Mineral and Water Function Essay

Mineral and water function essay

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Mineral and water function essay

Our human body is our vessel in which we operate daily life. It is like a car the outside of the car is our outer and the inside of our bodies is like the engine. What we put inside our bides is like the oil and lubricants that is needed for a good running engine. It is important that we understand what ingredients the body requires for proper function and minerals and water are by far super important for the normal functions of our body. It is the requirement our body needs to stay healthy. The main group of minerals in our body are called microminerals otherwise known as trace mineral. We are familiar and have heard most of these names of the common mineral before. Copper, Iron, iodine, zinc and fluoride to name a few. These trace minerals are grouped together as the body needs a smaller amount of these minerals every day. There are several main minerals, however; this essay will cover sodium and chloride.

Sodium in the body is utilized to balance our fluids, muscle contraction and our bodies nerve transmission. We get sodium mostly from salt, most amounts of processed food, vegetables, a small portion in milk products and unprocessed meats. Think food with that salty flavor. That’s the sodium your body requires. Chloride is needed to balance the bodies fluid, stomach acid. We find chloride in table salt, most meats, breads and vegetables. (Grosvenor & Smolin. Ebook).

There are many minerals under the umbrella of trace minerals the two we will focus on in this essay are: iron and zinc. Iron is a part of the hemoglobin molecule. This is found in red blood cells, the blood cells that carry the oxygen in the body. Iron is needed for energy metabolism in the body. We find iron in foods like red meat, fish, egg yolks, dried fruit and the leafy greens. Zinc is another important trace mineral and is made up of many parts of the enzyme. Zinc is needed for making protein and genetic material in the body. Zinc also plays a major part in our taste perception. The sources of food that contain zinc are: fish, poultry, leavened whole grain and vegetables. Any lack of a major trace mineral can cause poor health and may effect various body functions.

One health condition caused by lack of the essential minerals is known as Osteoporosis this disease is when the body becomes weak and is likely to break. Bone Mineral Density (BMD) reflects the balance between resorption and formation. “Osteoporosis can be a silent disease, symptoms for this disease are: such as pain and height loss. Protein is very good for strengthening the muscles in our bones and to fight against Osteoporosis. Fruits and vegetables contain many of the vitamins our body’s need, minerals, antioxidants and alkaline salts most or all of which is super beneficial to our bones. (http://www.webmd.com)

Water is one of the most important minerals for our bodies. Water manages our body temperature, keeps our tissues moist in our mouth, eyes and in our nose. Water acts as a lubricant for our joints and it protects the organs and tissues in our body. Water acts as a carrier of all nutrients and oxygen to the cells through our body. A lack of water may cause dehydration, the symptoms of dehydration are: dry mouth, weakness, dizziness, headache and fainting to name a few. Dehydration causes serious problems to the body if you are not getting the proper amount of water that your body needs. Dehydration may even cause death if not properly treated in a timely manner (Grosvenor & Smolin. Ebook).

As one can see minerals and water is super important to our human bodies. Our bodies rely daily on the amounts of each and it is up to each and everyone of us to give our bodies the healthy amounts that it needs. In return we will have a healthy body which in return will result in a healthy lifestyle packed with the energy and functionality to enjoy our day to day lives.

References

Retrieved from: WebMD Minerals. Their Function and Sources.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/tc/minerals-their-functions-and-sources-topic-overview

Grosvenor, M.B., & Smolin, L. (2015). Visualizing nutrition: Everyday Choices (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.