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Zinc and Depression

At the heart of this research is a simple question: Nutrition can affect our mental state?

You must be thinking: “Dai Rudy, depression is a serious illness. You want to convince me that depression can be cured by changing your diet?”

I know this because I experienced depression. And let me tell you it's a miserable life. If you've ever experienced it at any level, you already know.

Changing my diet was a critical factor in recovering from depression. And still today I continue with this diet rich in anti-depressant nutrients.

Of one thing I am sure and I tell you as a friend; “With poor nutrition, you will never recover from depression”.

Mental health disorders are complex.

So is the brain. And so are the foods we eat and how our body interacts with them.

Your body and brain need the right one “petrol” to give you the strength to get out of depression.

And believe me when I tell you it's very easy to readjust your diet.

It will not only help you out of depression, but you will feel like when you were a child; Full of energy and will to live.

Are you ready?

let's begin…

 

But What Are These Anti-Depressant Nutrients?

Good question.

here they are:

There aren't that many.

And I guess you are wondering: “Rudy, I'm not a doctor so I don't understand a thing of what you're talking about“.

Do not worry, I don't talk like a doctor because I'm not a doctor.

“Ciao! My name is Rudy.”

Most people know me because I write about human potential and effective information supported by psychological and scientific notions presented in a simple and concise way.

 

How To Eat Properly Helps the Brain?

Your brain is hungrier than you think… It is he who makes you feel hungry…. He's the one who squeezes your stomach. He's the one who makes you dizzy when you're weak.

It needs a lot of energy and specific nutrients to make YOU work, correctly.

The brain is like the control unit of a car. It sends information through the nervous system to the whole body.

But as you well know if you've ever owned a computerized car like a BMW or Mercedes, over time the control unit could give problems.

How much this happens, Your dear car refuses to work or just performs basic functions like turning on the hazard lights.

The same happens to a brain deficient in essential nutrients.

YOU operate at a minimum, badly and in severe cases… there is also DEATH (depressive suicide).

For this, today I will tell you everything you need to know about’ importance of zinc and its therapeutic function to combat depression.

In this article you will find out:

  • Zinc and Depression; All you need to know.
  • 10 Signs of Zinc Deficiency
  • How Zinc Helps Fight Depression.
  • Facts about zinc.
  • Why is zinc lacking in the modern diet.
  • Foods rich in zinc.
  • Zinc supplements.

 

Zinc and Depression
All you need to know

Have you ever heard of zinc in the blood?

Maybe not.

The reason is that we use them in small quantities, but it does not mean that its deficiency does not cause serious damage to our health.

Remember that zinc (Zn) it's a essential trace mineral which regulates the expression and activation of biological molecules, such as numerous enzymes.

Mostly it is a constituent of at least 3.000 proteins and more 300 zinc-dependent enzymes.

It is no wonder that its deficiency has been found in depressed people.

In a study on 1643 depressed patients e 804 not depressed, the researchers found that peripheral blood concentrations of zinc on average were about 1,85 mmol / l in depressed subjects compared to healthy ones.

Moreover, a greater zinc decline was noted in patients with more severe depressive conditions. The equation is simple; – zinc, + depression.

What do you think about it?

A strange coincidence, no?

I have already said this many times, but it's worth repeating; People with prolonged depression risk degenerative diseases such as senile dementia, alzheimer out of the strokes,.

In this case, zinc protects your cells from oxidative stress and therefore from these neurodegenerative diseases.

 

10 Signs of Zinc Deficiency

The main cause of zinc deficiency is insufficient nutrition, but it can also be caused by alcoholism, diabetes and other ailments.

here it is 10 signs of zinc deficiency without doing blood tests:

  • Impaired immunity; You are prone to colds, flu and infections more than the people around you? Check your blood zinc levels.
  • Persistent diarrhea; There can be many reasons for your days closed in the bathroom, and one of them is a lack of zinc.
  • Lack of appetite; Zinc affects neurotransmitters in various parts of the brain, including gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and the amygdala, that affect your appetite.
  • Less healthy hair; Zinc deficiency weakens the scalp cells. The unpleasant effects are alopecia, loss of pigment, dryness and brittleness.
  • Skin problems; Acne, eczema, psoriasis, rashes or dry, flaky skin? Furthermore, zinc is considered an anti-aging.
  • Behavioral disturbances; Zinc is an anti-stress nutrient that protects against psychiatric disorders, including dementia, psychotic disorders and anxiety disorders.
  • Poor vision at night; Zinc is present in the macula, which is part of the retina. Its deficiency can lead to poor night vision and cataract problems.
  • Poor learning; Zinc is associated with dyslexia, a learning disorder.
  • Articolar pains; With age, the amount of zinc in the bones decreases and its deficiency can greatly affect them.

 

An Ally Against Depression

It has been found that zinc plays an important function in the brain and helps the body respond to stress.

As said before, the more a person is depressed, the lower the amount of zinc in the blood.

This happens because T cells, those that fight infections in our body, they need zinc.

As you well know, depression is nothing more than an inflammatory disease.

Recent searches they showed how psychophysical stress actually increases the inflammatory response, considered by many to be the preferential mechanism through which stress itself leads to depression.

We know that our modern life is very stressful; stuck in traffic early in the morning, then spend the day locked up in the office and run like crazy until the evening.

Moreover, food is no longer what it used to be.

The alarm comes from nutritionists and experts in the agri-food sector: “Compared to 15 – 20 years ago most food lost over the 50% of its nutritional values ​​".

We can conclude that it is essential to follow a healthy diet also rich in zinc to help our body fight ailments such as anxiety and depression.

 

Facts To Consider

Here are some key points:

  • Zinc it is expelled from the body through sweat. So if you do a lot of physical activity, you have a much higher requirement for zinc.
  • L’ zinc poisoning is reachable with prolonged zinc supplements above 100mg per day. Typical complaints are stomach pain, diarrhea, He retched, kidney problems and even death.
  • Zinc is an antagonist of copper. So too much zinc reduces the amount of copper in our body.
  • The MINIMUM daily dose of zinc to stay healthy is 11mg, the MAXIMUM 40mg.
  • Zinc in the blood must be around 1000 µg/l. Do not exceed 1600 µg/l.
  • Zinc is a component of enzymes involved in the regulation of blood sugar.
  • Vegans or those who eat only white meats are prone to zinc deficiency.
  • The copper / zinc ratio in our fabrics should be equal to 1:8. An imbalance of this ratio in favor of copper can be the basis of several chronic ailments.
  • For boys; Zinc aids in the production of testosterone, a sex hormone 🙂

 

Zinc Is Missing In The Modern Diet?

Unfortunately, yes.

Quasi 2 billions of people in the world (about the 25% of the population) they are deficient in zinc as a result of an inadequate dietary intake of this metal.

The categories most at risk are vegans.

The reason?

Zinc is found in abundance in meats and eggs.

However, it can be remedied with supplements.

Follow the instructions in the table below produced by Italian Society of Human Nutrition-SINU.

I have highlighted the zinc in blue:

 

Recommended Foods For Your Diet

There aren't many foods that contain good amounts of zinc.

Below are the main food sources:

  • Oysters;
  • Veal liver;
  • Grana Padano;
  • Bitter dark chocolate;
  • Lamb;
  • Manzo;
  • Poppy seeds, pumpkin and sesame;
  • Mushrooms;
  • Seafood; Crab and lobster;
  • Pine nuts;
  • Almonds;
  • Beans;
  • Lentils;
  • Sausages;
  • Eggs.

 

Some Tips For Getting Natural Zinc Supplementation Through Diet

My favorite dishes for ensuring zinc rich nutrition are:

  • Fresh oysters with lemon.
  • Omelette with bacon and dark cheese.
  • Grilled rib steak with potato garnish
  • Crab and lobster salad.
  • Bean salad with onion and parsley.
  • Lentil and root vegetable soup.
  • Lamb chops with red wine sauce.
  • Dark chocolate cake.

 

Tips for Storing Zinc in Food

As zinc is a mineral, it is not affected by heat, liquids or fats.

So you will have the same benefits of consuming raw or cooked foods and cooked in any way.

 

Supplements For Your Every Need

The supplements on the market do not contain pure zinc but a percentage of it by weight.

An important data to calculate the daily dosage.

To be precise:

  • The zinc citrate contains the 34% of Zinc. So to take 30mg of zinc you need 88mg
  • The zinc sulfate contains the 22% of Zinc. So to take 30mg of zinc you need 136mg
  • The zinc gluconate is about the 13% on weight. So to take 30mg of zinc, you need 230mg

It is not easy to absorb enough zinc from food, therefore it is recommended to take a daily amount between 11mg and 40mg (depending on physical activity) with an inexpensive and readily available supplement such as zinc citrate.

Finally you have to know to know that it is Zinc, football, Magnesium and Iron they all bind to the same receptors inside the body.

This means that taking tons of supplements won't do you any good, because the body simply cannot absorb them all.

 

You have a zinc deficiency and feel depressed? Tell in the comments.

About Post Author

Her passion is for self-improvement and living a life to the fullest.

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