Even if you try to eat a healthy, organic diet – you could be at risk for nutritional deficiencies without realizing it. In fact, the National Institutes of Health concluded that “the vast majority of people in both affluent and emerging industrialized countries do not reach even 75 percent of the RDAs for numerous trace minerals.”
The importance of nutrient status (and deficiencies) cannot be overstated. For example, magnesium deficiency is widespread among Americans. One study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, shows that 68% of Americans are magnesium deficient and, some experts like Carolyn Dean, MD have been warning the public for years.
What is the importance of trace minerals?
Some minerals, such as calcium, potassium, and phosphorus, are more common in food and in your body. Trace minerals, on the other hand, are essential minerals that you only need in trace amounts.
The following is a condensed look at certain minerals and their purpose in the body:
Chromium is necessary for proper regulation of blood sugar and improves insulin sensitivity.
Cobalt is present in vitamin B12, and it is necessary for generating healthy, red blood cells.
Zinc allows for proper immune response, growth, antioxidant function, and wound healing.
Selenium is necessary for proper antioxidant function and liver detoxification. It is also essential for healthy muscles and hair.
Iodine is necessary for your body to make thyroid hormone – which is involved in almost every process in your body including energy metabolism and temperature regulation.
Bottom line, trace minerals are essential to protect against common health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline. Without enough trace minerals, you’re also susceptible to contamination from heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, and lead.
Why modern farming techniques MUST change to help save humanity
Why aren’t Americans getting enough trace minerals from their food supply? Obviously, we should be looking at soil content. Over the past century, the quality of our soil has been depleted by 85 percent – mainly due to modern methods of farming.
The agricultural sector is driven by crop yield, using every possible method to increase the number of pounds harvested. Intensive farming, combined with soil erosion, has resulted in soil with a lower mineral content. To make matters worse, chemical fertilizers are insufficient to replace the minerals needed for optimal health and poison the environment.
The singular focus on agricultural yield comes at the expense of nutritious food products and the nutritional status and health of Americans. Fruits and vegetables are now grown in soil with a lower nutrient content than in the past. A study in Canada found that tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, and lettuce have on average one-eighth the mineral content today than they did at the beginning of the 20th century.
The ocean provides a natural way to correct mineral deficiencies
If you just can’t depend on the produce section, how can you give your body the nutrients it needs to heal your body? The answer may lie in the ocean, which is rich in minerals. They’re in their complete, non-denatured form, which is the form most beneficial (and recognizable) to the human body.
Be sure to check out our Natural Factor’s Whole Earth & Sea Mineral Blend as well as our specific mineral supplements on your next visit to Whitaker’s Natural Market.
