Mineral Balance and How it Contributes to Your Health
The importance of minerals
Minerals are the building blocks of life, necessary for over thousands of cell and bodily functions. They are essential for proper metabolism, neurological function and signaling, hormone production, thyroid function, adrenal health, blood and lymphatic flow, and so much more.
What are minerals?
Minerals by themselves are inactive elements, but the body uses them in various different processes, activating them inside the body. There are two groups of minerals, macrominerals and trace minerals. Macro minerals are necessary each day for proper bodily functions, and are needed in larger amounts, usually around 100mgs daily. The major macro minerals are calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, potassium, sodium, and chloride. Trace minerals are just as necessary, but are needed in smaller amounts. Common trace minerals include iron, zinc, iodine, fluoride, selenium, copper, chromium, manganese, and molybdenum.
So what do minerals do?
Minerals are involved in over thousands of processes inside the body, and are just as essentials as amino acids, water, and vitamins to maintaining overall health. They contribute in some way at almost every single major function in the body, so keeping them in balance is super important! Some of these major functions are:
Creating tissue structure, like bones and teeth
Maintaining a healthy pH to keep the body neutral
Helping regular body processes, especially in enzyme systems
Maintaining nerve function and controlling muscle contraction
Aiding digestion by releasing energy from food
Supporting adrenal glands and providing nutrients to the thyroid gland
Being deficient in minerals can cause a host of health problems. Common results of extended deficiency in the body are hyperthyroid symptoms, hypothyroid issues, adrenal fatigue, blood sugar issues and dysregulation, poor metabolism, sluggish lymphatic flow, hair loss, weak and brittle nails, dull or dry skin, PMS symptoms, heavy or painful periods, muscle atrophy, organ failure, brain fog, fatigue, insomnia, and in time can lead to an autoimmune disease or a serious condition. Maintaining balanced mineral intake every day is essential to health that is sustainable.
Although minerals are necessary and beneficial, there can also be an overabundance of minerals, and can lead to a toxic state. Iron toxicity, copper toxicity, and fluoride toxicity are all common examples of this.
Mineral toxicity
Although minerals are necessary and beneficial, there can also be a buildup of minerals if they are consumed out of balance and can lead to a toxic state. Iron toxicity, copper toxicity, and fluoride toxicity are all common examples of this. A small child can get iron toxicity from taking several adult doses of iron supplements.
How do I get minerals?
Due to unsustainable farming techniques, pollutants in our soil and water, overuse of herbicides and pesticides, and other stressors, the soil today that most farms use is depleted of its vitamins and minerals. So to still get the proper amount of nutrition, supplementation is sometimes necessary.
Minerals are best absorbed from whole foods and natural sources, such as drinks, meals, powders, or herbal supplements. When trying to support your body’s mineral needs, consuming high quality is best, such as organic, or wildcrafted if it's available.
Some easy ways to support your body’s need for minerals:
Trace mineral drops. These are especially helpful if you are drinking filtered water, as most filters can filter out minerals along with toxins.
Adrenal Cocktails. This is a great way to support your adrenals and thyroid, especially if you are under chronic stress, are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Whole food based supplementation like Herbal and Mineral Complete drops. This powerful supplement is packed with nutritious herbs and mineral support, with over 61 different kinds of wildcrafted herbs. This is an all-in one supportive supplement, and targets support in each of the main body systems, so you know that you are receiving total body support.
The Vitamin Life Restore is also an incredibly powerful supplement that provides your body with bioavailable nutrients for optimal absorption and effect.
Have questions? Let us help you!
Davis DR, Epp MD, Riordan HD. Changes in USDA food composition data for 43 garden crops, 1950 to 1999. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Dec;23(6):669-82. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2004.10719409. PMID: 15637215.
Kopittke PM, Dalal RC, Finn D, Menzies NW. Global changes in soil stocks of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulphur as influenced by long-term agricultural production. Glob Chang Biol. 2017 Jun;23(6):2509-2519. doi: 10.1111/gcb.13513. Epub 2016 Oct 11. PMID: 27670741.