With the change of seasons and the winter months every second person has a cold, flu or gastro bug. The mineral zinc, is a super important piece to our immunity puzzle.
In fact, zinc is vital for many of the body’s processes and most people are chronically deficient in this vital mineral.
‘… As many as 2 billion people around the world have diets deficient in zinc, and studies are raising concerns about the health implications this holds for infectious disease, immune function, DNA damage and cancer.’
“Zinc is essential to … helping DNA repair. One new study has found DNA damage in humans caused by only minor zinc deficiency.” ~ Dr Joseph Mercola
In this post I share why it’s critical for a well-being and our personal experience.
Before zooming in on zinc though, lets take a closer look at minerals. Our life force.
Minerals act as co-factors for enzyme reactions in our body. Enzymes are critical as they speed up the chemical reactions in our cells. Enzymes don’t work without minerals! And every cell requires enzymes to work and function. Minerals are our life force.
A few more facts about minerals:
Without a healthy dose of minerals in our diet our bodies fundamentally will not function efficiently, predisposing us to infection, chronic illness and dis-ease. They are our life force.
Zinc.
Personally, I’ve noticed the benefits of adding more zinc into my day, including a welcomed, calmer and happier disposition, a similar benefit that I’ve noticed in the children.
Zinc is second only to iron in its concentration in our body! It’s needed for much more than treating a cold.
More important benefits of zinc:
It’s also important to note, if we are carrying heavy metals, which most of us are – mercury and nickel can compete with zinc and detrimentally displace the small amount we might have in our diets.
Depleted soils, stress, poor diet, chemicals and chronic illness are just a few of the many factors that deplete our zinc exposure and absorption. The body doesn’t store zinc so we need to make sure we get enough in our diet. Here’s how.
Top 10 foods high in zinc.
It’s thought that zinc is better absorbed by our body from animal sources than plant sources.
Other factors that compete for zinc in the body & lead to malabsorption;
How to know if you’re deficient.
It can be difficult to test for zinc levels accurately. Try adding in more of the above foods or if you try a zinc supplement, go for a liquid or colloidal form that is pure zinc and from a brand you trust.
And always discuss any concerns or questions with your health practitioner first.
To learn more about how you can improve your wellbeing and get to the root cause, please contact me for an initial discussion. I’d love to hear from you.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27885880
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3724376/
http://articles.mercola.com
https://www.globalhealingcenter.com
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3575353
Emerging out of the grey of a slow, cold winter, for many of us rather than feeling the joys of spring, we’re feeling heavy and sluggish and have been sick, actually… really sick.
70-80% of our immunity lies in our gut, so a significant part of staying healthy is about a healthy gut.
Healing the gut is the number 1 focus for healing everything … almost. While it’s not the only consideration, the health of the gut must be the number 1 consideration.
Our kids and I have all been diagnosed with gut issues i.e. leaky gut and nasty parasitic infections, yet without obvious symptoms. My daughter, however, had very bad eczema as a baby and my energy and immune system literally crashed when the children were little ones.
Symptoms I now know were linked to poor gut function and other imbalances.
You might be thinking, ‘I’m healthy! Why have I got gut issues?’
We’re all work in progress, but I reckon I’ve had gut issues for a while, and the health of my gut and my husbands’ has affected the health of our childrens’.
For me personally, the following may have contributed;
Other factors contributing to gut dysfunction;
Unknowingly many children are starting life with compromised gut function. If parents haven’t actively detoxed for heavy metals and rebuilt their microbiome, our kids are inheriting a handsome dose of toxins and an under performing gut flora that can quickly set the scene for gut dysfunction, malabsorption, autoimmune and inflammatory disease.
I don’t like to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s a reality and far better to know and to do something about it sooner than later.
And there is good news! The gut will heal and so will the body.
Have a listen to my gorgeous client, Callie and her inspiring story. Cal shares how she helped her 3 year old son, Bowen recover from a severe allergy to eggs. How she trusted her mothers instinct and her number 1 tip for creating a healthy home.
When the gut is functioning well, the foreigners i.e. toxins, heavy metals, parasites, viruses, bacteria etc. can pass right on through, while the body naturally does its thing.
Are you dealing with a form of gut dysfunction? Or perhaps you are but you don’t know you are. It’s highly likely.
Other than the obvious gut symptoms e.g. irritable bowel, reflux etc. Other clues / symptoms to consider;
Unless you’ve already identified an issue and taken action to restore it, it’s time to start rebuilding your gut health, gently, gradually, one step at a time and help safeguard your future wellbeing.
It doesn’t have to be difficult and the earlier you take action the better.
Learn more about protecting and restoring your gut health at my next Enriched Living Workshop, ‘Gut Health. Simple steps to healthy digestion & a long life’ We’re going on a fun and informative journey of the digestive system. You’ll learn commonly missed aspects to great gut health, plus lots of ideas for recipes and remedies to begin repairing your gut and your families. Simply. Naturally.
Seats are limited. Register ASAP.
And have a listen to Callie’s story.
There are 2 clear strategies I work on to boost immunity.
1. Nurture your good bugs.
When this natural symbiotic relationship is strong and you have a healthy army of bugs, you have a great chance of keeping pathogenic infections at bay and therefore strengthening your immunity, naturally. You’ll know things are going well because digestion will be happy and regular and immunity good.
2. Nourish your cells.
It’s easier than you might think. Let’s assume you’re enjoying some wonderful nourishing foods. The other important question to consider is, ‘How well are you (and the children) absorbing all those wonderful nutrients those foods are providing you…?’
VERY simply when these two functions are going well – we are well.
The difficulty is there are many factors in our environment that can work against these two most natural immune building functions. And we may not even realise we have these factors working against us until we realise we’re not as healthy as we thought we were or our kids are ALWAYS sick.
27 tips to nurture your good bugs and nourish your cells. A checklist.
Whatever you’re not already doing, choose one or two ideas that make sense for you and begin, and importantly, have fun along the way;
1. Vitamin D. The sunshine & happiness vitamin. And instrumental for a healthy immune system. Enjoy a healthy dose of sunshine whenever you can. Cover up only when you need to. We need the sun.
2. Sleep. Approximately 10 – 14 hours for kids, depending on their age. 7 – 9 refreshing hours for adults.
3. Stress Less. Rest your nervous system. Allow for down time (schedule it in), play, have fun, get outdoors, be creative, let the kids get dirty, mediate, rest, do more of what you love and love what you do.
4. Fresh Air & Physical Activity. Keep your body, your systems and your cells moving and communicating.
5. Water. 1 – 2L filtered good quality water a day. Preferably mineralised.
6. Reduce or eliminate sugar, dairy and gluten. Especially dairy for sinus, colds or mucous generating infections. These foods can hamper immunity and feed pathogens. Avoid them when the bugs abound and reduce them as necessary.
7. Reduce processed, packaged foods. These too hamper immunity and disrupt strong digestion.
8. Evaluate simple carbohydrates, (including fruit). No more than 2 pieces of fruit a day.
9. Greens, glorious greens. Lots of them any which way you can. They’re cleansing, full of nutrients, feed the good bugs (act as a prebiotic) and are energising. A simple green smoothie is the best or something more medicinal like this medicinal spring smoothie.
10. Good fats & protein. Help to keep blood sugars stable. Including bone stocks regularly is a perfect food to be adding in these two macro nutrients, coconut oil or milk, organic ghee, eggs etc.
11. Whole foods. Especially herbs and spices. For example garlic, ginger, lemon, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, oregano, thyme etc. Add your preferred herbs and spices to a cup, add warm water and allow to steep for a few minutes before drinking for a perfect immuni-TEA.
12. Eliminate trans fats. Baked goods, chips, margarines, cooking with vegetable oils.
13. Check toxin exposure or anything hampering optimum health. Personal and home cleaning products, radiation, EMF & chemical exposure, cookware, plastics, heavy metals, microbial infections etc. can all work at disrupting your immune system and more.
14. Fermented foods. Add them in regularly e.g. kefir, home made yoghurt or an authentic, sugar free brand, sauerkraut, miso paste, olives, capers etc.. And if you’re buying them, preferably buy unpasteurized.
15. Enjoy a good breakfast & lunch or afternoon tea / dinner and keep your blood sugars stable.
16. Own a pet. Research shows pet owners naturally have a stronger immune system.
17. Laugh often.
18. Detox or cleanse e.g. do a gentle cleanse, use an infrared sauna, keep your fascia and your lymphatic system moving, remove inflammatory foods and allow your body to rest and digest.
Supplement if you need a boost e.g;
19. Good quality cod liver oil or fish oil.
20. Probiotic (if you’re not fermenting foods).
21. Prebiotic e.g. inulin, psyllium husk, green vegetables (fibre), herbs preferably home grown.
22. Vitamin C, kakadu plum (gubinge), lemon myrtle or camu camu.
23. Zinc and Magnesium.
Other tips
24. Responsibility. Take back control. Your health and your families health is in your hands.
25. Be consistent & patient. There is no quick fix.
26. Try therapeutic grade essential oils if they feel right for you. They smell amazing and are a perfect way to stimulate the senses. When we feel we heal.
27. If your or your families immunity is low work with your health practitioner to give it a boost. Within a matter of weeks you can notice a difference.
Kate’s immunity building resources:
Now you’re ready for your healthiest season yet!
What’s your favourite way to boost immunity? I’d love to hear.