The Need for Minerals
Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. The brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.
The life of the water is minerals. That’s how everything works inside our body is minerals. Minerals are inorganic and organic substances that originate in the earth and cannot made in the body. Electric lights, the nerves can’t work without minerals, we can’t even make adrenaline, cortisol or mineralocorticoid, any of those without minerals. Minerals, including metallic, non-metallic, organic and inorganic, are needed for the proper composition of body fluids, the formation of bone and blood and in the maintenance of healthy nerve function.
Most of the minerals aid in body metabolism, water balance, and bone health, and they can also effectively boost health in hundreds of other small ways. Different minerals have different benefits, so no mineral can be termed as more beneficial or less beneficial than another. All minerals, even trace ones, are critical for the proper functioning of the body.
Many vitamins and enzymes cannot function without minerals, and many hormonal responses need minerals to function. Therefore, a lack of minerals can interfere, or even stop, with many important body functions, such a detoxification, processing of other nutrients, cellular communication, etc.
Health Benefits Of Minerals
Below is the list of some of the minerals found in the body, including their associated benefits;
Boron: This mineral plays an essential part in improving and maintaining optimal bone health, brain function, anti-aging processes, and sexual health. It also aids in preventing cancer, treating Alzheimer’s disease, and reducing muscle pain.
Calcium: This vital mineral also boosts bone health (prevents osteoporosis), relieves arthritis, improves dental health, and relieves insomnia, menopause, premenstrual syndrome and cramps. Furthermore, it is important in preventing or treating obesity, colon cancer, acidity, heart and kidney ailments, and lowering high blood pressure.
Magnesium: Magnesium helps boost the immune system, treat high blood pressure, prevent heart attack and asthma, give relief from alcoholism, and improve bone health. It also relieves cramps, and aids in managing diabetes, menopause, and pregnancy. Magnesium is also very important in terms of lowering anxiety and stress, and has been closely linked to giving relief from insomnia, due to its enzymatic role in releasing hormones that calm the body and induce sleep.
Phosphorus: This mineral is integral in reducing muscle weakness, improving bone health, boosting brain function, preventing aging, reducing sexual weakness, aiding in dental care, and optimizing body metabolism.
Potassium: As a vasodilator, potassium reduces the tension in the blood vessels, and ensures the proper distribution of oxygen to vital organ systems, while protecting against cardiovascular diseases. It can correct low blood sugar, regulate blood pressure, increase water flow in the body, alleviate muscle disorders and cramps, boost brain function, manage arthritis and diabetes, and treat kidney disorders.
Silicon: This mineral plays an important role in optimal health of bones, skin, hair, nail, dental health. It also gives relief from sleep disorders, atherosclerosis and tuberculosis and promotes tissue development.
Sodium: This widely used mineral is a key to water balance, preventing sunstroke, improving brain function, relieving muscle cramps, and preventing premature aging.
Trace Minerals
Iron: Iron’s primary role in the body is with regard to the formation of hemoglobin, which guarantees circulation of the blood and oxygenation to various organ systems. Without iron, anemia sets in, this is manifested in muscle weakness, fatigue, gastrointestinal disorders, and cognitive malfunction. Apart from that, it is a key element for ensuring proper body metabolism, muscle activity, brain function, and the regulation of body temperature. Further, it also aids in boosting immunity and giving relief from insomnia and restless leg syndrome.
Zinc: It is an essential component of more than 10 important enzymatic functions of the body. Without zinc, the body will quickly lose overall function and results in a number of health concerns, including the inability to heal wounds, store insulin, fight off disease, develop proper growth patterns, as well as defend against a variety of skin infections. This mineral helps in treating eczema, acne, night blindness and prostate disorders, relieving cold, and managing weight. Zincalso ensures healthy pregnancy and reproduction.
Manganese: Manganese plays an important role in the management of body metabolism, osteoporosis, reducing fatigue, reproduction, sprains, inflammation, brain function, and epilepsy.
Copper: This common mineral improves brain function, soothes arthritis, helps in skin care, eliminates throat infections, corrects hemoglobin deficiency, prevents heart diseases, and boosts immunity. It is commonly associated with the uptake of iron and the facilitation of a properly functioning circulatory system.
Iodine: This often overlooked mineral can alleviate goiter, fibrocystic breast disease, skin conditions, and cancer, while improving hair health, protecting pregnancy, and improving body’s metabolism.
Iodide: This is a secondary form of iodine, but is very important in terms of bodily function. It is involved in the overall thyroid function, and its deficiency can cause goiter. Iodide is vital for producing thyroxine (T4), without which, the body can experience a fall in metabolic rate and an increase in cholesterol levels.
Chromium: This trace mineral is important for glucose uptake in the body, so is particularly relevant to those suffering from diabetes. It increases glucose uptake by the cells, which stimulates fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis, and although both the things typically seem like negative components for health, they are actually essential in small levels for a functional, healthy life.
Selenium: Selenium might be a rare mineral, but its function is significant. It is one of the most powerful mineral antioxidants, and it actually prevents the formation of new free radicals by participating in various cellular reactions, which lower the peroxide concentration in the cellular body. Reducing free radical formation is only one of selenium’s functions. It is also essential for bone growth, along with calcium, copper, and zinc.
The Best Sources of Minerals
The best way to obtain enough minerals is by:
- Eating whole foods, i.e. animal meats, eggs, and vegetables that are cooked enough to break their cellulose wall (fiber) which releases nutrients and minerals.
- Healthy fats : olive oil, avocados, coconut oil, almond and consuming plenty of “good” natural fats from animal sources, which help the body pull the nutrients out of foods during digestion. These fats are also necessary for the healthy construction of all cell membranes which makes them able to transport nutrients in and out as needed, and to also to get rid of natural cellular wastes.
- Drinking water that contains natural minerals direct from Nature. Do not drink softened water which contains too much sodium, nor Reverse Osmosis or Distilled water which are devoid of natural minerals and leach minerals from the body. Instead, use a charcoal filter, like Britta or PUR, to filter regular tap water. There are no processed minerals on the market that can possibly duplicate what Nature provides.
- Consuming “good” ocean sea salt which contains over 84 minerals – 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons per day.
- Taking calcium and magnesium supplements as needed, particularly if a person does not have dairy products.