You are pure magic. The physical body that supports you is a symphony of chemical and electrical actions and reactions that allow you to do the simplest of things, such as read this email or sip a drink. These chemical processes also insure that your heart will continue beating and your lungs keep breathing, without you having to give them a single thought.

There are many things that go into making the human body the magical machine that it is. You are probably aware of the importance of certain vitamins in your diet. Just as critical (maybe even more so) are the mineral elements that are necessary to support your machinery.

Many of the same minerals that are vital to your survival are found in the gemstones and crystals that you are attracted to. Minerals affect the way a crystal will grow, the colors it shows and its healing qualities. Minerals can affect how your body develops, your skin tone and health. Many crystals are electrical or can influence the flow of electricity ; Quartz can actually create an electrical current. Your body functions because of electrical impulses that allow muscles, tendons, the spinal cord, brain and your other vital organs to communicate and function in harmony with each other .It is an electrical impulse that causes your finger to hit the mouse and scroll this page down to continue reading.

Minerals are at the root of these electrical actions. While vitamins are critical for your survival, without the assistance of minerals, your body would not be able to utilize some vitamins. For instance, you may take mega doses of vitamin C to help ward off colds this coming Winter. However, if your Calcium levels are low, your body will not be able to absorb or use any of it.

Minerals themselves require the presence of "buddy minerals" to ensure proper body function. Without Magnesium your body would not be able to metabolize (turn calories into energy) Calcium or Zinc. Without Zinc, your body would not be able to absorb and use Phosphorus.

Physical ingredients are not the only similarity that you share with crystals. The heat, pressures and metamorphic events that form crystals teach you an important lesson about living life. As you walk your path you will face difficulties that bring stress, hardship and changes. How you endure and work through these events will shape you. You can choose to be strengthened and enhanced or allow life to slowly wear you down. Minerals that have undergone cataclysmic changes usually become the most brilliant gemstones. Occasionally though, they just become dust. Unlike minerals, you have a choice in how you will be shaped by the forces in your life. Brilliance, or dust.

Here are some of the critical minerals that make up your crystal body. This is not intended as a dietary guide, but simply a list of these vital elements, some of their functions and a few of the gemstones that share that specific element.

CALCIUM - makes up teeth and bones; assists with nerve functions, muscle contraction and blood clotting; lack of Calcium can cause osteoporosis, rickets and form stones in the Kidney or Gall Bladder Crystals with Calcium include Calcite, Prehnite, Labradorite, Grossular and Uvarovite Garnets.

IRON - vital for the absorption of Oxygen from the lungs into the blood and other tissue; lack of Iron can cause anaemia and increase the risk of infection; too much Iron can cause organ damage and deficiencies in Calcium and Magnesium Crystals with Iron include Garnets, Bloodstone, Hematite, Amethyst, Citrine, Lodestone and Carnelian.

MAGNESIUM - builds strong bones, necessary for the absorption of Calcium, utilized by 90 different enzymes within the body, assists with muscle and nerve actions; lack of Magnesium can cause weakness, muscle problems, PMS and irregular heartbeat Crystals that include Magnesium are Iolite, Peridot, Pyrope Garnets, Spinel and Nephrite Jade.

PHOSPHOROUS - makes up bone tissue, helps to form compounds that assist the body in converting calories into energy; not enough Phosphorous can cause weakness, loss of minerals in bones and breathing problems; too much prevents your body from absorbing important minerals like Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Zinc. Apatite appears to be one of the few crystals that contain Phosphorous.

POTASSIUM - supplies the base ion that makes up intercellular fluids (which allow for communication between the cells and the nervous system), assists with the functioning of muscles and nerve tissues. Lack of Potassium can cause muscle paralysis, too much can cause heart attacks Crystals with Potassium include some Moonstones, Amazonite, Granite, Lepidolite and Apophyllite

SODIUM - helps to maintain the right volume of extracellular fluids (which also assist with the flow of information along the nervous system), corrects the PH balance within your body, helps with muscle function; lack of Sodium can cause low blood pressure, weakness, fever ,breathing problems; too much Sodium causes high blood pressure, dehydration and water retention. Crystals that include Sodium are Sodalite, Halite, Jadeite, some Tourmalines, Labradorite, Albite and Apophyllite

This next group of minerals are found in very small amounts within your body. Not all the functions and dysfunctions for these minerals are known or completely understood right now. I've supplied what information I could find.

CHROMIUM - works with the skeletal muscles, lack of Chromium can lead to depression, weakness and lack of patience Crystals with Chromium include Emerald, Uvarovite Garnet, Diopside and some green Tourmalines.

COPPER - helps to form collagen in the blood, is a part of important enzymes; lack of Copper can cause your hair to fall out, disrupt the nervous system, cause bone disease. Crystals with Copper include Turquoise, Malachite, Chrysocolla, pink Prehnite and Azurite

MANGANESE - works as an antioxidant, strengthens bones, nerves and muscles, part of the critical enzyme (CuZn SOD); lack of Manganese can cause rashes and skin irritations, deform bones, stunt hair growth; too much Manganese can cause Parkinson-like symptoms. Crystals with Manganese are Rose Quartz,Rhodonite, Rhodocrosite, Morganite, Spessarite Garnet, Cordierite and Sugilite

SELENIUM - is another antioxidant, assists the immune system, is the essential component of the glutathione peroxidase enzyme; a lack of Selenium can lead to disease in the cartilage around your joints and heart difficulties; too much can be poisonous. Selenium is rarely found in gemstones or crystals, but does crystalize on its own occasionally.
SULFUR - helps to remove toxins from the body, one of the building blocks for amino acids, promotes healthy skin, hair, nails; the body needs so little Sulphur there is rarely a deficiency. Sulphur crystallizes on its own, normally on rocks or stones, it is also found occasionally in Quartz (especially from India) and Selenite.

ZINC - helps over 200 different enzymes do their jobs, strengthens the immune system; lack of Zinc causes sores on the skin and cornea, increases your risk of infection; too much Zinc will prevent your body from absorbing Copper. Crystals with Zinc include Hemimorphite,
Junitoite and Queitite.

These are not the only minerals found in your body. Very small traces of Fluorine, Iodine, Cobalt, Molybdenum and Silicon are also present, though their functions are not completely understood at this time.

Most amazing of all (to me anyway) is the fact that these critical minerals you would not survive without are all an important part of Mother Earth. Within the Earth's crust, each mineral exists in proportions that are amazingly similar to the amounts your body needs to perform.

As Father Sky rains and his winds scrap across Mother, these minerals are weathered out of the Earth's shell and make their way into plants, water, animals and eventually our food supply. So not only is your body an amazing symphony of magical processes, but the entire planet works in harmony with you to sustain life. Once you begin to see these interrelations between all things on Earth, the words, "you are what you eat" take on a profound significance.

Your connection to the Earth is not just a spiritual state of mind. The "Web of Life" is not just a warm and fuzzy statement to make us feel good about each other. Your connection to Earth and Life's Web are very physical realities and maintaining the balance on Earth and for all life is essential to the survival of humans.

Abundant blessings,
Stephanie

Stephanie Pflumm ©Copyright 2005