The Mineral Medic: Part 1

I don't believe in the unnatural healing properties of stones, the belief that simply by keeping a certain stone near you your health will rapidly increase. However, I do believe that certain minerals can naturally improve ones health.

The human body is made up of 19 different minerals; Boron, Calcium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Fluorine, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Phosphorous, Potassium, Selenium, Sulfur, Silicon, Vanadium and Zinc. As you can probably guess, each and every one of us requires a ready supply of these minerals to function properly, if your body lacks a substantial amount of these minerals then you will be open to a large range of potential illnesses. However, by keeping the levels of these minerals at optimal levels you can make sure that you remain strong and healthy.  Over the course of the next few weeks I will be going into detail on each of these minerals and to start with, I will go over some information on one of the most well know minerals, Calcium, and one of the least known Boron.

Boron is a trace mineral located in the human body that naturally helps fight against Arthritis, menopause and osteoporosis. It is also believed that Boron is responsible for the absorption of calcium and magnesium. I find it strange that a body lacking in Boron shows no immediate signs of degradation, however, adding further backup to the theory that Boron is responsible for the absorption of calcium and magnesium; it has been shown that bodies lacking in Boron have difficulty metabolizing new Calcium and Magnesium intake, leading to deficiencies in both minerals over time. On top of the metabolism problems, Boron deficiency is implied to also lead to problems with the thyroid and sexual hormone imbalances. 

For those reasons, I believe it safest to keep Boron levels in the body high, even though many of the supposed symptoms are theoretical, they are close to proven, and in the case of your own health, surely it is better to err on the side of caution?
The simplest way you can keep your Boron levels high are by eating certain fruits, which are natural Boron producers; apples, oranges, almonds, red grapes, pear, plum, kiwi, sultanas, dates, vegetables, soybeans and nuts. Boron is commonly overlooked for its uses to the human body, but the good it can do should not go unnoticed, a ready supply of Boron can;

• Combat the symptoms of Arthritis: In 95% of Arthritis cases where Boron has been used, it has managed to effectively reduce the symptoms of Arthritis and in many cases halt the degradation of bone density (the cause of Arthritis). 
• Build bone density: As suggested in the above post, a healthy Boron supply can help to strengthen bones and build their density, which will also help to combat Arthritis ever taking hold.
• Improve Cognitive processes: Studies have shown that Boron can enhance ones short term memory and concentration, as well as speed up and increase the accuracy of basic hand eye coordination. On top of this it has also been shown to enhance higher brain functions.
• Prevents Blood Clots: Some studies have shown that Boron contains some properties that can break up blood clots, however more studies need to be held to determine the authenticity of these reports.
• Aid in Cancer therapy: The Neutron found in Boron has been shown to have effective enzyme inhibitor growth effects, which help to fight back the growth of cancer cells. Boron compounds also acts as a powerful antibody in anti cancer treatments.

Calcium makes up 2% of the total body weight of a healthy human male, located in our bones and teeth in large amounts. As such the best known application of Calcium is to establish and improve the growth of bones, it being one of the minerals we require immediately from birth. The two most important times in our life that rely on a regular Calcium intake are the first few years of our life and our old age. In our infant years as our bones are still developing, it is important to keep a regular intake of Calcium to assure that the bones grow strong. Oddly, the opposite begins as we reach old age, our bones begin to thin and weaken (open them up to arthritis) so it becomes integral to keep a steady amount of fresh Calcium flowing into our bodies to combat this weakening. However, Calcium is not only responsible for bone development; trace amounts of Calcium can be located within the circulatory system, being utilized to combat internal hemorrhages. 

Currently Calcium deficiency is one of the greatest forms of Mineral deficiency in English and American societies, particularly in women. The probably cause for this is linked to the current societal view on the "Size 0" perception of beauty, causing young and/or insecure women to cut out calories (And therefore many foods high in Calcium) of their diets. It goes without saying that this is causing undue harm to many people, even though it is relatively easy to increase your Calcium intake.

A well known source of Calcium is Dairy products; Cheese, milk and yogurts being among the most used, however many fish also contain large Calcium deposits, Salmon and tuna being two of the largest suppliers. Finally, a large grouping of fruit and vegetables also host Calcium deposits; broccoli, spinach, orange juice, almonds, black-eyed peas, Green peas, and Ricotta being a few prime examples.

In addition to stronger, healthy bones, an optimal amount of Calcium in the body can cause the following changes in the body:

• Regulate and Control Blood Pressure: When combined in a diet involving large amounts of magnesium and potassium, studies have shown that blood pressure can be periodically lowered and maintained at a stable level. 
• Reduce the chances of becoming Obese: If you fail to keep a healthy level of Calcium in the body, hormones will be released that cause old Calcium cells to detach from the bone structure and move into the blood stream, simply to attempt to maintain the Calcium balance in your body. However, the hormone that is released also stimulates the growth of fatty cells in your body, increasing the fat percentage in the body. As you can see, this can rapidly cause obesity if not monitored carefully.
• Prevent Cardiac Arrest: Calcium also helps to build defenses around the Heart muscles as well as aid in their growth, releasing hormones to help stimulate the heart in moments of failure. By simply keeping an optimal level of Calcium, you can massively reduce your chances of Cardiac Arrest.

Copper

Chromium

Next time, I will give details on both Chromium and Copper, I hope the information I have given you today proves to be useful to you!