Minerals, vitamins, and vitamin D are vital building blocks for everyone. But especially for the athlete it is extremely important to be optimally adjusted and supplied in order to really be able to perform.
Minerals
Due to a variety of causes the mineral and vitamin depots of many people are no longer sufficiently filled by diet alone. Deficiencies develop in Mg, calcium, zinc, copper, iron, B vitamins, vitamin D, and other essential nutrients. Many of my patients say: "But I eat healthy and only buy food from the organic food store!"Yes, that's a good approach, but since our fields are now so depleted and low in minerals, it's not nearly enough these days. Organic alone is not enough. Add to this mineral-depleting life circumstances such as chronic stress, frequent alcohol and nicotine consumption, an existing underlying disease, taking certain medications, and you quickly end up with supply gaps of micronutrients. At first hardly noticeable, but in the long term it can lead to lasting health consequences. Many patients come to my practice with complaints such as "I'm fine", "I'm fine" and "I'm fine".B. Food intolerances, gastrointestinal problems, concentration disorders, reduced performance, exhaustion, shortness of breath, cardiac arrhythmias, immune disorders, hair loss, osteoporosis, depression, hay fever….Just to list a few symptoms.
An article by Christine Ziegler – alternative practitioner Munich
Repair and maintenance of cells
One of the most important tasks of the micronutrients in our body is to repair and maintain each cell and our genetic code, the DNA. Minerals and vitamins are needed for healthy body cells to form. They protect our body from invaders like z.B. Viruses, bacteria, fungi and environmental toxins. They regulate our hormone balance, help with blood formation, nourish our bones. All metabolic processes would not be possible without replenished mineral and vitamin depots. A healthy nervous system is also dependent on these small building blocks of life. B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and vitamin D, to list just a few, protect us from exhaustion, depression, panic attacks and support us in emotionally stressful situations. Especially in winter we should pay attention to a very good supply of vitamin D. Vitamin D is actually not a vitamin at all, but a hormone. It is found in fatty fish, offal, egg, mushrooms and avocado, among others. And we need a lot of sun to be able to store vitamin D in the body at all. But how can you fill up your depots sufficiently? And how do I know exactly where I have deficiencies?? In my practice I hear again and again that patients say to me: "Yes, but I have been to the doctor and the blood was ok!" "No deficiencies!"
The crux of the matter is, that conventional medicine examines the minerals (mostly only potassium, magnesium, calcium) exclusively in the serum. And this is not nearly enough to determine whether the stores are really optimally replenished. An explanation: The minerals are located in the solid cells of the blood, in the so-called blood cake. It is not analyzed in the common examination, but only the serum. This is caused by centrifugation of the blood tube, the supernatant so to speak. However, only a small part of the micronutrients are found there. If these values in the serum are in the normal range, one is protected from the worst distress. However, this does not mean that the depots are sufficiently filled. And especially for the athlete it would be worthwhile to know that. Among other things, its performance depends on this.
The most important minerals, vitamins and trace elements
Magnesium: Virtually nothing works without magnesium! More than 300 metabolic processes in the body depend on this vital mineral. Magnesium is an energy supplier, important for the muscles (also the heart), stabilizes all body cells, important for brain functions. In addition, the carbohydrate-. Fat metabolism only in combination with magnesium. A deficiency can lead to tension, muscle cramps, restlessness, headaches, abdominal pain, depression and cardiac arrhythmia.
Calcium: Calcium has a great importance for bones and teeth. In addition, also for muscles and nervous system. An imbalance can lead to muscle cramps or neurological dysfunctions, even psychoses. Calcium also regulates our acid-base balance. If the pH value in the blood drops, which is fatal, the body takes calcium from the bones into the blood and thus balances the pH value again. Calcium is involved in blood clotting. Involved in many enzymatic processes.
Zinc: Indispensable for health! The trace element also plays a major role in many metabolic processes. Especially during growth, a deficiency can lead to developmental disorders. It is indispensable for wound healing after injury or surgery. Our immune system needs zinc to fight off unwanted invaders like viruses, bacteria and fungi and the duration of an infection is shortened. Zinc has an anti-inflammatory effect on diseases such as acne, psoriasis, neurodermatitis and inflammatory bowel diseases.
Copper: Is essentially involved in the blood formation, in the strengthening of the defense system and also in the wound healing. Copper helps us against inflammation in the body. Plays a major role in hormone formation. It is only absorbed through the diet. Nuts, seeds whole grains, legumes, offal, for example, contain this trace element. In the case of a deficiency, disorders of the nervous system, immune system, blood formation and growth can occur.
Selenium: The most important properties of selenium are its phenomenal ability to bind heavy metals to itself and it has a terrific antioxidant effect. Thus it protects our body cells against free radicals. Our defense system is strengthened. Especially in thyroid diseases a selenium supply has a very positive effect. A deficiency is very common, because selenium should be in our agricultural soils, but they are now very low in selenium. Only plants are able to store selenium in their roots and pass it on to the soil. We can absorb selenium through Brazil nuts. In the case of a deficiency, this alone is of course not enough.
Iron: For our blood formation and the oxygen transport in the cells and for the energy production the most important trace element badly. It plays a key role. We notice immediately when we have an iron deficiency. Tiredness, lack of energy, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, cracked corners of the mouth, hair loss, to name just a few symptoms, are among the consequences of a deficiency. Women in particular are often plagued with iron deficiency due to monthly blood loss. It is important to know that if all other minerals are in balance, the iron depot will be replenished more quickly. Taking B vitamins is also very helpful in this case. In case of a pronounced deficiency, there is no way around taking a well-tolerated iron supplement. In barley grass, seeds, legumes, amaranth and quinoa we find a natural, plant-based source of iron. Sufficient but again only when the store is replenished.
Vitamin C supports iron absorption and dairy products and coffee inhibit it.
Minerals are the basis of everything . Therefore, my recommendation, especially in the field of sports, is to arrange for a meaningful whole blood analysis for minerals, trace elements and vitamins. Classical orthodox medicine does not usually offer this service, resp. does not know it at all. In my healing practice this examination belongs to the basic services. With a very good supply of vital substances, our body has the best prerequisites to achieve optimal performance and to feel good all around, on the physical, emotional and mental level.