​80 percent of Americans have been found to be deficient in magnesium. Many people do not eat magnesium rich foods, are taking medicines that deplete magnesium or are using up all their magnesium.
 
Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical functions in the body, such as regulating heartbeat rhythms and helping neurotransmitter function.  This is why hypomagnesemia (another name for magnesium deficiency) is something you really want to avoid.
 
Magnesium is an essential mineral and an electrolyte. Some of the main functions of magnesium are:

• Regulating blood pressure
• Keeping bones strong
• Balancing nitric oxide in the body
• Supporting growth and development in babies and children
• Supporting proper function of nerves, muscles, and tissue
• Neutralizing stomach acid
• Moving stools through the intestine and preventing constipation

 
The kidneys primarily control levels of magnesium within the body and excrete magnesium into the urine each day which is one reason why urinary excretion is reduced when magnesium and other electrolyte statuses are low. Magnesium is actually the least abundant serum electrolyte in the body, but it’s still extremely important for your metabolism, enzyme function, energy production and much more.
 
Although we only need small amounts of magnesium relative to other nutrients, we must regularly replenish our stores either from foods or magnesium supplements in order to prevent deficiency symptoms. That’s because the body loses stores of magnesium every day from normal functions, such as muscle movement, heartbeat and hormone production.
 
Stress is a major cause of magnesium deficiency. Under stress, the body produces excessive amounts of estrogen. Stress can be caused by many factors such as extreme diets that are missing nutrients, mental approaches to life, lifestyle circumstances, excessive work or a lack of rest or sleep and many other factors. Adequate good quality salt is important to strengthen the adrenals so that the body holds on to magnesium.
 
It is best to get magnesium from foods and in some cases good quality supplements such as magnesium glycinate. Foods that are high in magnesium that are more balanced in their effects are: peaches, avocado, orange juice in moderate amounts, apricots, avocado, bananas, leafy greens, beets, wild rice, buckwheat, oats, black eyed peas, kidney beans, brown rice, wild salmon, halibut and many meats.
 
If you can handle coffee, it is high in magnesium. Magnesium is also high in chocolate, nuts and seeds. Because of its stimulating effects, I don't recommend a daily use of chocolate. Excessive amounts of polyunsaturated fats in nuts and seeds can lower the metabolism which creates a high estrogen state. I recommend the moderate use of seeds and nuts except in the condiment sesame salt.

The study and research regarding prebiotics is pretty recent. Prebiotics and probiotics are related to each other and also different from each other.
 
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that have been linked with a wide range of health benefits including a stronger immune system, a healthier gut, symptomatic relief from depression and anxiety, a lower body weight, improved heart health and cancer prevention.

The best way to get probiotics is from foods. The best probiotic foods are unpasteurized miso, whole milk kefir, fermented drinks, whole milk yogurt, and raw pickles. Probiotic foods aid digestion and can heal or improve digestive problems. Homemade beer and wine can be probiotic if not pasteurized. All commercially available beer and wine is pasteurized.

Here are a few of the top types of “friendly” probiotic gut bacteria that your body needs:

• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Lactobacillus bulgarius
• Lactobacillus reuteri
• Streptococcus thermophilus
• Saccharomyces boulardii
• Bifidobacterium bifidum
• Bacillus subtilis

Prebiotics are foods that have fiber that feed the beneficial probiotic bacteria in the large intestines. When people grew their own food, the healthy bacteria in the soil that got on foods were prebiotic. Because of environmental factors and food having to travel longer distances that require better sanitation, the prebiotic soil bacteria is no longer present on our foods.

For decades, I've recommended a healthy prebiotic soil based bacteria supplement that has remarkable effects on health because of its nourishing effects on our beneficial bacteria. Other supplements are available that have prebiotic fiber and/or prebiotic bacteria. I recommend that people get most of their prebiotics from food unless more prebiotics are needed for certain health issues.

Prebiotics are beneficial to help regulate the blood sugar, for inflammatory bowel disease, to lift one's moods, for blood pressure, to lower cholesterol and for many other health issues.

The most common prebiotic fibers include:

• Beta-Glucan
• Fructooligosaccharides
• Inulin
• Galactooligosaccharides
• Isomaltooligosaccharides
• Guar gum
• Lactulose
• Resistant Starch, including maltodextrin
• Xylooligosaccharides

Foods that are prebiotic include root vegetables that tend to be high in inulin, fructooligosaccharides and resistant starch. This group includes true roots as well as bulbs. Examples include onions, leeks, garlic, jicama (photo above), Jerusalem artichokes and chicory root. Many fruits have prebiotic fibers including apples, berries and pears.
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Spring vegetables are rich in prebiotic fibers, particularly inulin, fructooligosaccharides and xylooligosaccharides. Examples include greens (especially dandelion greens), peas, leeks and asparagus. Legumes such as lentils, whole grains and nuts are high in prebiotic fibers. Oats, buckwheat and wheat have high amounts of prebiotic fiber although all grains include some. Honey, ginger root, sweet potatoes, cabbage, beets and many other vegetables are prebiotic.

Be sure to include plenty of probiotic and prebiotic foods in order to support your colon health, digestion and overall wellbeing.

Keep your metabolism high by managing or avoiding stress and eating a diet that has enough calories and abundant macro and micro nutrients such as adequate carbohydrates, concentrated proteins from animal sources or supplements, beneficial fats and a range of beneficial vitamins and minerals. If the metabolism is to slow circulation through the digestive tract slows leading to the growth of poor bacteria in the colon.
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Notes:

• All miso from Japan is flash pasteurized in order to survive the long journey of transport. American miso such as South River and Miso Master is unpasteurized retaining the beneficial bacteria.
• Some yogurts are higher in beneficial bacteria. You can learn about this by reading the label. If you incorporate yogurt, buy whole milk versus low fat yogurt for more beneficial nutrients from grass fed animals. Dairy products from naturally raised grass fed animals have been eaten by healthy cultures around the globe and often as raw dairy products retaining the beneficial bacteria.
• Buy pickles from the refrigerator at natural foods stores that have no sugar, chemicals or vinegar. When vinegar is added, the pickles are not probiotic.
• To learn about making your own fermented foods, buy Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz.

Gut health has become popular with commercial products advertised on television and online. Doctors are talking about the importance of it even though most are late to the parade.

In macrobiotic teachings from the 70’s, gut health was known as intestinal health. Since I started teaching and counseling people about natural health in the 70’s, I’ve focused on gut health as a key to health.

New information since then explains how intestinal or gut health not only plays a role in digestion and elimination but also in immune health. A large percentage of the immune cells of the body are near the large intestines. The most likely reason for their location is to neutralize bad bacteria in the large intestines. If bad bacteria enter the body it can cause sickness.

The large intestines are home to millions of bacteria somewhere between two to six pounds. These bacteria provide important functions such as the synthesis of folic acid and valuable nutrients from foods including vitamins K and portions of the B complex. Good bacteria is thought to aid in digestion, elimination, and aspects of immunity.

When the bacteria become imbalanced, the immune system and elimination slows down. About 60 million people suffer from constipation in the U.S. This causes an imbalance in the bacteria in the colon that could lead to irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, colon cancer and other serious bowel disorders. Technically, bad bacteria in the colon is called dysbiosis. When bad bacteria over grows, it can enter the small intestines and interfere with the absorption of nutrients.

The modern diet which is low in fiber, high in sugar and poor-quality fats is a major cause of bacterial overgrowth and poor gut health.  Natural diets that also contribute to poor bowel health are diets that are low carb, raw foods diets and imbalanced vegan diets.  Each of these diets are missing nutrients that are important for the bowel.

Gut health is supported by whole grains, beans, cooked vegetables and some fruit. The fiber in these foods feed the good bacteria. Fermented foods such as non-vinegar, chemical free pickles, kvass - a fermented drink from rye or beets, miso, and yogurt can help feed the healthy bacteria.

Moderate amounts of olive oil and coconut oil are naturally anti -bacterial. Adequate protein in the diet will lead to strong muscles in the colon and digestive tract ensuring healthy peristalsis - movement through the digestive tract. Adequate proteins are gotten from natural meats such as grass-fed beef, wild fish, pastured chicken, eggs and raw cheese or good quality protein powders for vegans. Although the use of protein powders as a subsitute for natural unprocessed animal proteins will not be fully known until they are used for many decades and generations, and records of the results are studied. It is our hope that they will substitute adequately.

To keep the metabolism high, I suggest that vegans and vegetarians take certain supplements. Diets lacking any important nutrients put the body in stress and lower the metabolism slowing down the colon function.  In addition, good lifestyle practices include limiting stress, adequate sleep, regular eating and daily exercise helps keep circulation flowing for good intestinal health.

I suggest the use of probiotics when someone takes antibiotics. Yet, probiotics if taken too long can lead to an overgrowth of good bacteria that can negatively impact your health. The only probiotic that I recommend for daily use is one made from soil. It is called Bodybiotics. It supports your intestinal flora but does not create an overgrowth. You can find out more about Bodybiotics at my website.
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https://www.macrobiotic.com/health-products.html  Bodybiotics
https://www.macrobiotic.com/how-to-be-safe-on-a-vegan-diet-not-vagen.html