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May 30, 2011
Zinc is one of the primary nutrients and it is an essential mineral for our health. Zinc is absolutely vital for normal function of our immune system, as well as for our excellent bone health and boosted regenerative properties of our body tissues. Also, zinc is crucial for metabolism and cellular activities in our body like synthesis or cellular division. This nutrient can be found in many foods and natural sources, but also can be received from a various of herbal supplements and special dietary supplements. Undoubtedly, it is preferable to use natural food sources of zinc, or herbal sources of this valuable mineral.
In addition to the above mentioned health benefits of zinc, it is possible to mention the role of this microelement in muscle growth and maintenance. Zinc can assist in healing wounds, cuts, burns and acne, it can be one of the best solution to support your body with when you’re having the symptoms of respiratory diseases like coughs and sore throat. 
Finally, zinc is one of the most important nutrients for our excellent nail health, as well as for hair loss prevention and improving our hair quality to a great extent. Zinc is also an element which insures our proper sense of smell and taste.
Natural food sources of zinc include oysters, crab meat, mussels, clams and all possible sorts of seafood, chicken and turkey, pork and beef, cashews, beans, almonds, cheese and milk, raisins, eggs, chickpeas and others. You can receive good amount of zinc by consuming spinach, kelp, soybeans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and breakfast cereal. Herbal sources of zinc embrace a great variety of medicinal herbs and herbal remedies like sage, rosehips, alfalfa, skullcap, fennel seed, parsley, hops, chickweed, chamomile, mullein, burdock root, nettle, cayenne, dandelion, milk thistle, sarsaparilla and others.
The recommended daily dose if zinc is 8-10 mg for children, 10-12 mg for women and 12-15 mg for men. Unfortunately, a human body has no natural abilities to store this nutrient, that is why it is extremely important to add various food sources of zinc to our daily diet. For better zinc digestion, this nutrient should be consumed along with vitamin A, B6 and E, as well as with such minerals as calcium, copper, selenium, phosphorus and others. Zinc deficiency can be indicated by the following signs: hair loss, decreased function of the immune system, loss of taste and smell, sleep disorders, white spots on the nails, irregular periods in women and so on. Those who eat good amount of meat and seafood should not worry about zinc deficiency, and generally this condition is quite rare nowadays.
Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.
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