Want quality sleep? Reach for the zinc

Zinc is the 2nd most abundant trace element in the human body.  It reduces stress, improves the quality of your sleep, and regrows your thymus to its original size. 

Further, 

in this same period, the thymuses of these mice had quadrupled in size and exhibited a greatly enlarged cortex repopulated with immature thymocytes

For years, I was under the impression that magnesium was the go-to mineral for the biological ravages of stress.  And I am sure that magnesium is still good for treating that.  But more recently, in the last couple of years, I've learned first-hand that zinc is even better.  After a simple Google search of "stress and zinc," the first entry produced this, 

Zinc plays a significant role with respect to the stress response.  Proper maintenance of zinc status can help to stabilize serum cortisol levels over time,¹ and zinc intake has been shown to temporarily inhibit cortisol secretions. However, in turn, prolonged stress will deplete zinc concentrations in the blood.

That article goes on to say that

Zinc is required for the catalytic activity of approximately 100 enzymes. 

Magnesium is involved in even more--over 300 chemical interactions in your body.

Zinc plays a role in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division. Zinc supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence, and zinc is necessary for proper sense of taste and smell. 

So if you find that your sense of taste and smell diminishing, reach for the supplemental zinc. 

Given that the body has no specialized zinc storage system, regular daily zinc intake is required to maintain a steady state and to prevent deficiency.

That was interesting because I think that homeostasis leaves us with the impression that we're all doing okay; meaning, that it's hard to tell, hard to know if we're deficient.  And you're never going to have a doctor tell you that you're deficient in zinc.  Ever. 

I remember the first time that I ever took supplemental zinc how it completely relaxed me and put me in a great mood for a good night's sleep.  This was about 3 years ago.  In fact, now I prefer to take zinc rather than melatonin for sleep. Note well, that 

Sleeplessness has a huge impact on the human physiology and is commonly associated with metabolic disorders (obesity and diabetes), cardiovascular diseases (hypertension) and mental disorders (anxiety and depression). 

So if you're looking for quality hours of sleep, reach for the . . . well, you know what to reach for--the zinc, of course. 

The first paragraph in this article states that

Recent research has concluded that zinc serum concentration varies with the amount of sleep, while orally administered zinc increases the amount and the quality of sleep in mice and humans.

Melatonin is a decent sleep-aid and has excellent anti-oxidant properties to boot, but so does zinc.  Melatonin does lower your blood pressure.  If you have high blood pressure like I have had a few times, then melatonin would be a good choice.  But zinc relaxes more functions in your body, I believe.  

Important to know [in the Introduction] is that 

Zinc is the second most abundant trace metal in the human body and is essential for many biological processes.

WHAT TYPE OF ZINC IS BEST?

That depends. 

Zinc lozenges are made with zinc acetate, so if you've got a cold then you'll want zinc lozenges. [I tend to trust Bill Sardi's recommendations, so I buy his zinc lozenges product.] Zinc lozenges are what you should be giving your children, er, grandchildren when they have a cough, not a cough drop which is mainly sugar and provides only a short-lived placebo effect.  Know, too, that zinc regrows your thymus gland back to its original size, which I find absolutely miraculous.  The thymus gland has a tendency to shrink through the years.  Read this, 

After the deficient mice had been fed a zinc-adequate diet for 1 week, their response was nearly normal, except that the indirect response was 68% of controls; in this same period, the thymuses of these mice had quadrupled in size and exhibited a greatly enlarged cortex repopulated with immature thymocytes [my emphasis as if you couldn't tell].  By 2 weeks, the thymuses of the previously zinc-deficient mice were normal in size and appearance; however, there was a slight increase in the numbers of indirect plaque-forming cells. By 4 weeks, the thymus weights, direct and indirect plaque-forming cell counts, and the secondary response of the previously deficient mice were normal. Mice that were nearly athymic after 45 days of dietary zinc deficiency were also able to fully reconstruct the thymus and regenerate T-cell helper function.

It's been argued that the brand name Optizinc is the most absorbable.  May be true.  If you're deficient in zinc and have never supplemented with it, then the Optizinc will surely improve your sense of well-being.  Keep a bottle of zinc lozenges around the house in case of a cold or any lung issues.  Lately, I've really appreciated Bill Sardi's zinc product, called T-Cell Zinc.  If you accidentally overeat at a party (remember those?), reach for the zinc.  We overeat in response to stress, and then overeating causes our bodies stress.  So any stressful event, reach for the zinc.  

The benefits of zinc are remarkable.  OptiZinc reduces acne by 50%.  So there's that.  Acne may be due to bodily stress of a teenager.  Zinc Carnosine treats intestinal ulcers.  Even Wikipedia understands this.

"ZINC LOZENGES ARE THE SILVER BULLET AGAINST CORONAVIRUSES"

We should all know the importance of zinc.  Combine it with vitamins D, A, and C, and you're putting your immune system in an excellent position.  Check out these highlights of zinc from Sardi's article: 

Zinc is required to maintain thymus gland function to produce life-long antibodies from T-memory cells.

Dr. James Robb, a pathologist who performed early experiments with coronaviruses back in the 1970s, claims that zinc lozenges are the “silver bullet against coronavirus.”     

You'll definitely want to get a brand of zinc lozenges that taste good since the lozenges, as such, have to sit in your mouth as they break down over several minutes.  The one brand whose taste I am not a fan of is Swanson's Zinc Lozenges.  Sorry.  If you need or want more convincing than the lone quotation above, then check out what Dr. Robb said

4) Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY "cold-like" symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. Cold-Eeze lozenges is one brand available, but there are other brands available. 

More on zinc from Bill Sardi . . . 

Zinc supplementation in the elderly, the high-risk group of coronavirus Infections, lowers illness markedly.  Modern medicine needs to emphasize zinc therapy, especially during epidemics.

Between 15-30 milligrams of zinc in dietary supplements can be safely consumed by adults.  Zinc oxide is poorly absorbed.  Other forms (acetate, gluconate, acetate, picolinate) are preferred. 

Four years ago, I wrote a review of Sardi's valuable scrutiny of zinc, where he cited Canadian cancer researcher, Abraham Hoffer, MD, who concluded that

". . . zinc [in old mice] facilitated a complete recovery of thymus gland function and regrowth of the organ with greater immune efficiency."

I initially posted this video of Dr. V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai, an Indian-American scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur.  The video came courtesy of Steve Bartin.  And though I liked much of what he said, I recalled an article by Bill Sardi published earlier this week at LewRockwell.com on March 30, 2020.  As I read it, thought about it, and reviewed the article, I realized that Dr. Shiva, though articulate and knowledgeable, is no match for the scientific scrutiny of Bill Sardi.  So what I prefer to do instead is to highlight some of the benefits zinc that Bill Sardi points out.  It's hard to find better, more actionable advice.  

Thanks to Steve Bartin.  "The virus is not some big Godzilla" says Dr. Shiva.  It's B.S.  A virus is coming in, your immune system is compromised . . . ."  But all he is doing is riding on the coattails of Bill Sardi, who already cited why so many people are dying from the coronavirus--a damaged immune system.  And it makes sense.  Most people don't know how to take care of themselves.  They don't even know what an immune system is.  

Dr. Shiva claims that the "Less adaptive immune function, [the] less T-cell activity."  Of course.  But that's a problem that is readily and easily repaired with zinc.  Zinc has the ability to regrow your thymus gland back to its original size.  Zinc doesn't make your thymus gland grow larger than original but back to its original size, and that is something given how it shrinks over our lifetime due to illness, stress, and nutritional deficiencies.  Bill Sardi recently pointed out that the Coronavirus mimics zinc deficiency.  He writes, 

An emergency room physician in New Orleans shares an account of his experience with this dreaded pathogenic virus.   He writes: “You can literally watch it happen in a matter of hours.”  Some 70-90% of hospitalized patients who have to be placed on a ventilator die. 

Talking about insufficient ventilators or how they are becoming cost-prohibitive is the wrong direction.  People will die on ventilators if . . . if they're not also provided with nutritional support to strengthen their innate and adaptive immunity.  

I'd wish that people would stop picking on the elderly BEFORE they're even sick, or at all.  If someone is sick, stay away from them: problem solved.  But the damage has already been done.  The media has dog- whistled the entire population to despise, to be wary of, to thwart any threat by someone with gray hair, wrinkles, or a hunch in their shoulders.  What, as if everyone else who does not fit these descriptors is somehow healthy?  Please.  The narrative initiated in Seattle that elderly folks were dying almost en masse in a Seattle convalescent hospital.  I don't know the details surrounding that hospital or those deaths.  But the most likely scenario is that it wasn't just age plus the coronavirus that killed these people; instead, my guess is that those who passed had lived with chronic disease and malnourished lives that kept them functioning at a very low grade.  And then if they were tossed by family and friends and abandoned, that can't bode very well for their well-being.  

OptiZinc Reduces Acne by 50%

Got acne?

InterhealthUSA says that OptiZinc reduces acne by 50%.  You'll definitely want to keep a jar of this around the medicine cabinet. 

Although there are many manufacturers who boast ways to reduce and prevent acne, Zinc is a natural mineral that’s proven to combat acne. Research shows that people who suffer from acne are deficient in Zinc, typically. Furthermore, as they begin to supplement with Zinc and increase the amount of Zinc in their bodies, their acne tends to reduce by 50%.

Now, with the power of L-OptiZinc®, your clients can get more Zinc into their systems quicker. With improved absorption rates, they’ll get more from each pill they take than they have in the past. In the end, they’ll see quicker results in their fight against acne. 

One of the things that teenagers do a lot of is pop their zits.  The crater left behind can leave a scar, and this only constitutes an added worry that could, in fact, exacerbate an acne breakout.  But not to fear.  OptiZinc is an excellent skin toner, which means that it can reduce the instance of scars on the skin. 

Additionally, with L-OptiZinc powering their [immune] system, they'll recover from breakouts quicker and reduce the instance of scars on their skin.  

Jeez, how can this news not be a song of relief?  It's not just acne that OptiZinc treats but also eczema.  For colds, I like the zinc lozenges that come in the form of zinc acetate.  

 Intake of zinc supplements can help the body gain sufficient amount of resistance against acne, eczema, prostate disorder and even simple colds. Studies show that zinc has the optimum capacity to regulate the level of testosterone in the body which when left uncontrolled can eventually lead to the formation of annoying acne. Zinc also stimulates the body's natural ability to heal chronic infections. Zinc actually aids a number of enzymes that facilitate in collagen synthesis which leads to faster healing of wounds and infections. 

Zinc also treats and manages diabetes, but I know diabetics who would rather shoot themselves full of insulin than take zinc that will make their cells more insulin sensitive.  But who are they to listen to me?

Zinc is scientifically proven to be effective in preventing the development of diabetes. It regulates the production of insulin and helps the blood sugar move into the cells. The mineral is even effective in reducing the risk of suffering rheumatoid arthritis because of its anti-inflammatory properties. 

Yes, knowing what zinc can do and what it can relieve can bring a sigh of relief and optimism for better health.  But consider the horrors of what can result if one is zinc deficient.  Most young people are.  Older folks too as they age.  

Inadequate amount of zinc in the body can lead to growth retardation, loss of appetite, bone degradation, low blood pressure, poor quality and rough skin and loss of sense of taste and smell. Zinc insufficiency can also be major culprit behind the development of weight loss, fatigue, hair loss, formation of white spots underneath the nails and diarrhea.

ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION SHORTENS THE DURATION OF COLDS BY APPROX. 33%

The best thing for bronchitis is 2-4 mg of vitamin C every 4 hours, OptiZinc because it's the most absorbable variety and 10,000 to 40,000IU of vitamin D for one week.  Be sure to add vitamin A to that to make the D more absorbable.  NCBI observes that

Considering zinc, the supplementation may shorten the duration of colds by approximately 33%.

Consider in a 72 hour period what a double dose of zinc would do to bronchitis?  One of the reasons why I think zinc works so well with most people is that most people are zinc deficient.  We just never got enough growing up, and so our innate immunity may only be bolstered by innate things that kids do, like playing outdoors.  Certainly, with oysters being the highest in zinc content when it comes to food, my guess is that few kids are consuming oysters on a regular basis.  So by the time we're in our 20s, 30s, and 40s, we're kind of zinc deficient.  There are benefits to maintaining your immune system in the first place.  Most people don’t really enjoy the activity of self-care since it involves daily calorie vigilance or supplement intakes or exercise or all three.  It’s a full-time job with little to no reward except when you get sick.  But who wants to commit to a regimen that only minimizes or prevents you from getting sick?  Not much of a reward there at the end of that rainbow, huh, Kimosabe?  But look at what this study published at NCBI stated,

Maintaining the immune defense system within a normal healthy state lowers the incidence of infection and/or lessens the severity of symptoms and/or shortens the duration of common colds.

But if you don’t like getting sick in the first place, if you’d prefer to be on top of your vocational game 24/7, then I recommend supplementing, in part, because of the accumulative effect of stress.  We don’t see a cold or fever coming on.  When I got bronchitis recently, I sure couldn’t see it coming on.  But I was out working late in the snow and did not prepare for the extended hours out in that cold, snowy evening.  And I worked late into that night.  I like working.  I like completing assignments, which I did but at a cost.  The bronchitis was deep in my chest.  And my cough was productive for one full week.  But I took exactly what I described above and the symptoms shortened, and I believe the duration of bronchitis itself shortened.  There is no greater pleasure than being able to breathe fully.  Take that inhale, oh, yeah!

Here is a final sampling of how zinc up-regulates your innate immunity . . . from NCBI: 

Zinc supplementation increases cellular components of innate immunity (e.g., phagocytosis by macrophages and neutrophils, natural killer cell activity, and generation of oxidative burst) [10].

Neutrophil granulocytes, macrophages: large amounts of oral zinc significantly impaired polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) function and, in vitro, zinc potentiated the neutrophil response against Staphylococcus aureus [11]. Zn supplementation (150 mg/d) in elderly also induces a decrease in granulocyte zinc that has implications in phagocytosis and chemotaxis [41]. 

Natural killer: a supplementation of zinc (in vitro studies or 100mg/d in elderly) improves natural killer (NK) cells activity, as argued by a lot of authors [9, 11, 39, 42]. Zinc administration decreased peripheral. 

For more on zinc from one of the best nutritional reviewers in the English-speaking world, check out what Bill Sardi says about zinc.  

TAKE QUERCETIN WITH ZINC. MAJOR BENEFIT IS THE COMBO WILL PUSH THE ZINC INTO THE CELL WHERE IT CAN STOP VIRUS FROM REPRODUCING

And zinc works in the same way with EGCG, resveratrol, HCQ, & other zinc ionophores https://t.co/GvzztO9r53

— Jennifer Depew, RD (@deNutrients) January 11, 2022

Quercetin should be taken with zinc. QUERCETIN itself has strong anti-viral properties.  The major benefit of taking quercetin with zinc is that the quercetin will push the zinc into the center of the cell where the zinc can stop the virus from reproducing.

There are different forms of zinc.  I like all of them.  Zinc lozenges are made of zinc acetate.  Then there is zinc carnosine for intestinal ulcers.  This stuff is fantastic.  Then there is OptiZinc, considered to be one of the more absorbable forms of zinc.  I like taking all of these.  Zinc helps regrow the Thymus gland, a vital immune organ, to its original size even after years of shrinkage from stress and other ailments.   

Mark Pomykala on Twitter asked a good question, 

What's the mechanism of zinc preventing viral replication?

To which Geronimo gave a terrific answer: 

Zinc has many benefits against inflammation, supports immune system, but it also plays a Key role by inhibiting the protein translation of the virus during its replication process.For that it requires a ionophore (quercetin, EGCG/green tea, Artemisia, Quinine) to get inside cells

— Geronimo (@Geronim81901247) January 11, 2022    

"HEALTH IS AN INSIDE OUT PHENOMENON"

1:55  We no longer have a pandemic.  We have a planned, controlled demolition of the human race.  We heard early on that zinc, high-dose vitamin C, we’ve known forever that vitamin D is the base molecule of your immune system that needs to support you.  And I was saying early on that if you’re going to get tested for anything don’t get tested for COVID, don’t get tested for SARS-COV2, go get your vitamin D levels tested.  And make sure your vitamin D levels are between 80 and 100 in order for it to be therapeutic to protect you from infection.  

Get zinc level tested because they can do that' it's actually a blood test.  And zinc as a mineral is a co-factor in more than 200 enzymes.  And so enzymes are like the energy, the energy factories that make things happen.  A co-factor is like a key that turns things on and makes them work.  So zinc is important for more than 200 enzymatic processes in your body.  Hydroxychloroquine is a zinc ionosphere, so that zinc could hook up with the enzymes and do its job.  It would bind to the surface of the cell and drive zinc into the cell, making zinc more absorbable.  

Quercetin functions as a zinc ionosphere that helps zinc get into the cells.  Quercetin drives the zinc into the cells, and so it gives you this natural holistic approach as a prevention to keep your body's enzymes function very well in the presence of zinc.  35-50 mg every day.  And if you start to get sick with fever, aches, body aches, it doesn't have to be SARS-COVID2, it can be any other sickness, it could influenza, it could be pneumococcus, it could be any other virus or bacteria.  You want to double the amount of zinc that you're taking every day--double it and take it daily until you start feeling better.  

Vitamin D: 80-100

Zinc: 35-50/day unless you're feeling sick.  Double it until you start feeling better.  Take zinc with Quercetin, 500mg once a day.  If you get sick, take 500mg twice a day.  

Vitamin C: the best form of vitamin C is vitamin C ascorbate.  It's the salt form, not citric acid, but the salt form.  Dr. Tenpenny recommends the powdered form because you can give it to people of any age from infants all the way up to centenarians.  About 3,000mg/day.  

Fauci doesn't even treat patients.  I don't think he's treated patients in 35 years, maybe more.  He's been a political wonk . . . in a department working for the government.  So what the heck does he know about vitamins or homeopathy?  And it never ceases to amaze me how political wonks, mainstream MDs, and mainstream DOs, mainstream doctors, claim to be experts in something that absolutely know nothing about.  How can you make any statement about vitamins if you don't know the mechanism of action or about how they work in your system?  How can you make statements like that that homeopathy is going to harm you if you know absolutely nothing about homeopathy?  So it never ceases to amaze me 

Manganese, calcium, magnesium, and so on for proper functioning of the Kreb's Cycle.  

Doctors function like glorified pharmacists.  Sometimes the pharmacists know more than the doctors.  Sugar, milk, bread burn through your minerals and provide only empty calories.  

While about half of the total body zinc is in the bones, the skin contains nearly 6% of total body zinc.

Zinc is a moisturizer.  By the way, men need more zinc than women do . . . for reasons that we're men, ahem.

While about half of the total body zinc is in the bones, the skin contains nearly 6% of total body zinc. #zinc #bones #skin #health #drcarolyndean

— Dr Carolyn Dean (@DrCarolynDean) November 16, 2022

Bill Sardi does an excellent job of mapping out the best strategy for supplementing with zinc.  

Mineral supplement users are often advised to maintain a zinc/copper balance (10 to 1?) so as not to raise circulating cholesterol levels.  Yet up to 45 milligrams of zinc has been used without accompanying copper without adverse effects.

Interesting.

There are many confounding factors (zinc depleting drugs, high fructose corn syrup, copper piping and alcohol, calcium and iron pills that block zinc absorption) that are often not accounted for in controlled studies and obscure the realization that zinc therapy is an obvious way to save lives. 

Zinc really is too important for you to go deficient in.  Look what it does for the heart following a heart attack.   

 

HOW TO TREAT AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE. START TODAY

Thank you, Lew Rockwell. 

Now, wait a minute. Dr. Nathan Thompson did say that it was an auto-immune disease. Auto-immune is not new. Didn't he cite AIDS or AIDS-like condition that destroys the immune system.  

A couple of good things about this video: one, we got to see the commonly listed immune cells that make up the immune system.  I could have gotten that from a Wikipedia search, that is true; still, it's nice to see.  He makes a good point that in order to treat auto-immune diseases, you have to remove the triggers that are causing your immune system to attack healthy structures in your body.  He admits that he doesn't know how to address the problem.  He points to the fact that it hasn't been studied, but I would think that AIDS, which is an auto-immune disease, has been studied and been treated to some success.  Could that be a place to start looking for applicable and valuable healing remedies?  Though Dr. Thompson certainly sounds and thinks like a very decent, sincere man, I did get the sense that he hasn't brushed up nutritional support for ailments.  I could be wrong.  Except for vitamin D, which grew in popularity about 10 years ago.  

What is the approach to healing auto-immune diseases?  Though the auto-immune disease that develops from a COVID shot is a unique auto-immune disease, my guess is that the different auto-immune diseases have similar mechanisms but slightly different targets.  There are over 100 auto-immune diseases.  Martie Whittekin spots one way to repair an immune system. 

Mr. Sardi noted that as much as 90% of underactive thyroid is due to autoimmune activity. I asked him for a summary statement to clarify and to expand on autoimmune problems. He said:

·         It is very plausible that a shortage of zinc and its co-factors B6 (required for absorption) and selenium (required for zinc release) may result in vulnerability to autoimmune disorders…that is, the immune system attacks various organs such as the eyes (uveitis, macular degeneration), kidneys (nephropathy), liver (hepatitis), pancreas (type 1 diabetes), colon (colitis, leaky gut). [We know that imbalances in the gut bacteria and leaky gut also foster autoimmune trouble.]

·         Zinc is crucial for proper function of the immune system (and so much more). Zinc deficiency is rampant in the American population. Anyone who doesn’t get enough zinc or can’t use it properly is prone to autoimmune reactions. It is possible to get enough zinc in the diet, but it takes adequate selenium to release the zinc from its binding protein. And you should know that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) depletes zinc. Given the high consumption of HFCS in the US, the increasing incidence of autoimmune disorders is not surprising.

·       Some autoimmune conditions start as something else. Take, for example, Lyme disease. An infection (Borrelia burgdorferi) may or may not result from a tick bite. Such an infection may or may not be quelled by antibiotics. If people are low in zinc, the medication is less likely to be effective. If they are low in critical nutrients and/or have an imbalance in gut bacteria, they be more prone to autoimmune reactions.  So, seemingly out of nowhere, an infection from a tick bite mysteriously becomes an unremitting chronic problem. That effect is reported more frequently among those who are zinc-deficient. Tick bites and the infections have been around throughout human history. The new element may be zinc deficiency made worse by a craving for sugar that is too often satisfied with high fructose corn syrup.

·         Modern medicine is dealing with over 100 autoimmune conditions and trying to calm the symptoms with steroids and treat the disease with medication called monoclonal antibodies. Sadly, that process interferes with normal wound healing and restorative processes. 

I would have thought that Beta-glucans would be the go-to immune strengthener, and they are, by the way.  But so is Glutathione, fat-soluble Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and zinc.  [Find more here.]  This effort to maintain or correct the immune system will be a lifelong effort.  So you'll need to commit to powerful and effective nutritional compounds rather that synthetic ones to get your immune system back on track.  

EXTRA SELENIUM FOR LONG-COVID?

This is a really fascinating thread for people suffering long COVID and the #vaccineinjured. https://t.co/2eb72fRPaH

— To The Lifeboats (@ToTheLifeboats) February 13, 2022

The article above reports on how methylated selenium, brand name Seleno, enhances the antioxidant capacity of retinal epithelial cells on the cells exterior [COVID and spike proteins are an intra-cellular disease] by inducing the transporter xc to increase glutathione, the master anti-oxidant.  The poster's comments read "higher doses" without identifying how much.  Some researchers caution against iver doing it.  And since most selenium comes in doses if 200mcg, doubling that would be more than sufficient to qualify as "higher doses."  Any more than that simply doesn't get absorbed.

Nutrients absolutely improve quality of health and quality of life.  What's that phrase?  Better living through chemistry.  Just avoid doctor-prescribed meds.  Doctors are the 3rd leading cause of death.  So buyer beware. 

Of note, whenever a single nutrient is praised or promoted, know that "in vivo," meaning in your body, meaning metabolized nutrients interact with others to deliver their benefits.  Too many of the articles listing or covering the benefits don't cover the necessity of synergy from other nutrients.  Yes, selenium is good, essential even, but know that zinc is also required.  What does selenium do?  It helps to release zinc into the blood to activate vitamin D3.

Bill Sardi explains:

Zinc: how to convert vitamin D to its active form

The masses don’t need to get a prescription for calcitriol from their doctor. The trace mineral zinc facilitates maximum calcitriol levels via release from white blood cells known as macrophages.  Zinc is particularly important when calcium or phosphorus are depleted.  Zinc is commonly deficient among patients with kidney disease.  The lack of stomach acid in senior adults impairs zinc absorption.  Selenium is needed to release free unbound zinc from its carrier protein, metallothionein.

It is unconscionable that oncologists and infectious disease specialists don’t prescribe zinc across the board for their patients given its important role in releasing calcitriol from its binders.

Zinc is also documented to increase vitamin D receptor on the surface of cells and thus increase calcium binding protein.

Furthermore, the trace mineral zinc inhibits nagalase, the enzyme that degrades a liver protein called Gc Protein Macrophage Activating Factor (GcMAF).  It is GcMAF that stimulates white blood cell called macrophages that literally engulfs and devours pathogens and cancer cells.

FOR THEIR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, THE PEOPLE PERISH

This was a decent presentation, meaning that it took a complex topic and made it comprehensible. It did fail, however, to answer how to balance gut microbes so that you restore your body and your health returns to a more normal state.  Dr. Sears' Zone Diet focused on balancing hormones.  His diet plan definitely does that, for sure.  And as a target, balancing hormones is a good one.  But maybe balancing the whole body is not as easily as we think since certain organs and organ systems, due to their size and volume, play a larger role in health maintenance than others.  The gut is large system.  In fact, the gut starts at your mouth.  Never heard that before.  

The gut (gastrointestinal tract) is the long tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the back passage (anus).  

The key is to know how to repair and remedy a leaky gut. A leaky gut is exactly what it sounds like--it means your gut is porous with all kinds of bacteria spilling out gradually perhaps into other compartments of your body.  That's a large area, so let's be specific.  A leaky gut refers mainly to the small intestine.  You may not even feel any specific pain other than a tire or weak stomach. Or it may show up in the form of dry or flaky skin. It may show up in the form of bruises or scarring.  

CAUSES OF LEAKY GUT  
The list is long.  One thing that tops the causes of a leaky gut is a poor diet.  What does that mean?  We're all guilty of that.  Even if one follows the best diet, we're always tinkering with so as to accommodate our preferences, little cravings, and must-haves.  Eating all vegetables is not good enough.  Prebiotics are perhaps the best foods to eat to restore the gut.  See this list:

Low-fat diets that never satisfy and only induce more food craving instead of a varietal diet rich in prebiotics like mushrooms, pickles, sauerkraut, miso soup, bran, oats, barley that populate our gut with bacteria that produces lean, non-diabetic humans.

At another site, Sardi points out how unhealthy bacteria, the kind that causes your intestines to leak, produces inflammation at the back of your eyes and is responsible for macular degeneration.  Healthy gut bacteria inhibits invasive blood vessels that destroy vision.  

Healthy gut bacteria inhibit inflammation.  Unhealthy gut bacteria generates low-grade inflammation that is characteristic of accelerated ageing.

Fermented foods like pickles, sauerkraut, miso soup, apple pectin, beta glucans (barley), resveratrol and other foods are recommended to restore and maintain healthy gut bacteria.

Unhealthy gut bacteria increase intestinal permeability and allow undigested proteins to enter the blood circulation, sparking allergic and autoimmune reactions.  [EMBO Molecular Medicine Oct 11, 2016]

This explains how fermented and prebiotic foods listed above spare your vision, spare your gut health, spare your immune system.  And how the Biblical saying of "For their lack of knowledge, the people perish" is no small statement.  The gut and its healthy and unhealthy bacteria is a complex topic.  Though the solutions have already been discovered.  We know what works--prebiotics.  Dairy prebiotics may not be the best.  On probiotics versus prebiotics, this might be helpful.  



Probiotics are “good” bacteria that help keep your digestive system healthy by controlling growth of harmful bacteria. Prebiotics are carbohydrates that cannot be digested by the human body. They are food for probiotics. The primary benefit of probiotics and prebiotics appears to be helping you maintain a healthy digestive system.

One of the best sources of probiotics is yogurt. It has good bacteria like lactobacillus or bifidobacteria. Look for “live or active cultures” on the label to be sure your favorite brand of yogurt is a rich source of probiotics. Other good food sources are sauerkraut, miso soup, fermented, soft cheeses (like Gouda), and even sourdough bread. The common feature of all these foods is fermentation, a process that produces probiotics.

There is nothing in particular about probiotics or prebiotics that will give you energy. However, one of the best probiotic-rich foods, yogurt, is an excellent source of lean protein and calcium. Prebiotic foods are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that give you the energy you need to get through the day. Prebiotic-rich foods include whole grains, onions, bananas, garlic, honey, and artichokes.

SERIOUS PROBLEMS FROM A LEAKY GUT  

One of the problems with diagnosing conditions and knowing what you're working with is that the symptoms show up in distal points and start as something else.  Bill Sardi points this out elegantly

Some autoimmune conditions start as something else. Take, for example, Lyme disease. An infection (Borrelia burgdorferi) may or may not result from a tick bite. Such an infection may or may not be quelled by antibiotics. If people are low in zinc, the medication is less likely to be effective. If they are low in critical nutrients and/or have an imbalance in gut bacteria, they be more prone to autoimmune reactions.  So, seemingly out of nowhere, an infection from a tick bite mysteriously becomes an unremitting chronic problem. That effect is reported more frequently among those who are zinc-deficient. Tick bites and the infections have been around throughout human history. The new element may be zinc deficiency made worse by a craving for sugar that is too often satisfied with high fructose corn syrup. 

So in addition to those fermented probiotics, like miso soup, sauerkraut, mushrooms, and others, you need to be on zinc.  The best form of Zinc is OptiZinc.  Bill Sardi explains that high-fructose corn syrup depletes zinc.  We really need to be careful of the sweeteners we're consuming.  

Zinc is crucial for proper function of the immune system (and so much more). Zinc deficiency is rampant in the American population. Anyone who doesn’t get enough zinc or can’t use it properly is prone to autoimmune reactions. It is possible to get enough zinc in the diet, but it takes adequate selenium to release the zinc from its binding protein. And you should know that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) depletes zinc. Given the high consumption of HFCS in the US, the increasing incidence of autoimmune disorders is not surprising. 

So there's that.

BEWARE OF HOSPITALIZED ANTIOBIOTICS
I write this because my mother died from hospital antibiotics.  The hospital protocol killed her.  Due to a weakness, she was taken to the Emergency Room where after a series of useless tests the ER doctor assigned her a room--you guessed it--for more tests.  Once they learned of her full insurance coverage, the hospital protocol is to treat anyone coming in as an ATM from which to perform cash withdrawls.  Once she was hospitalized, the doctors put her on an IV of Zosyn.  It was slow-drip biological trauma, slowly and effectively destroying any of her remaining good bacteria, leaving her system open to stress and weakness.  And true to the intentions of that restorative protocol [burning sarcasm], ten days later she was dead.  The best place for your loved ones to be IS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.  Don't just sign their life over to aloof and fully-licensed professionals.  Instead, provide your loved ones with the protocol that Bill Sardi offers up above:

Low-fat diets that never satisfy and only induce more food craving instead of a varietal diet rich in prebiotics like mushrooms, pickles, sauerkraut, miso soup, bran, oats, barley that populate our gut with bacteria that produces lean, non-diabetic humans. 

Find ways to deliver these in delicious, life-affirming dishes.