Homeopathy Newsletter February 2006

zinc focus

My nutrition assignment consisted of keeping a ten-

day food diary and then evaluating the levels of micro

minerals. Despite following what I consider to be a

very good diet, I came up astoundingly deficient in

zinc. The EC recommended daily intake is 15mg. My

diary showed me as getting less than half this from

my diet. This worrying as

zinc is vital for many functions in the body. Here are

just a few...

* protein synthesis

* collagen formation

* strong immunity & wound healing

* protects the liver from chemical damage

* essential for bone formation

* constituent of insulin

* allows sharpness of taste and smell

* co-factor for over 200 metabolic enzymes

* essential to sexual maturity & fertility

Signs of deficiency include a loss of taste and smell,

brittle, peeling fingernails with little white spots,

acne, fatigue, memory impairment, hair loss, poor

wound healing, skin lesions, post-natal depression,

gum inflammation, tinnitus, high cholesterol, weak

bones, tendency to infection, frequent colds and flu,

psoriasis, poor appetite, eating disorders and....

eczema.

Well knock me over with a feather. Many of you

know my lifelong history of eczema and my struggle

to fix it. As I was researching for the paper, I was

pulling too many long nights, drinking coffee and

fighting off a head cold from the aeroplane. I had

developed a small crack in the corner of my mouth

which generally indicates my system is run down. I

decided to put the zinc theory to the test. I started

taking 50mg a day and I kid you not, within ONE DAY

the crack in my mouth had healed. Yup. Floored.

As it turns out, zinc is needed to make the enzyme

that breaks down essential fatty acids in the body,

something that is often lacking in people with

eczema.

The general consensus in my nutrition books is that

the recommended allowance of 15mg is too low and

for optimal health the level should be between 30-

50mg. This mineral requires a 1-10 balance with

copper, so my suggestion is to find a good multi

mineral formula that has everything in balance. If

you are feeling run down or suffer from one of the

above complaints, consider a short run of additional

zinc supplementation. Do not go over 50mg without

supervision and take the zinc at a different time

from iron supplements as they will interfere with each

other.

I found some yummy zinc lozenges that each carry

10 mg of zinc along with other immune boosting

products. I take four a day at the moment and will

continue to do so during the winter. In the summer I

may drop it down depending on how I feel.

If you identify with any of the above symptoms,

suffer from frequent diarrhoea, diabetes, cirrhosis,

excessive persperation, consume either highly refined

products or eat high amounts of fibre, you may be

deficient in zinc. All eczema patients,

please jump on this today. Try the lozenges and

please get back to me and let me know if you've had

any improvements. We may have uncovered a huge

piece of the puzzle.

Until next time, take good care and stay well!

Adrianna

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Sources:

Balch, Phyllis & James (2000) Prescription for

Nutritional Healing, Avery Books, NY, USA

Ballentine, Rudolph M.D. (1978) Diet &

Nutrition, Himalayan Institute, PA, USA

Brewer, Dr. Sarah (2002) Encyclopedia of

Vitamins, Minerals & Herbal Supplements,

Constable & Robinson, London UK

Garrow JS, James & Ralph (2000) Human Nutrition

and Dietetics, Churchill Livingstone, London UK

Mervyn, Leonard (1989) Thorsons Complete Guide

to Vitamins & Minerals, Thorsons, London UK