LIFESTYLE

Supplement your meals with foods rich in magnesium and minerals:

• Fruits such as avocado, nuts and seeds, figs.
• Dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, chard, spinach, Brussels sprouts and purslane,.
• Dark chocolate or raw cocoa.

Eat these along with fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as peppers, blackcurrants, citrus fruits, tomatoes and (sweet) potatoes.

Extra magnesium is needed during periods of growth. For example, during the third trimester of pregnancy (this is when the foetus grows the fastest). Extra magnesium plays a role in the baby’s birth weight and brain development. Magnesium also helps in the growth and development of children’s bones, teeth and muscles.

It is better not to take magnesium-rich food together with products rich in phytic acid such as bread and legumes. This is because phytic acid binds the minerals, preventing them from being absorbed properly and simply being excreted by the body. The fluorine in toothpaste also reduces magnesium absorption.

Drink plenty of water, possibly combined with lemon juice, and tea or soup. Magnesium is better absorbed by a well-hydrated body. Drinks with caffeine (like coffee and cola), high sugar (like soft drinks and alcohol) dehydrate your body and cause the magnesium to be excreted back out. Medications like antacids and diuretics also increase magnesium excretion.