Hi Grz,

Your comment: Dr. Olree associates minerals with an amino acid... ML speaks of "complexed" proteins... and indeed, a protein paired with a mineral becomes an enzyme...

enzymes are catalysts of biological functions. I posted on copper based proteins\enzymes not too long ago.

Supplementing, or eating "complexed" (this would be a "high" quality food where the minerals are already "married" to their proteins as enzymes; note this is where cooking is an issue for some as some minerals are leached away from the proteins the enzyme value is lost, and why you want to eat\drink the broth, etc.) proteins affects mineral balance... for better or worse... NPN has a much worse affect on mineral balance because... the body must scramble to match the NPN with the necessary mineral; if it exists. If it does not, the NPN becomes a liability to the body and is at best, neutralized and sequestered... probably why the stones and build up in the kidneys and liver with melamine.

If you read the .pdf on Earp-Thomas I posted earlier, you would have read about the digestive system requiring minerals to manufacture enzymes for enhanced digestion... Given that, chronic digestive disturbances likely have much (perhaps everything) to do with the poor quality of the food being eaten. I would suggest that with adequate broad spectrum mineral nutritional intake, that enzymes are more or less an unnecessary supplement. In a nutritionally deficient individual, they may be required until base need is met.

The same seems to be true with probiotics and soil based organisms, in that they may not be needed as a supplement by a well nourished individual. Research shows when the conditions in the gut are right, a variety of bacterial strains establish and maintain colonies... these bacteria, to one extent or another, require minerals. The broader the mineral intake spectrum, the broader the support in our gut for various beneficial bacterial species. If we are supplementing with one mineral over another, the population will favor one strain over another.

I am not saying that supplementing is not necessary in this day and age... not by a long shot given the current food availability to most people... however, supplementing should be done wisely... perhaps an extensive mineral profile analysis and then on going monitoring; except then we get into the "normal" issues and we all know that no one is "normal". Forget I said that :-) Go with your own gut and feelings...

A caveat to the probiotic supplementing, is the current environmental conditions we find ourselves in that may, even in the best of circumstances, strain our natural gut flora to the point where supplementation becomes necessary... that, and when we find ourselves eating less than ideally, as we do on occasion, the balance can be tipped rather quickly. A few days off may be recovered without assistance, however a one or two week vacation with the seemingly obligatory indulgences, could require some supplemental help.

Bacteria live on and\or metabolize minerals\elements, the bacteria's waste products providing vitamins, active enzymes etc. for human metabolism... if you only get a few macro minerals in your diet... you will likely only have a few beneficial, viable bacterial strains in your gut of any appreciable population, etc...

One begins to see how it is all tied together and influenced by what we do and eat.

I read something today in one of Earp-Thomas' papers I believe... it is ALL about what we eat... and the MINERAL nutrition the food provides, or doesn't that determines our health and well being. Indeed, his work is very compelling and starts, with the health of the soil. Albrecht is the same... in fact, they go so far as to say "feed the soil" NOT the crops. Healthy soil, healthy crops.

Good stuff...

grz-

Answer: WHY do I continue to state that we must learn to Feed the Soil Life what it needs to stay Healthy, for it then may feed the Plants that then feed Mankind?

Modern man has forgotten one of the most Fundamental requirements to maintain Healthy Life on earth !

It is called providing the Earth it's Sabbaths !

This means learning to be the caretakers of the Earth as we are supposed to, which means caring for the Life in the Soil !

When Mankind Fails to care for Mother Earth, he is just asking for Sickness and Disease !

Cause and Effect !

Smile Tis your choice.

Wow, amazing post Grz!! Thanks for your insights and provoking thoughts! Since learning from ML about feeding the micro organisms in the soil just this year, I have made some big adjustments in how I garden. I only wish the big producers would learn this and see the many benefits of doing so.

Thanks again...you are a wonderful teacher!!

Striveon:)