natural health

What to Look For When Buying Nutritional Supplements

October 25, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

pills There are quite literally hundreds of different brands of nutritional supplements (also called dietary supplements) on the market today, and it’s difficult for the average consumer to tell the difference between one and another. Each manufacturer claims that its products are supportive of your health, but how can you really determine if a nutritional supplement is safe and effective? Then there’s the price tag. Brands vary considerably in cost—one multivitamin may cost 20 cents per day, whereas another can cost a whopping $7.50! How can you decide whether it’s worth it? Our goal is to provide you with some practical advice—basic facts combined with a few do’s and don’ts—that you can use to be a more educated consumer if you decide to buy nutritional supplements.

Just because a nutritional supplement is “natural” does NOT necessarily mean it is safe. There are plenty of products that can be dangerous if you suffer from certain health conditions, use them along with certain other foods, medicines or supplements, or take them incorrectly. Even if you avoid interactions and take a supplement correctly, it is still possible for your body to have a negative reaction to a supplement. If this happens, stop taking the supplement immediately and see your doctor.

The FDA regulates dietary supplements very lightly. A supplement manufacturer does not need FDA approval to put its products on the market, but the FDA is responsible for monitoring the products’ safety, removing them only if they have caused problems. However, the FDA does require that manufacturers follow “good manufacturing practices” for processing and that they meet quality standards. This includes ensuring that the supplement contains the stated amount of ingredients and that it is free from contamination from things such as pesticides and heavy metals.

One thing to look for in a nutritional supplement is the “USP Verified” seal of approval. This is given to products that meet the stringent requirements for quality, purity and potency as established by the non-profit group U.S. Pharmacopeia.

The form in which you take your dietary supplements may also make a difference. Tablets tend to contain more fillers and binders than capsules because the powder they are made from must stick together in a regular mass. They may also be coated to keep it from falling apart and to make swallowing easier. They may also have added coloring and flavoring to make them more palatable. All else equal, it usually makes sense to avoid these. Capsules or gel caps are more likely to be free from excess fillers and binders. But if you are vegetarian or vegan, be sure to read the label to ensure the capsules are not derived from animal sources (cellulose is the most common vegan-friendly form of capsule).

Always read the product’s label thoroughly to see exactly what each supplement contains. While buying the most expensive supplement obviously won’t guarantee its quality or effectiveness, it is often true that you get what you pay for. Cheap supplements are frequently made from inferior ingredients or those that cost less to manufacture, and are often less readily absorbed by the body. Who wants to pay for supplements only to have them flushed down the toilet? A high-quality supplement will be more bioavailable, which is what you’re taking it for in the first place!

As with most other products, it usually pays to do a little homework before choosing a manufacturer and buying a supplement. Above all, you’ll want a manufacturer who has a good reputation and stands behind its products. Good companies will stress their excellent quality control and will be happy to provide you with independent evaluations of their products. Many chiropractors have specialized training and experience related to nutrition, and can help you decide which dietary supplements might be right for you.

Want Your Kids to Be Active? Here Is Why YOU Should Be their Lifestyle Role Model

October 20, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

It’s not news—obesity is a growing national epidemic among young people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that obesity in children has doubled in the last 30 years and quadrupled in adolescents. Nearly 20% of children 6-11 years old are obese as are almost 23% of teenagers. This places them at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Finally—and even more concerning—studies have shown that people who are obese as children tend to be obese as adults.

What’s happening here? In large part, it comes down to our lifestyle choices. Record numbers of both adults and children are succumbing to the temptations of TV, computers, and video games, and many of us simply don’t get the exercise our bodies need to stay healthy.

Naturally, parents who read statistics like these may be—and should be—concerned about their kids. More and more often, they ask themselves questions like “What can we do to help our kids be more active and physically fit?” One answer to this question is pretty simple: To get your kids to be more active, engage in more active pursuits with them. One of the keys to getting children to exercise more is to have them see their parents exercise more. That’s the finding from a new study published in the journal Pediatrics

In the study, researchers at the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine in England fitted 554 mother-child pairs with equipment to measure how much exercise they were getting when they were together as well as when they were apart. Accelerometers tracked their exercise levels, and GPS devices measured how close they were to each other. Over the course of seven days, the findings were clear – the more physical activity the mother was engaged in while with the child, the more active the child was during the rest of the day. In fact, for every minute of moderate-to-vigorous activity the mother got, the child was likely to get ten percent more of the same activity. Conversely, for every minute the mother was sedentary, the child was 0.18 minutes more sedentary. Both of these effects were more pronounced in girls than in boys.

These findings seem to indicate that parents can be effective role models for their children by getting more active exercise themselves. But specialists emphasize that parents don’t have to drop their other priorities to do this. Physical therapist Teresa Beckman suggests, “Incorporate small changes into your daily life. For example, rather than playing a board game together, go outside and play hopscotch. Or if you’re planning a trip to your local playground, try walking instead of driving.”

Other suggestions for becoming more active with your children include playing more sports with them, walking more with them (if you take the bus, get off one or two stops early and walk the rest of the way), riding bikes together, and even playing Frisbee. Dancing is good exercise, so you can encourage your kids to take lessons in various forms of dance and then set a good example for them by attending the classes yourself. You can join exercise classes together, schedule regular pre-dinner walks or runs, or just play family games of basketball or soccer.

You are your child’s most important role model when it comes to teaching them about the importance of exercise. And exercising together is just as good for you as it is for them. So switch off that TV or computer and go out to play! You’ll both be doing something good for your health and having fun at the same time!

Health Risks for Frequent Flyers

July 28, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

Back in the early days of commercial flight, flying was a costly, exclusive and elegant form of travel. People would dress in their best clothes and be treated like celebrities by flight attendants. Most frequent flyers would tell you that those days are long, long gone.

Even as air transportation has become far less expensive and more widely available over the years, the experience itself has generally become less pleasant. Extensive security checks, crowded planes and airline cost-cutting all play a part. However, did you know that there are a number of aspects to flying that can also be detrimental to your health, especially if you’re a frequent flyer? Following are a few of the health risks you should be aware of if you must fly often.

Noise-induced hearing loss – The white noise of a plane may be able to lull us to sleep, but it is still loud enough to be to cause hearing damage with regular exposure. Those who sit at the back of the plane fare worst, as those passengers get the brunt of the engine noise, which can sometimes rise as high as 100 decibels. For comparison, the noise of heavy traffic is around 80 decibels and normal conversation is approximately 60 decibels. If you can, try to get a seat nearer to the front of the plane, where the average noise level is about 75 decibels. Experiencing this level of sound once in a while is not bad, but frequent flyers risk permanent damage to their hearing unless they take precautions to protect their ears, such as by using earplugs.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) – Also sometimes called “economy class syndrome,” this can be a life-threatening condition in which blood clots form in the legs due to being seated in cramped conditions for long periods of time. These clots sometimes break free and can travel to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism. Those in business and first class are not entirely immune either, however. An examination of 68 deaths on flights due to DVT found that 12% of the victims were in first or business class. To prevent this, there are a number of strategies you can employ, including wearing special “flight socks,” taking aspirin, drinking water and walking around periodically during the flight.

Increase in disease risk – Although the disease you are most at risk of contracting is the common cold, your risk of catching a cold when flying is over 100 times greater than if you had not flown. Although studies have shown that the plane’s air recirculation system is not the cause of increased illness, the fact remains that people still get sick far more often after a flight. One of the primary reasons for this is the extremely low humidity in the cabin. This dries out the mucus membranes in our respiratory tract that tend to catch harmful microbes and destroy them before they can cause damage. If you are concerned, you can purchase a special respiratory mask that will screen out 98% of airborne particles. You may look a bit unusual, but at least you have a better chance of remaining disease-free.

Jet lag – The disturbance of your circadian rhythms can cause both physical and mental impairment for a number of days after the flight. Jet lag creates a disruption to your sleep and hormone patterns that can lead to short-term episodes of psychosis for some. If your trip crosses fewer than three time zones you will probably not have a problem. If your trip is going to last for fewer than three days, experts recommend that you keep to your “home time” to avoid symptoms of jet lag. Otherwise, your best bet is to try to adjust to local time as quickly as possible. Stay up as late as is normal at your destination, then get up at a normal hour in the morning and expose yourself to bright light for as long as possible.

Ever Wonder Who’s Really Responsible for Your Healthcare? You Are!

February 9, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

It’s hardly surprising that people take different approaches to healthcare depending on their situation. After all, being in an auto accident creates a different set of priorities than expecting a first child. And discovering that you have a chronic medical condition is different from recovering from a fall down the stairs. However, the themes of prevention and early intervention are becoming more and more important as society addresses the healthcare costs associated with longer lifespans and so-called “lifestyle diseases”.

Need evidence? At the level of national healthcare policy, the Affordable Care Act places a new emphasis on preventive care by requiring that certain services be covered. Many private insurers and healthcare systems are taking an even more active role in advising their subscribers about what types of tests they should get at various ages and how to manage medications for the best results. Even employers are introducing or expanding workplace wellness programs aimed at preventing common health problems.

With all of these public- and private-sector organizations involved in healthcare with a capital “H”, it’s tempting to view health and wellness as an institutional challenge—a problem for someone else to solve. But this misses a very, very important point. No one has a greater stake in your own health and wellness than YOU do! This means that no one has a stronger interest in prevention and early detection.

Reasons Your Musculoskeletal Health May Need More Attention than You Think

A variety of injuries and health conditions can compromise your musculoskeletal system, resulting in pain and reduced function of bones, muscles and joints. And the regular wear and tear we associate with aging can also reduce our strength, stamina, balance, flexibility and coordination over time. For this reason, many people simply accept the onset of back, neck and joint pain as an inevitable result of getting older. But the truth is that we do have some control over how well our musculoskeletal system ages. By adopting healthy lifestyle habits related to nutrition, exercise, sleep and regular chiropractic care, we can avoid or delay certain types of common health problems.

How Doctors of Chiropractic Help Reduce Back Pain and Restore Mobility

The spine is a complex structure that is made up of bones, joints and the surrounding musculature. Doctors of chiropractic use specialized manipulation and mobilization techniques (often referred to as “adjustments”) to restore proper spinal alignment, thereby reducing pain and restoring mobility.

Taking a Holistic View of Health and Embracing Prevention

Although your immediate motivation in visiting a chiropractor may be to get pain relief without the risks of drugs or surgery, chiropractic treatment can also improve your overall health and longer-term quality of life. Chiropractic physicians are trained to take a holistic view of health and place a very high value on prevention. In part, this is because we recognize that our patients’ day-to-day decisions and behaviors have a cumulative effect on their musculoskeletal health as well as their general well-being. Prevention is something you can do for yourself!

Eat a healthy diet.
Keep moving and live an active lifestyle.
Lose weight if needed.
Maintain proper posture while sitting and standing.
Avoid high-heeled shoes, heavy backpacks and purses.
Lift correctly, using your legs instead of your back. Never lift anything that is heavier than 25% of your body weight and do not twist while lifting.
Get enough sleep.
Don’t use tobacco.
Moderate your use of alcohol.
Be proactive in obtaining chiropractic care for your back and overall health

Taking responsibility for your own health—and healthcare—means learning everything you can about your options and taking action. Call or visit our office today. We can help!

The Power of Gratitude on Health

November 20, 2015 oblanderchiropractic

How we think and how we process the world around us has a tremendous effect on our health and our happiness. In celebration of this time of Thanksgiving, take some time out for yourself and contemplate all the many things that you have to be grateful for. If you find the task difficult, keep at it – it will get easier. Then, make it a daily habit – you will never be sorry that you decided to make gratitude a daily part of your life!

Here's How Gratitude Affects The Human Body:

The Power of Gratitude

November 19, 2015 oblanderchiropractic

Research done by Japanese scientist Dr. Masaru Emoto with water crystals is fascinating but his research teaches some important health lessons as well. Dr. Emoto has studied the effects of positive energy and negative energy on water. Some of his research has included music and some of his research has included messages given to water. What does that have to do with us – with you and me? Our bodies are 70-80% water. So what holds true for water also holds true for us. For example, Dr. Emoto and his colleagues found that water droplets would form widely different crystalline patterns after being exposed to different kinds of music. Exposure to acid rock would result in a very disrupted crystal while a Mozart symphony would result in a beautifully formed crystal. Below, we have included a blog post written by Dr. Sabrina Chen-See written about Dr. Emoto’s work as well. We hope you will read her blog post and then think about what you are surrounding yourself and your life with and what affect your attitude and gratitude can have on your health. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Emoto’s work, you can read his book Hidden Messages in Water.

Want to know the secret to changing your mental state, your luck, your future and life for the better? It’s simple… it’s by expressing gratitude.

As seen in Dr. Masaru Emoto’s water crystal research, exposing distilled water to the words “Thank You” overnight resulted in a physical change to how the molecules behave. Water exposed to positive words like, “Love”, “Kindness”, “Peace” and “Joy” formed beautiful, intricate snowflake-like water crystals. When exposed to negative words like, “I will kill you”, “War” and “Stupid”, the water crystals would be dark, asymmetrical, ugly blobs.

Gratitude has incredible healing properties. Microwaved water will not form crystals. However, after being blessed, it will then form beautiful crystals. This is scientific proof that the energy of our food is better in meals that are made from scratch with love and in meals that are blessed before consumption. Dr. Emoto concluded the first round of research with this summary:

“If thoughts can do this to water, and we’re 70-80% water, then what is the effect of thoughts on us?”

How do you harness this power of gratitude and channel this power into transforming your life? For lasting change, consider starting a gratitude journal. My gratitude journal is a pocket book with pretty designs throughout. Each morning, write a positive affirmation or quote for the day, such as:

“Always end the day with a positive thought.”

“No matter how hard things were, tomorrow is a fresh opportunity to make it better.”

As the quote says, end the day with something positive. In the gratitude journal, write out 5 things you are grateful for, or something/someone you love. The last thoughts you have before falling asleep repeat themselves 20, 000 to 40, 000 times per night. Journaling like this can make changes to your outlook immediately, and lets the universe know that you are open to abundance. Keep it up for 30 days to ingrain it as a daily habit and continue the rest of your life for ongoing healing of your mind, body and spirit.

To supercharge the power of gratitude, you must take action and show your gratitude each and every day. I’m not talking about making a show of gratitude for recognition. I’m talking about letting the source of what you’re grateful for knowing that they are appreciated, and supporting their efforts. If someone was kind to you, thank them directly. Written thanks (ever notice pretty “Thank You” cards?) are more lasting than a verbal “thanks”. If it was a stranger you’ll never see again, pay it forward with a kindness to another stranger. If you’re grateful for a beautiful sunset or clean air, do what you can to support our environment, to preserve or improve it for future generations. If you’re grateful for your wife/mother preparing meals for you each and every day, support her by setting the table, washing dishes, etc. The key is to help out because you’re grateful, not because you’re obliged to do it. If you’re going through health challenges, you can still be grateful for all your body is doing to heal itself. Support your body by loving it, feeding it good food, resting, chiropractic care, exercising and positive thoughts. If you’ve been blessed with talents and special gifts, show your gratitude by developing them and using them for the betterment of yourself, your family, society, humankind and the planet. – Dr. Sabrina Chen-See

More Exercise Now Means More Independence in Your Golden Years

June 9, 2014 oblanderchiropractic

We all know that exercise is good for us at any age. What is becoming more apparent, however, is that developing the habits of regular exercise in the present—meaning at whatever age you happen to be right now —will pay off for you in the future.

A recent study discussed in the January edition of the journal Nursing Older People suggests that exercise plays a crucial part in enabling older people to retain their mobility and improve their overall quality of life. The study examined the effects of a three-month, twice-weekly exercise class on people aged 60 and older and found that the participants’ overall strength, fitness, coordination, and balance improved. More importantly, the participants in the class were then motivated to continue exercising after the study ended, partly because the exercise classes helped them to overcome their sense of social isolation.

A similar study published in the American Journal of Medicine provided even more evidence that exercise can provide not only a longer life, but a more meaningful one. Dr. Preethi Srikanthan and his associates at UCLA found that the more muscle mass older people have, the less likely they are to die prematurely. Their studies indicate that the amount of muscle mass is a better predictor of both longevity and the ability to perform normal functions than body mass index (BMI) measurements, because increased muscle mass decreases their metabolic risk.

Combined with other alarming results from studies on the dangers of inactivity and sitting too much (one such study indicates that every hour spent sitting per day after the age of 60 decreases your ability to perform normal activities like dressing, bathing, and walking by 50%), these findings make a strong case for preparing for one’s golden years by exercising more now, while it’s easier. Developing healthy exercise habits can even be seen as preventative, in that it seems to reduce the risk of developing disabling diseases. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who were more fit in their middle age had significantly lower rates of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, diabetes, colon cancer, lung cancer, obstructive pulmonary conditions, and even Alzheimer’s disease when they reached their forties and fifties. In this study, for every unit of improvement on a standard scale of physical fitness, the subjects experienced a 20% reduction in the incidence of the eight chronic illnesses being tracked. Those with the highest levels of physical fitness when they were young developed the fewest chronic conditions during the last five years of their lives.

So if you’re concerned about living a longer, more productive and satisfying life, one way to achieve it seems clear—start exercising more now and continue to exercise regularly. The stronger and more fit you are today will, to some extent, determine how strong and fit you are when you get older and whether you’ll be able to get around and enjoy your life when you reach your golden years.

Food as Medicine: Close-Up on Cumin

May 19, 2014 oblanderchiropractic

If “having a pedigree” is an important factor for you when you’re considering the nutritional or medicinal value of food, it’s difficult to find a food with a longer history than cumin. Cumin (also known as comino, cuminum cyminum, cuminum odorum, jeeraka, svetajiraka, and zira) is an herb whose medicinal qualities are mentioned in the Bible (both Old and New Testaments). Cumin was also part of the medical tradition in ancient Egypt, in India (cumin is a staple of Ayurvedic medicine), in the Muslim world, and in ancient Greece.

Although cumin is commonly used in the preparation of foods from each of these areas, it has also been promoted for its medicinal uses—to treat digestive problems, diarrhea, colic, bloating (cumin is a mild diuretic), to reduce inflammation, and even as an aphrodisiac. In terms of modern research, cumin has been found to have strong antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and a study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that cumin seeds help to regulate blood sugar levels, and thus may be of use not only as an antidiabetic (to prevent diabetes) but to treat those who already have the disease. Similar studies in Nutrition Research found that cumin not only helped to reduce hypoglycemia, but also to reduce body weight.

Cumin is also a known carminative, meaning that it has the ability to reduce the formation of gas and thus improve digestion. This is why it is common in Ayurvedic medicine, where it is both prescribed as a remedy for gas and used in cooking to reduce the flatulence caused by bean-based dishes. Cumin does have some analgesic (pain relieving) qualities, and is used as a tea in some cultures to treat headaches and other minor pains. Some have even recommended the combination of pureed bananas and cumin as a treatment for insomnia.

Today scientists theorize that one of the reasons cumin may have some curative properties is that it contains thymoquinone, a phytochemical also known as TQ that is being studied as a potential treatment for many diseases, including cancer. A 2005 study from India found that black cumin oil was effective in killing 50 out of 54 bacterial strains they tested—despite the fact that these same strains showed evidence of having developed resistance to 20 common antibiotics. In India, black cumin seed has also been proven effective in preventing withdrawal symptoms in patients with opium addiction. Research is currently underway to test the effectiveness of black cumin seed in reducing oxidative stress in the blood, lowering cholesterol, preventing and treating cancers and some forms of seizure, and treating rheumatoid arthritis.

Given all the interest in cumin and its potential health benefits, it’s reasonable to ask whether there might be risks associated with it as well. So far, there doesn’t appear to be a “down side” to adding more cumin to your diet. No serious contraindications have been noted in the medical literature, with one possible exception—you might want to check with your doctor if you are taking certain classes of anti-diabetic medications.

So not only can cumin bring an exotic taste to many of your more common recipes, it may also offer some health benefits along the way!

Chiropractic Care and the 2014 Winter Olympics

February 21, 2014 oblanderchiropractic

The 2014 Winter Olympics are underway! There have already been some amazing spectacles, and we’re all hoping for the games to continue without any serious injuries or disruptions. It’s a great opportunity for us to admire what the world’s finest athletes can accomplish. At the same time, it’s also a great opportunity for us to get more insight into how these athletes prepare themselves and to recognize the teams of professionals that help them achieve their dreams.

Chiropractic physicians are onsite in Sochi to help competitors perform at their best and to help them avoid and recover from injuries. Chiropractors have actually been involved in the training of Olympic athletes since the late 1960s, when doctors of chiropractic joined the medical specialists treating and supporting various national teams. Chiropractic became an official part of the Olympic training sports medicine program in 1980. It was offered onsite to athletes for the first time as one of the core services at the Polyclinic during the London Olympic Games in 2012.

As a healthcare discipline, chiropractic is a perfect “match” for the rigors of Olympic training and competition. These athletes train hard and place demands on their bodies that most of us never imagine. The intense levels of competition place unusual amounts of strain on the musculoskeletal systems of the athletes’ bodies. Many become injured during training, and need periods of recovery and rehabilitation before they can return to training, or to the Games themselves.

Before chiropractic care became an integral part of Olympic training (and the Olympic Games themselves), athletes often had to rely on pain-killing drugs and potentially invasive medical procedures to treat their injuries. With chiropractic care now available, they have a much wider range of options to choose from. Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) are able to bring injured athletes back to health—and to help keep them healthy—during training and competition with using drugs or surgery.

Michael Reed, a chiropractor and the Team USA Medical Director for the 2012 Games, said about inclusion of chiropractic services at the Polyclinic in London, “This is an historic event not only for the chiropractic profession, but also the athletes who will now have access to the care that will help them prepare their bodies for competition. These athletes train hard and endure significant physical demands. Sports-focused DCs, along with other members of the sports medicine team, are specially skilled to assist them in reaching peak performance.”

The staff of the Sochi Polyclinic (a huge complex that provides 24-hour medical services to the athletes) similarly contains a number of DCs, who will be working alongside medical doctors, sports medicine specialists, and therapists to keep the athletes of all participating countries healthy… and participating. As William Moreau, DC, Managing Director of Sports Medicine for the U.S. Olympic Committee says, “The athletes who comprise Team USA are the hardest-working, hardest-training and most amazing people I’ve ever treated. The athletes we see are akin to BMW racing machines; their joints and muscles are so finely tuned that small differences make notable changes.”

Dr. Moreau will be onsite at the Sochi Games supervising a staff of 28 physicians, 6 of whom are doctors of chiropractic. Of course, chiropractors will also be present on the national medical teams supporting other countries’ athletes. It’s nice to know that all the athletes participating in Sochi will be in very good hands!

Benefits of Zinc

December 24, 2013 oblanderchiropractic

Zinc is the second-most common mineral in the human body (after iron) and is found in every one of our cells. It plays a vital role in many of the body’s functions, so ensuring that you get enough zinc in your diet is important. It is essential for helping the body to heal and for the maintenance of a healthy immune system. It is also important is supporting the senses (taste, sight and smell), blood clotting and healthy thyroid function.

Zinc is one of the most important minerals for fertility and general reproductive health. It is necessary for proper levels of testosterone in men and the maintenance of a healthy libido. The mineral also plays a key role in the healthy development of sperm, and abundant levels of zinc have been shown to be protective of the prostate, reducing the risk of prostate cancer. The belief that oysters have aphrodisiac properties actually does have some basis in truth. Oysters have one of the highest concentrations of zinc of any food. In women it regulates estrogen and progesterone and supports the proper maturation of the egg in preparation for fertilization.

Ensuring you have an adequate level of zinc can help reduce your risk of insulin sensitivity, one of the precursors to diabetes. It supports T-cell function, which boosts the immune system when the body is under attack by bacteria and viruses.

Zinc deficiency is not common in the developed world, but those with anorexia, alcoholics, the elderly and anyone with a malabsorption syndrome such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease is at higher risk. Zinc deficiency symptoms include frequent colds, poor wound healing, poor growth, loss of appetite, weight loss, dermatitis, psoriasis, hair loss, white spots on the nails, night blindness and depression.

Following is the recommended daily intake of zinc for different age groups:

Infants birth – 6 months: 2 mg/day

Infants 7 – 12 months: 3 mg/day

Children 1 – 3 years: 3 mg/day

Children 4 – 8 years: 5 mg/day

Children 9 – 13 years: 8 mg/day

Adolescent boys 14 – 18 years: 11 mg/day

Adolescent girls 14 – 18 years: 9 mg/day

Men 19 years and older: 11 mg/day

Women 19 years and older: 8 mg/day

Pregnant women 14 – 18 years: 12 mg/day

Pregnant women 19 years and older: 11 mg/day

Breastfeeding women 14 – 18 years: 13 mg/day

Breastfeeding women over 18 years: 12 mg/day

Children should never be given zinc supplements without first consulting with a pediatrician. If supplements are necessary, a copper supplement should be taken as well, as a high intake of zinc can deplete levels of copper.

You should be able to get adequate zinc from eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in whole foods. The body absorbs between 20% and 40% of the zinc present in food. The best sources of zinc are oysters, red meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, cheese, legumes (such as soybeans, black-eyed peas and peanuts), cooked greens and seeds (such as pumpkin and sunflower).

Remember that Zinc is especially important for the winter months!

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