Summertime and the living is easy. To which we say, as if.

We live in stressful times. Heart disease, diabetes and sky-high blood pressure are your obvious baddies. Then there’s low-level anxiety, insomnia, brain fog, muscle cramps, road rage and other signs of irritability.

Reduce stress, we’re told. Good luck with that. And if you can’t, at least increase your magnesium intake.

Magnesium is your anti-stress trace mineral. We need it for everything, from relaxing our muscles to soothing our nerves. Magnesium is like DSL — it keeps everything running smoothly and is a must for quieting inflammation, your body’s natural reaction to stress.

The RDA for magnesium is 420 milligrams for men, 320 for women. The bad news is, many of us are magnesium-deficient. The good news is, you can have a blast getting all the magnesium your body needs.

Magnesium does not want you to stress. It wants you to have a good time. It cleverly positions itself in the foods you crave. Dark chocolate is magnesium-rich, with more than 100 milligrams per ounce. Almonds are another magnesium goldmine, with 84 milligrams per ounce. Though seriously yummy, chocolate and nuts are also prime sources for calories and fat.

No stress; magnesium is also in spinach and other leafy greens, whole grains, whole soy products like tofu and tempeh, legumes and fruit like summer favorites watermelon, avocado, mango and figs.

Magnesium to your heart’s delight with a bowl of guacamole, black beans, a salad of fresh figs, almonds and spinach, and OK, some dark chocolate. See? Summertime living can be easy, after all.