The body requires many different vitamins and minerals to maintain optimum health. Some of those minerals are more important than others, but all play a role in keeping your body and mind healthy.
Macrominerals and Trace Minerals
Minerals are generally put into two different categories: macrominerals (major minerals) and trace minerals. Your body technically needs more macrominerals, but that doesn’t necessarily mean major minerals are more important for maintaining good health and optimal function. Minerals play vastly different roles in health, and none should be ignored.
Like with all good things, moderation is key. Some of these minerals will have a negative impact on your health if you ingest too much of them.
Major Minerals
- Calcium
- Chloride
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Sulfur
Trace Minerals
- Chromium
- Copper
- Fluoride
- Iodine
- Iron (technically a trace mineral but more is needed than the others)
- Manganese
- Molybdenum
- Selenium
- Zinc
Most of these minerals aren’t hard to obtain when you have a healthy diet. Some, like sodium, are far too easy to obtain. You’ll frequently find high volumes of minerals in leafy vegetables, whole grain foods, meat, fish, nuts, beans and fruit.
The Most Important Minerals
Calcium
The importance of calcium changes throughout your life, but it never becomes entirely irrelevant. Calcium is vital to the healthy growth of children. Calcium deficiencies can result in inadequate bone mass by adulthood, which can have lifelong repercussions, like a greater likelihood of developing osteoporosis.
People most frequently associate calcium with dairy. Unfortunately, many dairy products are not great for you due to high saturated fat content and lactose intolerance, a condition especially prevalent among adults. Dairy is far from the only source of calcium. Adults seeking calcium should look to plants like Spinach or beans for calcium (as well as many other important minerals).
Iron
Iron does not become less vital with age – it is always important. Your blood’s ability to deliver oxygen throughout your body is dependent on iron, which is why people with iron deficiencies frequently struggle with fatigue or muscle weakness.
Zinc
Zinc plays several key roles in the body. It’s strongly correlated with brain health – primarily memory and cognition. People with hereditary risks for memory loss or dementia should ensure they are getting an adequate amount of zinc in their diet. Zinc is also linked to the T3 thyroid hormone, a hormone that helps regulate not only brain, heart and digestive functions but also muscle control.
Magnesium
Magnesium is strongly linked to energy, especially daytime energy. Experts suggest that in addition to helping regulate energy, magnesium may also reduce insomnia symptoms and help people fall asleep faster and sleep longer. It also helps the body maintain optimal muscle and nerve functions.
Like many other minerals, magnesium isn’t hard to get in your diet if you eat healthy. Leafy greens like spinach as well as many nuts, including almonds, pumpkin seeds, cashews and peanuts, are rich in magnesium.
Potassium
Potassium is important for everyone, but especially adults who struggle with blood pressure management. Potassium helps nerves function and muscles contract properly. As a result, the mineral plays a vital role in regulating a person’s heartbeat.
Like many other minerals on this list, the diverse number of potential sources makes it fairly easy for healthy eaters to acquire potassium in adequate amounts. Bananas are most associated with potassium, but it’s found in even higher volumes in a variety of greens, fish like salmon and sweet potatoes.
Are You Worried About Mineral Deficiencies?
Despite their prevalence in a variety of healthy foods, there are still plenty of people in Georgia who are suffering from mineral deficiencies. Those deficiencies are usually caused by lifestyle and dietary choices. Thankfully, Optimum Health Rehab is here to help.
Our nutritional therapists excel at helping patients identify their deficiencies and correct them through healthy eating. We strive to make diets enjoyable and sustainable. You will find it hard to stick to a diet you don’t find satisfying, which is why we work with every client to ensure they find diet plans that work for them.
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