate	A chelated form of magnesium that tends to provide effective levels of absorption and bioavailability.
Magnesium oxide	A non-chelated form of magnesium bound to an organic acid or fatty acid. Contains up to 60% elemental magnesium and has stool-softening properties.
Magnesium chloride/Magnesium lactate	Contains only about 12% elemental magnesium but tends to have better absorption capabilities than magnesium oxide which has 5 times the magnesium.
Magnesium sulfate/Magnesium hydroxide	These are typically used as laxatives. Milk of Magnesia is an example of this type of magnesium. Since magnesium hydroxide can have up to 42% elemental magnesium, caution is required here not to take too much.
Magnesium carbonate	This form of magnesium has antacid properties and can contain from 29-45% elemental magnesium.
Magnesium taurate	This contains a combination of magnesium and taurine (an amino acid) that together may provide a calming effect on the body and mind.
Magnesium citrate	This is a form of magnesium with citric acid which has laxative properties. This can contain up to 16% elemental magnesium.
Magnesium threonate	This newer, emerging type of magnesium supplement has shown great promise in absorption, as well as potential tissue and cell membrane penetration.

Confusion Between Elemental and Absorption Rate

"Elemental" magnesium refers to the actual amount of magnesium in each supplement form. However, this is by no means the whole story. Just because the supplement contains more elemental magnesium doesn't necessarily mean it's formulated for high-absorption. Plus, there are some types of magnesium supplements you may absorb well but they have stool-softening properties you probably want to avoid.

So, what to do?

How This Formula Exceeded My Expectations

If you're looking for a magnesium-based laxative or antacid solution, that is a whole different ball game, and a subject for another time. But if you're in search of a magnesium supplement to help support your levels due to any of the potentially influential factors I described earlier... age... foods you eat (or don't eat)... medicines... diet practicality,* I feel I can help save you a ton of time.

For a high-quality magnesium supplement, I strongly recommend Magnesium Threonate. Here’s a chart showing the details behind why I think this is such a fantastic formula and how it exceeded my expectations by surpassing the checklist requirements...

Checklist requirement	Magnesium Threonate?
Completely avoids magnesium stearate?	Yes – I made certain this compound was not part of the formula whatsoever. It's just not a healthy substance you should be putting in your body. Plus, this formula does not contain any genetically engineered (GE) ingredients as well.
Delivers a high-absorption formula?	Yes – With the many types of magnesium supplements available, my team and I selected magnesium threonate (Magtein®) for its breakthrough absorption characteristics and extensive research. As this magnesium solution is formulated in a water/glycerin matrix (as opposed to powder-based formulas prevalent on the market), the magtein is presolubilized to enhance absorption capabilities.
Incorporates high-penetration characteristics?	Yes – One area where other forms of magnesium supplements tend to fall short involves penetration of tissues and cells. Animal studies have shown how magnesium threonate has been able to uniquely cross the blood-brain barrier and penetrate cell membranes.*
Takes advantage of high-tech encapsulation and delivery system?	Yes –The Licaps encapsulation/delivery package is fully compatible with the water/glycerin system to form a formidable absorption combination.
Helps manage potential discomfort?	Yes – Many forms of magnesium can cause unpleasant gastrointestinal discomfort. In fact as you already know, some magnesium products have the primary purpose of softening stool and acting as a laxative. This is certainly not the case with Magnesium Threonate and its consistent formula.
Provides practical, easy-to-take servings?	Yes – By taking 1 g after lunch time (or in the afternoon) and 1 g at bedtime with plenty of water, it's easy to take. Food is not required for absorption so taking it with meals is not necessary. It's always a smart choice to double-check and consult with a healthcare professional when taking any supplement.
Is delivered by a reputable high-quality manufacturer?	Yes – The chosen manufacturer has been a trusted source for core functional ingredients since 1996. This company is committed to continue to achieve ultimate customer satisfaction through creative product innovation and superior service.

I believe by now you can see why I'm so excited about the Magnesium Threonate formula. If you're truly looking for a high-quality magnesium supplement to add to your healthy diet, it has my highest recommendation.

And here's more on why I believe the formula uses...

High-Technology Encapsulation That's Off-the-Charts

In addition to the extraordinary mineral ingredient (Magtein) behind the Magnesium Threonate supplement, it also capitalizes on a capsule delivery system I consider top-of-the-line.

It’s this combination of the Magtein nutrient and high-tech encapsulation/delivery system (Licaps®) which makes the supplement an outstanding magnesium-supporting solution for you.

With the Licaps high-technology encapsulation system, leakage potential is all but reduced to zero.

Here are a few more details on why the delivery system works so well. Licaps is truly a unique capsule in how its extraordinary technology protects the enclosed nutrients from potential...

• Leakage – Uses an innovative hermetical sealing process...
• Oxidation – Helps ensure nutrient freshness by employing a nitrogen-flushing process during filling of the capsule...
• Tampering – By creating an airtight capsule, it’s almost impossible to open a Licaps capsule without leaving noticeable visible damage...

With this high-quality delivery and encapsulation system, combined with the high-quality mineral ingredients of Magtein, I truly believe that Magnesium Threonate is one supplement you should consider adding to your overall healthy diet.Magnesium