Using Minerals for Rock Solid Results

As of now, I am on the road with a plethora of contests ahead of me. This month I have already competed twice, Copper World Cup and Quebec City World Championships.  The Park City World Cup is where I am now, making it the third this month, one every ten days, and with lots of travel in between.

All of this action takes a lot of energy and spark to keep going. Over the years I have noticed how minerals play a huge part in maintaining the strength I need to keep up with training, competing, and traveling.

Here are only a few facts about minerals to get you thinking about their role in your life no matter how active you are.

Why minerals are important:

Ø       Minerals act as cofactors for enzyme reactions. Enzymes don’t work without minerals. All cells require enzymes to work & function. They give us our vitality.

Ø       They maintain the pH balance within the body.

Ø       Minerals actually facilitate the transfer of nutrients across cell membranes.

Ø       They maintain proper nerve conduction

Ø       Minerals help to contract and relax muscles.

Ø       They help to regulate our bodies’ tissue growth.

Ø       Minerals provide structural and functional support for the body.

There are two types of minerals, Macro- minerals (major minerals) and Micro-minerals (trace minerals). Here is a chart to help you understand what they are and where you can get them

Major minerals
Mineral	Function	Sources
Sodium	Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction	Table salt, soy sauce; large amounts in processed foods; small amounts in milk, breads, vegetables, and unprocessed meats
Chloride	Needed for proper fluid balance, stomach acid	Table salt, soy sauce; large amounts in processed foods; small amounts in milk, meats, breads, and vegetables
Potassium	Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction	Meats, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes
Calcium	Important for healthy bones and teeth; helps muscles relax and contract; important in nerve functioning, blood clotting, blood pressure regulation, immune system health	Milk and milk products; canned fish with bones (salmon, sardines); fortified tofu and fortified soy milk; greens (broccoli, mustard greens); legumes
Phosphorus	Important for healthy bones and teeth; found in every cell; part of the system that maintains acid-base balance	Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, processed foods (including soda pop)
Magnesium	Found in bones; needed for making protein, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, immune system health	Nuts and seeds; legumes; leafy, green vegetables; seafood; chocolate; artichokes; "hard" drinking water
Sulfur	Found in protein molecules	Occurs in foods as part of protein: meats, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, legumes, nuts

The body needs trace minerals in very small amounts. Note that iron is considered to be a trace mineral, although the amount needed is somewhat more than for other microminerals.

Trace minerals
Mineral	Function	Sources
Iron	Part of a molecule (hemoglobin) found in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the body; needed for energy metabolism	Organ meats; red meats; fish; poultry; shellfish (especially clams); egg yolks; legumes; dried fruits; dark, leafy greens; iron-enriched breads and cereals; and fortified cereals
Zinc	Part of many enzymes; needed for making protein and genetic material; has a function in taste perception, wound healing, normal fetal development, production of sperm, normal growth and sexual maturation, immune system health	Meats, fish, poultry, leavened whole grains, vegetables
Iodine	Found in thyroid hormone, which helps regulate growth, development, and metabolism	Seafood, foods grown in iodine-rich soil, iodized salt, bread, dairy products
Selenium	Antioxidant	Meats, seafood, grains
Copper	Part of many enzymes; needed for iron metabolism	Legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, organ meats, drinking water
Manganese	Part of many enzymes	Widespread in foods, especially plant foods
Chromium	Works closely with insulin to regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels	Unrefined foods, especially liver, brewer's yeast, whole grains, nuts, cheeses
Molybdenum	Part of some enzymes	Legumes; breads and grains; leafy greens; leafy, green vegetables; milk; liver

Other trace nutrients known to be essential in tiny amounts include nickel, silicon, vanadium, and cobalt.

Referenced From: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/minerals_their_functions_and_sources-health/article_em.htm

Basically minerals play a huge part in the function of your body, especially when it comes to high performance situations. The fact that minerals contribute to the nervous and musculature systems alone convince me to be diligent with proper intake of the amount of minerals in my diet or supplement if I need to, especially because your body cannot produce minerals on its own.

There are many factors to consider when you are being aware of your mineral intake. Like what minerals and vitamins needed to be taken together so your body absorb and use the minerals in the proper manner.

Calcium is a great example if this; your body needs to be in an ideal state (acidic, has sufficient vitamin D3 and fatty acids, and balanced hormones) for it to absorb the calcium. Otherwise you can take all the calcium you want and never use it properly.  You need calcium because it is huge in bone development and maintenance, nerve impulses, and much more. 

So, there is good reason to research more about minerals, but I can almost guarantee that you are deficient magnesium, zinc, and calcium. It is a good idea to get on re-mineralizing your body now because it can take up to a year to get things back in order.   

For me and all the jumping, moving, and shaking, I do, I still supplement with calcium, magnesium, a multi-vitamin with other minerals needed, a trace mineral solution I add to my water called Concentrace (as I have mentioned in my hydration blog) with trace minerals, and iron for a week once a month ;), even after eating a whole food diet.  

Having my body in the best state possible really makes a difference when I am on the road and constantly throwing down runs. With my next stop being the Olympic test event, the Sochi World Cup in Russia, I want to be in high performance mode so I can put my best runs down and get a spot for myself and Canada.

Find out more about what I am doing now here http://www.ktathletics.com/

Check out my FIS SNOWBOARD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS VIDEO BLOG