The Mineral Medic: Part 2

Last week I described to you all the uses of Boron and Calcium in your lifestyle, how a healthy intake of both minerals can help build towards a healthier body. As a continuation of this topic, in this post I will be explaining the uses of both Copper and Chromium in the human body. 

Copper;

Copper is an essential mineral. Without it, all of humanity would become incredibly unhealthy, our lifespans roughly half what they currently are. You see Copper is required to activate the metabolic reactions that process Vitamins and Amino Acids. If deficient in copper, the body will slow and possibly develop any number of potential illnesses, such as:

• Anemia
• Low body temperature
• Brittle bones
• Osteoporosis
• Dilated Veins
• Low white blood cell count
• Uneven heartbeat
• Elevated Cholesterol levels
• Low Resistance to infections
• Birth Defects
• Low Skin Pigmentation
• Thyroid disorders

Copper is important for more than just managing metabolism; it also benefits growth, utilization of iron, enzymatic reactions, connective tissues, hair, eyes, ageing and energy production. Many of us will have seen copper jewellery in the past, small items like copper bracelets that claim to help cure arthritis. Whereas the idea of these items actually working does make me chuckle, I understand where this idea originated. Copper is well known for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, shown to have greatly beneficial effects in reducing the symptoms of arthritis.

The same can be said for Cholesterol levels. A healthy level of copper encourages the body to create beneficial cholesterol at an increased rate, whilst simultaneously decreasing the levels of negative cholesterol; it does so by managing the processing of certain cholesterol heavy cells, altering the way these cells are utilized in the body.

Copper is also renowned as a “Brain Food” or a natural brain stimulant. When a healthy level of copper is held within the body, copper cells are introduced to the cranial cavity. As copper cells are metallic they become additional synapse points in the brain for electrical impulses to travel, this allows for faster transfer of information. The common misconception of “Brain foods” is that they make you smarter; this is not necessarily true, rather than making you smarter they simply speed up the information processing, allowing for quicker thinking. Although, it is important to remember the old saying “To much of a good thing…” an overabundance of copper can cause severe headaches and pain.

As I mentioned earlier, the human body requires copper for healthy growth, as it aids in the metabolizing of important amino acids and vitamins that are invaluable to human growth, whilst at the same time protecting the skeletal, cardiovascular and nervous systems.

As well as the above effects, copper is also on record as having the following benefits to the human body:

• Pigment in hair and eyes: Copper is a natural part of one of the darker pigments in the human body, large deposits of copper continue the creation of this pigment into old age, fighting the greying process of hair.
• Enzyme reactions: Copper is a known part of or effector of 50 separate enzymes, demonstrating its importance to the running of the human body.
• A Powerful Antioxidant: Copper is an amazing stalling agent and useful for fighting off many viruses.
• Increased energy production: Copper is essential for the synthesis of many internal energy producers in the body.

Chromium:

Chromium is best known for its control of how Insulin is utilized as well as increasing levels within the body. For this reason it has been adopted into medical practices with the aim of curing or maintaining diabetes, with promising results so far. It has been shown in recent studies that 90% of Americans are suffering a deficiency of Chromium.

Such a deficiency can lead to several problems such as; an increase in blood sugar (as less insulin is being produced) and cholesterol, as well as an increased chance of developing heart disease or Diabetes.

By increasing the amount of Chromium in the body (either through supplements or a change in diet) scientists have theorized that Chromium holds minor weight loss properties and provides muscle building nutrients, however this theory requires more study before it becomes fact.

The most well known use for Chromium is in relation to Diabetes; as previously mentioned Chromium is a great supplier and controller of Insulin, which is integral to the control of blood sugar levels. By keeping healthy levels of Chromium in the body, it has been demonstrated in several tests that blood sugar levels are lowered, as are the levels of externally produced Insulin needed to run the body. There are minor levels of controversy linked to the use of Chromium against diabetes though, as some have claimed that the level of change that Chromium instigates in the blood is so minor that it is not worth the potential risks of imbuing the body with large amounts of minerals.

Many foods are ready suppliers of Chromium, many of which the average person eats daily, however the amount of Chromium in some of these foods is relatively minor, linked to the cause of deficiency in the Americas:

• Lean meats: Turkey breast, Chicken Breast, Venison, Bison Sirloin etc…
• Cheeses
• Pork kidneys
• Whole Grain breads and cereals
• Oatmeal
• Prunes
• Mushrooms
• Nuts

The recommended amount of Chromium to imbue per day is as follows:

Pediatric

• For infants birth - 6 months: 0.2 mcg (micrograms) daily
• For infants 7 - 12 months: 5.5 mcg daily
• For children 1 - 3 years: 11 mcg daily
• For children 4 - 8 years: 15 mcg daily
• For boys 9 - 13 years: 25 mcg daily
• For girls 9 - 13 years: 21 mcg daily
• For boys 14 - 18 years: 35 mcg daily
• For girls 14 - 18 years: 24 mcg daily
• For pregnant women 14 - 18 years: 29 mcg daily
• For breastfeeding women 14 - 18 years: 44 mcg daily
  

Adult

• For adult men 19 - 50 years: 35 mcg daily
• For adult men 51 years and older: 30 mcg daily
• For adult women 19 - 50 years: 25 mcg daily
• For adult females 50 years and older: 20 mcg daily
• For pregnant females 19 years and older: 30 mcg daily
• For breastfeeding females 19 years and older: 30 mcg daily
  
  

 

And with all that said and done, next week I will move onto Cobalt and Fluorine.

Beating Diabetes, One step at a time.

Diabetes is rife in England, one in ten people are affected by it and yet, barring insulin, there is no real variety of ways to combat it. So here are 7 different vitamins and suppliments you can use to help your fight against Diabetes.

Chromium

Chromium is a trace mineral located in the human body that regulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism. However it also helps in the acceptance and processing of insulin introduced to the system from outside sources (like injections). It has been observed by scientists that people with low levels of Chromium have a higher chance of developing Type-2 Diabetes.  Several studies have shown that Chromium treatments can help in the control of Diabetes, however whereas these studies have been highly informative they have not be wholly conclusive meaning that further study must be undertaken to understand the complete benefits Chromium may have when treating Diabetes.  In studies, Chromium supplements have been shown o increase the amount of insulin processed by significant amounts. It is clear that the addition of Chromium to one Diabetic routine can help the development of a far healthier system.

Ginseng
There are dozens of forms of Ginseng; however the most effective form is North American, or Panax quinquefilious. This form of Ginseng has demonstrated powerful blood sugar control properties, in addition to producing Glycosylated hemogobin (a form of hemoglobin in the blood used to monitor blood glucose levels over time).
A great way to get a regular amount of Ginseng in your system is to brew Ginseng tea, to do so, follow these instructions.

1. Slice a whole Ginseng root into coarse pieces.
2. Measure out 1 tsp of Root and add to a cup of cold water.
3. Cover and bring the water to boil.
4. Once the water begins to boil, lower the temperature to the lowest setting you have available and leave it for 15 minutes.
5. Let the mixture steep for 6 hours.
6. Drink at will.

Cinammon
Cinnamon is without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best spices out there for controlling diabetes. There are properties in cinnamon that increase the amounts of blood sugar your muscles absorb, keeping the levels of excess blood glucose to lower levels. Studies using Cinnamon pills have demonstrated that by taking three supplements of Cinnamon a day you can cause the levels of blood glucose to drop at a steady rate. It is simple enough to add cinnamon into a diet and heavily recommended

Many diabetes experts claim the usefulness of the Cinnamon, in the video below shows Shane Owen describing one of the ways that Cinnamon can be used to curb Diabetes.  In addition to helping with Diabetes, Cinnamon also has powerful cholesterol lowering effects, it was demonstrated in a test which involved three groups of people taking varying doses of Cinnamon, forty days after the test every group demonstrated significantly lowered cholesterol levels.

Zinc
It has been shown that many people suffering form Diabetes have suboptimal Zinc levels in their body. This is due to their bodies producing low levels of Zinc and excreting it a highly accelerated rate. It is advised that anyone suffering from Diabetes in any form try to supplement the amount of zinc they intake. Several foods are naturally rich in zinc; find a list of some of these foods: Fresh oysters, ginger root, lamb, pecans, split peas, egg yolk, rye, beef liver, lima beans, almonds, walnuts, sardines, chicken and buckwheat.

Magnesium

Magnesium is needed for over 300 different bodily functions, including the regulation of blood sugar, muscle and nerve functions. It has been proven that a daily supplement of Magnesium can help drop blood glucose levels by aiding the body process blood sugar far more efficiently.
With this mineral however, I am attaching a warning; High levels of Magnesium can prove to be dangerous to the human body, causing heavy, difficult breathing as well as heart problems and low blood pressure. So whilst Magnesium is great for combating the effects of Diabetes it can be counted as somewhat of a double edged sword, so please be careful and consult a professional.

Aloe Vera Gel

Whilst Aloe Vera Gel is better known as a soothing agent for burns and the like, Japanese Scientists have recently discovered additional uses for the substance. Within Aloe Vera there are a number of active phytosterol compounds that reduce blood glucose levels. It also reduces glycosylated hemoglobin, which is a fairly uncommon property to be found in plant matter.

Vanadium
Vanadium is naturally found in soil and most foods, Petroleum burning also produces Vanadium. This substance has demonstrated to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the levels of blood sugar. In many ways it mimics the effects of insulin, which makes it invaluable in the fight against diabetes. 

However there are inherent dangers to Vanadium as the dose needed to effectively lower the levels of blood glucose can prove to be toxic to the human body. If you wish to integrate additional supplements of Vanadium into your lifestyle, I would advise you to contact a trained professional.