My Favourite Minerals
In my business, we get well known for using herbal medicines and vitamin supplements. What is often neglected are the minerals which are essential for supporting how we function. These are a few of my favourites.
Magnesium:
Anyone who has come into my clinic will have heard the “magnesium is essential” conversation. My whole top shelf in my clinical rooms is all magnesium, as I believe in finding the right form for each person, and will often prescribe more than one version, ie. magnesium amino acid chelate with B vitamins during the day for energy and sports recovery, and magnesium in a variety of different forms with some herbs or other nutrients to help with better quality of sleep.
Magnesium at a very basic level helps with over 500 actions in the body, relaxes smooth muscle tissue, and helps recovery from tight, sore muscles. It is essential on a daily basis, and difficult to get sufficient amounts in diet, so I always recommend taking magnesium every day, more if you are exercising or under stress.
Podcasts for more information on this:
Huberman with the ever informative Dr Rhonda Patrick, on nutrients for Health and Longevity:
https://hubermanlab.com/dr-rhonda-patrick-micronutrients-for-health-and-longevity/
ATP Project: I included their podcast on zinc below, but thought it was worth including the one on Magnesium also.
Zinc:
Zinc is the unsung hero of the mineral world. Zinc helps to support the immune system, healthy cell growth, and is essential for skin and healing. One thing that is often forgotten is how much zinc affects our sense of smell and taste. I often recommend it for teenagers, to help with acne, growth, and general development.
Zinc is mostly found in foods like oysters, shellfish, meat, dairy and pumpkin seeds. I find that most people are not getting enough and would suggest supplementing. You do need to be careful when taking zinc, as it can interfere with absorption of iron and copper. I would recommend taking at different times of day to other supplements, and to have a break from taking it after a few months.
Podcasts on zinc:
My favourite Australian health heroes at ATP Project did a podcast on Zinc a few weeks ago, worth a listen.
Iron:
Iron is more well known for its essential properties in the body. We need iron for energy, it’s that simple, and if you don’t eat animal protein, it can be difficult to get enough. This is something which needs to be tested via your doctor and blood test, on a fairly regular basis, if your iron tends to be low. It is worth understanding how iron tests work, I can give you a handout on this, but for more information, search: Ken Sikaris Iron on Google, and watch the one on blood tests for iron status. Associate Professor Sikaris is a guru in lab testing and many other areas of health (his name will often be the one of your blood tests results), and he explains here what testing is actually showing.
It is worth sourcing a good quality iron supplement (not the usual one from the pharmacy which shall remain nameless..). I have a couple of versions of a really well absorbed product, and would strong recommend getting a good form in order to achieve higher levels of iron, without creating gut distress.
Please see me in clinic to discuss your health and dietary needs. If you need nutritional support, I prefer to have an idea of your diet, and history of health, and will happily spend time with you to review these points.
EA.
30/6/23
