Category Archives: Nutrients
Vitamin D was traditionally prescribed in the form of codliver oil for the treatment of rickets. We still think of vitamin D and calcium supplements for maintaining bone strength, but vitamin D (also considered a hormone) is now increasingly studied as an important substance associated with immune system regulation. Currently it is considered a potentially valuable nutrient to assist in the fight against COVID-19.
(more…)Zinc is a crucial mineral necessary for all aspects of immunity. Zinc is present in all tissues and body fluids, and plays such an important role in general physiology, that it is obvious a deficiency of this mineral will seriously impair homeostasis and health.
(more…)Anaemia is a condition of insufficient oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood due to reduced numbers of red blood cells or haemoglobin. Anaemia may be caused by decreased red blood cell production, increased red blood cell breakdown (aplastic anaemia), excessive blood less (wounds, stomach ulcers, menstruation, cancer), or genetic disorders in haemoglobin (thalassaemia, sickle cell).
(more…)Whether eaten as a vegetable or taken in the form of a herbal tincture, kelp is nourishing to the body. Kelp is rich in many minerals particularly iodine, magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulphur, iron, zinc and copper because these minerals are available to the growing weed from the sea, just like other nutritious sea vegetables (nori, kombu, dulse, wakame). While low in protein and fats, kelp has plenty of fibre and good levels of important vitamins (A, B2, B12, C, D, E, K).1
(more…)Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is an enzyme involved in the folate and methionine cycles, encoded by the MTHFR gene. These cycles are involved in the conversion of homocysteine to the amino acid methionine using activated folate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) and vitamin B12.
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