Category: Health and Medical

Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world. Besides the pros, many people play the game for leisure and to improve their physical wellbeing. That said, it is an intense activity that can take a toll on your body and stress your muscles. Depending on the length of the game, you can burn as much as 500 calories in a single session. That explains why you need dietary supplements to ensure that you keep your muscles in shape and improve your endurance.

The following are the supplements needed if you want to play tennis without tiring quickly and hurting your muscles.

Photo Credits: Pexels.com

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA)

If you watch professionals playing, you will notice that they drink fluids repeatedly throughout the game. One of the main ingredients in the drinks is BCAA. These supplements are crucial for quicker recovery and lowering mental fatigue. They are also more effective in preventing dehydration than water and other sports drinks.

Branched-chain amino acids work by fueling muscles as you play tennis, ensuring that you push beyond normal limits. They also reduce the breakdown of glycogen, which is the primary source of energy for human muscles. This means that your body generates glucose through the playing session, and you do not get tired quickly.

You can consume BCAA supplements before, during and after playing tennis. For better results, it is advisable to use foods that are rich in BCAAs alongside the supplements. Such include nuts, almonds, soy, fish, red meat, and eggs.

Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most abundant elements in the human body. It plays a crucial role in improving performance during demanding physical activities.

During exercise, your body needs as much as 20% more Magnesium than when you are resting. Moreover, this mineral helps in moving blood sugar into muscles and getting rid of lactate that builds up when playing. An excessive accumulation of lactate is known to cause muscle pain and tiredness.

Generally, Magnesium enhances endurance and reduces the soreness of muscles. Some studies also indicate that it lowers stress hormone levels and regulates the production of insulin.

It is worth noting that Magnesium supplements might have adverse side effects on people who take antibiotics, heart medications, and particular diuretics. In such cases, you can get the mineral from natural sources such as avocado, dark chocolate, cashews, and black beans, and so on.

Glucosamine

Glucosamine is a natural component found on bone cartilages. Its primary function is to prevent bone friction that causes inflammation and pain. As a tennis player, the frequent movements on the court can increase vulnerability to joint pains.

The best way to curb joint pain is by taking glucosamine supplements. By mitigating the pain, you get the motivation to keep on enjoying the game.  This supplement is particularly recommended for older players whose bodies generate lower levels of glucosamine than younger players.

Conclusion

Supplements are useful for improving performance and reducing the pain experienced when playing tennis. However, you cannot depend on them entirely if you want to emulate top athletes. It would be best if you took a balanced diet to get optimal results. More importantly, ensure that you take adequate amounts of water before, during and after the playing session. Water boosts your electrolytes and replaces the fluids lost through sweating during the game.

Lastly, make sure that you consult a nutritionist before you start taking the supplements. As seen above, some products have adverse side effects on people with heart complications or those who take particular medications. You do not want a situation where a product makes your existing condition worse than it already was.

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Tooth gaps, also known as diastema, occur in the mouth due to a variety of reasons. In some cases, gaps appear because the teeth that are growing out of the skull are relatively smaller. This size difference causes misalignment between growing teeth and the jaw thus creating the gaps between teeth that characterise this condition. In other instances, tissue in the gums can have an overgrowth, which forces a separation of the teeth, leaving behind a gap. This affliction mostly affects the two front teeth.

Gaps in the teeth are observed in people of all ages. For children that display this affliction, there isn’t any need to worry as the issue will often resolve itself as their milk teeth fall out, and their permanent teeth grow in. When it has to do with adults, however, the resolution of the problem may present some challenges, with the need arising for more in-depth intervention.

Diastemas may occur naturally; there are some habits that may cause the formation of gaps between the teeth. One of these habits is known as tongue thrust. This refers to a person’s tendency to push their tongue against their front teeth as they swallow. This is contrary to the standard swallowing action whereby the tongue presses against the roof of the mouth. The longer a person has tongue thrust, the more likely they will be to force the creation of a gap between their front teeth as they keep pushing them forward over time.

Thumb-sucking has also been linked to the formation of gaps between the two front teeth. The action of sucking the thumb naturally pushes it against the teeth, thus forcing some movement. Finally, gaps can form as a result of diseases in the gums. When there is an infection of the gums, the structure created by these tissues is affected, making it weaker and leading to the loss of teeth.

Fixing Tooth Gaps

Having gaps in the teeth can be a cause of self-consciousness, therefore seeking ways to correct the affliction is warranted. Numerous methods can be applied in fixing tooth gaps, and each can be brought to bear based on the severity of the condition as well as what caused it.

Tooth gaps that are not very large can have equally simple fixes. The use of cosmetic procedures like placing veneers or bonding is common where a compound is created to mimic the appearance of the teeth once applied in the mouth. Once placed over the teeth, the mixture can fill in the gaps, creating a fuller appearance.

An alternative to veneers is the more frequent use of braces. Braces are widely known and easily recognisable, their use being straightforward. They are set over the teeth to close gaps by slowly pushing them together over time. The size of the gaps can dictate the length of time in which the braces are required.

More complex circumstances like compromised gum tissue due to disease or overgrowth will demand the use of more complex solutions. Surgery is often employed in the recession of inflamed gums that create gaps between the teeth. This method is usually paired with the application of braces as the surgical procedure only removes the tissue. Where gum disease is the primary concern, treatment of the gums must be applied first before the gaps are seen to.

Fixing tooth gaps is possible, and relatively simple, in most cases. Book a consultation with your dentist to discuss your concerns and to determine the best solution to apply in the elimination of the gaps in your teeth.

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Dental crowns help to make your smile more beautiful. However, they come with some extra responsibility. You’ve got to take special care of them if they’re to last longer. The best way to care for your dental crowns is by combining regular visits to the dentist with proper care at home. Taking care of dental crowns isn’t an uphill task. It, however, needs discipline and consistency.

While you may be used to the usual brushing and flossing, things have to change if you’re wearing dental crowns. The cleaning might be more frequent than before. And because you’ve got to keep your dental crown sparkling white at all times, you’ve got to put in some extra work. 

If you just got a new dental crown, here are a few tips to help you.

Brush After Every Meal

You’re probably used to brushing your teeth at least twice a day, or even once for some people. However, with your new dental crown, you’ll have to increase the frequency of your brushing. Do it at least after every meal to prevent the accumulation of food particles that would lead to the development of plaque. It’s, however, advisable that you don’t brush your teeth immediately after a meal. Give your mouth some time to rest before cleaning. Because dental crowns are artificial, they’re more likely to suffer damage than your natural teeth. Besides this, make sure you use a toothbrush with extra-soft bristles to avoid hurting your gums.

Floss Daily

Flossing keeps the area around your dental crown free from food particles that may cause decay and irritation between the gums. However, your flossing should be gentle to avoid loosening your dental crown. Carefully push the floss down between the dental crowns and the adjacent tooth then release one side and pull it through.

Fluoride Rinse

Rinsing your mouth with fluoride water after every meal helps with the prevention of bacteria build-up in between brushing. Doing so is especially useful if sticking to the brush-after-every-meal rule is challenging for you. In addition to this, you should use fluoride toothpaste. The fluoride strengthens your gums and teeth keeps your dental crown germs-free.

Regular Cleaning By The Dentist

It’s not enough to brush or floss your dental crown at home. It would help if you visited your dentist from time to time for professional cleaning. The dental cleaning helps to remove the plaque and bacteria that your toothbrush bristles can’t reach. Additionally, through regular cleaning, the dentist can check the health of your dental crown.

Use Tooth Whitening Toothpaste

Unlike your natural teeth, a dental crown can easily get discoloured. Since you’d like to maintain their colour, use tooth whitening toothpaste at least twice a week. The toothpaste generally keeps the crown bright and removes any stain that might have developed on the remaining teeth.

Avoid Hard Foods

Although your dentist won’t typically tell you about avoiding hard foods as part of your oral hygiene, they’re not advisable if you’re wearing a dental crown. Hard-chewing can break your dental crown and lead to fractures. Once damaged, the only option is a replacement.

Dangers of Failing to Clean Dental Crown

If you don’t clean your dental crowns properly, they can lead to serious dental problems. Dental crowns may also suffer damage. For instance, if you skip flossing or brushing, plaques will develop around the gums leading to gingivitis. As a result, the gums will recede, causing the crown to fall off.

It’s a good thing to have your teeth crowned to cover your damaged enamel, but keep the crown clean for it to last longer.

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There are so many people in the world today who are completely unaware of how to administer first aid treatment. This lack of knowledge is neither because first aid courses are inaccessible or expensive. Rather, a lot of these people are simply oblivious of the benefits of having such a competency.

It is common practice to call an ambulance at the first sight of an emergency. However, there are have been endless cases where uncertain incidents could have been avoided if the endangered individual had been given a first-aid treatment. Here are a few reasons why a first aid course is so beneficial;

Eases Patient Pain

There will be times when you find yourself around people who require treatments for things that do not need immediate medical attention. A good first aid course will allow you to fully recognize these instances and pay attention to different symptoms. This will help you perform a proper diagnosis of the ailment and assign the right treatment. Without proper training, you might end up doing more damage than good.

Reduces Recovery Time

There are certain situations that need to be given immediate attention or else the recovery time of the patient will be prolonged. A good first aid course will work you through the steps on how to prevent any type of emergency from reaching a critical point which could cause permanent damage to the body or prolonged recovery time.

Ability to stay calm

When you have proper knowledge of how to administer first aid treatments, you tend to be less phased in the event of an emergency. This gives you enough confidence to face the situation with the right attitude until the ambulance arrives.

Saves Lives

Taking a first aid course will help you fully understand how to administer first aid treatment in the event of any emergencies. The knowledge gained from the course will put you in a position where you can think on your feet and act fast. During the mass panic associated with seeing a person in need of emergency medical attention, you will find that you know exactly what you need to do to keep the person alive until an ambulance arrives. That extra minute of first aid attention sometimes is all a person needs to stay alive before emergency services arrive.

Promotes Healthy Living

Proper first aid training also makes you more health-conscious. You have the proper qualification to encourage yourself and those around you on ways to stay healthy. Being health conscious is one of the first steps in preventing health complications at a later time in life.

There are countless reasons why you a first aid course is so beneficial; however, the few reasons above should leave you with the right amount of information to understand why you need a first aid course in the first place.

A first aid kit is something every person needs to know how to use, not just for themselves, but for the benefit of the people they spend a lot of time around. These skills will always come in handy eventually, so its best to stay prepared.

Sydney is a busy place, with most of its inhabitants barely getting enough time for themselves. For an active person in a bustling city like this one, one way to take some time to themselves or reduce some stress would be to keep fit. There are plenty of ways to do this, below we have listed just a few of them.

Join a gym

This is one of the best ways to keep fit in Sydney, with numerous gyms strewn across the city. The good thing about joining a gym is that you get specialized assistance not only for the physical exercises bit but also for getting nutritional advice. In case you find private gyms being too costly for you, you can join charity organized gyms.

By joining, you will not only get a chance to keep fit but also get the opportunity to assist disadvantaged youth in your community through the fees that you pay. You can join a boxing club and not only keep fit but learn some defence tactics and discipline while at it.

Outdoor exercise

Most people cite the fact that gym memberships are too expensive as the reason why they fail to get fit. It should never be an excuse. You can exercise and keep fit from anywhere, anytime without going to a gym. There are lots of outdoor gyms in Sydney that one can join. You not only get to enjoy the fresh air as you lose some pounds, but you also get to interact with other people. The best thing about all this is that it is free.

Join a running group 

The best thing about running is you don’t need a team to do so. However, running in a group has its advantages. When you run together you motivate each other, you get to be more competitive when in a crowd which helps you in achieving your goals of keeping fit much quickly. There are plenty of such groups that cater to runners from all levels of experience. Some even organize weekly runs where you can show up and compete against your peers.

Scuba diving and snorkelling

Sydney is ideally placed for such activities. These are fantastic ways to get fit as you keep cool. You just have to choose one of the many protected areas where you can do whichever of these activities you enjoy. To some people, diving might not seem like such a great way to get fit, but it is. Just think about the kind of weight you get on your back before diving into the water. To be able to dive successfully, one has to be in good physical shape. This is achieved from the constant swimming that one does. 

Beach walks

If none of those mentioned exercise tips appeals to you, maybe walking on the beach will. This city is endowed with beautiful coastlines. Walking is a great way to keep fit, especially when it is done consistently. You can do solo walks or walk in groups as you enjoy the beauty that Sydney has to offer.

Clearly, this city has a lot to offer, for anyone who wants to get fit. With this list, you will have something that will appeal to you and help get fit in Sydney.

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On matters dental health, prevention is better than cure, literally. If you’re to maintain good dental health, you should go for checkups regularly. Prevention also helps you to avoid the big costs of treating advanced dental conditions.

If you have children, ensure you introduce them to dental visits at an early age. The dental clinic trips will help them to overcome dental fear and develop a habit of taking good care of their oral health by frequently brushing their teeth, washing their mouth, and flossing.

If you’ve never visited a dental clinic Parramatta before, you’re not alone. According to a 2018 research report by Finder.com.au, about 40% of Australians avoid the dentist for one reason or the other, with a majority citing cost as their biggest impediment. That tells you that millions of Australians are yet to make that first visit to the dentist.

However, that shouldn’t be a reason for you not to seek dental care if you can. There are many advantages of going to the dentist for checkups, including the prevention of grave dental conditions.

So, if you’re looking forward to making that inaugural visit to one of the dental clinics Parramatta, the tips below will come in handy.   

Put Your Information Together

On your first trip to the dentist, there is a lot more that’s expected of you than for a repeat visit. As you prepare for that visit, therefore, put together all the documents that detail your medical history. Besides the records, be ready to answer questions. You may also consider bringing along other documents that might be needed to formulate a payment agreement.

Open Up About Dental Anxiety

Visiting a dentist isn’t something that anyone looks forward to. Dental fear is quite common among children and adults alike. Hence, if you’re feeling a little nervous during that first trip, open up about it. Once you’ve made your new dentist Parramatta aware of the extent of your dental fright, it’ll be easier for the dentist to help you make strides towards overcoming the anxiety.

Properly Clean Your Teeth and Mouth

When planning to visit a dentist, whether for the first time or otherwise, ensure you clean your mouth very well. We all know that nobody, including a dentist, likes the smell of a dirty mouth. Moreover, it’s easier to examine your teeth and your general dental health when your teeth and mouth are clean. You shouldn’t overdo the cleaning, though. Just brush your teeth and maybe floss normally. Overdoing it may cause further damage to your gums or other parts of your mouth.

Get to The Dentist Early

Because it’s your first visit, you need more time to acquaint yourself with your new dental clinic Parramatta and get yourself relaxed ahead of the actual dental procedure. Being there early will also give you time to interact with the staff members, an experience that’s likely to help you reduce your nervousness.

Ask As Many Questions As You Can

Being a little nervous when you face your dentist for the first time is normal. Unfortunately, the feeling might make you forget to ask some important questions. To counter this, prepare the questions in advance. Just put them down in writing. And when you finally visit your new dentist Parramatta, ask these questions. Asking questions will help you to learn more about what to expect and how best to take care of your dental health. The session will also help you feel more relaxed.

Ultimately, just take it easy as you make that first trip. Of course, it’s understandable if you’re feeling a little put-off or uncomfortable with the sound and smell of drugs at the dental facility, but just know you’re going to get over it.

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It is not unusual for someone to fall sick or even get injured while at work. If this happens, then providing effective and immediate first aid can reduce the severity of that illness or injury. And at times, it could mean the difference between life and death. Which is why every workplace should keep a first aid kit handy at all times.

So, how do you put a workplace first aid kit together? Here are a few guidelines:

Risk Assessment

While there are some items that will be common in all first aid kits, there are many that need to be work specific. So, before you just put together a basic first aid kit, you need to consider these factors:

• The kind of work that is carried out at your workplace
• The types of hazards faced
• The location of your workplace
• The size of your workplace
• The number as well as composition of people at your workplace. This includes employees, contractors, volunteers, visitors and so on.

When you have done a complete risk assessment, you will know what types of medical items need to be stocked in your workplace first aid kits.

The Need for a First Aid Room

By the time you complete your risk assessment, you will also know whether you require a first aid room along with a first aid kit. For example, if you work in a remote area where the type of work is dangerous, you might need to have a medical room where the more serious injuries can be treated before professional medical help arrives.

The Need for a First Aider

Every workplace should have a trainer first aider. And once again, depending on the nature of work, you might need a first aider with more advanced training or a specific kind of training to deliver the required first aid at your workplace.

You will also need to consider how many first aiders you should have. Usually, a remote, high-risk workplace should have 1 first aider for every 10 workers. A high-risk but easily accessible workplace should have 1 first aider for every 25 workers, and a low-risk workplace should have a first aider for every 50 workers.

Location of First Aid Kits

Your first aid kits should be placed strategically in those locations where these is higher risk of injury or illness (such as a construction site or a research lab). These kits should also be placed in all company vehicles if employees are expected to travel as a part of their work.

Contents of Workplace First Aid Kits

A first aid kit should contain the essentials such as:

• Small, medium and large gauze dressings and wipes
• Small, medium and large sterile bandages
• Safety pins
• Adhesive tape
• Disposable gloves
• Crepe bandages
• Burn dressings
• Tweezers
• Scissors
• Cleansing wipes
• Disinfectants
• Sterile eye pads
• Eye bath or eye wash

Besides basic essentials, specialised medicines and items should be added to your first aid kit based on the kind of risk involved at your workplace.

Aside from getting some serious dental issue, many individuals may not find periodic visits to the dentists necessary. But this may not be advisable since regular visits to the dentist may avert many problems as well as solve some underlying issues.
A typical dentist appointment consists of two main parts: an examination as well as cleaning.
 

Cavities

The examination usually checks for any problems in your dental structure. The first point of concern is any signs of cavities: these are small holes that may develop through the enamel of your teeth. Typically these holes leave the sensitive nerves in the pulp exposed to the air which may result in pain. Consequently, dentist appointments will likely catch these cavities while they are still early in formation before they do significant damage to your teeth.

Gums

Another point of examination is your gums. A dentist will usually check for any signs of gum discolouration to determine the health of your gums. Bits of yellow colour may indicate mild signs of gingivitis. Perhaps unusual softness of some of your gum area may indicate some sort of infection. The dentist may also measure the space between your gums and your teeth. Large gaps may indicate an infection of some sort which may lead to exposure of the roots of your teeth and possibly loss of teeth.
 

Plaque

The next bit entails looking for any plaque or tartar that may have formed on or in between your teeth. Usually, bacterial action on the food stuck on your teeth leads to the formation of plaque which forms a thin layer of bacteria on your teeth. This layer is easy to remove if one brushes regularly but if left unchecked, this layer could develop into a hardened layer known as tartar.  Tartar cannot be removed by brushing nor flossing. Only a dentist can get rid of this in a process known as scaling where they use specialised tools to break down the structure of the tartar. The same applies for any sticky bacterial build-upup that may have formed in between your gum and teeth.
As mentioned before, this is the right environment for the proliferation of bacteria so leaving this unchecked may lead to oral diseases such as gingivitis and in some instances may lead to the loss of teeth.
 

Bottom Line

Dental visits are all about assessing the health of your teeth and catching issues early before they cause you great physical pain or even financial strain when undergoing expensive dental procedures. So it may be in your best interests to schedule at least two dental appointments every year with your local dentist. A quick online search such as ‘dentist in Maroubra’ or whichever town you stay in is enough to find a reliable local dentist.

Running and boxing are both great ways to lose weight. Both disciplines provide a cardiovascular workout that is great for burning calories and shedding excess weight. If you ask me, running is a bit one dimensional and doesn’t offer the varied workout that boxing training may.
Don’t get me wrong, running three times or more times a week will give a great workout although it can be quite monotonous. Whereas boxing is a diverse multi-faceted workout that will burn fat, improve cardiovascular health, build strength and agility. Boxing incorporates a variety of different exercises, completed in three minutes’ sessions that mimic the time of a round in the boxing ring.
In this post, we compare the workout and health benefits of boxing versus running.
 

Boxing

A training session at the boxing gym includes a variety of different cardio drills such as jumping rope, shadow boxing, burpees, bag work, and pad work. The high tempo of jumping rope makes it an excellent way to burn calories and strengthen your legs and arms. If it’s good for Rocky, it must be good for the people.
Shadow boxing is like real boxing accept you don’t have a partner. It’s usually done in front of a mirror so you can keep an eye on your footwork and posture. Boxers do shadow boxing to improve their speed, agility, and footwork. Believe you me; it’s a more of a workout than it sounds. After three minutes you’re ready for a break. Shadow boxing bring the heart rate up, burns calories while strengthening your core and limbs.
Burpees are a high energy aerobic exercise that incorporates core strength training as well. You start in an upright position, then jump down to a squat, bounce back to a push-up, back to a squat then leap into the air and repeat. The exercise lasts for three minutes or until you run out of steam. You can imagine the level of fitness that three minutes of burpees requires. It not only strengthen your body, but it’s also great for shedding weight.
Bag work and pad work are also done in three-minute rounds. Working the bag, or the pads, gets your whole body moving as you bob, weave, and jab your way to fitness. Like many of the drills in boxing, bag work will increase your strength and stamina. After a month of boxing training, you will notice the weight flying off and you will have muscles where you never thought they existed.
If you do fancy yourself a bit of a wizard on the bag, you might want to get in the ring and spar with a partner to test your skills. A training session will usually end with the option to do some sparring. It’s not compulsory of course, and some people go for the workout.
Sparring in a controlled environment is a great workout. Your adrenaline will be pumping through your body as you face up to your opponent. It requires a medium level of physical fitness so you might want to wait a few months before jumping into the ring. Always remember that you are there to help each other and not hurt each other.
 

Running

There is no doubt about it, and running will burn the fat right off your body. With a range of health benefits including cardiovascular health, strengthens your muscles and bones. The beauty of running that it involves very little equipment to get started. All you will need is a pair of running shoes, and you’re ready to umm… run. Running or a treadmill or the same path can get monotonous so you might want to mix your routine up by running in the great outdoors. If you’re going to increase the level of your workout, you can always try running up hills.
One of the only negative aspects of running is that it can be quite hard on your joints and feet because of the impact on the lower body. If you do experience joint pain, you might want to give it a miss and find an alternative such as boxing training which is a lower impact workout.
 

The Calorie Count

The number of calories that you burn during a boxing session or running session are very similar. Harvard researcher found that a runner who weighs 83 kilograms will burn 400 calories on a thirty-minute run. A boxer skipping rope will burn 444 calories in a thirty-minute session and 400 calories in a thirty-minute sparring session.
Both exercises will burn calories around the same rate. The best thing about boxing is the variety of different drills that work your whole body and will increase your core strength. For me, boxing is the clear winner of the showdown for those reasons.
 
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Many people consider supplements to be ‘expensive urine’, i.e you’re paying good money for something your body doesn’t benefit from. This may be true if you buy cheaply-made, low-quality supplements, but there is plenty of positive evidence supporting the use of good-quality products.
 

Why Do We Need Supplements?

We all need to take some supplements on a regular basis for several reasons:

• Our busy, stressful,l work-hard play-hard lifestyles mean our bodies have a high demand for nutrients
• We tend to eat fewer fresh unprocessed wholefoods than we used to
• The fresh produce that we do eat is lower in nutrient value than previously

5 Essential Supplements

The following are the top 5 supplements you should consider buying and taking on a daily basis.

Fish Oils

In days gone by, we would have supped on lots of fresh fish several times a week. This no longer happens and, in fact, government guidelines advise against eating more than two portions of fish a week because of heavy metals and other contaminants.
However, we still need nutrients specific to fish, especially omega-3 oils. Among their many functions, omega-3 fatty acids are potent anti-inflammatories and are very important for brain health and hormone balance.
 

B Vitamins

A good B vitamin complex is essential for energy production, our brain chemistry, hormone balance, liver detoxification, heart health and many other functions in the body.
Look for a good quality supplement that contains ‘activated’ forms of the B vitamins. If you can avoid synthetic versions, such as folic acid, as these are not easily metabolised by the body. Folate is the natural, more bioavailable form of folic acid.
 

Magnesium

Low magnesium is a growing problem in Australia especially among children –  three out of four teenage girls are deficient.
We need this nutrient for over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. It is part of the energy production cycle, needed for correct muscle and brain function and hormone production.
We use up and excrete magnesium at a much higher rate when under stress so it is especially important to supplement during these times.
 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common deficiencies now. We spend more time indoors and, when we are outside, we slather our skin with sun block. So our main source of this nutrient – the sun – is no longer available.
We do get vitamin D from some foods, including eggs, mushrooms and butter, but this is nowhere near enough the amount we need.
Among its many functions, vitamin D is essential for immunity and bone health. Deficiency of this nutrient has been linked with autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid disorders (Hashimoto’s and Grave’s disease).
 

Zinc

Zinc is vital for hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body. This mineral is a potent antioxidant and is particularly important for healthy immunity – if you get lots of coughs and colds, you’re likely to be low in zinc.
Zinc is also key for neurotransmitter production and a common but overlooked cause of depression.
 

What About Probiotics?

Up until recently, the common thinking was that we should all take probiotics daily to maintain gut health. However, while probiotics contain strains of bacteria already found in the gut, they do not directly populate your intestines.
Their main function is to create an environment which encourages your own bacteria to grow. They do this by producing natural chemicals which provide a happy home for your existing good bacteria to grow and thrive and which discourages unwanted bacteria.
Unless you are sick or have taken a lot of antibiotics, you don’t necessarily need probiotics and can create this good environment very effectively through the use of diet and fermented foods.
Lots of fibre from vegetables (both root vegetables and green leafies) provides ‘food’ for our good bacteria.
Fermented foods contain chemicals such as lactic acid, which provide the right conditions for our own good bacteria to grow.
 
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