Why Do We Need Mineral And Vitamin Supplements?

October 04, 2020

Do you know that 92% of people suffer from at least one nutritional deficiency? And that even eating a healthy well balanced diet isn't enough to stop you from being on the wrong side of that statistic.

Why Do 92% Suffer From A Nutritional Deficiency?

There are a number of reasons why nutritional deficiencies are so prevalent, and growing at a rapid rate. These include -

• Soil Depletion - The foods we eat are grown from soil that has little, if any, trace minerals. I recently read that 50 years ago a serving of spinach contained about 150mg of iron. That same sized serving today is more likely to contain about 5mg of iron.
• Consumption of processed foods - Most of our foods are processed in ways that destroy almost all their nutritional value.
• Industrial farming with premature harvesting - Many fruits and vegetables are the product of industrialised and chemical farming where the fruits and vegetables have been genetically modified, and are harvested before they are ripe for shipping and distribution to supermarket shelves. This means the flavour and nutritional density is lacking. Even in New Zealand where farming is GMO free, many of the processed foods available for purchase contain ingredients from overseas which have been genetically modified.
• Preservatives, additives and sugar - These ingredients not only don't provide nutritional value - they cause the leaching of nutrients from our body. Each sugar consumption leaches rare and precious chromium from our body.
• Lack of variety in our diets - 60% of the average diet is made up of the consumption of wheat, rice and corn in their various forms.

What Is The Purpose of Food?

It may be seem strange to ask a question such as what is the purpose of food? But it's a valid question as over the years it seems we've come to place much more attention on food as a source of entertainment and energy.

Both are valid, but there is more to it.

Food gives us energy, but enzymes, vitamins and minerals are the building blocks that enable our bodies to use that energy to keep us alive and healthy.

We have over 10 trillion cells in our body which are replaced every 7 years (with the exception of brain cells). After each new cell is generated, your body must synthesise DNA to programme these cells. But DNA synthesis isn't possible without the proper amount of over 90 essential nutrients, which include enzymes, vitamins and minerals.

We need food to provide these - but even if we do consume all these essential nutrients, does that always mean that our body can absorb and make use of them? The simple answer is - no.

Absorption of Vitamins and Minerals

Unfortunately our ability to absorb minerals and vitamins declines with

• age
• stress
• physical condition
• condition of the digestive system
• exposure to environmental pollution

So, we not only have to consume over 90 essential nutrients to remain healthy, we also need to do what we can to improve our bodies ability to absorb them.

Are you starting to see why 92% of people are malnourished and nutrient deficient to at least some extent, even when they eat plenty, and even when they feel that they are doing a good job of including a well balanced diet in their pursuit of good health.

It may seem like an uphill battle to stay healthy, but it's certainly preferable to the alternative. It totally sucks to be sick, battle disease - or see the people we love enduring poor health and deterioration.

The Effect Of Nutrient Deficiency

Today we have an alarming number of people who are tired, sick, stressed, not able to think clearly, overweight, and dying prematurely. 

• 1 in 2 men, and 1 in 3 women suffer from cancer at some point in their life - and that number has doubled in the past 30 years.
• There's an almost vertical increase in neurological degeneration such as Alzheimers, Parkinsons, Autism, ADD, ADHD and depression.
• In many 1st world countries 46% of kids have a chronic disease by the age of 18.

By 2035 -

• 1 in 3 children will have autism, and
• 80% of geriatrics will have cancer

The Easiest Way To Avoid Nutritional Deficiency?

So, how do we and the people we care about avoid nutritional deficiency without having to jump through hoops, or create a rod for our back?

• Eat a well balanced diet. Eat a well balanced diet that provides as many of the 90 essential nutrients as you can naturally. Eat more vegetables and fruit and for many of us - less protein. Many studies suggest that protein should only make up about 5% of our diet. 
• Support your local farmers markets. Buy your fruit and vegetables at your local farmers market. The food is much more likely to have a higher level of nutrient density so is better for you, and it supports your local growers and community at the same time.
• Supplement with plant derived vitamins and minerals. You'll find more information on plant derived vitamins and minerals here, but for now I'll just say that not all vitamins and minerals are created equal. Look for quality supplements that have superior bio-availability (that means your body is able to absorb them better). Plant derived vitamins and minerals are frequently 90%-100% bio-available compared to others which are more likely less than 50% bio-available. If you're not sure where to start - begin with "minerals", as these are required utilise the vitamins in your body to create healthy new cells. The most common mineral deficiencies include - iron, calcium and zinc.

Want to find out more about minerals -?

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