Understanding Mineral Balance
Minerals are essential nutrients that play a critical role in countless bodily functions, from supporting bone health and muscle contraction to facilitating enzymatic reactions and maintaining fluid balance.
However, achieving and maintaining optimal mineral balance can be complex and influenced by various factors, including generational nutritional status, dietary choices, stress levels, and contraceptive methods.
In this blog, I will dive into the intricate world of mineral balance, exploring the primary drivers of mineral depletion and providing practical strategies to support optimal mineral status for overall health and vitality.
Generational Nutritional Status
Our nutritional foundation is significantly influenced by our parents, especially our mothers and in turn, their mothers. Nutrient deficiencies and heavy metal exposures inherited from previous generations can affect us right from birth, highlighting the importance of addressing these issues early on.
Essential nutrients, like vitamin A and iodine, are critical for proper thyroid function, and deficiencies in these can be passed down, affecting offspring. This generational aspect underscores the importance of understanding mineral loss and working to correct these imbalances from the start.
During pregnancy, a woman transfers 80% of her minerals to her baby in the weeks leading up to childbirth. This accounts for 80% of the minerals present in her system.
This process extends further along the maternal lineage, as she initially received 80% from her mother, and the cycle continues with each generation down the line.
This I call: Cellular Inheritance.
What do we mean by Maternal Lineage?
Maternal lineages refer to the line of descent traced through the maternal side of a family.
It involves the passing down of traits, characteristics, and, in the context of the previous discussion, minerals from mother to daughter through successive generations.
The maternal lineage typically follows the maternal family tree, highlighting the ancestry and genetic or cultural inheritance passed along the female line.
We inherit our mineral patterns from our mothers, passing down through the lineage of women, and also from our fathers.
Many women haven’t been passed down through generations the wisdom of the essential need to restore and remineralise the body post-pregnancy and birth, or for themselves being born from depleted mothers
The essential wisdom of restoring and remineralising the body post-pregnancy and childbirth hasn't been consistently passed down through generations to many women. Lack of self-care can contribute to this but it is also important to highlight there that many women are born from mothers who may have experienced mineral depletion themselves.
As a result, numerous women within our lineages may have carried children in a sub-optimal state, minimally addressing the crucial need for restoration and passing on these conditions to generations.
The Modern Diet
Access to nutrient-dense foods can be a challenge due to various such as dietary restrictions, convenience-driven food choices, or inadequate nutrition knowledge.
Diets high in processed foods and low in nutrient-rich whole foods can contribute to mineral deficiencies over time.
Incorporating a diverse range of animal and plant-based foods into our diets is essential for obtaining a broad spectrum of nutrients and supporting optimal mineral status.
The optimal plate of food should be balanced in fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Often within my work with women in particular I see a common theme of women under eating across all meals and under consuming protein and healthy animal fats, which are essential building blocks for thousands of physiological processes within the body.
We have been living through a period of time where low fat, plant-based diets have been pushed upon us, and through some mixed-up messaging, we have lost the adequate intake of fats and proteins.
Besides the diet culture which has conditioned women to believe they must eat as little as 1000 calories a day, it has many negative long-term impacts on women’s health, cycles, fertility, mood, energy levels, and a great impact on adrenal thyroid and metabolic function.
The Impact of Chronic Stress
Chronic stress has become a prevalent aspect of modern life, with many individuals experiencing continuous pressure from work, relationships, and other responsibilities.
Prolonged stress triggers the body's fight-or-flight response, leading to the release of stress hormones such as cortisol.
Here the body enters a state of releasing copious amounts if stress hormones to try to regain balance. Elevated cortisol levels can deplete mineral reserves, which can impair the body’s functions. Managing stress through somatic practices, nervous system regulation, nourishment, remineralisation, embodiment, and self-care practices to support the body and mind are crucial for preserving mineral balance and overall well-being.
Supplementation: A Double-Edged Sword
While dietary supplements can be beneficial for addressing specific nutrient deficiencies, improper supplementation or excessive intake of isolated minerals can disrupt mineral balance. Certain minerals interact synergistically or antagonistically, and excessive supplementation of one mineral can lead to imbalances in others.
For example, excessive zinc supplementation can deplete copper levels, leading to imbalances in iron metabolism. It's essential to work with a healthcare professional to determine appropriate supplement dosages and ensure balanced nutrient intake.
Understanding the potential effects of birth control on mineral balance
Both hormonal and non-hormonal forms of birth control can impact mineral status in women. Hormonal contraceptives such as the pill can alter hormone levels and increase copper retention in the body, leading to imbalances in other minerals such as zinc and iron. Non-hormonal methods like the copper IUD may induce inflammation and oxidative stress, which can deplete antioxidant minerals like selenium and zinc.
Understanding Mineral Balance
Maintaining optimal mineral status requires a multi-faceted holistic approach that addresses underlying factors contributing to mineral loss. By understanding the drivers of mineral depletion and implementing targeted strategies such as nutrient-rich diet, stress management, appropriate supplementation, and informed contraceptive choices, individuals can support mineral balance and promote long-term health and vitality.
Understanding mineral balance is a multifaceted journey that requires a holistic approach. By recognising the generational impact of mineral status, embracing nutrient-dense whole foods, and addressing chronic stress, you can take proactive steps towards achieving optimal mineral balance.
Why do we need to re-mineralise the body?
As we begin to remineralise the body, we begin to bring LIFE back into our cells. Minerals are the spark plugs of life and great communicators of the body. They form the energetic pathways and cells in your body that have not received the nourishment they need, have been compromised by life's stressors, illness or otherwise.
As you begin to re-mineralise your body and system, we dive deep into a journey beyond the physical body, mineral depletions and dysregulations manifest in both physical and emotional patterns within our bodies and psyches.
The Root Cause Protocol and the addition of somatic, embodiment, and healing practices will guide you into a more vibrant state within mind, body, spirit, and energy.
If you are feeling the call to explore further your can read about Recognising Signs of Mineral Dysregulation here.
How I can help you remineralise your system?
My life’s work is dedicated to supporting women through the Root Cause Protocol (RCP).
This is a sacred journey of releasing the emotional and physical debris, gunk and cellular chaos from her inner temple which begins to clear the pathways for more life to flow through her.
Embodied Woman is a Guided Journey in Cellular Healing, Feminine Restoration, and Metabolic Living in a 6-month Group Mentorship starting Summer 2024.
In the Embodied Woman mentorship, we journey through the Root Cause Protocol (RCP) and individual hair analysis test (HTMA). Your personalised results will be thoughtfully reviewed in private sessions.
While the protocol's general steps align for everyone, the Embodied Woman sessions offer a tailored approach to individual needs. Our collective exploration will include resourcing practices, embodied techniques, and emotional clearing practices, creating a deeper embodiment of your radiance as well as group calls and a community chat to support your journey.
You can join the waitlist to be the first to know here.
with love,
Rebecca x