Cold Calling. "Hi, my name is Zinc, and l can help you!"

Cold Virus Vs. Zinc Supplementation: Let Battle Commence!

News flashed around the world this week which pardon my cynacism, was hardly rocket science, but news which confirmed already firm beliefs held with many people of health, science, preventative health, nutrition (like me) that Zinc supplements are better for reducing the severity and duration of illness caused by the common cold than say, oh, Antibiotics!

No.

What will the drug companies say. No more peddling of antibiotics for colds at medical centres. hospitals and GP surgeries around the world.

How profits will suffer!

American plans to push supplement use in preventitve health has more and more sound footing by the second.

Will other countries follow suit?

Don't bet on it, but at least us health practitioners who do care and do give a damn can give our insight of such benefits that may be possible from certain supplement use to our patients and to a wider audience through mediums such as this blog.

Zinc could play important role against the common cold

The review of new data carried by an Indian team and published in the Cochrane Library

updates similar work from 1999 and includes the data from a total of 15 new trials carried out by scientists and researchers with the involvment of 1360 people as subjects.

Accordingly, results from these various trials highlight the benefits of consumption at the onset of cold symptoms of Zinc supplement tablets, syrup or Lozenges to assist in the fight against the virus and help reduce the severity and length of the illness, very important when people need to work in hard economic times and children need to attend school so not to fall behind with education.

Lead researcher Meenu Singh, of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India, said in a news release:

"This review strengthens the evidence for zinc as a treatment for the common cold,"

 After a week of use with Zinc supplementation, the team found in it's many results and data that more patients had cleared their cold symptoms compared to those taking a placebo.

And data from children and Zinc use discovered after 5 months or longer, they caught fewer colds and ultimately took less time off school.

Less Antibiotic use because of this research review will be important when considering the implications of antibiotic resistance that has become common in today’s modern world and another hardship for the medical profession to understand and overcome.
Data such as this may help.

With data only considering healthy subjects taking Zinc supplements for colds and related illnesses, the researchers will turn their attention to subjects already suffering from particular types of illness such as respiratory problems like Asthma, which can be made much worse by the onset of cold virus, and also in developing, low income countries where Zinc deficiency may be more common than not.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/o/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD001364/frame.html 

Zinc rich foods should be consumed all year round, and more so at times when cold virus is more prevalent, as in the winter.

Zinc rich food sources include:

• Spinach
• Beef
• Lamb
• Summer Squash
• Asparagus
• Chard
• Pumpkin seeds
• Green peas
• Sesame seeds
• Flax seeds
• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Cashew Nuts

Zinc deficiency has been shown to compromise white blood cell numbers hence it's negative affect on immune function. Supplementation has been shown to restore conditions to normal.

As well as immune function, zinc helps with blood sugar balance, important for maintaining balanced energy levels and avoiding over-eating or poor eating habits.

Without enough Zinc in our diet, the insulin needed to carry sugar from the bloodstream into cells will become impaired, insulin response decreases, and blood sugar imbalance may occur, important when trying to balance energy levels and control weight.

Zinc deficiency may also affect metabolic rate, the rate at which the body uses up energy, so important that enough is consumed in the diet.

Zinc deficiency may occur because of digestive complaints such as IBS, or impaired digestion due to decreased stomach acid or insufficient numbers of digestive enzymes.

Alcohol will also deplete stores of the trace mineral Zinc, so important at Christmas when we consume more alcohol and tend to be prone to more colds in the following cold/flu season!

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy causes depleted zinc, and resulting foetal zinc deficiency may explain possible birth defects and neurodevelopmental abnormalities associated with alcohol exposure. 

Alcohol Depletes Zinc in the body. Could be significant health implications for all

Zinc Supplements

Good quality, well researched supplements l have found useful and to the liking of my clients when required, can be acquired if needed and under supervision and advice of a qualified practitioner from:

 

http://www.cytoplan.co.uk

Zinc Supplements to help with those winter colds!

Cytoplan WholeFood Zinc 7.5mg:
Wholefood Zinc is made from hydroponically-grown brassica (a member of the broccoli family). Possibly the only genuine wholefood zinc product on the market. 

This edible species of broccoli has a tremendous capacity to bioaccumulate high levels of minerals and metabolise them into its plant tissue and structure, which is why it is so ideal for producing supplements where higher levels of minerals are required than would normally be present in the food we eat.

Suggested Intake: 1-2 capsules daily, or take as directed by a practitioner. Best time to usually take Zinc supplements such as this would be at just before going to bed with a very small sleep inducing snack.
Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans and for people with Candida and yeast sensitivities.
Contraindications: None.
Non-Active Ingredients: Vegetable magnesium stearate, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.
Non GM & Free From: Yeast, wheat; starch, gluten; added colourings, sweeteners & preservatives.
Storage: Keep cool, dry & out of direct sunlight.

For a syrup for cold season consumption that may help, which not only contains zinc, but a nemesis of the cold and flu virus, Black Elderberry, Sambucus nigra, try the Sambucol range of supplemented syrups such as this:

Zinc & Black Elderberry. Lovely!

More on Black Elderberry and cold virus in the future.

Toodle pip!

Nutrition Advice

For more benefits of a well balanced diet, healthier lifestyle and the potential of Zinc in foods and in Supplements, come and visit me at my clinic and see what positive changes maybe suitable for you.

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