Importance Of Minerals & Trace Minerals
In Human Nutrition
by Sonni Alvarez, I.D., M.N.
Minerals are the nutrients that exist in the body, and are as
essential as our need for oxygen to sustain life. Minerals are
also found in organic and inorganic combinations in food. In the
body only 5% of the human body weight is mineral matter, vital to
all mental & physical processes & for total well being.
They are most important factors in maintaining all physiological
processes, are constituents of the teeth, bones, tissues, blood,
muscle, and nerve cells.
Acting as catalysts for many biological reactions within the
human body, they are necessary for transmission of messages
through the nervous system, digestion, & metabolism or
utilization of all nutrients in foods. Vitamins cannot be
properly assimilated without the correct balance of minerals. For
example; calcium is needed for vitamin "C" utilization, zinc for
vitamin "A", magnesium for "B" complex vitamins, selenium for
vitamin "E" absorption, etc.
Minerals are very important in keeping the blood and tissue
fluids from either becoming too acid or too alkaline, and they
allow other nutrients to pass into the bloodstream, and aid in
transporting nutrients to the cells. They also draw chemicals in
& out of the cells. A slight change in the blood
concentration of important minerals can rapidly endanger
life.
Many times, minerals are discussed separately, but it is
important to note that their actions within the body are
interrelated; no single mineral can function without the others,
since they are synergestically related. They are the electrolytes
to the body, that is; they carry the electrical current through
the body. There is much proof that the body is run electrically,
and minerals are the conductor of these currents. They provide
the necessary charge or "ionization" of positive or negative
electrical molecules. Ions keep the "human battery" charged. If a
person is lacking in minerals or deficient in any one particular
one, they can become run down very rapidly.
A diet rich in green vegetables and fruits, and whole grains
grown in fertile soil may afford some assurance of minerals, but
much of our soil today is depleted and lacking in essential
nutrients. Adding mineral-trace mineral supplements to the diet,
will provide some insurance. If there is a problem with poor
digestion & assimilation, the best method might be to add
liquid minerals to the diet, to afford easier absorption &
rapid assimilation. Liquid minerals from the sea, a natural
source, have shown beneficial results in the shortest length of
time. Sea water has been shown to have the same chemical balance
as the human blood, so may be used quite adequately in the human
body. Having the proper balance of minerals in the body can make
the difference between disease or sickness and optimum
health.
This page was first uploaded to The Magnesium Web Site on
November 22, 2002
http://www.mgwater.com/
Healthy Water
Association--USA