Minerals are inorganic substances which exist naturally in the earth, many of which are critical to the growth and production of bones, teeth, hair, blood, nerves, skin. These minerals are known as “essential” nutrients, which are: calcium, chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium and zinc.
We need significant quantities of essential macrominerals (such as calcium), such that they are usually measured in milligrams, and we require minute quantities of essential trace minerals (such as selenium), which are usually measured in micrograms.
A single mineral does not work in isolation, rather, they are necessary as synergistic elements to support physical health. They work best in association with all other minerals and trace minerals, the way they are found in unrefined whole foods.
Thank you again for a great post.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that organic farming comprises less than 2% of all farming in the US, and in another place that mineral deficiencies are more common than overabundance, largely due to majority farming practices.
What about adding trace amounts of Iridium?
Also, I have read that fluoride is non-essential.
I remember lying down in our backyard to soak up some sunlight warmth one spring day. I had on sweaters, a trench coat, long underwear, pants, hat. The others had short sleeves and shorts. I was shivering and felt badly (although I usually have been since 7/19/01, and almost always feel cold, but this was a different flavor of feeling badly and extra cold).
After three cups of mineral tea (Mt. Capra Mineral Whey made from goat's milk), I felt relatively better and warmer. I was able to get around, too. This was perhaps the most dramatic of such occasions for me.
The mineral tea I drank has many minerals included.
Thanks for the info Peter,
ReplyDeleteI too was surprised to see fluoride on the list, I plan on doing some extra reading on that (I normally consult multiple sources and haven't had a chance to recheck this point yet).
Yes the farming practices have lead to depletion of soil nutrients and as a result our produces' nutrients - have you seen Food Matters (http://bit.ly/185NEi)? There is a good trailer on the website but one of my friends bought the $29 DVD and wow, it was well worth it.
I do believe you had some sort of chemical exposure that day on the ground (must have been a cold spring!).. glad the tea helped. I was once in my neighbors' house several hours and had for the one and only time in my life restless leg syndrome all night that night. They later found out they had black mold in the house behind the wallpaper near where I was sitting for 3 hours!
Anyway -- here's to our health; being aware allows prevention which is well worth 10x the cure!
Thanks for a comprehensive article about why minerals in our diet are even more important than vitamins in some ways. The big question is how to ingest them through plants rather than pills. My research shows the value of sea vegetables as long as they are harvested in clean ocean waters.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review Anne Marie! Yes it is true that vegetable sources are the most important in obtaining our minerals. The capsules in the VitaChe I mentioned are from vegetable sources, and formulated to have a very high bioavailability.
ReplyDeleteAnd you are right about sea vegetables; you dont' have to wonder why their is so little disease in aging of populations which include these in their diet. This is one reason that I'm also impressed with Limu Plus drink, made in part from sea kelp from a pristine source in the Pacific ocean near Tonga - http://vickiberry.limuplus.com .