What minerals do you need?

We all need a certain amount of vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals are important to our overall health and survival. Without minerals your organs won't be able to function properly and you may find that you have an increased risk of serious health problems. Many of the foods we eat will provide us with the nutrients but since many Americans have become dependent upon packaged and processed foods, these minerals are being left out. Here are the basic minerals you need to include in your diet each day. If you do not get them through the foods you eat, you should focus on getting them in your diet with supplements.

Calcium
This is an essential mineral that you must intake daily. Calcium not only helps to build and strengthen your bones it is also needed for the muscles and it can also help with heart health. Where can you find good sources of calcium? Milk, cheese, and even orange juice with calcium are all wonderful sources. You can also take calcium supplements, just make sure that you also get magnesium as it will aid in helping the calcium to absorb into the body properly.

Magnesium
Magnesium is used to absorb calcium but it also is used for many other things in the body like your pulmonary system and your lungs. Foods that contain magnesium are artichokes, oat bran, almonds, and prune juice. This is a great way to not only help calcium absorb but magnesium that is absorbed correctly will also be able to help you out with heart problems as well.

Potassium
For proper heart health you need to take potassium each day. Like many other minerals potassium intake has a fine line, you need to watch out how much you take because it can cause hyperkalemia. Potassium will help the cells in the body function properly, which allows the organs and your tissues to function correctly. It is needed for the heart and also for the skeletal system. You can get potassium in dairy products, fish, vegetables, and fresh fruits like bananas.

There are supplements you can take but they aren't always as effective in helping your body to stay strong against infections. Talk to your doctor about the synthetic multivitamins that may include some of the minerals you need. They will always advise you to consider eating the foods that include the minerals instead because they absorb better into the body and they usually include more than just one mineral.

Minerals may be found in most vegetables and fruits because minerals come through the ground and they are absorbed by the fruits and vegetables. The minerals that your body needs but are not found in supplements are known as trace minerals. These minerals are only needed in very small amounts so you usually are able to get in the proper amount you need just by eating a healthier selection of fruits, meats, whole grains, and vegetables. The trace minerals we are referring to include some of the following: copper, iron, selenium, and iodine. There are a lot of companies out there that sell trace mineral drops and claim how they will be able to help your body and make you healthier but it's not always the best way to get the minerals you need. Sometimes these minerals will cause an overdose and this can also lead to serious health problems.

We must focus on healthier eating because our bodies need these minerals and you will feel better when you eat better. All the foods that you eat need to help boost your body's immune system and provide you with better digestion along with a few other things such as heather hearts and even brain functioning and reasoning.