Your Nutritional and Vitamin Supplement Information Resource

posted by Ronald on May 14

Minerals are inorganic substances found in many of the foods we eat. Minerals are just as vital to good health as vitamins and protein. They are typically trace elements that are found in the soil where much of our produce grows. Minerals play an important part in many of our bodily functions, including growth, repair, and immunity. Minerals are elements like magnesium, phosphate, iron, and calcium that your body needs to perform many life sustaining functions.

Calcium is a mineral which is found in much of the food we eat, including milk and vegetables as well as nuts and seafood. It is absorbed into the blood where is travels to the bones and combines with collagen to make a dense matrix which gives bones their rigidity and strength. Minerals are a vital component of a healthy life style. Only with a balance of all the necessary substances can a person attain a balanced level of health and wellness. Without proper absorption or consumption of essential minerals in the diet, one will become weak and will not be able to function properly.

Another important mineral is iron. Iron is what red blood cells use to bind oxygen and then deliver that oxygen to the many parts of your body. Iron deficiency causes anemia or a decrease in effective blood cell levels, which manifests itself as general weakness and fatigue. Iron and calcium are only two important examples amongst many substances that are known as minerals which your body needs to stay healthy and beautiful.

It is important to supplement certain minerals because your body needs them to achieve a balanced state of health and wellness and your diet may not be balanced enough to provide all the minerals required. A doctor may prescribe calcium supplements that increase the uptake of calcium into the blood. This extra calcium can help protect an older woman who is at risk of osteoporosis from developing the disease over time. The same with pregnant women or women with irregular menstrual cycles.

For more information on the importance of health and nutrition, see the

Health and Nutrition Library

it includes many articles written to help you achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.