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Minerals important for good health.

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Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?
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« on: May 06, 2015 05:46 am »

10 reasons to make sure you get zinc in your diet.

#1 Improve Athletic Performance and Strength
Adequate zinc directly affects athletic performance and strength development from training because it plays a primary role in hormone production.  Research shows having ample zinc available in the body allows for a more robust release of testosterone, growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Without these, athletic performance and strength capacity are reduced.

A recent study highlights the boost that raising zinc levels can give to testosterone production following exercise. Researchers found that giving trained athletes a zinc supplement for four weeks prior to an exhaustive exercise test resulted in a greater post-workout testosterone response than a placebo.
 
Researchers note that zinc enhances the conversion rate of androstenedione to testosterone, and that paired with high-intensity exercise, it allows the body to produce testosterone at an even higher rate.

Not only will healthy zinc levels allow for performance and muscle development in both men and women, the post-workout hormone boost can improve recovery from training as well. And, as you’ll see below, having enough zinc will give you more energy and improve metabolism.

#2 Support Male Reproductive Health and Fertility
Zinc is a critical mineral for robust testosterone levels, and the cells of the male prostate require a very high concentration of zinc to work optimally. Low zinc in men impairs testosterone production, puts them at risk for developing prostate cancer, and causes infertility. Inadequate zinc has also been linked to low libido.

One recent study of 88 men aged 40 to 60 years showed that those with normal testosterone levels had significantly higher zinc compared to those with low testosterone levels. Low zinc was directly correlated with low testosterone levels, which put the men at greater risk of symptoms of male menopause.

Just as important, zinc is used to produce enzymes that initiate cell division, but the male prostate tissue requires ten times more zinc than other cells in the body to stay healthy. Adequate zinc level in the prostate protects the cells from damage, inflammation, and cancer development. Also, once the prostate cells are damaged and become cancerous, they lack the ability to accumulate zinc, leading to greater propagation of cancer cells that produce to tumors.
 
Researchers write that zinc is a “promising anti-cancer treatment” and that regular supplementation when men are healthy with no evidence of cancer is the best prevention. They also suggest zinc can prevent related cancers such as ovarian, breast, and colorectal.

#3 Support Female Reproductive Health and Fertility
In women, zinc is involved in the growth process of the oocyte or egg. If women are zinc deficient, the egg won’t mature properly and ovulation will be impeded, causing infertility.
 
Adequate zinc allows women to use estrogen and progesterone efficiently, supporting reproductive health and ensuring that estrogen does what it’s supposed to do in the body. When estrogen levels become too high, or are inefficiently metabolized they can cause poor reproductive health and breast cancer.

#4 Prevent Cancer and Boost Immune Function
Ananda Prasad, a leading researcher in the field of zinc and health, notes that simply ensuring our zinc levels are adequate can help cure a number of the most severe health problems, especially cancer and poor immune function.
 
Along with prostate cancer, low zinc plays a role in the development of most cancers since it is instrumental in healthy cell proliferation. Recent evidence links zinc deficiency to cancers of the breast, colon, ovaries, lungs, skin, and leukemia.

Zinc deficiency profoundly affects the immune system because low zinc produces a direct and rapid decline in T cell function. T cells elevate the body’s immune system when viruses, bacteria, or challenges to health arise. Older people are at greater risk of zinc deficiency, which is not thought to be solely due to poor dietary intake. There’s evidence that a need for more zinc may increase with age to counter inflammation, support the immune system, and ensure healthy cell function.

#5 Improve Cardiovascular Health
Zinc is vital to maintain the health of cardiovascular cells and the endothelium. The endothelium is the thin layer of cells that lines the blood vessels and plays a major role in circulation. Low zinc can cause a deficiency in the endothelial barrier, which  leads to high cholesterol buildup and inflammation. Cholesterol and inflammation increase your risk of heart disease.

Studies show that poor zinc status can amplify the negative cardiovascular effects of a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet, whereas an adequate zinc intake will have a protective effect and inhibit the progression of heart disease. The elderly population is especially susceptible to the buildup of inflammatory markers including C-reactive proteins and cytokines, which have been called “slow, silent killers.”

#6 Become More Sensitive to Insulin and Prevent Diabetes
Zinc is needed for the healthy function of most hormones, including insulin. Adequate zinc plays at least three roles in insulin health. First, zinc binds to insulin so that insulin is adequately stored in the pancreas and released when glucose enters the blood stream.

Second, zinc improves cell health, making up a component of the enzymes necessary for insulin to bind to cells so that glucose can enter and be used as fuel. The process of insulin binding to the cell is what is referred to with the term “insulin sensitivity” and means that the cell is receptive to insulin.
 
Once insulin binds to the cell, it “opens the door” so that the glucose can enter. If the cell is resistant to insulin, glucose will stay in the blood stream, cause high blood sugar, and ultimately lead to fat gain. When zinc concentration falls, there is a reduction in insulin secretion and peripheral insulin sensitivity, which if persistent, will lead to diabetes

Third, zinc has anti-inflammatory effects as mentioned in #5 via its role in abolishing inflammatory markers such as C-reactive proteins. Zinc also helps get rid of substances that cause inflammation in cells, helping to preserve cell health and insulin sensitivity.

A recent study of Spanish school children found a direct relationship between low zinc levels, greater body fat content, and insulin resistance. The children who were classified as zinc deficient had poorer insulin sensitivity and greater glucose intolerance (a related measurement of persistent blood sugar levels) than those whose level was adequate.

#7 Get The Super Antioxidant Effects of Zinc
Zinc is an excellent antioxidant. The purpose of an antioxidant is to get rid of free radicals that cause damage to cells in the body by bonding with them and neutralizing them. Zinc is particularly good at countering the damaging effect of high iron. Zinc also targets free radicals that cause inflammation throughout the body.

#8 Prevent Alzheimer’s & Promote Brain Health
The super antioxidant effects of zinc allow it to effectively help the body eliminate heavy metals from the brain so they don't build up in tissue and cause damage. It also helps maintain cellular homeostasis of brain cells. This combination help prevent neurodegeneration and the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

#9 Improve Sleep, Cognition & Energy Levels
Zinc plays an essential role in neurotransmitter function and helps maintain cognition. It is necessary in the metabolism of melatonin, which is a key hormone for healthy sleep.
 
In addition, zinc regulates dopamine, an energizing neurotransmitter that gives you drive and focus. Also, zinc is part of an enzyme that is necessary for the anabolism of fatty acids in the brain membrane. This is very important because a key part of supporting brain health and cognition is to ensure the membrane gets the nutrients it needs.

Zinc is a commonly ignored mineral for treating ADHD. Studies show children with ADHD tend to have lower zinc than healthy children. Even more promising, one study of 400 children with diagnosed ADHD found that taking 150 mg/d of zinc sulfate improved impaired social behavior and made subjects less hyperactive and impulsive than a placebo.

#10 Elevate Mood and Avoid Depression
The exact relationship between zinc deficiency and depression is unknown, however it surely has to do with the role of zinc in neurotransmitter and hormone production. Dopamine production, which is partly regulated by zinc status, is a chemical that boosts energy, mood, and reward-driven learning.
 
Poor insulin health or low testosterone levels can lead to health problems that increase rates of depression and low energy. Throw in the antioxidant power of zinc and its ability to get rid of inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor (causes cell damage), and it is reasonable to ensure zinc intake is adequate when treating depression.

A new study in the Journal of Affective Disorders showed that zinc deficiency may affect depression in women more than men. Women in this study who were already using antidepressants and had low zinc levels had a five times greater risk of ongoing depression. It’s thought that the gender-based relationship between low zinc and depression is related to how zinc influences energy levels and production of the hormone estrogen.

In women, estrogen is involved in serotonin production—the neurotransmitter that makes people feel good—and zinc supplementation can increase the density of serotonin receptors in the brain.
 
Have you picked up on the theme that zinc plays multiple roles in the body, affecting numerous chemical messengers that play complex, essential, interconnected parts in the body?
« Last Edit: May 06, 2015 05:50 am by Steve Hydonus » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2015 10:42 pm »

An interesting article on zinc for vegetarians, which includes the fascinating mechanism of homeostasis.

The less the body gets, the less it needs (valid for zinc, iron, B12 and probably almost all nutrients).
T
he body simply excretes less and absorbs more.

Until a certain treshold of course, too little and homeostasis can no more guarantee a minimum healthy amount of zinc.

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« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2015 12:17 am »

My case is interesting. I eat little. No way I'm goign to make the recommended daily values.


So homeostasis probably plays a key role.

I discovered another interesting issue though. Bitter chocolate. Cocoa is rich in zinc, iron magnesium, copper, many metals.

So, there might be reasons different from the mildly addictive alkaloids which drive people to eat cocoa...
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« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2015 11:31 pm »

Perhaps one of the reasons is that I need less and less food so it seems i should be aware of what that small amount of food is.

Exactly my same concern

anyway, I think the B12 concern is soon solved in a natural way, as I've written in the thread on B12 (except for vegans, who most probably need supplements).

I'm a little more concerned about iron and zinc, but I'm researching that. The best vegetarian source for iron are probably lentils. I can eat only very modest amounts of them though. Other sources are some nuts and seeds. Bitter chocolate and unsweetend cocoa are good sources for iron, zinc, magnesium and other metals, and almonds are very rich in Mg and walnuts are rich in Zn.

Proteins after a certain age are needed in small amounts, probably one half or one quarter of the FDA RDI, depending on physical activity. I'm going to research that as well.

mccoy thanks for the info on walnuts. I love walnuts but they're kind of $$$. Did not know they had zinc in them.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2015 11:32 pm by Steve Hydonus » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2015 03:30 am »

Iron
Iron is a trace mineral needed to make hemoglobin, the protein needed to carry oxygen throughout the body. Hemoglobin gives red blood cells their color, and stores most of the body’s iron supply. Iron is also stored in muscle tissue, and helps supply the muscles with the oxygen needed to make them contract.

Although iron is a trace mineral, it is extremely important, because a deficiency in this nutrient leads to a shortage of red blood cells, a condition known as anemia. Anemic individuals do not have an adequate supply of oxygen in their body, which leaves them tired, pale, and short of breath.

Iron deficiency is the most common deficiency throughout the world. Infants, teenage girls, and women all need to get plenty of iron—babies and teenaged girls need extra iron for growth, and women need extra iron to make up for the blood lost during menstruation. Pregnant and nursing women need extra iron to prevent premature delivery and support the baby’s growth and development. Athletes also need require extra iron to keep the blood and oxygen pumping to their heart and other muscles as they contract.

There are many good dietary sources of iron, including spinach, enriched bread, whole grain products, many hot and cold fortified breakfast cereals, prune juice, nuts, egg yolks, cheddar cheese, lentils, and chick peas, too name a few.  Iron found in plant foods is called nonheme iron, cooking vegetables, especially acidic vegetables such as tomatoes, in cast-iron pots and pans seems to help with nonheme iron absorption. Iron also seems to be more easily absorbed from cooked rather than raw vegetables.


« Last Edit: May 08, 2015 09:44 am by Steve Hydonus » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2015 09:36 am »

Today I ate a sunflower seed sandwich with lentil sprouts. i looked on the label and found there was a lot of magnesium in Sunflower Seeds. http://m.naturalnews.com/news/025567_magnesium_calories_calcium.html This article claims that next to water sunlight and basic food magnesium rates close behind as a necessity of the human organism.
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« Reply #6 on: Aug 07, 2015 04:54 am »

Feeling low on energy? Iron gives you energy.
Foods with lots of iron;

Bread & Cereals
White bread (enriched)
Whole wheat bread
Enriched pasta
Wheat products
Bran cereals
Corn meal
Oat cereal
Cream of Wheat
Rye bread
Enriched rice
Fruit


Strawberries
Watermelon
Raisins
Dates
Figs
Prunes
Prune juice
Dried apricots
Dried peaches
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« Reply #7 on: Aug 07, 2015 06:15 am »

Namaste Jitendra  Smiley

Thank you friend

=)
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« Reply #8 on: Aug 08, 2015 01:47 am »

Feeling low on energy? Iron gives you energy.
Foods with lots of iron;

Bread & Cereals
White bread (enriched)
Whole wheat bread
Enriched pasta
Wheat products
Bran cereals
Corn meal
Oat cereal
Cream of Wheat
Rye bread
Enriched rice
Fruit


Strawberries
Watermelon
Raisins
Dates
Figs
Prunes
Prune juice
Dried apricots
Dried peaches

I have to watch the flour stuff, I'm not convinced the processing these days of most all breads or anything with flour in it is what my body needs. The dried fruits gotta watch for the added sugars.
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« Reply #9 on: Aug 08, 2015 08:01 pm »

It escaped to me that some of those fruits (especially the fresh fruit) are rich in iron, maybe if you eat em in large amounts...

I'm going to check some and be back on this
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« Reply #10 on: Jul 25, 2016 03:44 pm »

Soy milk may be a good source of iron, which I'm presently experimenting.
0.6 mg per 100 gm, but it is easy to drink a cup of it=1.5 mg. Not much, but added to other moderate quantities and with the help of homeostasis it can make the difference.

In a fashion cow's milk and soy milk complement themselves. Soy milk carries iron, absent in cow milk, whereas cow milk carries B12, absent in soymilk.

I'm having this insane idea to mix the two together. I'm going to try that out right now and let you guys know.
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« Reply #11 on: Jul 25, 2016 04:00 pm »

Cocoa powder, unsweetened and processed with alkali, the usual commercial product, is extremely rich in iron= 15 mg per 100 grams.

One abundant tablespoon is 1 mg. I'm an heavy consumer of such cocoa powder, usually mixed with water and honey

One cup soymilk with 2 tablespoons cocoa powder would contain 3.5 mg of iron, which is, considering homeostasis, nearly the daily needed value for an adult male.

No need to ingest supplements!!
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« Reply #12 on: Jul 25, 2016 05:27 pm »

Cocoa powder, unsweetened and processed with alkali, the usual commercial product, is extremely rich in iron= 15 mg per 100 grams.

One abundant tablespoon is 1 mg. I'm an heavy consumer of such cocoa powder, usually mixed with water and honey

One cup soymilk with 2 tablespoons cocoa powder would contain 3.5 mg of iron, which is, considering homeostasis, nearly the daily needed value for an adult male.

No need to ingest supplements!!

I will have to remember this for the winter. Not sure about the caffeine levels though. i have used a cheap substitute for cocoa for years; carob. It is not as mineral rich as cocoa but is more naturally sweet and much less expensive. Using carob instead of chocolate can help you limit the amount of caffeine you consume. Carob has no caffeine. Carob has slightly more fiber content. In terms of other nutrients, carob boasts a significant amount of calcium—about three times as much as you’d get from cocoa. But cocoa has the advantage in terms of iron, magnesium, copper, and manganese.—and flavanols.  Right now all the summer fruits and vegetables are coming in the northern hemisphere at cheaper prices because they do not have to be shipped from long distances and i have a garden as well.

Found this article interesting for iron rich vegetarian food; http://bembu.com/iron-rich-foods-for-vegetarians-and-vegans

i really have become a fan of some mediterranean and middle east foods like Hummus and Lebanese Falafel  which are also iron rich.

i also like using soy milk over dairy milk because of treatment of cows but soy milk is twice the price of milk. So i wait for sales on soy milk. i am with u on finding food with B-12 in it. Often foods are fortified with it.... like breakfast food. Maybe not as good as having it naturally. i just ate some kellogg's Special K cereal. it has 100% daily requirement for vitamin B 12 and 110% with milk! Also 100% for Vitamin B 6 and Folic Acid.
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« Reply #13 on: Jul 28, 2016 11:08 pm »

I'm having this insane idea to mix the two together. I'm going to try that out right now and let you guys know.

I did it, it tasted great, so much so that I had too much of it.
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« Reply #14 on: Jul 28, 2016 11:15 pm »

Steve, carob is great, at the beginning of my yogic lifestyle cocoa was not part of my diet, so I used carob powder when I could, since it was not so common in Italy and far more expensive than cocoa.
Cocoa doe snot contain caffein, rather theobromine which has a different effect, milder, longer term, not so addictive as coffee :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine

Quote
Theobromine and caffeine are similar in that they are related alkaloids. Theobromine is weaker in both its inhibition of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases and its antagonism of adenosine receptors.[38] Therefore, theobromine has a lesser impact on the human central nervous system than caffeine. Theobromine stimulates the heart to a greater degree.[39] While theobromine is not as addictive, it has been cited as possibly causing addiction to chocolate.[40] Theobromine has also been identified as one of the compounds contributing to chocolate's reputed role as an aphrodisiac.[41]

Form the caffein wiki voice though it turns out though that dark chocolate, in substantial quantities, may equal the caffeine of about two espresso coffees:

Quote
Chocolate derived from cocoa beans contains a small amount of caffeine. The weak stimulant effect of chocolate may be due to a combination of theobromine and theophylline, as well as caffeine.[171] A typical 28-gram serving of a milk chocolate bar has about as much caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated coffee. By weight, dark chocolate has one to two times the amount caffeine as coffee: 80–160 mg per 100 g.[159]
« Last Edit: Jul 28, 2016 11:23 pm by mccoy » Report Spam   Logged

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