By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

It’s called, “phlegm,” “mucus,” “snot,” “loogies,” or even “boogers,” and some of us have more than others. We sniff, snort, clear our throats, cough, and spit it out. And it can be pretty gross.

We all have about 1 to 1.5 liters of it that pass through our system every day, and some of us have more mucus than others. It can be thick, green, yellow, brown, or clear and thin. It’s all mucus and it serves some vital functions in the body.

What is this slimy stuff?

Mucus is a lubricating, protective substance made mostly of water and a gel-forming molecule called mucin. Mucus lines the nose, sinuses, the eyes, the mouth, the digestive system, the vagina and more.

Mucus serves to protect the sensitive areas, remove dirt, pollen, and other pathogens, and keep tissues moist. Mucus also lubricates organs and cavities in the body, allowing you to move freely without things sticking to each other. Ouch!

Some of the cells in these areas of your body release a mixture of proteins, salts, fats, and immune molecules, and other cells covered with tiny hair-like projections called ‘cilia’ sweep the mucus along. Sort of like automatic house cleaning in your body.

We tend to notice the mucus in our nasal passages and throat the most because this is the stuff that catches dirt, dust, pollen, and pathogens and gets thick and gooey. Sometimes it can run down your throat, causing you to have to clear your throat often.

Phlegm is also mucus that ends up down in your lungs due to breathing irritating air, having a cold or lower respiratory infection or pollen that you breathe in. Phlegm helps you cough up some of those things you’ve inhaled.

Phlegm also happens when you are sick, and a virus gets down in your lower respiratory passages. This irritating virus and the resulting immune reaction cause thick mucus to deposit in your bronchial tubes and lungs. Result— you cough up, thick chunks of yellow, green, or brown mucus, called phlegm.

Our bodies make mucus all the time, but we only tend to notice it when it’s excessive and thick. In fact, your body normally produces about 1 to 1.5 liters of mucus a day.

What causes excess mucus?

• Dairy products, especially conventional dairy
• Inflammation from grains, i.e., gluten
• Nightshade sensitivity
• Vegetable seed oils, like sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, soybean, corn, canola, etc.
• Colds, flu, covid, and other respiratory infections
• Inhaling smoke, dust, animal dander, mold spores, and air pollution
• Certain medications, like birth control pills, or blood pressure medications
• Pregnancy
• Acid reflux
• Smoking
• Asthma
• Cystic fibrosis
• COPD
• Dehydration
• Alcohol
• Excess inflammation, anywhere in the body

Stop the constant drip, drip, drip…

Many people have ongoing mucus issues and don’t understand the cause—nor understand that it can be eliminated. But you can reduce and/or eliminate this annoying goo.

There are a variety of ways to reduce or thin your mucus secretions, both naturally and medically. Let’s dig in…

1. Diet

Diet is the biggest factor in causing excess mucus secretions, and this can vary from person to person. However, there are a few foods that create more mucus for most people.

These include conventional, processed dairy, which can be a big issue, especially if you tend to have an allergy or sensitivity to dairy. Dairy can cause everything from stuffy nose, to blocked sinuses, and even coughing up phlegm. Switching to raw dairy, or even A2 type of dairy can eliminate this mucus clogging food.

Other foods that contribute to mucus include all grains, especially gluten, corn, and soy. Processed, refined grains are the worst for mucus production. Grains are highly inflammatory to the entire body, and this causes excess production of mucus.

An often-overlooked food that causes excess mucus are nightshades. Many people are sensitive to one or more of these foods, and don’t even know it. You don’t have to have a dramatic reaction to these foods. In fact, the mucus production may be the only reaction you notice. Nightshades include white potatoes, all varieties of peppers, tomatoes (often canned or cooked ones are more of a problem), eggplant, okra, and even goji berries.

Other foods that can cause excess mucus are certain fruits and vegetables like leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. While you wouldn’t think of these foods as causing inflammation, for many, these foods can inflame the digestive system, creating more mucus or phlegm. Examples of fruits or vegetables that increase mucus include spinach, kale, cabbage, bananas, and potatoes.

One of the worst offenders for causing mucus and inflammation includes vegetable seed oils such as sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, corn, canola, soybean, grapeseed, or just ‘vegetable oil’. These oils are known to be highly inflammatory to the body and the lungs. Many people who have asthma report increased inflammation and difficulties breathing when ingesting vegetable oils.

Refined cane sugar can really exacerbate inflammation as well as mucus production. On top of that, sugar can totally knock out or reduce your immune system responses to viral and bacterial infections. Lowered immune function results in catching more colds, flu, and bacterial infections—all of which cause increased mucus and phlegm.

Alcoholic beverages—especially beer and wine can increase mucus production as well. Because alcohol inflames the digestive tract, this causes excess mucus to be produced. The worst alcoholic beverages for mucus and phlegm are dark beers and red wine. Both contain high quantities of yeasts and molds, along with histamines that create a stuffy nose and sinuses.

2. Irritating Allergens in Your Environment

This may be easier said than done, but when pollen, dust, animal dander or other allergens are floating around in the air, it’s best to reduce your exposure. If it’s pollen from plants and trees that bothers you, spending time indoors with air conditioning or an air filter may be best. If it’s indoor allergens, vacuuming and dusting frequently may help.

One thing that makes a huge difference during allergy season, is eliminating any foods that increase inflammation and mucus. I personally have found that avoiding eating any grains or sugar, as well as certain nightshades makes a huge difference in my reaction to other environmental allergens. So, before you lock up the dog and lock yourself inside, make some healthy tweaks to your diet, and you may find that your runny nose, cough, and watery eyes disappear during allergy season if you are avoiding inflammatory foods.

Another helpful practice is to use a Neti pot during allergy ‘season’ or when exposed to allergens in the air. It can wash out the irritating substances and reduce the mucus in your nasal and sinus pathways.

3. Medication

Conventional medical doctors will want you to try taking decongestants, antihistamines, and nasal sprays. However, I am not a big believer in these remedies as they often have unwanted side effects (no surprise here).

Decongestants–Common decongestants can be effective but also are extremely drying to your body and can cause dehydration, since they work systemically. Decongestants even dry out your eyes and make them feel irritated and scratchy.

Decongestants have a common side effect of making you feel jittery and anxious—kind of like having too much caffeine. While feeling this way is not fun at any time of the day, feeling jittery at night can wreck a good night’s sleep. Decongestants also constrict blood vessels, causing a possibly dangerous increase in blood pressure.

Antihistamines–On the other hand, antihistamines can not only be very drying, but they have the added side effect of making you feel extremely groggy and drowsy. While you may have less mucus, you may not even be able to function with these medications.

Nasal Sprays–The three most often used types of nasal sprays are steroid, antihistamine, and decongestant. While nasal sprays can temporarily clear your nose, you can actually become physically addicted to them—very quickly.

Nasal sprays have a ‘rebound’ effect, and while they can constrict the blood vessels in the nose, helping to shrink your nasal tissues and helping you breathe easy, once they wear off, breathing and mucus production will be worse. Nasal sprays, like decongestants, can also dangerously raise blood pressure, so beware. A saline nasal spray may be the best option to thin mucus.

Expectorants–Expectorants can help to loosen and break up phlegm in the chest, helping you cough up and clear out your bronchial tubes and lungs. Conventional medical expectorants can encourage a cough, while other cough suppressant medicines stop a tickling cough. Elderberry cough medicine, which is a natural-based cough medicine, uses elderberry extracts to help break up the phlegm for a more productive cough.

4. Natural Solutions

Besides dietary changes, there are a few effective treatments you can do to reduce the amount of mucus secretions and the viscosity (thickness).

Hydration—The simple act of drinking more water or fluids can help to thin out secretions. Since mucus is a body fluid, anything that helps to increase bodily fluids will help to thin mucus. Approximately 60% of the human body is water–plus or minus 15%. Losing only 3% of your weight in water can result in dehydration.

Neti pot—Neti pots help to clean allergens, dust, and animal dander out of the nose, while flushing out the sinuses. Neti pots clean the nasal passages with a salt and water solution and are easy to use. You can also purchase an over-the-counter saline nasal spray which basically works the same as a Neti pot.

Essential Oils—One of my favorite methods is to use essential oils to help clear the sinuses, and even the bronchial tubes and lungs. Eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, lavender oil, tea tree oil, rosemary oil and oregano oil all work well to help reduce congestion and mucus. One of the best ways to use these oils is to put several drops into boiling or almost boiling water, lean over the pot and cover your head with a towel to trap in the essential oil and steam. Breathe deeply.

Natural Supplements—Anything derived of elderberries works well to break up and reduce mucus. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a popular lung supplement that has been found to help patients with advanced COPD by reducing phlegm and thinning mucus. Ginger—either fresh ginger, or in a capsule is also effective at reducing mucus. Bromelain and pancreatic enzymes are often recommended to reduce and thin out phlegm and mucus in the body.

Making the above changes in diet and lifestyle along with adding in the necessary natural supplements will help you reduce your production of mucus and stop that annoying urge to clear your throat or blow your nose.

References
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324570
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2020/08/marvels-mucus-phlegm
https://www.respiratorytherapyzone.com/vegetable-oils-are-damaging-your-lungs/
https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/how-to-get-rid-of-phlegm
https://ezyschooling.com/parenting/expert/five-foods-that-flush-out-mucus-from-the-body
https://www.everydayhealth.com/sinus-health-guide/sinus-congestion-and-mucus.aspx

The post Why do I Have So Much Mucus (Snot) appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Food prices are going up, across the board — and at levels Americans haven’t seen in decades, according to a very recent U.S. Department of Agriculture update to its Food Price Outlook this year. Food prices are expected to increase on average about 5.5-6.5% this year, the USDA’s Economic Research Service explained.

Unfortunately, some of the biggest increases will include important diet staples such as beef, pork, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, and some fats and oils. Meat prices are expected to rise 14-16%. Fresh fruits and veggies are expected to go up as well.

If you are trying to eat a healthy diet, what do you do?

Here are a few tips to help you maintain your healthy diet without breaking the bank:

1. Eliminate all processed foods and drinks—Junky foods have no place in your home or your budget, so eliminate all chips, cookies, crackers, and sweetened drinks. Period. This will help to free up your budget for nutrient dense foods. Junk food is a total waste of money and is full of empty calories, sugar, and chemicals.

Processed foods are foods that come in boxes, wrappers, and bags. Not only are processed foods unhealthy, but the packaging is also wasteful as well, and processed foods tend to make you hungrier—thanks to all the chemicals, preservatives, and taste enhancers they contain

Consider, for example, that buying a bag of potato chips costs anywhere between $2 and $5. Some of the fancier, organic or gourmet chip varieties can cost upwards of $6-$8. That’s big savings to cut those out. Snack on fresh cut up veggies instead and save your money.

I do realize that buying meat and vegetables may seem expensive, but when you compare the nutrient density of meat and vegetables to the nutrient density of chips, crackers, or cookies—there is absolutely no contest!

2. Stop with the grains—Breads, whether gluten free or not are completely unnecessary and generally garbage. Bread is not needed in your diet. And if you are planning on eating low carb, there is no room for bread.

What about breakfast cereal? Another grain product that is incredibly expensive, full of air, sugar, and refined grains. And again, no real nutritional value. Breakfast cereals mostly just jack up your blood sugar, create a quick crash and make you hungrier for more.

Have you ever started on ONE bowl of cereal, and soon find yourself gobbling up your second and third bowl? There isn’t anything good or healthy about processed breakfast cereal, despite the encouraging message on the box about how “healthy” or “natural” it is. Cross breakfast cereal off your list.

3. Avoid “Gluten free” as much as possible. Sure, even us gluten free folks wouldn’t mind having a piece of toast with breakfast on occasion, but these foods are just as bad, just as processed—if not more, than regular processed grains. And they are way more expensive! Most gluten free products are made of super refined tapioca starch, rice flour, or other expensive “no-grain” flours like almond flour.

You are far better off finding a ‘real food’ to substitute for those gluten free products. Wrap your sandwich or taco in lettuce. Rustle up some shredded sweet potatoes to go with your eggs instead of toast, or just avoid all those extra carbs. Perhaps now may be the best time start eating lower carb and start reaping the benefits.

4. Do meal prep instead of buying pre-prepared foods—It really doesn’t take that long to do a little meal prep with leftover foods from meals. Just remember to make extra when you are cooking up a batch of chicken thighs or slow cooking that roast. Throw in some extra broccoli or add the meat to some salad greens for a complete meal. A premade meal from home is far healthier, with no additives, no unhealthy oils, no high price, and it’s all there in fridge when you are ready.

5. Frozen fruits and veggies for the win—Yep, frozen veggies can be every bit as nutritious, or even more so than fresh produce vegetables. Frozen vegetables are picked at peak ripeness and frozen to keep their nutrition locked in. Fresh vegetables often have a long trip on a truck or train to get to the grocery store, and can be week or two old when you get them “fresh” in your grocery store.

Instead, grab some nutrient dense fruits and veggies that are frozen and often on sale. Best picks are broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, spinach, or frozen kale. I love keeping a bag of organic blueberries or mixed berries in my freezer to throw in smoothies, whip up a quick blueberry sauce, or just add to some homemade buckwheat pancakes.

6. Make your own—A lot of so-called convenience foods are made of just a few ingredients that are easy to make on your own. For example, I rarely buy spaghetti sauce. When you look at the ingredients, you will find that it’s super easy to mix up your own batch in the same amount of time it takes to pour out a bottle of pre-made spaghetti sauce.

Buy a can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, add some chopped fresh garlic, a teaspoon or so of oregano and/or basil, and maybe a pinch of palm sugar. Heat and serve. If you want to get really fancy, you can brown the garlic and minced onion in a pan of olive oil, and then add the tomato sauce.

Salad dressing is the same, and it’s most often made of unhealthy, inflammatory omega 6 oils. Salad dressings often have added sugar and preservatives in them as well, turning your healthy bowl of greens into unhealthy glop. Instead, try mixing up some extra virgin olive oil, some apple cider vinegar, a touch of palm sugar, honey or maple syrup, a little bit of Dijon mustard, and some fresh chopped herbs. Mix it all up and keep it on hand for a delicious, healthy dressing.

7. Buy cheaper cuts of meat—Instead of buying steaks, roasts, or brisket, buy ground beef. Good quality ground beef is one of the most versatile foods and can go in many recipes. Buy the chicken thighs instead of the fancy (and lesser nutrition) boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Use ground turkey or chicken if available. Better yet, just pick up a whole chicken, roast it in the oven and use the leftovers for meals the next few days. Chicken salad, chicken soup, chicken on top of your salad greens, etc.

It’s true that grass fed or organic naturally raised meat does have a little bit of nutritional edge over conventionally raised meat, but if you cannot afford to buy grass fed or organic, you are still getting high quality protein with conventional cuts, as opposed to cutting out meat.

One of the best buys in meat is to find a farmer who raises grass-fed meat, and go in halves or quarters with someone. Many cattle farmers will sell their meat this way, and you get some of the highest quality meat without the grocery store overhead.

8. Drink water—Cutting out those sugary or fruity drinks is another great way to create major savings in your grocery budget. Sugary drinks do absolutely nothing for your waistline, or your bottom line. Even the ‘healthy’ drinks like kombucha or probiotic flavored waters are expensive, full of calories and sometimes hidden sugars, and don’t do near as much for your gut health as you think they do. Some of the trendier probiotic drinks can cost $3, $4 or $5 a bottle! That’s a lot of money when a glass of water may do quench your thirst just as well.

9. Prepackaged salad greens—You may be thinking I’m going to tell you to cut out buying the bags of salad greens, but in reality, it may be a better option than buying several different types of fresh lettuce, baby kale or spinach.

Most of these greens are very delicate and can go bad a few days, so unless you can use up all those different varieties of greens, you are probably better off grabbing a bag of mixed baby super greens and eating them while they are fresh.

10. Stick to a list—Changing the way you grocery shop may be a matter of changing your shopping habits. Having a list you’ve thoughtfully prepared ahead of time and sticking to it, will help you avoid grabbing those empty-nutrition foods and drinks that tend to gobble up your food budget. Save your money for the most nutrient dense foods like fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and butter.

Making some changes in your grocery shopping, while adding in more nutrient dense foods will not only make a difference in your shopping budget, but it can also have a major positive effect on your health.

Removing junk foods, processed foods and high carb snacks and drinks will help you stop the munchies, stop the mindless eating, and help you stick to your health and weight loss goals far better. Happy shopping!

References
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/19-ways-to-eat-healthy-on-a-budget
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/eat-healthy-food-on-a-budget/
https://www.npr.org/2022/03/31/1090086246/grocery-store-food-prices-increase-2022-usda-report

The post Ten Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

For men and women, aging brings some degree of hair loss or thinning. While we may not all be sporting a shiny bald head, both men and women can lose a significant amount of hair after the age of 40 or so. For women, this often coincides with menopause and declining hormones and can be especially distressing.

Men typically can inherit male-pattern baldness and it’s normal and well-accepted. Hair loss is quite common in women as well, especially if they are post-menopausal. Let’s tackle some of the reasons for this hair loss.

Genes vs. Hormones

Male-pattern baldness, as well as female-pattern baldness can be attributed to a condition called “androgenetic alopecia”. AA is one of the most common forms of hair loss in both men and women. The hormone at play here is a a substance called dihydrotestosterone, which is a form of testosterone.

About half of men over the age of 50 and half of women over 65 have this form of hair loss, while younger people can be affected as well. It’s thought that people have certain hair follicles that are either susceptible or resistant to dihydrotestosterone.

In a study published in the International Journal of Trichology, it was found that female patients with progressive hair loss had a strong correlation between hypothyroidism (low thyroid) and hypertension (high blood pressure). Many of these people were also low in vitamin D as well. So, while many think that genes are the cause of hair loss, hormonal imbalances and nutrition come into play as well.

In fact, many health professionals are beginning to note that hair loss can be due to diet, nutrition, stress, and other environmental factors as well. This means that some degree of hair loss can be controlled after all.

Hormonal Imbalances

Hormonal imbalances most definitely come into play when it comes to hair—for both men and women. Hormones that affect hair loss include:

• Imbalance in estrogen in relationship to testosterone levels in women. After menopause, women’s levels of both progesterone and estrogen decrease significantly. Estrogen affects hair growth and quality. When levels of testosterone are too high, and estrogen is too low, hair thinning, and excessive hair loss can occur—especially post menopause or perimenopause.
• Low levels of thyroid hormone for both men and women affect hair growth and quality as well. As women approach menopause, their levels of progesterone drop drastically. Low progesterone affects thyroid function and can cause hypothyroid conditions. This in turn, can cause hair loss and slow regrowth.
• Testosterone levels in men or women. While this may occur naturally, it also can happen with testosterone hormone therapy supplementation.
• Insulin resistance can cause a loss of hair in both men and women and can be one of the symptoms of pre-diabetes or diabetes.

Hormones that are either too high or too low can affect hair growth. Both hyper and hypothyroid conditions can cause hair loss and thinning. Additionally, too high levels of testosterone or too low levels can also affect your head of hair.

Diet and Nutrition

Nutritional status can affect hair growth and dietary deficiencies will cause hair thinning, breakage, and slow hair growth. Some of the key nutrients that affect hair growth include:

• Iron deficiency or anemia can be one of the primary causes of hair loss in pre-menopausal women, especially. Iron contributes to hemoglobin which supplies nutrients and oxygen to hair follicles. Vegans and vegetarians often report hair loss.
• Zinc is an essential mineral used by hundreds of enzymes. It is thought zinc shortage affects protein synthesis and cell division, affecting hair growth. For many men, it’s a combination of low zinc and copper that causes hair loss. Not only does zinc deficiency cause hair loss, but the remaining hair can be brittle and break off more easily.
• Selenium is an essential trace element necessary for proper thyroid function which affects hair growth.
• Biotin, Folate, and Niacin are all part of the B complex vitamins. Deficiencies can occur in people with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease and other malabsorption conditions. A B vitamin deficiency can also be caused by alcoholism, and certain medications. Vegans often have B vitamin deficiencies.
• Vitamin D plays a role in hair follicle cycling and affects the hair follicle’s growth and dormant states. Low levels of vitamin D may cause hair to thin or stop growing. Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency include inadequate sun exposure, dark skin, obesity, gastric bypass, and fat malabsorption.
• Vitamin A has been shown to activate hair follicle stem cells, however high levels of vitamin A can cause hair loss. Since vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, too much vitamin A can accumulate in the body, especially when taken as a supplement.
• Protein malnutrition can also result in hair thinning and loss, due to the lack of specific amino acids. Many vegetarians and vegans often notice hair thinning after being on a strict vegetarian diet.

People with vitamin and nutrient-related hair loss may lose more than just the hair on their heads. Damage to hair follicles can also cause the eyebrows and lashes to shed, if bad enough. Eating a diet rich in animal-based protein, healthy fats and fresh vegetables should suffice to help balance nutrient deficiencies. In cases of malabsorption or GI issues, extra supplementation may be necessary if hair loss is a problem.

Health Status

Health status has a lot to do with hair loss and hair growth. There are many contributing factors that can create health conditions that lead to hair loss. Some of those include cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes or pre-diabetes and hypothyroidism. Autoimmune diseases can also be a trigger for hair loss as well, although many autoimmune conditions create more patchy hair loss than just thinning hair. Celiac disease, Crohn’s disease and other GI conditions can also create problems with your hair.

For these, simply getting rid of the sugar, processed grains and gluten can definitely put you back on the path to good health and a shiny, healthy head of hair.

One other health condition that is worth mentioning is having had Covid-19. Having Covid can affect people in different ways. Some can have a more severe version of the disease, while other have had a milder form. However, Covid and other contagious illnesses can have some long-term effects, including hair loss, otherwise known as telogen effluvium.

Many people notice hair loss a few months after recovering from a Covid infection. In fact, for those who were hospitalized, more than 20 % lost a significant amount of hair in the 3-6 months after recover.

Hair loss is a common response to physical stress such as a serious illness, surgery, or other types of physical trauma. Other studies that include people with milder symptoms suggest that hair loss after COVID-19 may be much more common than that.

A healthy, balanced diet that includes naturally raised animal protein, a variety of fruits and vegetables and a healthy intake of fat will help you regrow your tresses. Be sure to supplement if you or your doctor feel you may have nutritional deficiencies. There are other natural methods to help stimulate growth such as rosemary essential oil, omega 3 fish oils, coconut oil and even onion juice. Medical intervention can mean a prescription to Rogaine or Propecia to help promote growth.

Hair is an outward expression of your body’s health in addition to genetics. Take care of your health and your hair and skin will glow.

What’s been your experience with hair loss? Did you notice hair loss if you’ve had Covid? What other health conditions have you experienced that caused hair loss?

References
https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/hair-loss/vitamin-deficiencies-that-can-cause-hair-loss
https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/covid-19/covid-hair-loss
https://www.healthline.com/health/regrow-hair-naturally#9
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/hair-loss-looking-beyond-genetics/
https://draxe.com/beauty/hair-loss-remedies/

The post What You Need to Know About Hair Loss and Thinning Hair appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Do you take zinc to help prevent colds, flu and Covid? If not, you should be getting zinc on a daily basis.

Zinc is an amazing mineral that has many benefits, including powering up your immune system, helping your body heal wounds, maintain healthy testosterone levels, balance metabolism, helping with nerve function, assisting proper brain function, cell growth, protecting vision, and assisting in better taste and smell.

Getting adequate zinc also helps keep hormones in balance, and even a small deficiency can result in an increased risk for infertility or diabetes.

Zinc is the one of the most abundant trace minerals in your body and is contained in every cell. In fact, cell division and healthy growth of cells is dependent on zinc’s ability to protect the cells’ DNA.

The mineral zinc has powerful antioxidant properties and helps to activate roughly 300 different enzymatic functions in the body.

Since the body cannot make zinc on its own, it is essential to obtain zinc from dietary sources and/or supplements. Some of the best sources of zinc include red meat (preferably grass fed), oysters, lamb, chicken, eggs, chickpeas, nuts, and pumpkin seeds. Vegetarians and vegans often have difficulty getting enough of this vital mineral in their diets if they are not eating meat.

Let’s look at some of the most important benefits of zinc:

Powerful Immune Function

You may have heard a lot of discussion on zinc in the past couple of years because zinc is a powerful tool to help fight off viruses such as colds, flu and even Covid. Zinc works as a preventative for illness and also works to help the body fight off pathogens, once infected.

It’s been reported that patients with low zinc levels developed much worse cases of Covid-19 with poorer outcomes. Zinc deficient patients with Covid developed more complications, prolonged hospital stays, and more respiratory difficulties. The same goes for those with influenza and other illnesses as well.

Zinc can be taken as a natural remedy for fighting the common cold, flu and Covid, etc. Studies show when zinc is taken for at least five months, it may reduce your risk of becoming sick with the common cold — plus supplementing once you already feel sick may speed up the healing process.

How does zinc do this? Once zinc gets into the cells where it functions best, it helps to interfere with virus replication, and helps maintain the body’s inflammation to prevent elevated out of control inflammatory responses like cytokine storms. Zinc also helps the function of the long-term memory T-cells, and B-cells, which help the body to retain memory of previous pathogens, and to actively fight any invaders.

Other research shows that this mineral helps interfere with the biological process that causes mucus and bacteria to build up in the sinuses and nasal passages.

If zinc is to work effectively in the body to fight off viruses, the zinc must be able to get inside the cells. This requires something called an ‘ionophore’.

An ionophore is a substance that allows zinc to travel across the cell wall into the center of the cell. This is where viruses gain entry and replicate. One of the most obtainable and inexpensive ionophore for zinc is a supplement called quercetin.

Quercetin is a naturally occurring plant pigment found in red onions, apples, dark grapes, berries, and green tea. Quercetin is one of the most abundant antioxidants found in our diet and contains strong anti-viral properties. So, if you are taking zinc to fight colds, flu, and other viral infections, be sure to get some quercetin to take with zinc. Quercetin is also readily available as a supplement.

Testosterone Production and Female Sex Hormones

Testosterone for men is not just for sex drive; it’s an important hormone that helps protect men’s health. While it is responsible for maintaining the sex drive, it is also important to prevent erectile dysfunction, muscle growth and bone strength. Testosterone levels generally peak in young men in their early twenties, and then begin to drop.

In the United States and other industrialized countries, there has been a recent drop in testosterone levels of men—resulting in an epidemic of erectile dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, and infertility. Lowered testosterone levels also contribute to physical changes like gynecomastia, loss of strength, fatigue, and lack of drive.

While there are a few contributing causes, including excess use of plastics and chemicals in our environment which create chemical estrogens (xenoestrogens), low testosterone levels may be as simple as a zinc deficiency—especially if you are vegetarian or vegan.

Zinc is necessary for males to produce adequate amounts of testosterone and to help maintain those levels. In one study, dietary zinc restriction in normal young men was associated with a significant decrease in serum testosterone concentrations after only 20 weeks. Conversely, zinc supplementation of marginally zinc-deficient normal men for six months resulted in a significant increase in serum testosterone levels.

Zinc levels also have an impact on female sex hormones and partially responsible for the creation and release of eggs from the ovaries.

Several studies show zinc deficiency in women can cause problems with hormone levels, including impaired synthesis and secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), abnormal ovarian development, disruption of the menstrual cycle, prolonged gestation periods, miscarriages, still-births, birth defects, difficult deliveries, pre-eclampsia, and low birth weights of infants.

A diet high in foods that contain zinc, as well as supplementation can enhance and balance hormone levels in both men and women.

Helps Fight Diabetes

Zinc helps to manage hormones including hormones involved in diabetes. This includes insulin, primarily. Zinc helps to find to insulin, helping to maintain blood sugar levels better.

Zinc also helps with efficient utilization of digestive enzymes, helping to break down food better, and helping glucose to be used for fuel, rather than being stored as fat.

Zinc helps to improve insulin receptors, prolong the action of insulin, and promote healthy lipid levels. It is thought that abnormal levels of copper and zinc seem to accompany diabetes and may be implicated in many of the complications of diabetes as well. Zinc supplementation may possibly have clinical use as an adjunct therapy for preventing or managing diabetes.

Acne and Wound Healing

Zinc is essential for healthy skin, and is involved with encouraging growth of healthy tissue. Zinc also promotes the growth of collagen, along with vitamin C. Collagen is the structure that supports the skin, forms connective tissue, ligaments, and cartilage.

Zinc is often used for patients with severe burns, slow-healing wounds, or infections, and to prevent scar formation. Because zinc helps support the immune system, it also helps to fight infection in the skin as well.

Zinc also helps those who struggle with acne and helps to prevent breakouts. It’s considered to be one of the best natural treatments for acne.

Zinc is also of benefit for atopic dermatitis (rashes) and diaper dermatitis. Zinc makes a great natural barrier against moisture and irritation of diapers in babies.

Because zinc is also a powerful antioxidant, zinc helps prevent heart disease, fight cancer, aids in nutrient assimilation, helps build muscle, fights ADD/ADHD, helps get rid of depression, improves macular degeneration, and protects the liver.

Brain Health

Zinc benefits also extend to brain function. Neurons are the fundamental units of the brain and the nervous system. These important cells are responsible for receiving all the sensory input from the from the external world, for sending commands to our muscles to move, to help with thought processes, and for transforming and relaying electrical signals.

Zinc is actually used by the body to help create new neurons in the brain’s hippocampus. The hippocampus of the brain is the place where memories are developed. It helps to synthesize memories, emotions, and other sensations all together. Once a memory is put together in the hippocampus, it is sent to another portion of the brain to store as a long-term memory.

When zinc levels are low, the process of forming memories is inhibited, causing long-term and short-term memory problems.

When communication amongst the brain cells is slow due to inflammation or other issues, you may experience brain fog. Brain fog is the inability to focus or concentrate to think clearly. Brain fog can impair a person’s ability to reason, make decisions, and problem solve. Because zinc is effective at reducing inflammation, zinc also helps to clear brain fog and get rid of brain fog.

The brain also needs zinc to create dopamine. Dopamine is a ‘feel-good’ hormone that is also very important for memory and focus. Studies show a zinc supplement improves focus and memory, while reducing impulsivity.

Attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are common development disorders that often affect both children and adults. It was found that circulating levels of zinc were significantly lower in those with ADHD.

Zinc deficiency is also connected to a variety of other neurological disorders including autism, seizures, depression, and anxiety disorders.

Zinc Deficiency

Zinc deficiencies are common, especially amongst those who don’t eat meat.

Since zinc plays an important role in many biochemical pathways including the digestive system, nervous system, immune system, reproductive system, and skeletal system, deficiencies can cause many health issues.

Signs of zinc deficiency include:

• Getting colds, flu, and other illnesses easily
• Fatigue
• Blood sugar issues
• Inability to concentrate or sit still
• Poor growth
• Skin infections and poor wound healing.

People who avoid meat, poultry, and fish and at the highest risk for zinc deficiency. Even though some plant foods contain zinc, it is best absorbed in the presence of animal protein. People who suffer from celiac disease, digestive problems, or alcoholism and liver disease are also at high risk of being deficient.

If you don’t feel you are getting enough zinc in your diet, it’s best to supplement. Keep in mind that too much zinc can become toxic, so it’s best to keep your zinc intake in the therapeutic zone.

Zinc supplements come in several forms including:

• zinc gluconate
• zinc sulfate
• zinc acetate
• zinc picolinate
• zinc citrate
• zinc glycerate

According to Dr. Josh Axe and other nutrition experts, the tolerable upper limit to be around 40-50 milligrams per day. Some studies have found that higher doses can help fight off colds, flu and Covid, but check with your doctor first. And—avoid taking zinc if you haven’t eaten, zinc is best taken with food to avoid stomach upset.

Most people never think about zinc when it comes to their heart — but research shows low zinc levels weaken arterial walls, fuel inflammation, and accelerate plaque buildup. Worse, without enough zinc, blood platelets clump together more aggressively, raising the risk of dangerous clots. The result? A silent vulnerability hiding in plain sight — and a simple deficiency that could be putting your heart at serious risk.

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References
https://www.healthfirstdc.com/blog/the-importance-of-zinc-and-quercetin-during-pandemic
https://www.healthline.com/health/testosterone-and-zinc#zinc-deficiency
https://draxe.com/nutrition/zinc-benefits/
https://draxe.com/nutrition/zinc-benefits/
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/benefits-of-zinc
https://www.mdriveformen.com/blogs/the-driven/what-are-the-benefits-of-zinc-for-brain-health
https://renuerx.com/mental-clarity-can-zinc-and-other-supplements-help-you-focus/

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