What are liquid colloidal minerals? Everywhere you turn (well, almost) there’s someone from a health company ‘wagging their tail’ and telling you that it will help just about every health challenge known to woman.

A colloid is simply a particle suspended in a liquid or a gas. A cup of coffee is an example of a colloid (coffee and milk suspended in water).

Most minerals occur in nature as ions, meaning they are negatively or positively charged particles. Liquid colloidal minerals are very small particles (usually extracted from plants) in a liquid solution. The minerals have a negative charge given to them by the plant and a small size – 7 to 10,000 times smaller than a red blood cell – allowing them to be very easily absorbed into the small intestine.

The colloidal mineral story started in Utah in 1920 when an ailing rancher named Thomas (T.J.) Clark was led to a spring by an Indian elder - and was given a drink of bitter tasting ‘medicine water’. Soon after drinking the water Clark made a remarkable recovery and became determined to unlock the secret of this mysterious healing spring.

He discovered the source of the spring ran through a prehistoric forest preserved as a shale deposit. This forest grew in an area with a high concentration of minerals in the soil When the water was analysed it was found to contain over 70 different minerals.

The name given to this ‘water’ was later termed ‘liquid colloidal minerals’, however better terminology is actually ‘plant derived minerals’ since the minerals are derived from plants.

Today, liquid colloidal minerals or plant derived minerals are manufactured by mining this prehistoric shale and combining it with filtered spring water. The minerals taken up by the plants are in an organic form making them completely safe to consume. The mixture is then filtered several times to remove any impurities and heavy metals and then bottled. The only significant source of this shale is in Utah in the U.S.A.

There are many arguments for and against the health benefits of plant derived minerals. Conventional medical doctors argue that you can get all the minerals you need from the main food groups – grains vegetables, fruits and nuts. Alternative health professionals argue that our soils and therefore our food crops are deficient in minerals and this deficiency and our fast food culture along with environmental pollution leads to disease and that many diseases we suffer are actually nutrient deficiency diseases.

In spite of all the arguments, there are many people who swear that liquid colloidal minerals are a significant factor in their recovery from a range of diseases- enough to sustain an entire industry that continues to grow. It would be a safe bet that the amount of minerals in our food chain are decreasing and some form of supplementation is necessary.

If you’re curious, they are relatively inexpensive and if you become one of those who experience a great health benefit then “congratulations” the experiment was worthwhile. And if they don’t work – I hear they are also great for preserving cut flowers.

Paul Newland is a health writer, sports training consultant and martial arts instructor and runs the Global-Longevity.com website.
He is the author of numerous health information books and guides, including the Wellness Report, The Ultimate Antioxidant Report, The Selenium Report, The Ultimate Nutrient Guide and The Ultimate Sports Nutrition Guide - available Free (for a limited time) through Global-Longevity.com.

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