The human body is a complex machine.  And just like any other machine, it needs the proper fuel to run.  Minerals are a part of that fuel equation.  Learn how important and integral minerals are to your health.

The body is made up of mostly water.  Within that water swims a variety of substances that are carried along through your vessels like passengers on a bus.  When the substances reach their destination, they pass through the lining of the vessel and into the cells or organs where they are needed.  Minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, hormones and amino acids are on that train.

What is the role for minerals?   Let’s look at a general overview.  Minerals are used in the fluid that makes up cells.  Have you heard of electrolyte imbalance?   The electrolytes are minerals and mineral salts that are present: potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and iron to name a few.  Many of these minerals are instrumental in building muscle tissue and bone.

When minerals are missing, the body goes through a lot of changes.  You might experience conditions like low back pain, brittle nails and hair, lackluster skin, poor digestion, depressive disorders, dental problems and heart issues.  Depending on the issue, a certain mineral may be in deficit.

Let’s look at iron.  Iron binds to heme in the blood to form hemoglobin.  It gives blood its red color and also delivers oxygen to the cells of the body.  During the monthly menstrual cycle, women lose a lot of blood and sometimes feel fatigued.  This can be due to low levels of iron.

Various foods contain minerals that the body needs every day.  Eat a variety of foods to get your minerals and also vitamins and other substances essential for life.  Animal products provide iron: red meat, chicken and fish.  Seafood provides other minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, selenium and phosphorus, as well as iron.

Minerals work with enzymes to drive a variety of metabolic processes.  These minerals are absorbed into body tissues where they help regulate everything from nerve function to muscle growth.  The federal government has come up with recommended daily allowances (RDA) for a variety of vitamins and minerals that are important for the function of the body.

Where else do you find these minerals?  Some people don’t eat red meat or fish depending on their tastes.  You are in luck because vegetables and fruits are also sources of minerals.  Eating citrus fruits and berries are good for calcium, copper and iron.  Leafy green vegetables provide iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and copper.  If you don’t eat seafood, selenium can be obtained from nuts and seeds.

As long as you eat a variety of foods, you won’t have to worry about not getting enough of your essential minerals.

Citrus fruits are delicious to eat.  They are great for your body as well because they are filled with vitamins you need every day.  Here are five health benefits of eating citrus fruits.

What is the best way to get your proper nutrition?  It is through eating the right foods.  There are many supplements, drinks, shakes and other products on the market designed to give your body what it needs but there is no substitute for the real thing.  Food, in its natural form, gives the body the full strength of the vitamins and minerals needed to fight disease, repair tissues and keep organs functioning properly.

1. Protect your bones.  Drinking milk is said to provide the best source of calcium and vitamin D, but eating oranges will do the same with better taste and more powerful results.  Oranges can provide the body with both calcium and vitamin D.  Sunlight helps the body to produce vitamin D which is essential for calcium to be effective in the body.

2. Help for your eyes.  Our eyesight is precious for viewing the world at all stages of our life.  One condition that affects eyes as they age is cataracts, a clouding over of the lens of the eye.  To help prevent the progression of this condition, antioxidants are needed to neutralize free radicals in the body.  Citrus fruits contain a few of the more powerful antioxidants:  vitamin A, E and C.

3. Improve heart health.  One condition that affects the state of the heart is cholesterol.  When blood cholesterol levels are within normal limits, blood vessels remain clear for blood to pass.  Healthy vessels are less likely to lead to aneurysms and blood clots that can lead embolism or thromboses.

4. Increasing proper digestion.  In order for the digestive system to function properly, it needs to be flushed as often as possible.  If you aren’t into colonics or other forms of colon cleansing, then do it the natural way with food.  Citrus fruits contain vitamin C and fiber from eating the actual fruit.  Drinking fruit juices (100 percent juice) will provide the vitamin C but not the fiber that you need.  Fiber will clean your digestive tract and take some of the fat from your food with it.  Fiber also lowers blood cholesterol levels of LDL (bad cholesterol).

5. Protect your skin.  The skin is the largest organ of the body.  It is the one we most often see so we want to keep it looking its best.  Antioxidants help with that.  Citrus fruits contain vitamin C and A, which are antioxidants.  They help prevent wrinkling, firm skin and repairs damaged skin cells.

Drinking juice is quicker, but eating citrus fruits is better for your health.  Head to the farmer’s market now and load up on oranges, grapefruit, lemons and the like.  To your health!