Minerals
ARE YOU GETTING WHAT YOU NEED?
Everyone has heard of vitamins and their myriad healthsupporting benefits. Vitamin A supports eye health, vitamin C supports cardiovascular health, vitamin D is crucial for calcium and phosphorous absorption;* but what role do those metallic-sounding substances in your multivitamin serve? Minerals are the unfamiliar nutritional superheroes that maintain body water balance, regulate nerve impulses, play a vital role in hemoglobin synthesis, and, as recent research suggests, are particularly important for those who regularly exercise.*
Almost nobody is meeting recommended mineral intakes from food alone. 1 The issue is particularly problematic in females, who lose precious minerals during menstruation and often avoid rich sources such as animal protein, nuts, and legumes in their normal diet. Along with a healthy balanced diet, it is becoming abundantly clear that it is important to supplement with a source of bioavailable minerals such as those found in the dōTERRA ® Microplex VMz ® Food Nutrient Complex.
Three minerals in particular are crucial for those looking to turbocharge their workouts and build that slim and sassy body.
IRON
Iron plays a direct role in oxygen transportation and the creation of red blood cells, and helps regulate the release of energy from cells. If you are low, you’ ll feel lethargic and struggle to get through your workouts.* Up to 20 percent of adult women do not meet the RDA of 18mg per day( 8mg for males), making it the most common mineral deficiency. Those who exercise regularly face the greatest risk. One of the primary adaptations of exercise is the increase in red blood cell mass, which results in greater iron needs. Iron is also lost through sweat and minor gastrointestinal bleeding common during strenuous exercise— the harder you work, the more iron your body needs to replenish its stores. Two types of iron exist in food and some sources are more bioavailable than others. Heme iron, found almost exclusively in animal protein and in highest concentrations in red meat, has an absorption ratio of 15 – 18 percent. The human body is only able to absorb
18 / EUROPE WINTER LIVING 2017 LIVING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE