and found throughout our body cells
This mineral is essential for our immune system. It keeps our immune system strong, helps our skin repair wounds and most importantly, it helps our white blood cells fight off viruses and bacteria. It is found throughout the body cells and is stored in the muscles, spleen, bone marrow, and liver. In addition, we can find high concentrations of Zinc in red and white blood cells, skin, and the macula of the eye. The functions of zinc are immense and especially important for the immune system.
Zinc aids in the synthesis (the process of producing) of cholesterol, protein, and fats and regulates the release of vitamin A from the liver, it is required for vision, insulin needs zinc (consider it for diabetics or people who have problems with blood sugar balancing) to function and most importantly, the immune system requires zinc to do its’ job efficiently and optimally*
*This is important now and I suggest that people eat foods that contain zinc, and take a supplement/multivitamin/mineral that contains a good amount of it.
If you are deficient, you may have one or more of these symptoms:
- decreased taste sensation (see below, in addition , this may lead to loss of appetite)
- delayed wound healing
- hangnails and white spots on fingernails
- red bumps on the back of the arm and/or leg
- impaired glucose intolerance
- inflammatory bowel disease
- acne
- eczema
What foods contain Zinc?:
Brown rice, oysters, beef, dark turkey, Swiss chard, sesame and pumpkin seeds, eggs, legumes like chickpeas and lentils. Lots of whole colorful produce!
Interesting Zinc trivia:
I love some trivia and this one is interesting! And if you are curious about it, take a look at the below experiment. Many people who have a zinc deficiency have little to no taste perception, meaning they have difficulty distinguishing taste or have a loss of taste.
In order for our sense of taste to function properly, zinc must be attached to a very small protein, gustin. If zinc is not available one may have an impaired sense of taste.
Curious? And ready to test this theory?
There is a simple home taste that you can do to see if you have a zinc deficiency.
- Do not drink or eat 1 hour prior to testing.
- Place approximately 1 tsp of liquid zinc* in a glass.
- Rinse it in your mouth for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Swallow or spit it out.
- Designs for Health Zinc Challenge is a good liquid zinc ( if you need to order some, hit reply or travel to my online pharmacy, Fullscript)
When you begin the test/experiment, you will experience one of 4 tastes in your mouth.
Tastes that indicate zinc deficiency:
1) No taste (similar to water)
2) Initially no taste, but then a dry, mineral taste or a sweet taste maybe sensed
Tastes that indicate no zinc deficiency:
3) An immediate strong taste that is not unpleasant
4) An unpleasant taste is registered immediately
Take good care, laugh, keep hydrated, move your body and eat your veggies.
xx
