Step #3: Supply Full-Spectrum Nutrition

By Jon Frank

One of the colossal failures of modern agriculture is farming with partial and incomplete nutrition. Unfortunately, this is happening with almost all farming systems.

Most everybody is familiar with how commercial agriculture farms primarily with soluble forms of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. They may add a little sulfur, a few trace minerals and occasionally use some limestone. This will get a crop—just not a healthy crop. This is classic partial and incomplete nutrition.

Modern practices of regenerative agriculture place a very strong emphasis on using cover crops, biology, and the stimulation of biology to enhance soil health. This is a very important step in the right direction. But most often this is coupled with reduced inputs which also results in partial and incomplete nutrition. Small scale organic production has a long history of using high rates of compost and/or manure to provide a nearly complete fertility program. Over time this approach leads to fertility excesses which ties up certain minerals and under supplies calcium. The end result is still partial and incomplete nutrition.

So, what happens when our food is raised in an environment of partial and incomplete nutrition? That’s right—human nutrition is partial and incomplete. And this has major implications on our health and longevity. The actual process is more complex than this and will be explored later in this article. But first, it is important to look at what constitutes Full-Spectrum Nutrition.

Modern science has confirmed 17 elements essential for plant growth. The most recent nutrient to be confirmed is nickel. And silicon has been added as beneficial but not essential, since plants can survive in its complete absence.

In my opinion this approach is completely backwards. We need to raise plants with full-spectrum nutrition. Animals need more elements than plants and I suspect people need more elements than animals. We need to optimize soil for its ultimate consumers; people. Full-Spectrum Nutrition looks at supplying four groups of nutrients simultaneously. After working with thousands of gardens over 2 decades I can tell you this approach works and works very reliably.

The first group is the Major Minerals which I group as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Calcium.

The second group is the Secondary Minerals which I consider to be Silicon, Magnesium, Sodium, and Sulfur.

Trace Minerals make up the third group and are the recognized trace minerals such as Copper, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Boron, Molybdenum, and Nickel.

The last group is the Rare Earth Elements. This comprises everything else on the periodic chart not included in the first three groups. This would include elements such as cobalt, iodine, vanadium, cerium, selenium, and many more that science has not yet looked at in the context of plant growth. Of course, quantities needed for the rare earth elements are generally quite small.

The key to enabling full-spectrum nutrition is to supply all 4 groups at the same time.

Dr. Carey Reams was a very astute scientist who always asked why. Through a lifetime of learning and discovery he codified the answers to many questions most of us never think to ask. This became known as RBTI--Reams Biological Theory of Ionization. RBTI is actually a theory and system that looks at how energy and the physical realm interact with chemistry and biology.

One of the peculiar questions he asked was why does radiant heat from a wood stove or wood fire feel so much better than the radiant heat from an electric heater. His answer might surprise you. And yes—it relates to human nutrition.

The heating element of an electric heater is an alloy of only a few metals. These metals are energized by electricity and throws off heat energy. Burning wood also throws off heat energy but it is influenced by a broad spectrum of minerals mixed with the stored energy of the carbon compounds. According to Dr. Reams the heat given from burning wood is much more satisfying because the heat energy is moderated by a far greater spectrum of minerals present in the wood.

An analysis of wood ashes proves it contains a great number of minerals, while the heating element alloy might contain just a handful of mixed metals.

I don’t know how to prove or disprove Dr. Reams' assertion, but growing up in northern Minnesota with only wood stoves to heat our homes I know from personal experience that wood heat satisfies 100 times more than electrical heat ever has.

And this brings up a very important rule given by Dr. Reams. Biology doesn’t actually need minerals; it needs the specific energy associated with those minerals. The minerals are in fact transiting in and out of the body. In the process some of the energy of these minerals is reduced like a battery being discharged. This energy transfers from the minerals and charges up the energy of biology.

Dr. Reams taught that lower brix produce has less quantity of minerals, less spectrum of minerals, and less energy charge on those minerals and thus a reduced or negative impact on human health. On the other hand, higher brix produce has a greater level, spectrum, and energy charge. And this is why it so strongly impacts health.

Let’s Summarize the Key Takeaways

1. Food can be raised in an environment with partial and incomplete nutrition or it can be raised in an environment with Full-Spectrum Nutrition.
2. Full-Spectrum Nutrition includes Major Minerals, Secondary Minerals, Trace Minerals, and the Rare Earth Elements.
3. When all groups are simultaneously supplied to soil the biology/environment interactions are significantly enhanced.
4. This results in crops and food being produced with a higher level of minerals, a greater spectrum of minerals, and a greater energy charge on those minerals.
5. If this is the type of food you eat expect great flavor, energy, and health impact.