Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Colloidal Minerals

Colloidal Minerals lost from our farming lands leave our crops devoid of essiential minerals required for good health. Now that we know the minerals are not in our food, where do we look to supplement our body needs? A look into plants millions of years old reveals a source available today...

Living a healthy life is a major challenge in our lives today. In spite of all the hype about a healthy diet, exercise and numerous supplements, good health in the true sense of the word still remains a cause of concern for all of us. All attempts to rid our bodies of diseases result either in partial success or in some other side effects. Every time the concept of a healthy mind in a healthy body evades us. To understand why this happens we must have an idea of what constitutes the human body and how it functions.

Colloidal mineral is trace mineral suspended in a liquid.

The human system requires various nutrients and micro-nutrients to function in an optimal manner. Some of these micro-nutrients are trace minerals, which are vital to the proper functioning of the body. Colloidal Minerals are needed to maintain the delicate cellular fluid balance, to form bone and blood cells, to provide for electrochemical nerve activity, and to regulate muscle tone and activity (including organ muscles like the heart, stomach, liver, etc.). Any imbalance in trace minerals causes a malfunction, which in scientific terminology is called disease. Here it is important to note that while our body is capable of synthesizing several essential compounds on its own, it is not capable of synthesizing its own minerals.

These colloidal minerals therefore must be supplied through the diet or supplements. But the unhealthy modern lifestyles and depleted foods are unable to provide sufficient supply of these trace minerals. In case of processed foods, which are so much in vogue these days the processing leaches out valuable trace minerals required by our bodies thus, necessitating supplementation. A normal diet does not contain the recommended daily dose (RDA) of most colloidal minerals and this makes supplementation crucial.

Research shows that an inadequate supply of trace minerals leads to a variety of diseases including depression, low back pain, arthritis, poor digestion, mental disorders and cardiovascular disease. Not surprisingly these studies also relate mineral deficiency to inadequate diet----foods which are nutrient-poor, highly processed foods including white flour, refined sugar and harmful fats.

Thus we see that colloidal minerals are exogenously sourced micro-nutrients crucial to the smooth execution of innumerable functions within the human body. These essential atomic particles are integral to maintaining tissues, producing energy, synthesizing hormones and repairing cellular damage. Colloidal Minerals also commonly partner with enzymes--intricate proteins produced by living cells--to catalyze biochemical reactions. Trace Minerals also help reduce the probability of all kinds of infections as they render valuable support to the immune system.

Coming to supplementation, the issue of bio-availability is of particular relevance. In simple words, these trace minerals will not be accepted by the human body in crude form. If taken as such they may result in toxicity. We therefore must study numerous factors that can affect mineral absorption, including overall health status, interaction with other nutrients, the presence of certain other diseases and conditions, age and delivery method.

Fortunately, mineral absorption can be increased in most individuals by learning how to take supplemental minerals, improving diet, obtaining adequate exercise, nutrition, rest and reducing stress.

Absorption is the key to colloidal mineral assimilation. If trace minerals are mined from hard rock minerals, the intake is not natural and could be toxic. Trace minerals are normally taken up into the plant, from the ground, through the root, into the leaf or fruit. Consumption of the edible part of the plant allows the colloidal mineral to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Discovery of ancient plants rich in trace minerals have been unearthed and now are made available in a colloidal mineral solution. The body easily assimilates these colloidal minerals that are plant derived. This natural form of mineral is preferred by the body and will not cause toxicity when taken in the recommended amounts.

The following is a list of trace minerals that should be found in your choice for a colloidal mineral supplement:

Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Bismuth, Boron, Bromine, Cadmium, Calcium, Carbon, Cerium, Cesium, Chloride, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Dysprosium, Erbium, Europium, Fluoride, Gadolinium, Gallium, Germanium, Gold, Hafnium, Holmium, Hydrogen, Indium, Iodine, Iridium, Iron, Lanthanum, Lead, Lithium, Lutetium, Magnesium, Manganese, Mercury, Molybdenum, Neodymium, Nickel, Niobium, Nitrogen, Osmium, Oxygen, Palladium, Phosphorus, Platinum, Potassium, Praseodymium, Rhodium, Rubidium, Ruthenium, Samarium, Scandium, Selenium, Silicon, Silver, Sodium, Strontium, Sulfur, Tantalum, Tellurium, Terbium, Thallium, Thorium, Thulium, Thulium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Ytterbium, Yttrium, Zinc and Zirconium.

Look for as many of these minerals in your colloidal mineral supplement that are derived from plants.

About the Author

James Zeller is the new "Euell Gibbons" for natural supplements. For more information about colloidal minerals or his find on natural help for the "50 and Over" Baby Boomers.