In this episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, host Jamie Belz is joined by Allison Mädl, FNTP, educator, and long-time contributor to the Nutritional Therapy Association. Together, they unpack one of the most overlooked keys to vibrant health: minerals.

Allison shares how her personal health journey, combined with her years of teaching English to indigenous students in the U.S., led her to uncover the deeply rooted nutritional wisdom found in traditional cultures—especially the mineral-rich diets of the Misteco people of southern Mexico. From the science of how minerals regulate everything from inflammation to thyroid function, to the ancestral food practices like foraging and nixtamalization (soaking corn in alkaline solutions) to create more bio-availability in nutrient profiles, this episode explores how returning to whole, mineral-dense foods can transform our health at a cellular level - - - and may even slow graying hair!

You’ll learn:

• Why mineral balance is more important than isolated supplementation
• The role of minerals in muscle contraction, bone strength, and gene expression
• How trace mineral deficiencies may be linked to premature graying and chronic inflammation
• How reverse osmosis water could be depleting your mineral stores—and what to do about it
• Practical, ancestral ways to infuse more minerals into your life (yes, including tortillas)

Whether you’re struggling with cramps, fatigue, inflammation, or just want to feel more resilient in your body, this conversation is packed with both inspiration and actionable wisdom rooted in tradition, science, and bio-individuality.

Don’t forget to tune in Thursday for a follow-up "Quick Tips" episode on mineral-rich foods and simple ways to incorporate them into your routine.

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