Many of you readers have heard expressed, or have expressed yourself, the following: “my nerves are worn to a frazzle; my nerves are on edge; my nerves are all shot.” They, you, and everyone who utters such a statement are speaking “more truth than poetry.” Nerve tissue does wear down, and out.
Today, due to the years of World War I and II, each and every individual wears out nerve force rapidly. Tension of muscles through stress, fear, worry, and hustle, actually do wear out the cells of nerve force faster than hard work can destroy the tissue of the muscle.
Physiologists will tell you that just ordinary daily activity wears out body cells, and that these cells must be replaced; that it is the wear and tear upon body cells which causes the greatest necessity for food.
Minerals are needed for all cell life within our bodies. They enter into, but are not the main constituents of the red muscle cells; these are basically protein. But, for nervous and connective tissue, a greater amount of the minerals is needed. Therefore, you wear out minerals when you wear out your nerves. This results in sleeplessness, irritability, and a general run-down condition. All this is usually termed nervousness.
If you wear out the minerals of nerve tissue, what are you going to replace them with, saw dust and shavings? Perhaps, you will take a high powered sedative like the barbiturates. If so, what do you hope and expect? Answer your own question. Get wise and mineralize.
Every nervous individual should consider nervousness as a direct indication of a mineral defficiency. There are many mineral preparations upon the market. You would be wise to take a good one over a long period of time.
For many years, you have heard of the use of calcium to prevent tooth decay. Calcium, also, is recommended for the nursing mother and the growing child. Recently, calcium has been suggested for the up-keep of the heart action muscle; also for general repair of blood vessel and structural tissue. It is always indicated during the repair of broken bones.
Calcium is the king of mineral repair material, but do not be misled into depending upon calcium, alone, for body repair. Please remember calcium is LIME. Lime, in itself, is not flexible. Other minerals must be mixed with it to supply your body if you anticipate that body to function properly.
Shall we compare the calcium of our body to the steel of commerce? Steel is a very hard, and rigidly unbendable iron. Other forms of iron are malleable and bendable. They contain different substances to render them more usable for certain industrial needs. Calcium, also, is a hard substance which gives strength to our bony structure. Other minerals must be added to it if flexibility is to be had.
You arthritics, you nervous people, and other people with mineral deficiencies, should take a combination of minerals. Calcium, alone, cannot resupply that enlarged finger joint with its missing mineral content. Potassium, manganese, and sodium, when added to calcium, give it flexibility.
Nature knows its own chemical formula for every tissue of the body. Supply your body with all the minerals and your joints may regain the nimbleness you desire. Natural processes keep blood vessels resilient and heart muscles contractive and expansive. Natural processes will heal that broken bone, that tear of tissue, and even that stiffness of muscle, if you supply the protein and mineralsthe lumber and nailswhich your system must have on hand at all times.
The deficiencies of body minerals can and do cause many other disease conditions in the animal body, but space in this book would be entirely taken up by complete discussion of all mineral shortages for body maintenance and repair. Therefore, we will list a group of minerals and show their very definite selectivity in the repair of body tissues. Nature knows where they go, all you need do is sup-ply them. If you do not eat foods which contain these body cell repairs, a deficiency of some kind results.
People who eat plenty of vegetables and fruits always supply their mineral needs. They need not worry about what vegetable and what fruit at which meal. Just see that a variety is eaten. What you do NOT eat hurts you. Remember?
Through the activity of its Biochemists, the United States Government has placed mineralization of the body in a foremost position. The original “Year Book Of Agriculture,” we are afraid, was issued more in the interest of “Better Plants And Animals.”
However, for the last several years, the year book places HUMAN NUTRITION in part I position. We human animals are really coming up in the world when government nutrition experts put us ahead of the hogs and cattle. On page 68 you will find a chart showing the amount of various foods compiled by the government; foods which are considered essential for good nutrition.
You have already seen the chart showing the selectivity of minerals for body use. Below, you will find a chart showing what foods are richest in the various minerals. If not in perfect health, you will be able to aid your own body by selecting from the entire range of mineral foods. If you select what you eat from this entire range, you will find that mineral foods contain essential repairs for the human body.