Minerals, Trace Minerals, and Mineral supplements for Health and Longevity

Of all of the nutritional supplements, minerals and mineral supplements are the most important. Why? If you examine the lifestyle and environment of the people who live very long lives, you will notice that most of them live in primitive environments, have limited food choices (they only eat the food they grow, no processed, packaged, or junk foods) and are generally free of many of the stresses of modern life.

One thing they also have in common is water and foodstuffs with very high mineral content. The soils may be volcanic, glacial or marine in origin but the mineral content is very high. The same applies to their drinking water. A typical water from these mountain locations may have total dissolved solids over 1000 ppm. compared to 100 ppm for typical well and municipal water. In the Hunza valley, they call the turbid, silty runoff from the glaciers "glacial milk" and the natives prefer it over the clear well water believing that it gives them good health. Many of them remain healthy and active for well over 100 years.

Our minerals come from food and water which get their minerals from the soil. The mineral content of the soil has been severely depleted by agriculture, especially poorly practiced agriculture, and erosion from deforestation. Farmers replace certain key macro minerals like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that stimulate plant growth. They only replace trace minerals when their deficiencies are affecting crop production. Crops are grown for yield, not for maximum mineral content or nutritional value.

Foodstuffs grown on mineral rich soils have a higher mineral content, a higher natural sugar content and superior flavor. Some astute growers use a refractometer to monitor the health and nutritional status of their crops. A drop of juice squeezed on the refractometer lens will give a direct reading of the index of refraction of the juice which is determined by the sugar and mineral content. This information then gives the grower a direct indication of the status of the crop in terms of the ripeness, mineral availability, and general health.

In addition to food crops that are deficient in mineral content, we loose additional minerals from food processing. One of the advantages of white flour over whole wheat flour is its superior shelf life. Whole wheat flour spoils quickly because it contains all the nutrients that support life and the bacteria, fungi, and rodents can tell the difference. White flour has had the germ and bran removed and with them much of the essential nutrition. You get the calories without the vitamins and minerals needed to metabolize them into vibrant energy. Vitamins and minerals are lost in food processing, storage and distribution as well.

Farm animals exhibit a behavior called 'pica' when their bodies are deficient in minerals. They may chew fence posts, eat dirt or feces and other unorthodox materials in an attempt to obtain the missing minerals. After an appropriate mineral supplement the behavior ceases. Some believe that there is a parallel in humans that manifests as overeating (and consequent obesity), craving for sweets and drug abuse.

Minerals act as a catalyst to essential enzymatic reactions in all aspects of the human body's metabolism. Low levels of minerals means that essential life functions are stressed. "Stressed" bodies are more prone to disease, infection, and injury. Read the section on STRESS to understand the general consequences of stress. The manifestation of mineral deficiencies can be apparent as in rickets, goiter, anemia and many more, or it may be subclinical and manifest as vague complaints like fatigue, chronic fatigue, depression, mood alteration, susceptibility to colds, flu, and allergies to name a few.

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