In our last post we discussed the importance of minerals to our bodies and some of the symptoms that can be caused by a deficiency in minerals.
How Does Our Body Absorb Minerals?
Through the digestive process food matter is broken down and minerals are absorbed into the bloodstream through the walls of the intestines. There are many factors involved in the digestion and absorption of nutrients. One of the most important is the proper combining of foods to aid our digestion process and ensure that the minerals and nutrients we are putting into our body are able to be used by our body readily. Our body will prioritize the more difficult digestion processes and stay at work until that job is done, leaving other foods to be simply broken down but not nutritionally absorbed into the blood stream. Proteins require HCL to be digested but the presences of carbohydrates lowers HCL. Learning how to combine the proper proteins and carbohydrates are important. Eat proteins with low starchy vegetables, and eat carbohydrates with vegetables only. Eat fruit alone, not with your meal.
What Can Prevent The Absorption Of Nutrients In Our Body?
One issue we must look at is the ph balance of the stomach acid. If our stomach acid and pancreatic enzymes are not acidic enough, or if there is simply not enough acid, the minerals will pass through our digestive system without being absorbed. Factors that can cause low HCL (hydrochloric acid) can include, stress, drinking iced drinks with your meal, the use of antacids, prescription drugs, yeast or fungal infections, and the most common cause – the Standard American Diet – of processed nutrient lacking foods, and of course not combining your foods properly.
It’s important to keep in mind that when we become mineral deficient we are rarely deficient in just one mineral. Minerals like all nutrients work synergistically with each other to keep the body in perfect balance. Minerals aid each other and their partners, enzymes, to accomplish numerous bio chemical reactions in our body. This is why simply adding a “mineral supplement” may not do the trick. You may notice a rise in one mineral, Iron for example is a common mineral to be supplemented, but an increase in Iron doesn’t always mean your deficiency across the board has been treated.
How Can You Get Minerals Into Your Body?
The first and most readily available form of minerals exist in food. For this reason it is imperative that we are eating our minerals in a wide variety of colorful fresh vegetables, healthy proteins and good fats to aid the process of nutrient absorption, stomach acid production and the excretion of bile by our liver to complete the digestion process. Eat organic as often as possible! And eat a variety of fruits and vegetables!
Improve Your Body’s Synergy With A Visit To Terry Chiropractic! We Work To Develop A Plan To Treat The Body As A Whole!
Eating a nutrient dense diet is the first step towards correcting deficiencies. Let us give you comprehensive exam and discover how Chiropractic can help you in your journey toward wholeness. When you notice your body isn’t functioning at its optimum there could be many factors at play. Terry Chiropractic can help you discover though our nutritional counseling and detailed exams what your body is asking for! Make an appointment today.
