THERE WOULD BE
NO LIFE WITHOUT MINERALS
The Root of All Disease Chapter 3
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The nutritional value of the food we do or do not eat influences the way we think. It influences the way we work and play, and is the deciding factor in childhood development and goes further by influencing the way we age. Minerals, in one way or another, influence every biological function of the human body. Minerals, as catalysts to other nutrients, are an absolutely essential component of our immune system. Minerals play a very important role in our living, breathing, active bodies. Here are a few examples:
CALCIUM (Ca)
Calcium is essential for all organisms and is found in the cell walls of plants, all calcareous tissues and the bones of all mammals. Calcium is the fifth most abundant mineral element in the earth’s crust. Calcium is also the most abundant mineral in the human body comprising approximately two percent of the adult body weight. Calcium is a construction worker so to speak. It is a builder. Calcium gives bones and teeth their strength and rigidity, and also helps nerves to function properly. As a construction worker, it builds strong bones. It is important to know that calcium, to be absorbed, must be in water-soluble form by the time it reaches the small intestines. Calcium needs acid for proper assimilation. Without the proper strength acids, calcium is not dissolved and cannot be utilized. This is one reason a complete spectrum of minerals, with a low pH, is so important. But even more importantly, if utilized properly and in early stages after the foundation is firm, calcium will help build strong bones that will endure a life of havoc.
SAVE YOUR KIDS FROM BONE DISEASE
To save your daughter or granddaughter from crippling bone osteoporosis in old age, you should give her extra minerals, especially calcium, between five and ten years of age. That startling advice comes from research by pediatrician Steven A. Abrams at Children’s Nutritional Research Center in Houston, Texas.
It’s critical that young girls get lots of minerals and extra calcium several years before they reach age 11. That’s because “most bone-forming activity occurs in the years just before and just after the start of puberty,” which on average is age 10, says Dr. Abrams. Menstruation usually begins two or three years later. By age 15, he says most bone-forming activity has come to a halt. The higher the bone mass, the lower the odds of osteoporosis later in life. As we get older and become less active, bone density becomes a problem. Being inactive accelerates bone loss.
FEMALES NEED CALCIUM
When it comes to calcium, in addition to young girls, the mark is that most women worldwide are malnourished. For menopausal women, the intake gap of supplements can easily be as wide as 900 mg, partly because of a decrease in estrogen. Bone density loss contributes to osteoporosis, a condition in which the bones have thinned and weakened to the point where they can be broken very easily. Osteoporosis can occur when the deterioration of old bone cells outpaces the formation of new bone cells. Many people associate osteoporosis with bone breaks, but it is not the bone break that causes all the problems! It’s what occurs afterward. The fracture can trigger a chain of unfavorable events. When bedridden, people become weaker and more susceptible to viruses and infections. As a result of less exercise, their arteries become less elastic and more prone to clogging and injury. All of this makes them more vulnerable to dangerous diseases and infections because of a weakened immune system.
MEN ALSO NEED CALCIUM
Although it’s regarded as a woman’s condition, 20% of osteoporosis sufferers are men. Men tend to develop osteoporosis a few years later than women because they initially have more bone mass. But as they reach old age, they lack both the mass and sufficient estrogen and testosterone to help build new bone.
Osteoporosis, Arthritis, Tendonitis, Bursitis, and others are preventable diseases! Our world needs clear pathways to slow, stop and reverse osteoporosis and numerous other conditions, as well as food intolerances, allergies, hyperactivity, etc. As humans, it’s our responsibility to advocate an International Committee, without political ties, to research and establish some framework to curtail minerals depletion of the soil. Through the eyes of the human element, it’s easy to see that the present is the most important part of the future. We need more minerals in our foods. Most ailments and sicknesses result from a lowered immune defense, as does degenerative disease inaccurately attributed to age, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, strokes, and cancer. They are all avoidable if we have the proper nutrients and especially if we consume MSM (Methylsulphonylmethane), Glucosamine, Chondroitin sulfate, and a full spectrum of minerals. This combination of nutrients will help increase flexibility, relieve pain and inflammation and even help us sleep better.
Many more minerals than what is available from foods or commercial metallic formulations are necessary for everyone of all ages. Remember to supplement your calcium intake with adequate amounts of vitamin D, which is needed to assimilate the calcium. I would also recommend using chromium picolinate along with the Vitamin D. Calcium, Vitamin D, MSM, Glucosamine and Chondroitin, and a complete spectrum of minerals won’t cure osteoporosis, arthritis, tendonitis, or bursitis once it settles in, but, generally, they will slow down the pain and the thinning process while helping rebuild new bone.
Some calcium-poor symptoms include slow blood clotting, sluggish blood circulation, afternoon headaches, lack of sex drive, varicose veins, hemorrhages, soft bones, cysts, and sores that do not heal well.
IRON (Fe)
Iron is part of hemoglobin, which carries life-sustaining oxygen to our cells. Iron and copper appear to have participated very closely together in the evolution of aerobic life, maybe as long as three billion years ago! Iron is poorly absorbed, and the condition most commonly associated with iron deficiency is anemia. Iron is essential regardless of what some health officials and media reports say, especially if the iron comes from plants. Iron is stored in the bone marrow and liver. Symptoms of iron deficiency include listlessness, fatigue, memory problems, heart palpitations, a tendency to head colds, dull hearing during menstruation, anemia, asthma, burning of soles of feet, swollen ankles, and pains in shoulder joints as well as cold hands and feet.
COBALT (Co), COPPER (Cu), & ZINC (Zn)
Copper, Zinc, and Cobalt, among other minerals, are necessary for enzyme activities such as food digestion. Copper also plays a significant role in respiration. Copper may help prevent cancer, especially of the liver. Copper, like Zinc, is involved in healing. It is necessary for hair, skin, and cell growth. Without Zinc, prostate problems could become huge among men. It also helps ward off senility. Copper deficiency is widespread, and numerous diseases caused by copper deficiency are quite common. Copper deficiencies have also been linked to loss of hair and lowered resistance to colds, skin and respiratory problems, and pernicious anemia.
SULFUR (S)
Sulfur may be one of the most important minerals for humans. It is a non-metallic mineral widely distributed in nature. It is an essential structural atom in many proteins and small organic molecules. Sulfur is involved in the quality and maintenance of many types of tissues and structures within the body including hair, fingernails, and skin. It combines with nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen to build protein, a main ingredient of muscles, skin, and organs. It has been called the “beauty mineral” because it enhances those body externals. Sulfur also plays a vital role in the production of insulin. People with diabetes should consume a goodly amount of sulfur. We know of many type 2 Diabetics who have virtually eliminated the disorder after consuming a comprehensive natural mineral formulation containing large amounts of sulfur for six to twelve months. Sulfur has also been used with favorable results in treating arthritis because it is an integral part of the amino acid cystine. It aids in healing surface wounds and skin disorders such as psoriasis and eczema. I’m convinced none of us get enough sulfur, and I believe the RDI should be increased by at least ten times. Look for foods and mineral products that contain high amounts of sulfur.
SODIUM (Na) & POTASSIUM (K)
Sodium and Potassium regulate water balance and aid in digestion. Without these two minerals, we would bloat or swell up with water or dehydrate, dry out, and die. Potassium is an extremely important mineral for regulating bowel and urinary function. Many people mistake and associate sodium with salt. Sodium is one of the seven major minerals, and the RDI for an adult is 2,400 milligrams per day. Sodium is not salt! Salt is made up of sodium and chloride. There are numerous sodium and potassium-poor symptoms, such as gout, indigestion, constipation, and stomach ulcers.
PHOSPHORUS (P)
Phosphorus is also a major essential mineral, but it receives little attention from many nutritionists because, supposedly, it’s abundantly available in all foods. Due to soil depletion, this is not necessarily true today. Our bodies contain about two pounds of phosphorus that, when tied to calcium, helps give strength and rigidity to bones and teeth. It also controls energy release. Phosphorus has more functions in the body than any other mineral.
A lack of phosphorus causes us to overeat. In fact, according to the Complete Book of Minerals for Health, if our body has too little phosphorus, we’d have to eat practically nonstop just to maintain basic metabolism. Maybe this is the reason for so much obesity around the world! I have been studying overweight people for twenty years. I believe most are overweight because they are minerally deficient in general and severely deficient in phosphorus. They continually eat more and more, attempting to satisfy a craving caused by a lack of phosphorus and other minerals. The excess food makes them more overweight, which in turn requires more minerals to function, thereby requiring more food to satisfy an even greater craving. This can continue to perpetuate. Most overweight people have a toxic body, and a complete spectrum of minerals can significantly reduce that toxicity.
WEIGHT LOSS
I have witnessed thousands of people gradually lose weight naturally after they began to consume a full spectrum of 70+ minerals on a daily basis. People don’t eat as much when they get more minerals. They detoxify, and they digest their foods much more thoroughly as well. Better digestion means less constipation, more energy, less sluggishness, more motivation, a better attitude, etc. Minerals make it happen! The proof is as obvious as sunlight.
Phosphorus-poor symptoms include neuralgia, impotence, bronchitis, jaundice, and paralysis. Our body is made up of about 100 trillion cells, each one bustling with activities that depend on magnesium.
MAGNESIUM (Mg)
Magnesium is essential to all living creatures and has electrochemical, catalytic, and structural functions. Next to potassium, magnesium is the most plentiful mineral inside each cell. Magnesium is closely related to calcium in controlling nerve impulses, especially the heartbeat. In addition, magnesium helps deliver energy by activating the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which extracts energy from the foods we eat and delivers it to every one of those billions and billions of cells in our bodies, whether they are in the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, blood or bone. Magnesium is one of the most critical major minerals, and its deficiency appears to be the primary cause of atherosclerotic calcium deposits. A lack of magnesium may cause catarrhal discharges, body gas, yellowish whites of the eyes, jaundice, pale urine, and diarrhea.
MANGANESE (Mn)
Manganese is a metabolizer and enzyme activator, and bone formation booster. It works very well with vitamins B1, E, calcium, and phosphorus to build strong bones, arm, leg, and heart muscles. It is excellent for boosting energy and helps sugar metabolism. In addition, it prevents glandular dysfunction, dizziness, and poor muscle coordination.
SELENIUM (Se)
Selenium is one of the best antioxidants in the nutritional field. Yet, it is pitifully overlooked in the health industry. It prevents premature aging, arteriosclerosis, and male sexual dysfunction. In addition, selenium helps build tissue and skin elasticity and much more.
CHROMIUM (Cr)
Chromium is a mineral not included in many nutritional products but is of great importance overall. It functions as a good insulin regulator, helps keep the circulatory system clean, and improves thyroid and adrenal gland function. Conversely, chromium deficiency can lead to sugar metabolism disorders, atherosclerosis, and fatigue.
IODINE (I)
Iodine is one of the most misunderstood minerals. It is necessary to protect the thyroid gland and metabolic rate. It works independently, and no other vitamin or mineral is known to increase its effectiveness. Without Iodine, one could experience thyroid and goiter problems.
CHLORINE (Cl)
Chlorine is another one of the major minerals. Chlorine’s intended use from Mother Nature was not to disinfect our water or swimming pools but to help digest our foods. Chlorine is found in virtually all of our foods. As a part of hydrochloric acid, chlorine rallies the stomach’s digestive juices to help digest proteins. A combination of hydrochloric acid and powerful digestive enzymes gobbles up food particles, mashing them into a semi-fluid pulp called chyme, which is squirted into the upper intestine for
final digestive breakdown. Chlorine helps detox the liver, and it’s a terrific stomach anti-parasitic. In addition, it helps eliminate anaerobic bacteria. Here is something of importance relative to chlorine.
Chlorine in water is entirely different than chlorine in plants and food. The chlorine used to disinfect water is an activated form of chloride with absolutely no nutritional value, and the chlorination of water may, in fact, cause serious health problems.
TRACE MINERALS
The previous review of some of the more recognizable minerals is essential, but we must consider some rare earth minerals most people don’t recognize. Just because few, if any, tests or studies have been conducted, they should not be overlooked. I truly believe these “unheard of” TRACE minerals play a very important part in overall good health. Just because they have never been thoroughly tested and entered into the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) doesn’t mean they are not highly beneficial for all living creatures. If the World Health Organization thinks that eighteen or twenty minerals are necessary for good health, I believe it only makes good sense to consume ALL there are on Earth to ENHANCE your chances of good health. So it makes sense and is good insurance to take as MANY as possible.
All minerals have their own fundamental cosmic mission on Earth. What they can do for the human body is based on their inherent capabilities; each has a purpose in our survival and our ability to live a long and healthful life. Therefore, you must seek out or look for plant-derived mineral supplements with most, if not all, of the following minerals: Boron (B), Barium (Ba), Beryllium (Be), Bismuth (Bi), Bromine (Br), Carbon (C), Cerium (Ce), Cesium (Cs), Cobalt (Co), Dysprosium (Dy), Erbium (Er), Europium (Eu), Fluorine (F), Gadolinium (Gd), Gallium (Ga), Holmium (Ho), Indium(In), Iodine (I), Iridium (Ir), Lanthanum (La), Lithium (Li), Lutetium (Lu), Neodymium (Nd), Niobium (Nb), Osmium (Os), Palladium (Pd), Praseodymium (Pr), Rubidium (Rb) Samarium (Sm), Terbium (Tb), Thallium (Tl), Thorium (Th), Vanadium (V), Ytterbium (Yb), and Yttrium (Y).
You never know what life is going to throw at you. Life happens, so be ready! Plant minerals offer up to 75 ways to help ensure you and yours have a better chance of staying healthy.
