Do you really need to take a supplement if you eat well..?

31/01/2022

A question we get asked a lot is; "do I really need to take a supplement as I eat well ?"
The simple answer is, in that case no... but are you actually eating the right foods in the right amounts?

There are the 3-key nutrients (vitamin D, C and the trace mineral zinc) that appear to give our bodies a real leg up in fighting infections.

One of these nutritional allies, zinc, is a trace mineral but a vital mineral when it comes to immune function.

Despite only needing a small amount daily for health (for adult men around 9.5mg and for women around 7.0mg) can you really say that you are getting this from your diet.. and remember, these intake levels are the basic levels to prevent overt deficiency not support optimal health!

Zinc is available in the diet but not in many foods that we eat every day or at sufficient amounts every day.

Take a look at this list below and ask yourself if you are hitting your dietary targets for zinc;

• Oysters 1 dozen raw = 78.7mg zinc
• Sesame seeds 100g = 7.8mg zinc
• Beef steak 155g = 7.0mg zinc
• Crab 100mg = 5.5mg zinc
• All bran 45g = 3.0 mg zinc
• Chicken breast = 2.9mg zinc
• Wallnuts 100g = 2.7mg zinc
• Pork chop = 2.0mg zinc
• Sardines (tinned) 70g = 2.0mg zinc
• Brown rice 100g = 1.8mg zinc
• Chickpeas 155g = 1.5mg zinc
• Lentils 155g = 1.5mg zinc
• Cheddar cheese 50g = 1.4mg zinc
• Wholemeal bread 2 slices = 1.3mg zinc
• Baked beans 200g = 1.0mg zinc

As you can see, you need to work at getting the 7.00 - 9.5mg needed for basic zinc requirements... so, in the case of zinc we do feel that a supplement is a wise move but keep it at a sensible level.

We suggest 15mg daily.

Zinc supplement link

 

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Back the gym - may be its time to take some MSM

31/01/2022

As the long month of January crawls to a close we are all looking more optimistically to a more normal life and a return to activities. For many this will include sports, exercise and a return to the gym but from such a sedentary phase getting back into the stride of things needs to take time. Strains and pains are often an acceptable risk of an active sporting existence and the use of a little known dietary supplement called MSM may help. MSM, short for methylsulfonylmethane, is a naturally occurring compound that donates sulphur to the body once broken down. Suphur is important for several functions including support of connective tissue and skin health.

For more details on the effects of MSM click here and it will take you to the OptiMSM page where you can click on the ‘More information’ tab to download information sheets on its effects in Sports and Exercise and Skin Health as well as some details on the science of MSM and a great over view article.

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