There’s a direct correlation between mineral deficiencies and illness
or disease. Dr. Linus Pauling, the winner of two Nobel Prizes in
Medicine, believes that every sickness, every disease and every ailment
can be traced to a mineral deficiency. Deficiencies are largely
believed to be rare in our society, when in fact they are really very
common. For example: the average American diet provides only 40%
of the RDA of Magnesium, leading authorities estimate 80% of the
population is deficient in magnesium, 68% of the population receive
less than 2/3 RDA of Zinc, 80% of the population is deficient in
chromium.
We should obtain balanced levels of minerals and vitamins from our
food, but this does not occur because our food is stripped of its
nutrients in processing and our food is grown in soil that is depleted
of minerals and vitamins. Soil is destroyed with chemical
fertilizers, insecticides, overuse of soil, etc., which makes our
society more deficient everyday.
Minerals work as building blocks for our bones, muscles, teeth, nerves,
connective tissue and body fluids. They are cofactors to enzymes
that speed up the biochemical reactions required by the body to
function effectively and are also cofactors with vitamins. Each
vitamin needs a specific one to make it work. Vitamins can’t be
utilized if minerals are not present. Therefore, if you’re taking
vitamin supplementation without the proper mineral balance in your
body, it is useless.
Minerals are necessary for every biochemical process and activity of
the body. They are responsible for maintaining the (pH) balance of the
body, proper cellular metabolism, nerve conduction, muscle function,
organ function, hormonal secretion of glands, digestive competence.
They are also necessary for activation and utilization of amino acids,
carbohydrates, enzymes, fats, oils, phytochemicals, proteins, sugars,
and vitamins, providing nutrients into our cells, and removing wastes
from all cells, tissues, fluids, glands and organs.
Additionally, they provide structure and function for the hair, skin, nails and five senses.
They are essential for detoxification, the anti-oxidation process and protect us from
toxic heavy metals, such as mercury, cadmium, aluminum, arsenic, and
lead.
If these crucial nutrients are not present in the body in adequate amounts, the body
will find alternative pathways to use, which are less efficient, and
this will lead to chemistry imbalances, which leads to deterioration in
the organs, glands and body systems. The result will be poor
health and degenerative health conditions.
Most of us know that osteoporosis is linked to a deficiency in calcium,
but most are not aware that diabetes and hypoglycemia are connected to
chromium, and vanadium and that cancer and heart disease are connected
to selenium and copper. Anxiety and depression are linked to
copper, selenium, magnesium and many others. Muscle pain and spasms are
connected to magnesium.
The list of symptoms that can develop as a result of
deficiency is vast, but here are some of the most common:
Depression
Schizophrenia
Thyroid disorders
Compromised immune function
Liver dysfunction or not functioning optimally
Anxiety Disorders
Vision disorders
Hypertension
Headaches
Migraines
Insomnia,
Stroke
Arthritis
Hypoglycemia
Diabetes,
Cancer
Osteoporosis
Arteriosclerosis
High cholesterol
Chronic Fatigue
PMS
Binging/cravings food
Impaired Detoxification System
Obsessions
Muscle pain/spasms
Asthma
Heart disease
Dysautonomia
Candida overgrowth
Irregular heartbeat
Manic Depression
Cancer
Addiction
Heavy metal toxicity
Alzheimer's
High blood pressure
MCS - Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Adrenal Fatigue
Autism
Neurotransmitter imbalances
In more serious cases, even an unexpected sudden onset of death, which
is often unexplained.
Two Types of Minerals
There are two types of minerals. Macro and Trace. The body
needs larger amounts of macro and a small amount of trace.
Macrominerals may consist of:
Calcium
Magnesium
Phosphorus
Sodium
Potassium
Chloride
Sulphur
Trace minerals may include:
Manganese
Iron
Copper
Iodine
Zinc
Cobalt
Selenium
Boron
Chromium
Molybdenum
Minerals are the cornerstones to good health. They are essential
for all prevention and treatment programs. It is important
to work with a physician knowledgeable in this area and not treat
yourself, because supplements should be highly absorbable, balanced and
individualized. The symptoms of mineral deficiency overlap with
many other illness symptoms and it will be necessary to rule out or in
other factors that may need addressed.
Treating yourself with random supplementation can cause problems,
because too much of a particular mineral can be just as bad as not enough.
They need to be balanced and individualized to meet your
specific needs. Some need to be taken in conjunction with others
to work properly or taking one without another can cause a deficiency
in another area. The best way to assess your mineral level is with
an
RBC Mineral Test.
The average M.D. or even Nutritionist is not educated in the facts
about soil depletion and the epidemic of nutritional deficiencies in
our society. An orthomolecular doctor, doctor of environmental
medicine, a clinical ecologist or someone who practices
functional medicine would be a good choice.
