Why Does Mineral Depletion Cause Illness?

Why Mineral Depletion Causes IllnessMinerals, vitamins, and amino acids are the building blocks of the human body. Minerals, in particular, are of great importance because nearly all bodily functions require a sufficient supply of them. They are found in multiple places within the body and are responsible for the creation of enzymes, tissues, bone, hormones, fluids and even teeth. Calcium and phosphorous are the two most common minerals found in the body, but others include iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, sulphur, chloride and copper. Should the body become deficient in any of these minerals, illness typically occurs.Why Mineral Depletion OccursWhen land is used to grow food, nutrients found in the soil are depleted in order to produce the crop. If the land is never given time to replenish its nutrients, the food it produces will be far less nutritious. Plants are not the only thing affected by mineral depleted soil. Meat consumed today is far less nutritious than it once was simply because the plants that animals eat are far less nutritious.As the population has increased, the demand for food has increased. Factory farms have replaced small family farms and pesticides have replaced organic growing methods. The Earth's soil is simply running out of nutrients. In turn, the food humans, animals and all living things on this planet consume provides far less vitamins and minerals than it once did.The Effects of Mineral Depletion on the Body.In order for the human body to stay healthy, it needs an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals. It is the fuel that keeps the body running efficiently. Without proper nutrition, illness or even death can occur. Deficiencies in specific minerals can cause certain conditions or diseases. For example, a deficiency in magnesium or calcium may cause epilepsy. A deficiency in zinc can affect thyroid function, slow the body's healing process, make it difficult to digest proteins and carbohydrates, cause hair loss and sugar cravings. People who are deficient in iodine may experience fatigue, dry skin, depression and memory loss. A deficiency in phosphorous, although rare, can cause pain in the bones, muscle weakness and anorexia.As with everything in life, a proper balance must be maintained. Too much or too little of a particular mineral offsets this balance and causes negative side effects. The problem is that vitamins and minerals can only be obtained through fruits, vegetables, animals and animal by-products. If the soil used to grow these foods, and feed these animals are depleted of minerals, it becomes difficult to remedy the problem without drastic changes.Research has shown that organic produce is far more nutritious than conventional and supplementation of minerals may help make up for the lack of minerals in a person's everyday diet. However, if changes are not made to the soil, illnesses caused by mineral deficiencies will continue to surge. Because the population continues to increase, it is unlikely that this problem will be fixed anytime soon. Crop rotation and environmentally friendly farming techniques can help restore the Earth's soil to its proper state and improve the quality of the food sold in local markets.Will this ever happen? I am not sure but what I do know is that as the population of our planet grows ever greater then more and more food will have to be grown. I suspect that the nutritional value of fruit and vegetables will deplete even further.