Healthy Living with Minerals

Minerals. Without them we die. It's as simple as that. Our bodies do not have the ability to manufacture minerals, so if we don't ingest them in the food we eat and don't take mineral supplements, the outcome is grave (no pun intended).

Over the past 100 years, mineral content in North American soil has been depleted by an average of 85%. All the chemical fertilizers in the world will not fix this problem. If the minerals are not in the soil, they are not in our foods that grow in that same soil. Over and above that are all the chemicals sprayed on the crops as they grow in order to prevent insects from destroying them. There are literally thousands of pesticides in use today. These turn the soil, to say nothing about our food and our bodies, into a toxic nightmare. Does it sound like a vicious circle? It is, and it is not improving.

But, you might ask, what about organically-grown food? Often it is difficult to discover what is truly organic. Technically speaking, all plant life is organic. Certified organic will usually guarantee that the foods are pesticide-free and no artificial fertilizers have been used to grow these plants. But what about the rain that falls on those fields? Is it not still the acid rain that falls on all fields? We will never be able to go back to farming truly healthy fruits and vegetables as was done centuries ago. But, yes, I do buy some organics in the hopes that there has been little or no chemical usage. And I do buy supplements made from organically-grown products.

According to a ScienceDaily report, August 9, 2008, there is very little evidence of organically-grown foods having more nutrition than conventially-grown crops. If you would like to read the report, go to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080807082954.htm and read the whole article.

Back to the mineral dilemma. The only way we can be assured of receiving enough minerals is to take nutritional supplements. But not just any nutritional supplements. Purchasing the least expensive brand off the drugstore shelf will usually result in nothing more than a waste of money. Many of these brands do not contain what they tell you on the bottle. Most are full of additives, fillers, etc., that will not benefit your body at all. Some, if you put them in a glass of water, will not even begin to dissolve after 24 hours! What does that tell you? You had better give your money to the charity of your choice. Quality is everything. A good quality of calcium, for example, should begin to dissolve within 5 minutes after being placed in a glass of water. Where calcium is concerned, it also depends on the source. Calcium carbonate, for instance, does not break down in your body. Calcium citrate is one of the best forms.

So, which minerals should I take? Never buy, say, a bottle of calcium, another of zinc, another of potassium, etc. You can do your body more damage than good. Taking too much of some minerals can make you toxic, thus sick. Balance is the key. Choose a high-quality brand, preferably pharmaceutical grade, mineral complex, one with all the minerals included in the ratio your body needs. Calcium needs magnesium and Vitamin D3 in order to work to its full potential. You need a 2:1 ratio of potassium to sodium. And the list goes on.

Trace minerals are another part of this picture. These are minerals that you need for healthy living, but only in minute amounts. There are dozens of these essential to healthy bodies and minds. If possible, use a liquid supplement as it is absorbed much more quickly into your blood stream than tablets or capsules.

If you would like more information on minerals and our bodies, check out http://www.answers.com/topic/chelated-minerals and read the article.

So, until next time, let's drink (our minerals, that is) to healthy living.