Does it seem like you’re always down with a cold or flu? Do you always have to rush to the bathroom because of loose stools? Are you frustrated that you have acne despite of your top-notch skincare regiment? If you answered “yes” to these questions, you could be suffering from zinc deficiency!
It is said that up to 75% of people all over the planet are actually deficient in zinc or are exhibiting signs and symptoms associated with it. Unhealthy eating habits, increased stress levels, too much exercise, problems with the gut that hamper proper absorption of nutrients — all of these things can actually make you deficient in zinc.
Because zinc is required by all of the cells in your body to function properly, deficiency in the said mineral can certainly cause all sorts of health problems. If you are experiencing one or more of the following, it’s probably because there’s not enough zinc present in your body, particularly your cells:
Inflammation
According to experts, deficiency in zinc can cause leaky gut syndrome, which is characterized by inflammation because of the seeping of proteins out of your gut. Inflammation is something that can cause a wide variety of problems, from chronic fatigue to painful and swollen joints.
Acne
Because there’s inflammation within, it’s not unlikely for you to have a bout of acne. Especially if you have not suffered from acne in your teens or you are quite confident that your skincare products and beauty regiment are superior, then the root cause of your cosmetic woe can be due to zinc deficiency
Various Skin Problems
It’s not just acne that you may face if you’re deficient in zinc, but so many other skin issues that can be associated with inflammation. Some of them are psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. If you are bugged by any of these itchy and unsightly skin problems, try upping your zinc intake.
Hair Loss
Does it seem like you are losing more than a hundred strands of hair per day? It’s not normal. Zinc is a mineral that’s vital for healthy tresses, and that’s why being deficient in it can lead to thinning of hair. So if you want to enjoy voluminous hair, keep zinc deficiency at bay.
Diarrhea
If you think that diarrhea is something that’s only caused by the intake of contaminated water and food, think again. Experts say that being deficient in zinc can actually leave your stools loose. In fact, supplementing with zinc is sometimes being done in order to treat diarrhea in children.
Insomnia
We all know that melatonin helps you get a good night’s sleep. But did you know that zinc is a mineral that helps in the synthesis as well as regulation of the said hormone? So if you are having a hard time getting to dreamland at night, chances are that you’re deficient in zinc.
Weak Immune System
Last but not least, you may be deficient in zinc if you constantly suffer from the common cold, flu and other infections and allergies. In fact, experts say that a compromised immune system is the number one sign that you have zinc deficiency. Zinc is vital for the production of T-cells, which actively take part in the immune response.
In order to have your body supplied with good amounts of zinc so that you may steer clear of the above problems, do include the following zinc-rich foods in your everyday diet:
- Seafood. Crab and lobster are good examples.
- Meat. Beef, lamb, pork and chicken are loaded with zinc.
- Nuts. You can obtain zinc by snacking on walnuts, pecans and almonds.
- Seeds. Sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, flax and chia seeds have zinc.
- Mushrooms. Various types of mushrooms contain zinc.
- Chocolate. There’s zinc present most especially in dark chocolate.
