Here's a little bit of information about mineral supplements, and what's going on in our bodies. To supplement, or to not supplement. That is the question we often encounter as we get older. If we are eating right, shouldn’t we be getting all the nutrients to support our bodies from our food? One would think that the answer is yes, but all too often, our diet isn’t what it should be. This is also complicated by the fact that, as we age, the hydrochloric acid in our stomachs starts to decline, making it more difficult to break down and extract the necessary components that support our physical structure.
Calcium and Magnesium, the core building blocks of our bodies, are used in hundreds of activities at the cellular level. Together they make us feel more relaxed, clear, and engaged in life. Daily stresses depletes these key minerals in our bodies that need constant replacement, and when they are not replace, they are taken from the only available source, our tissues and bones.
Natural calcium, from the sea, is bound to magnesium and trace minerals. The human structure is made of hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and minerals, and it is the electrical charges between these elements that hold the body together. The lack of these minerals causes the body to become more acidic, allowing for an acceleration in the disease process. The body knows that it must maintain the proper PH balance in the blood, or it will begin to die. Many people are in pain because their blood PH level has dropped below 7.4 due to minerals deficiency. It takes one calcium molecule to pick up one oxygen molecule in the lungs. When this ratio changes, our body is starved for oxygen. Pain comes from this deprivation, making us feel tired and sick. Magnesium is a natural tranquilizer. It helps with stress by relaxing the nerves, and relieving tension. It is central to enzymatic activity, when metabolizing proteins and carbohydrates, and is fundamental in cell metabolism. Magnesium helps to purge the body tissues of acids, toxins, impurities, and helps to neutralize poisons. This mineral is stored in the bowels, ligaments, and nerves. When injury or disfunction occur within these organs and tissues, magnesium balance is drastically affected. The lack of this mineral could cause cellular death.
In nature, calcium is found as compounds, meaning they are bond to something else. In the digestion, these bonds must be broken to utilize the mineral. Being bound to another element, the strength of the bond may be stronger than the digestive system itself, making it impossible to use. Bound minerals will simple move through the digestive tract, and exit the body, in their complete form. Bound minerals, such as calcium carbonate, calcium gluconate, or calcium lactate, are physically too large for the cell to use, and are literally larger than the cell itself. Calcium is one mineral that tends to become toxic when it cannot be used at the cellular level. It’s then deposited between the cells, or floats around in the blood, often adhering to arteriole walls, or becoming kidney stones. The body gains nothing, and nothing is lost except the monetary investment
Liquid minerals have the advantage of being absorbed almost immediately into the blood stream. University studies show absorption at 30-45 seconds after entering the upper portion of the stomach. Minerals in their elemental state, means they have nothing else attached to them. They are best when they are water soluble, because they are delivered to the cells via our water-based blood.
If you decide to supplement, please keep in mind the strength of your digestion, and pick a supplement that is easy to absorb. I am pro FOOD, when it comes to getting what the body needs, but every once in a while, we need a little help.:}