Deep Nourishment, Minerals, and Returning to the Hearth
Why Minerals Matter
Minerals are the spark plugs that run our body and immune system. Without minerals, our mitochondria can't function appropriately. This impacts our enzymes, proteins, hormones, and every system in our body. Every body needs the same minerals to thrive. Our physical health is directly dependent on minerals. Even our mood and personality are directly impacted by minerals. For example, the lower the sodium, the higher the stress you experience. Low potassium increases fear, and low magnesium tends to make us withdraw from life.
What Happened to Our Minerals?
Our food system has undergone a significant change since the 1920s, leading to a major decrease in mineral content in our food. Soils contain significantly fewer minerals, especially magnesium. The increase of processed foods, which contain fewer minerals, has contributed to this problem. Processed foods are often fortified with iron and synthetic vitamins and contain ingredients that our bodies cannot digest, leading to gut issues and a decreased ability to absorb nutrients.
Processed foods also contain high fructose corn syrup, glyphosate, and other harmful chemicals that deplete essential minerals. Moreover, our 'healthcare' system often prescribes medications that chelate minerals and chase symptoms without looking at the body as a holistic system.
The Impact of Mineral Depletion
Mineral depletion has severe impacts on our health and wellbeing. When we are in periods of acute stress, we should increase our mineral and nutrient intake to support our bodies' needs. However, most of us are chronically in a stressed state and feeding our bodies fewer nutrients. After decades of food fortification, processed foods, chemical toxins, significant prescription medication increases, diet confusion, decreased nutrient density, fast-paced life, and stressful exercise, our metabolisms are reaching their breaking point.
The Hearth Matters
We need to create a culture around food again. Our cells thrive not on convenience but on nutrients. The fast-paced life with an emphasis on convenience foods and diminishing community around food society-wide is a huge contributor to the decreased consumption of nutrient-dense foods. The hearth, historically, is a place of community, connection, belonging, good energy, and love. The more nourished we and our families are, the more energy we will have for connection and creation.
Cultivating a Mineral-rich Culture at Home
Creating a mineral-rich culture in your household requires a conscious effort. It's helpful to always have broth available, have a family dinner schedule, and set aside a day each week for a special meal like a taco or pizza night to welcome friends and neighbors. It's also a great idea to connect with local butchers and farmers and find ways to utilize as much of the food/animal as possible. For example, making bone broth from chicken carcasses or learning how to utilize organ meats. This not only reduces waste but also increases the mineral content in your meals.
Embracing more traditional cooking preparation methods that yes, may take longer, but contain much more cellular nourishment can be very helpful.
Resources for a Mineral-rich Lifestyle
We love Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Traditions as a comprehensive introduction to traditional cooking methods.
Another valuable resource is a hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA). This laboratory test analyzes the mineral content of a hair sample and identifies any mineral deficiencies or imbalances in the body, which can be indicative of various health issues. If you’d like to work together on HTMAs for you or your family, you can see my available packages here.
In conclusion, we are mineral beings. Our health and wellbeing depend significantly on the minerals we consume. Therefore, it's crucial that we return to the hearth, create a mineral-rich culture, and nourish our bodies with nutrient-dense foods.