The Amazing Health Benefits of Zinc Most People Aren’t Aware Of

Zinc is an important mineral we all need in our basic diet plans and often, one we don’t get nearly enough of every single day. There are more benefits to getting enough zinc than we can honestly describe in a single go, but we’re going to try. In these times when fear of infection from disease is at an all-time high, it’s ever more important that we get a properly balanced diet. This includes all of the base supplements that help keep us going.
Zinc especially is one we should really focus on, and we’re going to provide a wide list of reasons why you should focus hard on getting plenty of it. Here are some vital facts about the zinc mineral that you’ll be healthier knowing.

What is Zinc?

Zinc is found through all organic tissues and fluids found in the body, making it highly vital to our physical well-being. It’s actually the second most abundant mineral found in our bodies, with iron being the highest count. We use more of it in our bodies than many of us even care to realize and we honestly likely wouldn’t survive without it.
Over 300 different enzymes get entangled in the process of metabolizing and conversion into energy and the creation of nutrients and cell stabilization. Zinc for immune support is a very good strategy for overall health and wellness.

How Does Zinc Help Us?

We mentioned that this time of sickness fear is running rampant, and for good reason. COVID-19 is raising fears and awareness over our health and well-being, especially where food is concerned. A lot of people are turning to Vitamin C and D for boosting their immune systems and making sure they’re well-defended against sickness.
However, what many may not realize is that zinc can actually set up a fairly iron force against invaders. Not only does it provide immune function, but it also boosts the integrity of organ structure and healing.

The Importance of Zinc in Dieting

Zinc is an absolute must-have for all of us in our diets, but what too many don’t know is that unlike most minerals and vitamins, zinc isn’t stored naturally in our bodies. We don’t hold onto it at all. This is why a lot of people can actually develop zinc deficiencies, leading to lower functioning immune systems and greater susceptibility to illness. Everything from common colds to flu, to worse.
Zinc for cold and flu is a good defense at the very least. Because of our lacking ability to store this mineral, we’re required to intake it daily, whenever and however we can. There are also supplements we can take to boost our daily storage of zinc, but the food we eat will be absorbed much more quickly and efficiently for faster use.

Signs of Zinc Deficiency

One of the earliest and biggest signs of an incoming zinc deficiency is a loss of appetite. You’ll find a lot of anorexic patients who have a drastically low count of zinc levels as opposed to those who eat a normal, frequent diet.
By increasing the zinc intake, studies have shown that supplements of the mineral more easily stimulate the consumption of food. This makes it easier to eat and absorb the nutrients more quickly and efficiently. You also might notice an increase in the appearance of illnesses, such as colds or flu, or even an acne breakout.

Zinc Rich Foods

There are a lot of different zinc foods we can eat that are positively loaded with the mineral. These are foods we should eat every single day if we can help it.
  • Red meat
  • seafood
  • dairy products
  • nuts
  • legumes
  • whole grains
Now, while all of these contain a ton of zinc, some foods are better to eat than others. The foods that will give you a better supply of zinc are the animal proteins. Your body will break down these foods and absorb them much more quickly than the vegetable sources. Vegetables contain phytate, which is a compound found in plants that actually naturally blocks zinc from being absorbed.

Those at Risk for Zinc Deficiency

Since there are really too many of us who suffer from ignorance of the importance of zinc, we may also suffer from zinc deficiency. It’s actually a leading global factor to disease. Certain preexisting conditions can also make it difficult to stay healthy, even with a steady supply of zinc.
It’s important to know where you stand health-wise, thereby making it easier to keep track of your zinc intake and how well-defended you are against illness. At-risk groups include:
  • People with digestive disorders
  • Vegetarians (darn phytates)
  • Pregnant and lactating women
  • Alcoholics
  • People with sickle cell disease
Anyone can suffer from a zinc deficiency, but certain factors can make it easier for some more than others to suffer from low levels.

Zinc Benefits

Aside from immune system assistance, there are a lot of other benefits that zinc can have on your body and general well-being. If you suffer from certain illnesses, zinc has actually been shown to have a tremendously positive effect on a few different types, such as diarrhea. Infants and children especially have been shown to benefit from zinc. Particularly if they’re from developing countries without the easy access to zinc heavy foods that first world countries have.

Zinc consumption has been shown to lessen the severity of the condition and even reduce the recovery time. It also acts as a huge defensive shield for the immune system, making it easier to withstand the yearly infection seasons. It also decreases the time spent sick once something has been contracted. Below re a few solid reasons why this mineral should be a part of your health regimen.

  • HEART HEALTH

Heart disease is one of the biggest killers in many countries across the globe. Patients who may be suffering from heart problems have often been shown to have decreased levels of zinc. There have also been a couple of studies where decreased zinc levels were linked with an increased chance of heart failure. Patients experiencing chest pain have been administered with doses of zinc and have experienced a tremendous decline in chest pain and other symptoms.

  • DIABETES AND INSULIN RESISTANCE

Believe it or not, zinc may also play a large part in driving back diabetes by helping to bind and activate insulin receptors. The zinc will actually mimic insulin, which causes the secretion of insulin to slow down considerably and protects the pancreas from further damage. Eating a steady diet of zinc-rich foods every single day can actually create insulin resistance.

Conversely, many diabetic patients are shown to be zinc deficient, so it’s highly important for these patients to get as much zinc as they can every single day. It may also even decrease the symptoms of neuropathy as a result of diabetes.

  • SKIN CARE

The zinc benefits for skin are of no surprise. The mineral plays a pivotal role in skincare, as well as helping to repair skin damage. It has a natural healing tendency to it, assisting in the healing process of all kinds of wounds and injuries. You can apply topical zinc items to your skin for direct absorption for the best and quickest results.
People suffering from various skin issues have been given doses of zinc and showed a significant drop in painful and irritating symptoms, even when paired up with placebo groups. This includes everything from warts to acne, both of which are annoying issues people deal with every single day.
  • MENTAL WELL-BEING
Believe it or not, zinc has even been shown to have an incredible effect on mental afflictions like depression. In patients with severe symptoms, the addition of zinc was shown to drastically decrease the harsher symptoms as opposed to others with a zinc deficiency. Studies have shown that patients who take supplements to increase their zinc intake report increasingly more positive days.
They’ve shown fewer, lesser symptoms of such afflictions like depression, anxiety, or even schizophrenia. If you suffer from common mental illnesses, try an increase in zinc in your diet every day — you might see a pretty noticeable difference before too long.

Zinc Pros and Cons

Now while its recommended to get zinc every single day, both for its incredible effect on our bodies and how it strengthens and defends against a ton of common ailments, there are also a few cons to the idea. For instance, not getting enough zinc definitely makes it harder to ward off foreign invaders and lacking it in large amounts can make it harder to function normally. 

This is impounded even harder by the fact that, again, we don’t store the stuff. We have to manually intake it every single day. Naturally, this can make the whole process seem a bit more daunting for the beginner just learning about zinc.

Conclusion
We’re made of minerals and zinc is an essential part of it. If we want to keep functioning normally, we need to make sure we eat it every day whenever we can, or at the very least supplement it. It’s possible, it’s not very hard, and if we get creative, it can even be delicious. Do your body a favor — eat more zinc.
One of the best ways to ensure you are getting your daily recommendation of Zinc is by taking Virmunity, the doctor created, patient approved immune support supplement that offers high quality Zinc, along with many important nutrients to help promote optimal health.
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