The importance of minerals

 

Minerals allow us to think, move and grow. They have allowed the development of a central nervous system, a skeleton to bear and transport our package of organs and parts, and the ability to replicate ourselves, as a whole or to repair damage cell by cell at a pace that is nothing short of amazing.

The ash that remains after the human body is burned is mineral ash – mineral salts.

Scientific evidence indicates our NZ soil is deficient of some minerals by a disturbing 50 percent compared to levels in 1950s.

Our soils are particularly deficient in iodine (for thyroid function, vitality, temperature and mood management), zinc (for wound, skin, hair, nails, fertility, immunity), selenium (for heart, liver, defence against chronic disease), magnesium (for smooth muscle relaxation, sleep maintenance, stress and adrenal management), chromium (for insulin, blood sugar, cholesterol regulation), and boron (for estrogen, bone and joint regulation, cognitive function).

There are many contributing factors for deficiencies: modern agricultural practices, cultivation (monoculture), the use of chemicals and pesticides, food preservation, storage and processing, gases, refrigeration and irradiation, transportation over long distances. Suboptimal absorption may be due to lower gastric function through the consumption of highly processed foods, physical and emotional stress.

Minerals are found in soil and rock – transferring to water, enriching seafood/weeds. If soil is deficient so is the plant and anyone who eats it.

Mineral therapy has been safely utilised since the 15th century. Paracelsus treated human illness with mineral therapy, in the 18th century Schussler named the 12 tissue salts.

This from Dr Linus Pauling, winner of two Nobel prizes:

“All bodily processes depend on the presence of minerals. All nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, carbohydrates require minerals for activity. Elements work together as a whole; a shortage of even one mineral will cause an imbalance, rendering

other nutrients useless or inefficient. You can trace every sickness, every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency.”

n Jan van der Lee is a Clinical Nutritionist based at Waipu Natural Health. Mineral therapy is recommended as part of a prescribing regime.

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