Minerals and Your Immune System

Tiny, in fact, imperceptible rocks in your food, that’s what minerals are. In fact, it’s the same thing that is gouged out of mines and used to construct buildings, conduct electricity, and even make batteries! They are metals, from the earth’s crust, absorbed by plants, which are then eaten by animals, as well as us, humans. With the help of minerals, your body can build the proteins that combine to form the underlying structure for your bones, muscles, organs, and nerve tissue. Minerals are also required to maintain the function of these tissues.

The human body uses more than sixty minerals, and together, they compose about four percent of our total bodies. However, of those sixty types of minerals, seven are present in our tissues in relatively large quantities. They are calcium, magnesium, chlorine, sodium, sulfur, phosphorus and potassium. Minerals work synergistically with enzymes and other vitamins, making it possible for the body to utilize all essential nutrients and carry out normal cellular activity.

Minerals are important for a vast array of metabolic and immune system functions and because of that, fundamental to good health. All of the minerals your body needs are available from vegetable sources like beans, leafy greens, whole grains and fruits. They can also be found in red meat, poultry and fish. Though all minerals used by the body are essential, only a few has been proven to have clear immunity-related functions or specific roles in the protection against diseases. These minerals are magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. So remember to watch your mineral intake for the general well-being of your body.