|
The
Reiki Principals
Now and
Today...
Approach
life with wonder and love
Worry
Not
Anger
Not
Honor
and respect all fellow beings
Show
gratitude for the elements and beyond
Do your
work honestly
Be kind
to all living things
BREATHE
| |
Vitamins
and Minerals
Achieving
Optimal Health requires a balance in care for our Mind, Body, Spirit and heart.
On the physical realm it is often necessary to supplement our nutritional
reality with vitamins and minerals. The following represents a sample of what is
available. When using supplements of any kind be aware of detoxification, side
effects, allergic reaction such as rash or fever. If you are taking prescription
medication speak with your doctor prior to beginning any supplemental program.
Remember, often the benefits of supplemental programs take time to take effect
and are not noticeable right away.
The following
is for informational purposes only.
Some
Common Vitamins and minerals
Vitamin A has widely
varied functions including supporting vision, growth and development, and the
immune system; building and maintaining healthy skin, mucous membranes, organ
linings, bones, and teeth; protecting against certain cancers; and carrying out
important metabolic and hormonal roles.
- Vitamin A is shown to
reduce cancerous lesions of the mouth. The results of the study were
reported by the University of Arizona Cancer Center. Vitamin A may also help
people who develop oral or esophageal cancer traced to an excess use of
tobacco or alcohol.
- Vitamin A is necessary
for smoothing dry, rough skin and contains anti-aging qualities.
- Vitamin A has an effect
on strengthening bones and teeth, and has a connection to preventing the
cracking of teeth.
- Vitamin A keeps the
lining of the lungs healthy.
- Vitamin A helps heal
wounds and aids in reducing outbreaks of acne.
- Vitamin A helps reduce
disorders of the stomach lining that lead to ulcers.
- Vitamin A helps heal
the effects of viruses on the body because of its know antiviral properties.
- Vitamin A
beta-carotene has been found to help protect individuals from coronary
artery disease.
B-Complex
- The B-Complex vitamins
are active in providing the body with energy by, basically, converting
carbohydrates into glucose which the body “burns” to produce energy. B
vitamins are vital in the metabolism of fats and proteins. In addition, B
vitamins are necessary and may be the single most important factor for normal
functioning of the nerves. They are essential for maintenance of muscle tone in
the gastrointestinal tract and for the health of the skin, hair, nails, mouth,
liver and every bodily function. Because of the water solubility of the B-Complex vitamins, any excess is
excreted instead of being stored. Therefore, they must be replaced daily.
The most important thing to remember is that all B vitamins should be
taken together. They are interrelated in function. As long as you take the
B-Complex, which contains all the important B vitamins, you may take extra of
any individual B vitamin as long as you do not take massive doses for extended
periods of time.
Stress destroys massive amounts of B vitamins as does infection and
alcohol. Nervous individuals and persons working under tension can greatly
benefit from taking larger than normal doses of the B vitamins. Alcoholics and
individuals who consume excessive amounts of carbohydrates and caffeine require
a higher intake of B vitamins for proper metabolism. The B vitamins have been
used successfully in the treatment of alcoholic psychoses, drug overdoses and
drug induced delirium.
An adequate dose of B-Complex has been found to control migraine headaches
and attaches of Meniere’s syndrome. Some heart abnormalities have responded to
the use of B-Complex because the nerves affecting the heart need these vitamins
for smooth, quiet functioning. Massive doses have been used to cure polio,
improve the condition of hypersensitive children and to improve cases of
shingles. Children and pregnant women need extra B vitamins for normal growth.
Almost everyone has a B vitamins deficiency because the 13 or more of the
vitamins are so meagerly supplied in the American diet and the process in which
food is prepared takes out the natural vitamins. We also tend to consume
large amounts of sugar, which destroys B vitamins. If a person is tired,
irritable, nervous, depressed, or suicidal, suspect a B vitamin deficiency. Grey
hair, hair loss, acne or other skin troubles, poor appetite and indigestion,
insomnia, neuritis, anemia, constipation and high cholesterol level are also
indicators of a B vitamin deficiency. Having an enlarged tongue (including the
buds on each side) that is shiny, bright red and full of grooves, cracks at
corners of the mouth, canker sores or tender gums mean that B vitamins are
needed.
Postoperative nausea and vomiting, resulting from anesthesia, can be
successfully treated with B-Complex. Menstrual difficulty is often relieved with
B vitamins and may also help with vaginitis, pellagra, burning feet, burning and
dry eyes, eyestrain, night blindness, fatigue and weight problems.
Patients in mental hospitals and convalescent homes who were suffering
from senile dementia exhibited a dramatic improvement in their mental conditions
within 24 to 48 hours after large doses of B vitamins were administered.
One cannot overstate the importance of B vitamins. They are absolutely
necessary in achieving and maintaining good health. The liquid B-Complex has all
the necessary B vitamins plus Vitamin C.
Vitamin
B1 (Thiamine) –
Thiamine deficiency is characterized by severe fatigue and depression.
Scientists are interested in thiamine deficiencies resulting in memory deficits
closely resembling the mental deterioration of Alzheimer’s disease, a
degenerative brain disorder.
The importance of thiamine should not be overlooked. Without it, loss of
appetite, depression and other psychological problems develop along with memory
loss, gastric abdominal pains and constipation. Also, heart irregularities,
prickling sensations and tenderness of the calf muscles can occur.
With the use of thiamine, energy levels are high, the mind is clear and
focused and emotions function normally.
Vitamin
B2 (Riboflavin) –
Riboflavin functions as part of a group of enzymes that are involved in the
breakdown and utilization of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Riboflavin is
necessary for cell oxygen and for the maintenance of skin, hair, nails and good
vision.
The most common symptoms of a lack of riboflavin are cracks and sores in
the corners of the mouth, a red sore tongue, the feeling of grit and sand on the
inside of the eyelids, burning eyes, eye fatigue, dilation of the pupils,
changes in the cornea and sensitivity to light. Also, lesions of the lips,
scaling of the nose, mouth, forehead and ears, trembling, sluggishness,
dizziness, dropsy, inability to urinate, vaginal itching, oily skin and baldness
indicate a riboflavin deficiency.
Vitamin
B5 (Pantothenic Acid) –
Pantothenic Acid stimulates the adrenal glands and increases production of
cortisone and other adrenal hormones that are important for healthy skin and
nerves.
Adequate intake of pantothenic acid reduces the toxicity effects of many
antibiotics. It aids in the prevention of premature aging and wrinkles.
Symptoms of a deficiency may include vomiting, restlessness, abdominal
pains, burning feet, muscle cramps, and sensitivity to insulin, decreased
antibody formation and upper respiratory infections. A deficiency may lead to
skin disorders, adrenal exhaustion and low blood sugar and may result in
duodenal ulcers. Because the brain contains one of the highest concentrations of
pantothenic acid, mental symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue and depression can
result from a deficiency.
Pantothenic acid is important in the defense against stress and it also
helps build antibodies for fighting infections.
Vitamin
B6 (Pyridoxine) –
Pyridoxine is required for the proper absorption of Vitamin B12 (Cyancobalamin)
and for the production of hydrochloric acid and magnesium. It must be present
for the production of antibodies and red blood cells.
In cases of pyridoxine deficiencies, there is low blood sugar levels and
low glucose tolerance, resulting in sensitivity to insulin. Deficiency may cause
loss of hair, cracks around the mouth and eyes, water retention during
pregnancy, numbness, neuritis, arthritis, heart and nerve disorders, temporary
paralysis of a limb and an increase in urination. Symptoms of a pyridoxine
deficiency are similar to those seen in niacin and riboflavin deficiencies and
may include muscular weakness, nervousness, irritability, depression and
dermatitis. Symptoms such as tingling hands, shoulder hand syndrome, wrist hand
syndrome and arthritis associated with menopause may also be present.
Vitamin
B12 (Cyancobalamin) –
Cyancobalamin is necessary for normal metabolism of nerve tissue and is involved
in protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Cyancobalamin helps the placement
of Vitamin A into body tissue aiding carotene absorption, or Vitamin A
conversion. It also aids in the production of DNA and RNA, the body’s genetic
material.
It may take up to six years for symptoms to appear after the body’s
supply of cyancobalamin from natural resources has been restricted. These
symptoms begin with changes in the legs and arms, diminished reflex response and
sensory perception, difficulty in walking, speaking (stammering) and jerking of
the limbs.
Lack of cyancobalamin has been found to cause a type of brain damage
resembling schizophrenia. The brain damage may be detected by the following
symptoms; sore mouth, numbness or stiffness, a feeling of deadness, shooting
pains, feeling like needles and pins are poking the skin and hot and cold
sensations.
Cyancobalamin has provided relief for fatigue increases nervous
irritability, mild impairment in the memory, inability to concentrate, mental
depression, insomnia and lack of balance. Cyancobalamin has also been used
successfully in the treatment of hepatitis, bursitis and asthma.
 Vitamin
M/B9 is another of the essential B vitamins, is actually a group of
compounds that include Folic Acid and similar substances. It is essential
for making genetic material (DNA and RNA) and red blood cells, healing wounds
and building muscle tissues. It is also instrumental in a number of metabolic
functions, including the synthesis of choline and the formation of various amino
acids-the building blocks of proteins. It works closely with vitamins B6 and B12
too, among other functions, protect against heart disease by controlling blood
levels of homocysteine, a by product of protein metabolism.
Vitamin B9 Folic Acid has
a direct effect on lessening depression. It helps regulate sleep, and appetite.
Recent research has shown that B12 can help prevent certain heart ailments.
Vitamin B12 is so important in preventing birth defects that it is now required
by law to be added to certain grain based foods.
Choline is
thought to play a role in preventing heart disease. It works with other Vitamin
B's, especially folic acid, to metabolize homocysteine; a by-product of protein
metabolism that increases the risk of atherosclerosis when too much circulates
in the blood. Choline may also protect the liver against accumulation of
excessive fat, cirrhosis, and cancer. Choline, along with the closely related
lecithin, is important in reproduction and fetal development. The body can make
Choline, but sometimes not enough to meet its needs, especially during pregnancy
and breast feeding as well as exerting exercising with high intensity. Choline
also protects against fatty liver disease and other liver disorders. Choline can
also help prevent atherosclerosis and heart disease.
Biotin
– (code 7040) Biotin
assists in the making of fatty acids and in the oxidation of the fatty acids and
carbohydrates. Without biotin, the body’s fat production is impaired. Biotin
aids in the utilization of protein, folacin, pantothenic acid, and cyancobalamin.
A deficiency of biotin causes muscular pain, a lack of appetite and energy, dry
skin, sleeplessness and a disturbed nervous system. Dermatitis, grayish skin
color, and depression are other symptoms of a biotin deficiency. In severe
cases, there may be impairment of the body’s fat metabolism, lowered
hemoglobin levels and raised cholesterol levels.
These are a group of
compounds found in vegetables and fruits that give them their orange, red, or
yellow color and that have been found to increase the potency of Vitamin C.
Flavinoids
have shown to have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties; they also
help prevent allergic reactions, protect cellular genetic material against
mutations, fight viruses, prevent abnormal blood clotting, and promote good
circulation by opening (dilating) blood vessels. Population studies have shown
that diets high in Flavinoids with a decreased risk of heart attack and cancer.
Vitamin D,
a fat soluble vitamin, helps the body utilize calcium and can help heal bone
deformation due to low levels of calcium and bone loss due to aging. You may
reverse the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency-such as severe tooth decay or
hearing loss due to softening of the bones in the inner ear-by taking
supplements of Vitamin D.
- Vitamin D may help in
alleviating certain respiratory disorders, like tuberculosis (TB).
- Vitamin D can relieve
inflammatory bowel diseased conditions in the body that can lead to colon
cancers.
- Vitamin D has been
shown to heal people quicker that have suffered from stroke or who have high
blood pressure.
- Vitamin D deficiency
has been linked to bone diseases, osteo-arthritis and osteo-porosis. This is
due to the fact that Vitamin D is known to aid calcium absorption, and
calcium is critical for bone health. Some symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
can also be alleviated with Vitamin D.
Vitamin E,
most of its benefits are related to its antioxidant properties and include
slowing of the aging process and protecting against cancer, coronary heart
disease, cataracts, and numerous degenerative diseases. It also bolsters the
immune system, improves circulation, accelerates wound healing, and reduces
symptoms associated with prostaglandin activity, such as inflammation of the
premenstrual syndrome. It also protects Vitamins A & C from oxidation
and is essential to maintaining healthy red blood cells and muscle tissue.
- Vitamin E helps
mitigate effects of unwise habits like smoking, and unavoidable living
conditions, such as living in a city blanketed in polluted air. The
oxygen depriving effects of stress, especially shallow breathing and
poor quality sleep can be reversed in some cases by vitamin E
supplements.
- Vitamin E studies
have shown that a definite postponement of memory loss in Alzheimer's
patients.
- Vitamin E has been
shown to prevent blood clotting of the sort that leads to heart attack;
it has also been shown to raise low levels of HDL, the "good"
cholesterol.
- Vitamins E when
taken with Calcium, has been shown to prevent and heal blood clots in
the lungs, with surgery patients.
- Vitamin E was found
to help heal hardened breast cysts in premenstrual women.
- Vitamin E's most
attractive quality by Doctors around the world is the anti-aging
benefits. Both elderly humans and laboratory animals show that Vitamin E
helps protect against the cellular damage that comes with aging.
Folic
Acid (Folacin) –
Folacin is necessary for proper brain function, concentrating mainly in the
spinal and extra cellular fluids and is essential for mental and emotional
health. Folacin increases the appetite and stimulates the production of
hydrochloric acid, which helps prevent intestinal parasites and food poisoning.
In addition, it aids in performance of the liver.
In surveys conducted, folacin was shown to be one of the nutrients most
often deficient in our diets. Deficiencies result in poor growth, graying hair,
tongue inflammation and gastro-intestinal tract disturbances, anemia,
irritability, forgetfulness and mental sluggishness.
A need for this vitamin is especially increased during pregnancy. The
fetus, meeting its need for rapid growth, easily depletes the mother’s
reserve. The World Health Organization reports that one third to one half of
pregnant women are folacin deficient in the last three months of pregnancy.
Almost any interference with the metabolism of folacin in the fetus encourages
deformities such as cleft palate, brain damage, slow development and poor
learning ability in the child. IN addition, deficiency of folacin may lead to
toxemia, premature birth, after birth hemorrhaging and megaloblastic anemia in
both the mother and the child.
Niacin
– Niacin is necessary
for carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. It helps maintain the health of
the skin, tongue and the digestive system.
Symptoms of deficiency include dermatitis, digestive disturbances and sore
mouth and gums.
Vitamin
A&D – Vitamin
A aids in the growth and repair of body tissues and helps maintain
smooth, soft, and disease free skin. Internally it helps protect the mucous
membranes in the mouth, nose, throat and lungs, thereby reducing susceptibility
to infection. Other important function of Vitamin A includes the building of
strong bones, teeth, white blood cells and the maintenance of good eyesight. RNA
production is greatly enhanced by Vitamin A.
Heavy use if the eyes from watching television, working on a computer and
working under glaring lights requires more Vitamin A. It is essential in the
formation of visual purple, a substance in the eye, which is necessary for
proper night vision. The eyes are well known indicators of Vitamin A deficiency.
One if the first symptoms are night blindness, which is an inability of the eyes
to adjust to darkness. Another eye related deficiency symptom is xerosis, a
disease in which the eyeball looses luster, becoming dry and inflamed and visual
acuity is reduced.
Other sign of a deficiency include rough, dry skin, prematurely aged skin,
acne, loss of smell, loss of appetite, frequent fatigue, skin blemishes, sties
in the eyes and diarrhea. Vitamin A may be lacking when the hair loses its sheen
and luster, when dandruff accumulates and fingernails become brittle.
There is also evidence that Vitamin A is related to sexual development and
reproduction. Studies have shown that men with low sperm levels return to normal
after being given Vitamin A and Vitamin E. Also, vitamin deficiency in females
causes inability to conceive and they may have a higher susceptibility to
miscarriage.
In animal studies, females that were Vitamin A deficient yet able to conceive
had problems such as difficult births, death of the fetus, cleft palate and
other congenital defects.
Researchers believe that the vitamin counters the cancerous process by
activating the body’s immune system and preventing the thymus gland from shrinking.
Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium from the intestinal
tract and the breakdown and assimilation of phosphorus, which is required for
bone formation. Without it, symptoms such as softening of the skull and bones,
bowing of the legs, spinal curvature, enlargement of the wrists, knees and ankle
joints, poorly developed muscles and nervous irritability can occur. Vitamin D
is necessary for the normal growth in children, for without it, bones and teeth
do not calcify properly.
Vitamin D is valuable in maintaining a stable nervous system, normal heart
action and normal clotting. These vitamins are most effective when taken
together.
Vitamin
C (Ascorbic Acid) –
Vitamin C’s primary function is maintenance of collagen, a protein necessary
for the formation of connective tissue in the skin, ligaments and bones. Vitamin
C plays a role in healing wounds and burns, forming red blood cells and
preventing infections, reducing the effects on the body of some allergy
producing substances.
Large concentrations of Vitamin C are found in the adrenal glands and the
vitamin is essential in the formation of the adrenals.
Signs of deficiency are shortness of breath, impaired digestion, poor lactation
in nursing women, bleeding gums, weakened enamel dentine, a tendency to bruise
easily, having swollen or painful joints, nosebleeds, anemia, lowered resistance
to infections and slow healing. Scurvy is the result a severe deficiency. Breaks
in the capillary walls are also a sign of a lack of Vitamin C. Clots usually
form at the point of these breaks, so therefore, a deficiency is a probable
cause of heart attacks and strokes being initiated by such clots.
Vitamin C stimulates the production of interferon and acts as an
inactivator against viruses including herpes, vaccinia, hepatita, polio,
encephalitis, measles and pneumonia.
Vitamin
E – Vitamin E is an
antioxidant, meaning that it opposes oxidation of substances in the body.
Oxidation involves a compound, called “a oxidize”, which attacks another
compound, removing an electron from it.
Vitamin E prevents saturated fatty acids and Vitamin A from breaking down
and combining with other substances that may become harmful to the body. Vitamin
E plays an essential role in cellular respiration of all muscles, especially
cardiac and skeletal, and makes it possible for these muscles and their nerves
to function with less oxygen, thereby increasing their endurance and stamina. It
also causes dilation if the blood vessels, permitting a fuller flow of blood to
the heart. Vitamin E also aids in retarding the aging process, and is necessary
for proper focusing of the eyes and when used on burns and wounds, promotes
healing and is effective in the prevention of elevated scar formation in the
skin and within the body. It helps prevent miscarriages, increases male and
female fertility and helps restore male potency.
The first clinical signs of a Vitamin E deficiency are the rupture of red blood
cells, which result from their increased fragility. Vitamin E deficiencies
reduce the level of functioning to the adrenals and pituitary glands. Iron
absorption and hemoglobin formation is also impaired. Women who are severely
deficient in Vitamin E often cannot carry a pregnancy successfully and miscarry.
Premature births frequently result from insufficient intake of Vitamin E during
pregnancy, leaving the infant susceptible to anemia and edema. Hemorrhaging can
occur in newborn infants that lack Vitamin E.
A deficiency of Vitamin E can be related to heart disease. Approximately
25,000 children are born with heart defects every year in the United States.
Evidence is accumulating to indicate that a lack of sufficient Vitamin E may be
a contributing factor in children with atherosclerosis.
Vitamin
K – Vitamin K is
necessary for the formation of prothrombin, a chemical required in blood
clotting. It is also vital for normal liver functioning and is an important
vitality and longevity factor.
Deficiencies of Vitamin K result from inadequate absorption or the
body’s inability to utilize Vitamin K in the liver. Vitamin K deficiency is
common in diseases such as celiac disease (intestinal mal-absorption), spruce
(mal-absorption in adulthood) and colitis, which affect the absorption of mucosa
of the small intestine and cause a rapid loss of intestinal contents. With a
deficiency, a condition may occur where blood-clotting time is greatly prolonged
and can cause hemorrhaging in any body part including the brain, spinal cord and
intestinal tract. A Vitamin K deficiency can cause miscarriages, nosebleeds and
can be a factor in cellular disease and diarrhea.
Mineral
Complex - Minerals
are nutrients that exist in the body and in food. There are approximately 17
essential minerals in human nutrition. The rest are trace minerals found only in
minute amounts in the body. The Mineral Complex has all the essential minerals
along with over 100 trace minerals.
Minerals are vital to overall mental and physical well-being and are
constituents of the bones, teeth, soft tissue, muscles and blood and nerve
cells. They are important factors in maintaining physiological processes,
strengthening skeletal structures and preserving vigor of the heart and brain as
well as all muscles and nerve systems.
Minerals, just like vitamins, act as catalysts for many biological
reactions within the human body. Including muscle response, the
transmission of messages through the nervous system, digestion and metabolism,
or utilization of nutrients in foods. They are important in the production of
hormones and help to maintain the delicate water balance essential to the proper
functioning of mental and physical processes. They keep blood and tissue fluid
from becoming either too acid or alkaline and permit other nutrients to pass
into the bloodstream. Minerals also help draw chemical substances out of the
cells and aid in the creation of antibodies and help the body to assimilate
B-vitamins.
Calcium,
the most abundant mineral in the body, is essential for the growth and
maintenance of bones and teeth. It enables muscles, including your heart, to
contract; it is necessary for normal blood clotting, proper nerve impulse
transmission, and connective-tissue maintenance. It helps keep blood pressure
normal and may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Taken with Vitamin D, it
may help lessen the risk of colorectal cancer. It also helps prevent rickets in
children and osteoporosis in adults.
Calcom
– Organic Calcium Complex
– Calcium is the most
abundant mineral in the body. It’s most important function is acting in
cooperation with phosphorous to build and maintain strong, healthy bones and
teeth. But, it is also absolutely necessary for healthy blood, easing insomnia
and helping to regulate the heartbeat. In addition, the calcium assists in the
process of blood clotting and helps to prevent the accumulation of too much acid
or too little alkali in the blood. Calcium plays a part in muscle growth and
contraction and nerve transmission. It aids the body’s utilization of iron and
helps regulate the passage of nutrients in and out of the cell walls.
There are many illnesses associated with calcium deficiency and most of
them can be prevented or treated with proper calcium consumption. These include
tetany, a nervous disorder characterized by muscle cramps, numbness and tingling
in the arms and legs, osteoporosis, in which the bones become porous and fragile
because of the calcium being withdrawn from them faster than it is being
deposited,
hyperthyroidism and bone malformations causing rickets in children
and osteomalacia in adults. Early consumption of calcium can help prevent
arthritis, the depletion of bone calcium, and rheumatism along with tooth decay,
impaired growth, cramps, heart palpitations, insomnia, excessive irritability of
nerves and muscles, problems with menopause, headaches, premenstrual tension and
menstrual cramps. Calcium is very soothing to the body because it eases stress,
therefore helping to regulate high and low blood pressure. Calcium and Vitamin A
are a good combination for skin protection and keeping the skin healthy.
Pregnant women need to be sure to get enough calcium in order to give
their babies what they need to develop. It is also necessary to keep women from
excessive tooth decay, cavities and muscle cramps that tend to happen when not
enough calcium is consumed during pregnancy.
Due to the lack of calcium in their bones, the elderly have problems with
their hips breaking from the weight of their bodies and causing them to fall.
They think that the fall was what broke the hip, when in truth, the hip breaking
was what caused the fall.
Calcium absorption depends upon the presence of adequate amounts of
Vitamin D, which works with the parathyroid hormone to regulate the amount of
calcium in the blood.
Vitamin A and Vitamin C are also necessary for calcium absorption. Large
amounts of phytic acid, present in cereals and grains, may inhibit the
absorption of calcium by the body. Other factors that interfere with the
absorption are lack of exercise, excessive stress, excitement, depression and
diarrhea.
The Calcom is a completely organic form of calcium that only the good Lord
and natures can produce. It is made from plant extracts that have been harvested
alive in this century and not from plants that have been dead, decayed and
decomposed for 5,000 years. Many have tried to take shortcuts by grinding rock
into fine powder or by using plant deposits from many years ago, but these
products are still not organic. Not any more organic than coal or crude oil.
Nature has made plants able to take in an inorganic mineral and convert it
into an organic mineral that we can take and totally digest and metabolize. The
organic Calcom Formula, when presented to the cells is readily accepted and
utilized in its entirety. You can’t eat rocks, drugs and inorganic things and
live.
GTF
Chromium – Chromium is
an essential mineral found in concentration of 20 parts of chromium per one
billion parts of blood.
Chromium stimulates the activity of enzymes involved in the metabolism of
glucose for energy and the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. Chromium
appears to increase the effectiveness of insulin and it’s ability to handle
glucose, preventing hypoglycemia (too much insulin) or diabetes (too little
insulin). A chromium deficiency may be a factor that will upset the function of
insulin and result in depressed growth rates and severe glucose intolerance in
diabetes.
In the blood, chromium and iron transport protein. Chromium may also be
involved in the synthesis of protein through its binding action with RNA
molecules.
Chromium is used on patients with diabetes, heart disease, hypoglycemia
and weight problems. Chromium may inhibit the formation of aortic plaques and a
deficiency may contribute to arteriosclerosis.
Magnesium
is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. About 60% are found in the
bones and teeth; 28% is in the muscles, liver and other soft tissues; and 2% is
in the body fluids. It is essential to building bones and teeth and numerous
metabolic functions. Magnesium is also an ingredient in some antacids and
laxatives and is used to prevent premature birth and treat certain types of
convulsions and rapid heartbeats (tachycardia). Recent research indicates that
magnesium deficiency may be a factor in the development of atherosclerosis and
coronary artery disease-the major cause of heart attacks.
Potassium
is another mineral that is classified as an
electrolyte, a substance that has electrical properties when it is dissolved in
the fluid part of the blood. Like Sodium and Chloride, the other two
electrolytes, Potassium is involved in maintaining the body's fluid and
acid-base balances.
It also is essential for proper muscle function and various metabolic processes.
Potassium also conducts
nerve impulses and regulates the heartbeating and blood pressure.
Iron
is found in hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen
from the lungs to body tissues. It is also a component of myoglobin, a protein
that provides extra fuel to muscles during exertion or exercise. Lack of Iron
deprives the body tissues of oxygen and may cause Iron deficiency anemia.
Warning signs include fatigue, paleness, dizziness, and sensitivity to cold,
listlessness, irritability, poor concentration, and heart palpitations. Because
Iron strengthens immune function, Iron deficiency also may increase
susceptibility to infection.
Women need more Iron
before menopause than after, because menstruation causes iron loss each month.
Iron
is
found in hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from
the lungs to body tissues. It is also a component of myoglobin, a protein that
provides extra fuel to muscles during exertion or exercise. Lack of Iron
deprives the body tissues of oxygen and may cause Iron deficiency anemia.
Warning signs include fatigue, paleness, dizziness, and sensitivity to cold,
listlessness, irritability, poor concentration, and heart palpitations. Because
Iron strengthens immune function, Iron deficiency also may increase
susceptibility to infection.
Women need more Iron
before menopause than after, because menstruation causes iron loss each month.
Zinc
is a micromineral that plays important roles in immunity, wound healing, normal
growth and development, reproduction, and various metabolic processes. Recent
research indicates that it may help fight the common cold and other infections;
it may also be useful in treating fibromylalgia, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid
arthritis.
Zinc is involved in well
over metabolic process and body functions. Every cell in the body requires Zinc,
with the largest amounts concentrated in the liver, kidneys, pancreas, bones,
skin, eyes, and the prostate gland. It is found in the drinking water of many
areas and a variety of foods, especially those high in protein. Although only
very small amounts of Zinc are needed, studies indicate that many Americans
don't get nearly enough of this mineral.
Manganese
is an essential trace element that is a component of a number of enzymes needed
for metabolism; the body also uses it to build bone tissue and connective tissue
and carry out various other functions. Manganese has an antioxidant affect that
protects against tissue damage from burning fats. Most Manganese is concentrated
in the bones, liver, pancreas, and brain. Manganese activates enzymes that are
necessary to form cartilage and connective tissue in bones and skin as well as
working with Vitamin K to promote proper blood clotting and wound healing.
Chromium,
another of the essential trace minerals, works with insulin to metabolize blood
sugar (glucose), the body's major fuel; it is also essential for proper fat and
protein metabolism. Chromium is widely distributed in body tissue, with the
highest concentrations in the liver, kidneys, spleen, and bones.
The body absorbs only
small amounts of dietary Chromium, and many factors further reduce its
absorption. For example, absorption decreases with aging, a possible reason why
many older people have low Chromium levels. A diet that emphasizes highly
processed foods and sugar depletes Chromium reserves; a high fat diet reduces
Chromium absorption.
Selenium
is a component of an antioxidant enzyme called glutathione peroxidase. In the
body, it teams up with vitamin E, another important antioxidant. There is
mounting evidence that Selenium plays an important role in preventing several
types of cancer, heart disease, cataracts, and fertility problems. Selenium also
boosts immune systems, detoxifying certain poisons, as well as protecting
newborns against sudden infant death syndrome (SDIS).
Phosphorus,
in addition to working with calcium and other minerals to build strong bones and
teeth, Phosphorus is a part of all body cells; it is also a component of genetic
material (RNA and DNA) and phospholipids, compounds that carry cholesterol and
other fatty substances in the blood. It is also needed for normal milk secretion
during breast-feeding. Its numerous other functions include:
- Strengthening cell
membranes
- Helping to build muscle
tissue.
- Helping to maintain the
body's normal acid-base and fluid balances.
- Working with
various enzyme systems to metabolize energy and form and metabolize
proteins.
Vanadium
is a trace mineral. There is little know
about this mineral, but it is essential. Tests have shown evidence that
Vanadium lowers blood sugar levels and inhibits tumor development, and
therefore may protect against diabetes and some forms of cancer. It also
appears to the contribution of cholesterol metabolism and Hormone
production.
Vanadium exists in
whole grains, nuts, root vegetables, liver, fish, and vegetable oils.
Molybdenum
is an obscure mineral and an enzyme component. It helps generate energy, process
waste for excretion, mobilize stored iron for the bodies use, and detoxify
sulfites-which are chemicals used as food preservatives. As such, Molybdenum is
essential to normal development, particularly the nervous system. It is also an
ingredient of tooth enamel and may help prevent tooth decay.
Molybdenum is found in
peas, beans, cereals, pastas, green leafy vegatables, yeast, milk, and organ
meats.
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