75 years ago nutritionists and soil experts proclaimed: "We are a nation of impending BIG BELLIES!"
They described how we have been stripping our soils of the trace minerals so necessary to health, growth, long life, and resistance to disease. Because vitamins largely control the body's ability to process minerals, without these trace minerals the benefits of vitamins are severely compromised.
They conclude that "We must make soil building the basis of food building in order to accomplish human building and to reduce disease and our fat bellies."
These statements were made in 1936 by the United States Congress, after a study of food and soil nutrient values.
What Has Happened Since?
- When Congress saw the price tag for repairing the nation's farm and range soils, they got "sticker shock," and swept their own investigation under the carpet.
- Worldwide soil nutrient values have become so depleted that they have lost between 72-85% of their minerals compared to a 100 years ago
- Ill health – especially chronic ill health and obesity levels have reached epedemic levels.
According to Dr Charles Northen, the lead expert quoted in the Senate Document, the recommendation to mineralise our soils and bodies, which is “the most direct approach to better health” got squashed.
Squashed by the ‘miracle of antibiotics’ and an ever growing popular belief that there is a drug for every ailment. Preventative medicine took a back seat to pharmaceutical politics.
You know the rest of the story....!
The moral of the tale though relates to the critical role of minerals for optimum health.
This is well illustrated by naturopath Marie-France Muller in her book Colloidal Minerals and Trace Elements – How to Restore the Body’s Natural Vitality.
She shows how the various minerals and trace elements benefit us and how deficiencies contribute to poor health, mood shifts and other negative modes of behaviour.
The Critical Role of Minerals
Without minerals, nutrients like vitamins, proteins, enzymes, amino acids, carbohydrates, fats, sugars, oils, and all body processes cannot function optimally. Although minerals only make up 5% of body weight, they are essential for controlling nerves and muscles, helping to maintain the body's water balance, and buffering the pH (acidity) of the cell and extracellular fluids.
Minerals are often broken down into two categories: 'major minerals' which are required in the largest quantities (eg calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, sulfur, sodium, potassium and chlorine.) and 'micro minerals' or 'trace elements' which are required in smaller quantities (eg copper, selenium, iodine, cobalt, manganese, zinc).
There are also lesser known minerals that are important in trace amounts which is why we incorporate natural mineral sea salts in our Total Balance.
In total, it’s estimated that there are as much as 84 minerals including trace minerals which the body needs for optimal health.
Imagine that!
Think also about the times when you crave all sorts of weird unhealthy foods and empty calories. Why do you think that is?
A fundamental mineral imbalance is likely to be a very large cause.
Address that imbalance together with the nutrient and mineral depleted soils, and we may get to the core of the obesity epidemic now rampant in the world!
To repeat what Dr Northen said all those years ago: “We must make soil building the basis of food building in order to accomplish human building....and to reduce disease and our fat bellies.”