I’ve never been a big fan of taking tons of vitamins and supplements each day. It’s just not fun. Although there are some crucial ones that I make sure to keep in my normal routine, there are some that I cheat on…and theses are three of my favorite ones. Teehee.
– Supports a healthy immune system
– Provides relief from PMS symptoms (weight gain, breast soreness & bloating)
– Promotes muscle relaxation (soothes sore muscles)
ZINC. Another essential nutrient for our health is zinc. We all need it to survive. Unfortunately since our soil is so depleted of goodness these days, half of the world’s crops are deficient in zinc leaving US deficient in it! Mercola can explain again.
Zinc:
– Reduces severity & duration of illness
– Reduces need for antibiotics
– Aids in digestion, fertility, vision, tissue repair
– Balances blood sugar
– Aids in preventing hair loss
– Promotes wound healing
– Boosts immunity
– Keeps nails strong & healthy
– Prevents & reduces acne breakouts
Zinc rich foods include oysters, pumpkin seeds, spinach, whole eggs, dark chocolate (again, the real kind, not the stuff under 70% or less!), lamb, lentils, pecans, peas, sea vegetables, hemp seeds, cashews, chick peas and sesame seeds.
ZINC CHEAT: A yummy way that I cheat with getting some zinc in is enjoying a zinc lozenge. I particularly only enjoy Zand because I find it to leave less of a coating in my mouth like other zinc lozenges do. And I like that these are sweetened gently with some brown rice syrup and not an artificial sweetener. They come in a variety of flavors, elderberry just is my favorite!
SELENIUM. Another one of those important dietary minerals that we need, but we require only a small amount in our diet, which makes it easy! Even though whenreading the list of selenium rich foods below it may seem like an easy mineral to obtain through your diet, it always comes back to the quality of those foods – the quality of the soil and/or quality of feed that animals were fed. Mercola explains deficiencies and how it can help to protect you from cancer.
Selenium:
– Fight free radicals
– Boost immune system
– Aids in protection against breast & prostate cancer (as well as others!)
– Prevents blood clotting & helps protect from heart disease
– Essential for thyroid gland function
Selenium rich foods include nuts & seeds, liver, fish and seafood (tuna, shrimp, sardines, clams, salmon, cod, scallops), lamb, chicken and beef.
SELENIUM CHEAT: To make sure that I get my selenium in each day I keep a jar of Brazil nuts in my fridge (all nuts/seeds should be stored in fridge) right where I can see it when I open the door. At some point during the day I make sure to just grab 2-3. Sometimes I’ll add them to my homemade trail mix or throw them into a shake (can’t taste!). Not only do Brazil nuts contain just enough selenium your body needs for the day, but they’re densely packed with other minerals (calcium, iron, copper, potassium). They’re the healthy kind of fat that your body thrives on (and that help to lower cholesterol), and are an anti-inflammatory. Love them!