HEALTH / NUTRITION Much of the ill health and lack of vitality people complain of today can be traced to a deficiency in minerals and trace elements in our diets. The food we eat is no longer keeping us healthy. Modern farming methods have depleted the natural mineral reserves of the soil and, as a result, the foods we eat are increasingly deficient in the nutrients needed for proper functioning of the body. Minerals are essential catalysts that allow vitamins, enzymes, and other nutrients to perform their necessary roles in the body and promote proper mental function. Simply taking standard mineral supplements may not correct imbalances we experience because our bodies are designed to best absorb and use minerals that are in a colloidal form--that is, the soluble suspended state in which plants absorb minerals from the soil. Colloidal mineral supplements can increase vitality and strengthen the immune system because 98 percent of the supplement is incorporated into the body as opposed to the 3 to 5 percent absorption of standard mineral supplements. Colloidal Minerals and Trace Elements details 55 trace elements and their beneficial effects and explains the ideal combinations of colloidal supplements to use based on your health concerns. Also included are resources on where to purchase colloidal mineral products. MARIE-FRANCE MULLER, M.D., N.D., has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and has worked as a naturopathic doctor for more than twenty-five years. She gives workshops and lectures throughout Europe on different aspects of natural healing, including mineral therapy and facial reflexology. She has written twenty-six books published in French; this is her first book to be translated into English. The author lives in France.