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Minerals By Sarah Tewhey The minerals in our bodies are the same as those found in the stones and metals buried within the Earth. Minerals are considered to be micronutrients and are present in our bodies in small qualities. We receive our minerals mostly though the fruits, vegetables and grains that absorb them from the ground. (Balch 25) Minerals represent both our connection to the land and our need for healthy, rich soil. Unlike many other essential nutrients, minerals do not change into other substances during metabolic breakdown. Sodium remains sodium and calcium remains calcium. Minerals maintain their original chemical structure and when the body is through with a certain mineral it is excreted as a waste. (Noss Whitney 374) Stored mainly in muscle and bone minerals are utilized by nearly every system of the body for a variety of functions. They bond with other substances to provide support for the nervous system, help keep body fluids (especially blood) balanced and create healthy bones. Minerals affect our muscles, including those of the heart. They also act with enzymes to keep chemical reactions moving. Minerals work together as a team and often an excess of one mineral can deplete others. Minerals as dietary supplements should always be taken in complex formulas. Minerals can be divided up into two categories. Simply put, those minerals we need more of are called bulk or macro minerals. These include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. The other group, known as the trace minerals are necessary in very small amounts and include boron, chromium, copper, germanium, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, vanadium and zinc. When obtaining minerals through the diet almost no care needs to be taken to preserve them through cooking. They are not destroyed in high heat. However, minerals do leech into the water used for cooking that is usually thrown away. Balch, Phyllis, and Balch, James. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. 3rd ed. New York: Avery, 2000. Noss-Whitney, Eleanor, and Rady Rolfes, Sharon. Understanding Nutrition. 8th ed. Blemont, California, Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1999. copyright 2003 ------------------------------------------------------------ Sarah Tewhey is a student and teacher of Yoga, Ayurveda and the healing arts. She completed two years of study with Dr. Vasant Lad at The Ayurvedic Institute and a B.S. at Lesley University in Mind/Body Studies with a specialization in the female healing process and its relationship to modern medicine. Sarah is currently a student in the Masters program at Southwest Acupuncture College in Albuquerque. Sarah can be contacted at: sarah@ayurlight.com |
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