The Zinc link….

Zinc - one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in NZ (we’ll come to THE most common one in a later blog). Why the buzz about testing it and making sure you get enough every day?

Well, zinc deficiency sets you up for increased susceptibility to invading pathogens. And these days, nobody really wants that right?

Zinc supports multiple aspects of our immune systems, from the barrier of the skin to gene regulation within our lymphocytes (an important type of white blood cell). It is also crucial for normal development and function of cells such as neutrophils, macrophages and natural killer cells (nasty name there!), which are also critical to a well functioning immune system.

How do you know if you have enough? Most people we test don’t, but here are some of the signs you may notice:

• you’re picking up more infections than usual

• your sense of taste and or smell has changed

• your night vision may have become poorer

• your memory might not be as sharp as it has been

• you may be experiencing a particular type of dermatitis

• you may have more bowel looseness episodes

• you may be losing patches of hair

• you may be struggling with your mood/s

• There may also be symptoms that you can’t see, such as damage to the lining of your gut and lungs, making you more susceptible to infection.

So how to do you get more zinc in your diet? Shellfish, pumpkin seeds and chickpeas are a good start, however it can be difficult to get these into your diet daily. We recommend getting tested first (we can help with this) and then make some good decisions about how to support your immunity and overall health with this tiny but critical mineral.

Book a time to see us for a mineral assessment.