by Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Every living cell on this planet depends on minerals for proper function and structure. Minerals
are needed for the proper composition of body fluids, the formation of blood and bone, the
maintenance of healthy nerve function, and the regulation of muscle tone, including that of the
muscles of the cardiovascular system. Like vitamins, minerals function as coenzymes, enabling
the body to perform its functions, including energy production, growth, and healing. Because all
enzyme activities involve minerals, minerals are essential for the proper utilization of vitamins
and other nutrients.
When minerals are deleted from water a structural change occurs. Minerals in water create
structure. Without minerals present molecular clusters change by sticking together and grow
much larger. Thus making penetration into cell membrane difficult and sometimes impossible.
The human body, as in all of nature, must maintain its proper chemical balance. This balance
depends on the levels of different minerals in the body and especially the ratios of certain
mineral levels to one another. The level of each mineral in the body has an effect on every
other, so if one is out of balance, all mineral levels are affected. If not corrected, this can start a
chain reaction of imbalances that leads to illness.
Creating a “healthy water” means removing the harmful agents but keeping the beneficial
minerals. “Minerals in drinking water are more easily and better absorbed than minerals from
food or any other source,” according to Dr. John Sorenson, a leading authority on mineral
metabolism.
He has found that the metabolism of essential versus non-essential metallic elements is greatly
affected by the amount of essential elements in the water. If the needed essential element is
present, there will be little or no absorption of the non-essential element – it will simply be
excreted.
For example, if high amounts of calcium and magnesium and low levels of lead are in the
drinking water, the body selects the essential elements (calcium and magnesium) and excretes
the non-essential element (lead). If, however, there are low levels of calcium and magnesium,
the cells could select the non-essential lead resulting in a dysfunctional protein or enzyme. If
this occurs, the protein or enzyme could become toxic.
There has been some fascinating research based on positive substances in drinking water that
actually can help protect us from disease and cancer. This research centers on four factors: total
dissolved solids (TDS), hardness, pH and silica.
Total dissolved solids (TDS)
TDS is a measurement of all the minerals in drinking water. TDS not only includes calcium and
magnesium (the hardness factors), but also zinc, copper, chromium, selenium and so on. Sauer
analyzed 23 drinking water characteristics in 92 cities (“Relationship of Water to the Risk of
Dying”) and found people who drank water high in TDS had lower death rates from heart
disease, cancer, and chronic diseases than people who drank water with lower amounts of TDS.
Frequently, where the water is hard, the water is also high in TDS. Although most studies on
heart disease have not looked at TDS, but only at hardness, this factor has been ever present
and may be playing a very significant role.
Hardness
Water that contains sufficient amounts of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg)A report by the Oak
Ridge National Laboratory found that the calcium and magnesium in hard water reduces the
risks of heart attacks and strokes.
pH
Every solution is either acidic or alkaline. These solutions can be anything from body fluids, such
as stomach acid and blood, to beverages, such as wine or coffee, to sea water. Acidity and
alkalinity are measured in pH (potential of hydrogen). The pH scale goes from 0 to 14, with 0
the most acidic, and 14 the most alkaline. The pH of stomach acid is 1, wine is 3.5, water is 7
(neutral), venous blood is 7.35, arterial blood is 7.4, sea water is 8.5, and baking soda is 12.
Ideally, our pH should stay on the alkaline side: between 7.35 and 7.45. The body
continually strives to balance pH. When this balance is compromised many problems can occur
including disease and cancer.
Silica / Silicon
Silicon (silica = silicon and oxygen) is the second most abundant element on the planet (oxygen
is first). It is necessary for the formation of collagen for bones and connective tissue; for
healthy nails, skin, and hair; and for calcium absorption. It is needed to maintain flexible
arteries, and plays a major role in preventing cardiovascular disease. Silicon counteracts the
effects of aluminum on the body and is important in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and
osteoporosis. It stimulates the immune system and inhibits the aging process in tissues. Silicon
levels decrease with aging, so elderly people need larger amounts. Calcium, magnesium,
manganese and potassium aid in the efficient utilization of silica.
Water contains extremely healthy and needed amounts of:
Calcium
Calcium is vital for the formation of strong bones and teeth and for the maintenance of healthy
gums. It is also important in the maintenance of a regular heartbeat and in the transmission of
nerve impulses. Calcium lowers cholesterol levels and helps prevent cardiovascular disease. It
is needed for muscular growth and contraction, and for the prevention of muscle cramps. It
may increase the rate of hone growth and bone mineral density in children. This important
mineral is also essential in blood clotting and helps prevent cancer. It may lower blood pressure
and prevent bone loss associated with osteoporosis as well. Calcium provides energy and
participates in the protein structuring of RNA and DNA. It is also involved in he activation of
several enzymes, including lipase, which breaks down fats for utilization by the body. In
addition, calcium maintains proper ell membrane permeability, aids in neuromuscular activity,
helps to keep the skin healthy, and protects against the development of preeclampsia during
pregnancy, the number one cause of maternal death. If high blood pressure develops due to
pregnancy, it can be reduced by calcium intake.
Calcium protects the bones and teeth from lead by inhibiting absorption of this toxic metal. If
there is a calcium deficiency, lead can be absorbed by the body and deposited in the teeth and
bones.
Calcium deficiency can lead to the following problems: aching joints, brittle nails, eczema,
elevated blood cholesterol, heart palpitations, hypertension (high blood pressure), insomnia,
muscle cramps, nervousness, numbness in the arms and / or legs, a pasty complexion,
rheumatoid arthritis, rickets, and tooth decay. Deficiencies of calcium are also associated with
cognitive impairment, convulsions, depression, delusions, and hyperactivity.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a vital catalyst in enzyme activity, especially the activity of those enzymes
involved in energy production. It also assists in calcium and potassium uptake. A deficiency of
magnesium interferes with the transmission of nerve and muscle impulses, causing irritability
and nervousness. Supplementing the diet with magnesium can help prevent depression,
dizziness, muscle weakness and twitching, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and also aids in
maintaining the body’s proper pH balance and normal body temperature.
Magnesium is necessary to prevent the calcification of soft tissue. This essential mineral
protects the arterial linings from stress caused by sudden blood pressure changes, and plays a
role in the formation of bone and in carbohydrate and mineral metabolism. With vitamin B6
(pyridoxine),magnesium helps to reduce and dissolve calcium phosphate kidney stones, and
may prevent calcium-oxalate kidney stones. Research has shown that magnesium may help
prevent cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and certain forms of cancer, and it may reduce
cholesterol levels. It is effective in preventing premature labor and convulsions in pregnant
women.
Possible manifestations of magnesium deficiency include confusion, insomnia, irritability, poor
digestion, rapid heartbeat, seizures, and tantrums; often, a magnesium deficiency can be
synonymous with diabetes. Magnesium deficiencies are at the root of many cardiovascular
problems. Magnesium deficiency may be a major cause of fatal cardiac arrhythmia,
hypertension, and sudden cardiac arrest, as well as asthma, chronic fatigue, chronic pain
syndromes, depression, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulmonary disorders. Research
has also shown that magnesium deficiency may contribute to the formation of kidney stones. To
test for magnesium deficiency, a procedure called an intracellular (mononuclear cell) magnesium
screen should be performed. This is a more sensitive test than the typical serum magnesium
screen, and can detect a deficiency with more accuracy. Magnesium screening should e a
routine test, as a low magnesium level makes nearly every disease worse. It is particularly
important for individuals who have, or who are considered at risk for developing, cardiovascular
disease.
Silica / Silicon (a trace mineral)
Silicon (silica = silicon and oxygen) is the second most abundant element on the plan (oxygen is
first). It is necessary for the formation of collagen for bones and connective tissue; for healthy
nails, skin, and hair; and for calcium absorption. It is needed to maintain flexible arteries, and
plays a major role in preventing cardiovascular disease. Silicon counteracts the effects of
aluminum on the body and is important in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and
osteoporosis. It stimulates the immune system and inhibits the aging process in tissues. Silicon
levels decrease with aging, so elderly people need larger amounts. Calcium, magnesium,
manganese and potassium aid in the efficient utilization of silica.
Strontium(pronounced: STRON-she-em)
Strontium is a mineral that was considered to be non-essential in the human diet. It occurs in
food in small amounts depending on the soil content of the mineral. Non-radioactive strontium
deposits in bones and behaves like calcium, it can enhance bone density and resistance to
osteoporotic fractures, but only when taken in doses that are significantly higher than the
amount found naturally in the diet. As early as the 1950’s, studies of strontium salts (such as
lactate and gluconate) showed benefits to bones. Recent studies have confirmed that strontium
helps with both prevention and reversal of osteoporoses, maintaining bone density and restoring
it in people who already have some bone thinning. In an article in 2001, strontium was reported
to benefit bones in two ways, reducing the resorption of bone by osteoclasts (literally “boneeating”
cells) and by increasing formation of bone by osteoblasts (“bone-forming” cells). It was
noted that it was effective in both normal animals and in those that already had bone
loss.Michael Janson, M.D.
Strontium has been safely used as a medicinal substance for more than a hundred years. It was
first listed in Squire’s Companion to the British Pharmacopoeia in 1884. Subsequently,
strontium was used therapeutically in the United States and Europe. As late as 1955, strontium
compounds were still listed in the Dispensatory of the United States of America.
The processes of bone resorption and formation are tightly governed by a variety of systemic
and local regulatory agents. In addition, minerals and trace elements affect bone formation and
resorption through direct or indirect effects on bone cells or bone mineral. Some trace elements
closely chemically related to calcium, such as strontium have pharmacological effects on bone
when present at levels higher than those required for normal cell physiology. The human body
contains approximately 320 to 400 mg of strontium in bone, and connective tissue. If we look at
clinical studies, indeed, strontium was found to exert several effects on bone cells. In addition
to its antiresorptive activity, strontium was found to have anabolic activity in bone, and thus
may have significant beneficial effects on bone balance in normal and osteopenic animals.
Accordingly, strontium has been thought to have potential in the treatment of osteoporosis.
Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Trace Minerals
Chromium
Copper
Iron
Manganese
Zinc
Learn About The Healthiest Water On Earth!
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