Part 2. Why do minerals affect our state of mind?

　Minerals are essential for our vital activities. They play a variety of roles, such as building the skeleton, strengthening blood vessels, and supporting growth. There are more than 3,000 types of enzymes in our bodies, and they are deeply involved in digestion, metabolism, and other vital functions.
In the body, various metabolic processes occur as if gears were meshing together. Enzymes keep these gears turning smoothly, and minerals are the “cofactors” for enzymes, activating their functions.
　When we focus on the function of minerals in activating enzymes, we find that they have an effect on both the mind and the body. For example, minerals activate enzymes that produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. Studies believe that serotonin and other neurotransmitters are produced in sufficient quantities for the smooth functioning of enzymes that produce neurotransmitters directly related to emotions and mental states, such as motivation, concentration, and happiness.
　A lack of serotonin can lead to anxiety, irritability, panic, and sleep disturbances, while an excess of dopamine can lead to hyperactivity, fussiness, and other behaviors. One of the reasons behind children’s irritability, snapping, hyperactivity, anxiety, and other symptoms is that mineral deficiency causes metabolic abnormalities that prevent enzymes from functioning properly.
　In fact, I have received many happy testimonials such as “My child stopped losing his temper,” “My daughter calmed down,” “My son became more motivated,” and so on, as a result of mineral supplementation through diet.
One of the reasons why Rita School’s school lunches are “mineral organic meals” is that the minerals in the food (minerals) activate enzymes and affect the children’s state of mind.
　We encourage you to choose safe and secure organic foods at home, and at the same time, try to supplement your diet with minerals.

～Mineral recipes that children will love～
“Mineral Miso Paste Mixture”
Mineral Miso Soup” often appears in the lunch menu at Rita School.
Simply mix miso paste with powdered fish stock and olive oil, and pour in hot water.
Add mineral-rich nori seaweed and wakame seaweed to make this miso soup easy to drink in a mug when you are busy. The oil is added to condition the cell membranes.
(I will tell you about this in my next column.) I also recommend adding yuzu (a Japanese citrus fruit) to make it dengaku-style!

Ingredients:
90g miso paste, 30g natural fish stock seasoning powder,
30g extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Mix miso paste, dashi powder and oil in the ratio of 3:1:1.

Add 120cc of hot water to 15g of the miso paste mixture to make miso soup.
Add yuzu squeezed juice to the miso mixture and garnish with yuzu peel to make a dengaku-style soup.