The body is made up of many parts, all of which need the proper nutrients to promote healing of damaged tissues, regeneration and health. Among the many nutrients that the body needs are minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, chlorine, sulphur, and magnesium, which are macro minerals and constitute 90% of our mineral needs. The other 10% is made up of 10 trace minerals.

If our bodies are short of minerals to any great degree, then illness and aging results. For instance, copper helps to make tissue elastic, so a lack of copper causes the body tissues to sag and droop with wrinkles and flabby skin the result. Of course the opposite holds true; if there is no lack, these signs of aging are absent.

Low magnesium and selenium can cause heart disease, which will certainly have an aging result, as those with heart disease cannot be as active as a healthy person. One of the tasks magnesium does is to regulate the amount of calcium in our bodies. It actually guards the cells from retaining a toxic amount by ejecting it from the cell once its work is done.

Zinc is an important mineral since our brain depends on adequate supplies to develop properly. Deficiency at certain times of our development can cause dyslexia while a deficiency - along with copper and magnesium lack - will cause infertility. Zinc is said to lessen the symptoms and duration of colds and influenza, thus playing an important part in keeping us healthy.

Chromium plays an important process in keeping us feeling youthful and energetic. Lack of chromium means that the glucose needed for energy is not transported to all the parts of the body that need it. Worse still, the glucose is converted to fat and stored, causing us to gain weight. Chromium can be sourced from brewer?s yeast, liver and kidney, but it is difficult to get enough for the body?s needs. A supplement may help you to lose weight and give you more energy, as was the case with a study reported in All Natural Muscular Development (3/99 - pg 31). Supplements of chromium picolinate are safe to take with no build-up in the body.

Potassium plays an important part in nerve function and also helps to regulate other nutrients in our bodies, making sure there is no over-supply or lack. It is necessary for the healthy function of every organ. Potassium helps to prevent disease with even a small lack over time seeing the onset of various diseases.