Clients ask me all the time, "What support supplements are the most important for me to take so I can stay healthy?" I answer that question by saying, "There are several, however in my opinion, there is one in particular that outweighs them all in importance, and that is Minerals." Of course there is a reason for that and I will answer why in this post.
Minerals are the catalyst for all your other nutrition to be effective, especially your hydration. Minerals are important building blocks for proper nutrition and health. Without them, other nutrients are unable to function properly, particularly Enzymes and Amino Acids, which leads to improper nutrient absorption. Minerals create an environment in which the body can grow, function and heal itself.
A major concern is that over the last 50 years or so, the Mineral content in our food supply has been severely altered or even completely diminished. With the industrial revolution and commercial farming, man began to constantly till the soil, gradually causing the soil to become deficient in Minerals. In addition, we are constantly bombarded by LED and fluorescent lighting, as well as Electromagnetic Frequencies that are incompatible with our cells, this leads to even more Mineral depletion. In fact, any type of stress on the body will deplete your Minerals faster, along with Prescription Medications, especially Diuretics, (please note that many Blood Pressure Medications contain a Diuretic). When we test for cellular hydration in our office, those who are on a Blood Pressure med or a Diuretic are ALWAYS dehydrated. Increasing your Mineral intake can help the situation a little; however, to fully rehydrate your cells, you must remove the interference that is causing the problem, which is the medication. I'm not advising you to come off of your meds, that is up to your PCP that put you on them.
So how do we fix the problem of Mineral depletion? Supplementation is the logical option. We always recommend getting your nutrition from food if possible, but the only way to really know if you're eating food that actually contains Minerals is if you grow it yourself in your own mineral rich soil and you avoid the use of pesticides. Another excellent way to eat food rich in minerals is eating foods that come out of the ocean. Our soil may be depleted, but luckily there are still plenty of Minerals in the sea. Some great sources are sea vegetables, such as, kelp, spirulina, chlorella, nori, dulse and wakame. Another great source would be wild caught salt water fish and shellfish. Some people don't enjoy eating sea vegetables or seafood, so they can be found in abundance in our Pro Lean Greens product. It's an easy to make super-foods, energy drink that you simply mix one scoop into a glass of ice water and it's delicious. It tastes like a fruit tea with a hint of spearmint. You can find it in our Supplement Store if you would like to have it conveniently shipped to your door.
Another great way to get all your essential Minerals is through using Premier Pink Salt. If you are using Morton's table salt, the only place it belongs is in the trash can, it has been bleached, heated (which removes all the minerals) and has calcium silicate in it to prevent clumping. In other words, it's toxic and has no nutritional value whatsoever. Premier Pink Salt on the other hand is actually very good for you. It comes from the Mediterranean Ocean which has an extremely high Mineral content, but more importantly, it is air dried as opposed to heated which strips the Minerals from the product. Due to speed of production and mass marketing, many companies heat their Pink Salt so please be aware of that when purchasing Pink Salt. I often have clients who think that too much salt intake will raise their blood pressure, yes, if you're using Morton's table salt. However, consuming natural salts, such as Premier Pink Salt, can actually help stabilize your blood pressure by providing the essential Minerals needed to help regulate fluid balance in the tissues of the body, particularly Potassium. One thing I can promise you, once you start using Premier Pink Salt you will never want to go back to bleached table salt again. I have clients that actually purchase a travel container and carry it with them in their bag. We also carry Premier Pink Salt in our Supplement Store.
To wrap up, I would like to go over a few of the most important Minerals you need in your diet everyday and the roles they play inside your body.
1) Forming Healthy Bones and Teeth- Calcium is the most abundant Mineral in the body, it combines with Phosphorous to create Calcium Phosphate which make up your bones and teeth. In addition, Magnesium plays an important role in the creation of Osteoclasts and Osteoblasts which are used in the formation of new bone and the breaking down of old bone tissue.
2) Creates Energy- If you ever feel tired or run down, you might be low in Minerals. Potassium helps with carbohydrate metabolism by allowing sugar in and out of the cell. If you're depleted of Potassium, your cells may not be receiving the sugar they need which leads to feeling tired or having low energy. Chromium also works with insulin to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. It makes your brain aware of the level of sugar in your blood so your brain can control your appetite, food intake and blood sugar levels. Iron is needed to distribute oxygen throughout the body as part of red blood cells, which can also cause fatigue if you're low in iron.
3) Nerve Signaling- Proper nerve transmission also requires Calcium, which causes the release of neurotransmitters that send signals between nerves and muscles. Sodium and Potassium move back and forth across your nerve cell membranes to help maintain an electrical charge and Magnesium helps calm your nerves. If you ever have restless legs or muscle cramps, that is a sign that you're low in Minerals.
4) Proper Immune System Function- Your immune system uses Zinc for proper immune function and healing. Zinc also helps ward off respiratory infections by preventing bacteria from attaching to the membranes of your throat. A great product for support if you feel a cold or sore throat coming on is Zinc Lozenges. In addition, Selenium offers antioxidant benefits that reduce stress on the immune system, it's also a great support for the Adrenal and Thyroid glands, and it enhances the ability of white blood cells to attack and kill pathogens.
There are hundreds of other important functions that Minerals are used for in the body, I only listed a few just to give you an idea of why they are so vitally important for your overall health and well being. We highly recommend that you supplement with a high quality Multi-Mineral supplement as part of your ongoing maintenance if you're not eating a diet rich in Minerals. We use Premier Pink Salt and Frontier Minerals as two highly trusted sources. You can find those in our Supplement Store or we always carry them in stock in our office. We recommend using both products everyday for the optimal Mineral support your body needs.
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