The essential minerals that are so important in the body's metabolism are chemically distinct from vitamins in that they are inorganic chemicals and cannot be synthesized or produced by the body. They are, however, crucial to the body and can only be obtained from an external source. It is an indisputable fact that most of us are deficient in minerals to one degree or another. Mineral supplements are very common, and their popularity indicates the importance we have come to place on them in our daily diets. Most people, however, while knowing that minerals are necessary, do not understand the role they have in the body's chemistry. Most people understand the necessity of calcium for strong bones and teeth and of iron to prevent anemia, but do they understand that, if these essential minerals are taken together, the iron will retard the absorption of the calcium? Minerals do a lot more than build up our skeleton and maintain the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. They are essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system. Minerals in the form of electrolytes are necessary to carry the electrical currents that make up the nerve impulses and allow our muscles to function properly. They regulate the pH of the blood and control the fluid management system and cell structure through the regulation of osmosis. Without the essential minerals our immune systems would cease to exist and none of our vital organs would be able to operate. Life itself would cease to exist and the planet would be a barren desert, totally devoid of life. For eons the human race has obtained the essential minerals from the food it ate and the liquids it drank. However, in recent times there has been a shift of gigantic proportions towards the use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers which has resulted in our food containing fewer and fewer of these nutrients. Because of this, we now take in less than half the volume of essential minerals that we did even a hundred years ago. Many people are aware of this, and consume supplement after supplement in the hope that they are making up for what is missing in their diet. The major problem is that, as with vitamin supplements, the majority of essential mineral supplements are in a form that is not conducive to efficient absorption by the body. They are not always provided in water-soluble form. If an essential mineral is not provided as a soluble salt, it will be in particulate form. The size of the particles are too large to pass through the cell walls and will pass through the body's waste system and be expelled without being used. Minerals which come in the form of pills tend not to be water soluble, and, in fact, can be bound into the pill by other insoluble inorganic substances such as titanium dioxide. It is normal for only about 15% of the minerals in a pill to be absorbed and used by the body. Because they tend to be water soluble, minerals can be lost just as quickly as they are ingested. Sweat, for example, is full of common salt, or sodium chloride. While an excess of sodium is not good for the heart, a lack of sodium chloride can severely interfere with our natural cooling system. However, it is not only salt that is lost while sweating after physical exertion, but also many other essential minerals. While caffeine in coffee and tea is a diuretic, and hence cause the body to expel quantities of these valuable minerals, the worst offender by far is alcohol. Alcohol consumption can cause a massive loss of essential minerals which are not easily replaced by the ingestion of supplements. However, if mineral supplements are provided in the proper form, which is as an aqueous solution, then an acceptably high level of absorption can be achieved, and consumption in this form will be of benefit to most of us. When you consider that every biological function in every known form of life is dependant on essential minerals, the damage done to our bodies by the adoption of intensive farming techniques is immeasurable. However, if minerals can be provided in the form of a solution or in small enough particulate sizes to pass through our body cell walls, this damage can be repaired.
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