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.

We all know we need vitamins, but how do they function in our bodies? Our bodies need a variety of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals to keep us feeling good.  One of these key vitamins is vitamin E.  This vitamin is good for your overall health, but is especially good in relation to healthy skin.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Antioxidants fight the effects of free radicals.  Free radicals are produced from the environment through pollution, smoking, the foods we eat, the chemicals we ingest, and the simple process of aging.  

Antioxidants neutralize these free radicals before they can do damage.  This is especially important because free radicals can wreak havoc on your body, and are responsible for causing conditions like heart disease and cancer.

You can get vitamin E in lotions and cream for direct contact with the skin. It is good for treating scars, stretch marks, and helping keep a good moisture balance in the skin all year round, especially in the winter.

Supplements give you concentrated Vitamin E to benefit the entire body.  Vitamin E is also found in foods like nuts, seeds, wheat germ and vegetable oils.  The best form of vitamin E to get is alpha-tocopherol in its alcohol form, and not as acetate.

The best source for vitamin E is food.  Be careful here, though.  Processed foods can cause the loss of vitamin and minerals including vitamin E.  You should eat foods in their natural form with as little processing as possible for maximum benefit.

Why is vitamin E so important to the body?  For one, it is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that it can incorporate itself into the cellular wall, not get washed out of the body like B vitamins can (they are water soluble).

Vitamin E protects body cells from breakdown and thus the breakdown of other body tissues.  It also protects vitamin A while it does its job in the body.

Continued in Part II.

What Glutamine Supplements can do for your fitness

The higher the amount of protein found in the foods you consume, the more glutamine you will be consuming. If you are concerned about not consuming enough glutamine, most quality whey-protein supplements or shakes include supplemental glutamine. The same goes for many of the quality meal-replacement products. They contain on average two grams of glutamine in every serving.

Any athletes participating in sports requiring strength, speed, and/or endurance (such as hockey players, football players, bike racers, and skiers), normally use glutamine to assist them in increasing or maintaining muscle mass, especially during periods of intense training. Any extreme-endurance athletes like marathon runners also benefit from glutamine supplements, since it has the potential to assist in the reduction of muscle-tissue breakdown while supporting the immune system during potential periods of trauma or stress. Glutamine may potentially prove to be beneficial any time the body deals with increased amounts of stress.

Research has shown that supplementing with glutamine a white, chalky, odorless, slightly sweet powder could help us maximize muscle growth while increasing fat loss. Glutamine could in fact increase levels of growth hormone, which could lead to a greater level of muscle gain or fat loss. In one particular study it has been shown how just two grams of glutamine can cause a significant increase in the levels of the growth-hormone.

By simply ensuring you consume an adequate amount of glutamine in your diet, you are protecting your muscles from breakdown, as well as keeping you immune system in check. It’s a simple way to keep your health in check, especially if you are someone who tends to be extremely involved in various sports and activities.