About MineralsAbout MineralsMinerals exist in soils as mineral salts—rocks broken down through years and years of erosion. The human body is not designed to absorb minerals in this form but plants are. They absorb these minerals from the soil and convert them to colloidal/Ionic form into its leaves/flowers/fruits, via its roots, through a very complicated process called photosynthesis. Minerals in this form are extremely tiny particles so small that they can remain in suspension indefinitely, unaffected by gravity.
Due to their tiny size they are easily absorbed and used by the human body. After all, this is the form we have consumed the majority of our minerals since humans existed.
We all know the importance of vitamins, but you may be surprised to learn vitamins are basically useless in the absence of minerals. Every nutrient function in the body requires minerals as a catalyst—this includes proteins, enzymes, amino acids, carbohydrates etc. According to scientific evidence, at least 60 minerals may be needed in our diet in order to lead a life free of disease and ailments. Many fresh foods we purchase today can contain less than 30 minerals and those present are much reduced. If this information is true, it's easy to understand why sickness is so prevalent in even the most technologically advanced countries.
Our societies spend countless millions of dollars around the world trying to find cures for diseases, allergies, nervous conditions, behavioral and stress disorders, etc, but fails to replace the most basic minerals in our soils.
As children we are taught to eat a well-balanced diet consisting of four major food groups. As adults we’ve realized that this advice, while admirable and a good starting place, is partly responsible for a nation of woefully undernourished citizens. Even if everyone ate a so-called ‘well-balanced’ diet we’d still be lacking in vitamins, enzymes, and minerals because the foods we eat are grown from soil that has few, if any minerals and much of our food is processed in ways that destroy almost all of the nutritional value.
Food gives us energy but enzymes, vitamins, and minerals are the building blocks that enable our bodies to use that energy to keep us alive and healthy. Unfortunately the absorption of many minerals declines with age. Additionally, stress and exposure to environmental pollution raise our requirements for minerals, especially zinc, calcium and iron. This should alarm everyone because deficiencies in these substances are so dangerous that they are responsible for birth defects that affect one out of every 5000 babies. Without vitamins, minerals, and enzymes the body will die.
Each one of us has been given a body that sustains life through a series of actions and interactions that is mind-numbing in its complexity. There are over 10 trillion cells in your body, each with a specific purpose. Once every 7 years the body replaces almost every cell it has with a fresh new cell — the exception being brain cells. After each new cell is generated your body must synthesize DNA to program these cells. DNA is a complete map of your body that lists the purpose, placement and function of trillions of cells. Obviously, you don’t want it to become damaged or hindered.
DNA synthesis is not possible without the proper amounts of the 90 essential nutrients. If our bodies produce a cell that can’t be programmed by a specific DNA sequence, a set of instructions, then it becomes dormant. It is thought that if enough of these non-programmed cells are produced they may be a cause of tumors. Proper programming requires active vitamins and minerals.
Even though the body does produce some vitamins it produces no minerals at all. Does this mean that minerals are more important as a supplement? Not really because there are at least 15 essential vitamins. The term ‘essential’ is used to identify substances that the body cannot produce but which are absolutely necessary for health. Vitamin C is a good example of an essential vitamin. We must supplement our diets with vitamin C because the body cannot produce it. Long-term deficiency in this vitamin can lead to scurvy and eventually death.
Many believe it is possible to extend our lifespan to over 110 years but it is a quality, not a quantity of life that we should be searching for. Age shouldn’t be associated with degenerative disease, disability or a loss of vigor. With the right nutrition, exercise, a positive outlook, and the support of loved ones and friends we can enjoy life to the fullest. However, without proper nutrition you may not live long enough to enjoy everything that you want to. Plant-derived mineral supplementation is a very important key to increasing your quality of life.