Geomaterials, 2013, 3, 1-14 http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/gm.2013.31001 Published Online January 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/gm) Naturotherapies Based on Minerals Celso de Sousa Figueiredo Gomes GeoBioTec, Research Center of the Foundation for Science and Technology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal Email: cgomes@ua.pt Received September 11, 2012; revised October 9, 2012; accepted October 27, 2012 ABSTRACT Since the antiquity, and on an empirical basis, man has accumulated experience on the benefits and risks of minerals (such as, special clay, mud and sand) and other mineral resources (such as, salt, sea water, spring water, underground water, volcanic emissions and dust) on human health. Man and minerals are chemical systems sharing a common com- position, comprising major, minor and trace chemical elements, such as, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, sulphur, phosphor, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, silicon, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese and fluorine, all essential to life, to a high standard of living and to the formation of minerals; in the natural environment where man lives minerals and chemical elements are omnipresent, therefore, interactions are expected to occur and to condition man’s life and his standard of living, in turn highly determined by our health state. Examples of the properties and medicinal use of certain types of special clay, certain types of special sand, and certain types of special natural mineral water, thermal or not, in the treatment of particular types of health affections will be disclosed. Keywords: Minerals; Human Health; Naturotherapy; Oligotherapy; Pelotherapy; Psammotherapy; Mineral Water Drinking Cure 1. Introduction Minerals and human body are chemical systems, and in the chemical compositions of both systems the same chemical elements participate, although in different con- centrations. The main mineral forming chemical ele- ments are essential constituents of the human body. Also, minerals are conditioners of natural environment and human (or other animal) health. Depending upon their physical and chemical properties, minerals can be essen- tial to keep human health in good shape, but, in certain circumstances, deficiency or excess of minerals can be factors of human disease generation. The recognition that an intimate relationship exists between the natural envi- ronment, particularly the geologic materials and proc- esses, and human/animal health, has led to the recent development of a new field of science called Medical Geology [1-4]. The interaction of the natural environment on human health and living quality, particularly when geologic processes and geologic products are involved, currently arouses the interest of scientists, politicians and the com- munities. According to [3] the aim and scope of Medical Geology would include: 1) Identification and characteri- zation of natural and anthropogenic sources of harmful materials in the environment; 2) Learning to predict the movements and changes in chemical, infectious, and other diseases-causing agents over time and space; 3) Understanding how people are exposed to such materials and what can be done to minimize or prevent such expo- sure. Commenting the adequacy of the expression Medical Geology, on the one hand the term Geology refers to a scientific area whose aim is not limited to chemical ele- ments and minerals, which apparently are the main in- tervening and conditioning factors on human health. On the other hand the term Medical refers to a scientific area, Medicine, which is not limited to the simple identifica- tion and interpretation of the impacts of chemical ele- ments and minerals on human health. In fact, Medicine is based on three independent basic pillars: scientific in- formation, diagnosis and therapeutic. Hence, the afore- mentioned interaction of geologic processes and products on human heath cannot be limited to the hazardous or negative effects of particular chemical elements on hu- man health, especially certain heavy metals and metal- loids of natural or anthropogenic origin, or of particular minerals existent in the environment. Medical Geology should deal with both negative and positive effects of chemical elements and minerals on human health. Empirical knowledge of human health, whose practice is called Empirical Medicine or Folk Medicine, is essen- tial to many aspects of man’s life and activity. However, in regard to this subject, man’s quest for rational expla- nations based on science and technology is hereby con- sidered as equally essential. Copyright © 2013 SciRes. GM