The Importance of Minerals

The Importance of Mineral Intake and a Recipe for a Mineral Drink

Today’s agricultural methods have significantly depleted the mineral content in our food, reducing it to less than half compared to past levels. Our drinking water is not exempt from this mineral depletion. Ensuring adequate mineral intake nowadays requires more effort, but it isn’t necessarily a hard task. A tasty solution to this is a mineral-rich drink, a delightful way to meet your daily mineral requirements.

The Mineral Drink Explained

Lately, my focus has shifted towards ensuring that I and my children consume sufficient minerals. Minerals are crucial for our bodies and organs to function optimally, and despite eating organic superfoods, there’s a high chance we’re not getting all the nutrients our bodies require.

In the past, our food and water were teeming with nutrients and minerals. However, the advent of monocrops, pesticides, and herbicides has caused a significant decline in the mineral content of our food. Some experts now warn that our food supply is no longer sufficient to provide us with the necessary nutrition. This is where mineral supplements can play a crucial role.

Who is Mineral Deficient?

It’s likely that if you’re reading this, you’re deficient in some minerals. Biochemist Barton Scott reveals that 96% of us lack sufficient iodine, and 99% of us have a potassium deficiency. Magnesium deficiency is also quite common. This implies that even when we opt for organic produce, we might still not be getting enough nutrients.

This is one of the reasons I grow a substantial portion of my family’s produce in compost-rich soil in my garden. While this helps, I’ve also observed a noticeable difference in health after supplementing with minerals. Some minerals like iodine are tough to acquire naturally unless you live in certain areas.

Even if your blood tests indicate normal levels, they may not be accurate. It can take years for a mineral deficiency to show up on a blood test. Our body compensates for this by drawing minerals from our organs and bone marrow to maintain blood mineral balance.

Why Minerals Matter

Minerals are essential because they activate enzymes and perform countless vital functions in the body. They aid in preventing cardiovascular diseases and heart diseases. They also act as a switch, enabling our body’s ability to utilize vitamins. For instance, we can’t use vitamin D unless we have boron.

Here are some of the macro minerals we need daily and their benefits. Unlike trace minerals, we need these in larger quantities. This list provides a brief overview:

Calcium – Crucial for healthy teeth and bones, aids in regulating blood pressure, muscle contraction, nerve communication, and blood clotting.
Magnesium – Required for strong bones and teeth. Regulates blood pressure and blood sugar, assists in muscle, brain, nerve and mood function, and many more.
Potassium – Ensures a steady heartbeat, required for muscle contraction, fluid balance, and healthy blood pressure. Necessary to help regulate sodium metabolism.
Sodium – Helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, balances fluids, needed for muscle contraction and brain health.
The Role of Trace Minerals in Health

We don’t need large quantities of these minerals, but they’re still essential for overall health. It’s all about maintaining the right balance. Overconsumption of trace minerals can cause problems, just like a deficiency can.

Here are some trace minerals, their functions, and how to acquire them:

Phosphorus – Present in our bones, teeth, DNA, and RNA. Required for cell membranes and ATP energy production. Combines with calcium to form the hydroxyapatite that makes up our tooth enamel. Found in dairy, salmon, chicken, and beef.
Manganese – Involved in amino acid, cholesterol, glucose, and carbohydrate metabolism, bone health, fertility, immune system, and getting rid of free radicals. Found in breast milk, blue mussels, hazelnuts, pecans, and oysters.
Chromium – Supports healthy blood sugar and insulin levels. May help us metabolize carbs, fats, and proteins. Vitamin C aids absorption, but oxalates inhibit it.
Molybdenum – Helps us process and eliminate wastes and toxins. The highest food sources are black-eyed peas, lima beans, and organ meats.
Silica – The second most common element on Earth. Needed to help build the collagen in our bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. I add a teaspoon of this nutrient to my mineral drink.
Why We Can’t Rely on Food Alone

Due to soil depletion, it’s challenging, if not impossible, to get enough minerals through our diet. The amounts of minerals like magnesium and chromium in food vary widely depending on soil conditions. Foods grown in mineral-rich soils and animals that graze on these areas provide us with adequate levels.

Silica is naturally found in whole grain husks. However, modern farm machinery removes the husk, making it absent from our diets.

Our soil has been severely depleted of minerals over the past several decades. According to NIH, national surveyshave shown that dietary intake of necessary minerals like magnesium are below recommended levels, implying the need for a more robust dietary supplementation approach.

Mineral-Rich Drink Recipe

You can ensure your daily mineral intake through a mineral-rich drink. Here’s a simple recipe:

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon of silica powder
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt (both are rich in trace minerals)
1 teaspoon of magnesium powder or magnesium liquid
Water (preferably filtered, to avoid chlorine and fluoride found in tap water)
Instructions:

Add all the ingredients to a glass or mason jar.
Stir well until everything is fully dissolved.
Drink this once a day, preferably in the morning.
This drink is not just a mineral supplement but also a good way to hydrate your body first thing in the morning. The apple cider vinegar helps with digestion, and the magnesium can help to calm your nerves and muscles.

Keep in mind that this is not a magic solution and should be a part of a balanced diet. You should consult your healthcare provider before starting any new dietary regimen.

Remember, your health is your wealth. Stay healthy!

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new diet or supplement regimen.

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