Mineral Tranquilizers For Nerves and Glands

Have you ever seen a hungry baby go peacefully to sleep? Will an adult rest peacefully if his body is starved of the nutrients for its efficient operation? Let’s examine some of these aspects.

Quartermaster Duties

The glands employ the material supplied by the diet, and, like the quartermaster of the Army, determine the needs of various parts and govern the distribution of such material. Each gland (like each depot) has charge of particular mineral elements. The thyroid and parathyroid regulate the calcium, phosphorus and iodine ratio. The adrenals regulate the sodium, potassium and chlorides. And the pancreas, of course, the sugar utilization.

Mineral Tides

We may speak of the mineral “tides” in the body, because as the activity and demands of the glands are altered, so the proportionate levels of minerals are changed. The activity of the glands are stimulated by mental activity–particularly by the moods and emotions. Chidester states that in such activity, vast amounts of calcium, potassium, iodine and iron are excreted from the body (via the kidney route). Dr. D. C. Jarvis, in his book Folk Medicine, describes the alkaline tide of the urine (above minerals being excreted) when a person is emotionally disturbed, the urine being persistently alkaline until a more tranquil state of mind is brought about.

Vicious Cycle

This alkaline mineral loss in the “nervous patient” is a factor to consider in the management of the mentally disturbed, irrespective of the possible psychogenic origin of the disorder. We may well look to the neuroses of today as being “mineral depleters” of the body with a vicious cycle being formed–”nervousness” for one reason or another–glandular stimulation–followed by demineralization–followed by increased nervousness, and, we might add, aggravated by the modem demineralized diet.

Threshold of Irritability

lt now becomes obvious how this “psychosomatic-demineralization cycle” can best be broken by looking first to the nutritional interests of these patients. Calcium, potassium and iodine here may be the best “soothers of the savage soul.” The reward of such replacement of nutritional factors is a lowering of the threshold of irritability and frequently the subject is enabled to “get a hold of himself.” Thus, by simply enforcing dietary improvements, the range of psychosomatic background diseases may be considerably reduced.

How much more logical to supply the minerals, precursors and dietary factors that the body needs to work with–its tools of trade, so to speak–than to cudgel these mechanisms with substances foreign to the body, drug tranquilizers.

Glands and Toxins

Remember, one of the most important functions of the glands is the disburdening of the body of toxins. The greatest burden imposed upon the glands is not psychosomatic, but rather the corrupting of foods by abusing their original state. Here is the real “stress syndrome” which is bringing about glandular insufficiency and demineralization, guised in the cloak of seemingly unrelated disease ranging from obesity and arthritis to heart disease. Aren’t most chronic disease sufferers “nervous”?

A natural diet is the answer to the prevention of these problems. Begin with the potential juvenile delinquent, our babies. Use plain, pure, simple foods. Even “starvation diets” are better than ours, as evidenced by the absence of tooth decay (one cavity in 80 persons examined) in the beggars of India and remarkable freedom from arthritis and circulatory disorders.

“Cushioning Effect”

The salts of calcium (particularly calcium lactate) and the iodine, potassium and other alkaline minerals (including trace minerals) of sea kelp are important dietary adjuncts in these situations. A diet rich in raw vegetables, green leafy vegetables, yogurt and vegetable juices–all good sources of alkaline minerals–is a “must” for a dietary assist.

Sea Water

Let’s Live reprint, “Mineralizing with Sea Water” (copies on request), explains the beneficial effects of this product in re-establishing the mineral balance in the body. While too lengthy to discuss here, the point is that like the store of the Acres of Diamonds, perhaps we have in sea water one of the best health remedies right in our own backyards–that is if we happen to live in a seaside dwelling. If not, it is possible to purchase the dehydrated sea salts at your health food store.

It is interesting to observe that about 50 years ago, when Dr. Ringer (Ringer’s Solution) was experimenting to find the chemical composition of a solution which would be as nearly compatible to human blood, the solution was found to consist of various minerals which approximated sea water in many respects. Incidentally, sea water is not as high in salt (sodium chloride) as may be supposed, owing its salty taste to other minerals as well–being, in the dehydrated state, approximately 70% salt and 30% other minerals, including trace minerals.