Zinc and Ionophores

Awhile back, one of my clients was telling me about her 96-year old grandfather and how he ate an onion sandwich every day for lunch. An onion sandwich, seriously? Yes, she told me, he puts a thick slice of onion between two pieces of bread and that is his lunch. He has eaten that every day of my life. She went on to tell me he still lives in his house and is very active for 96. He maintains a small garden and walks down his driveway to the mailbox every day.  He was one of the healthiest people she knows.  I recently discovered he may have been on to something.

Your immune system requires Vitamin D3 and Vitamin C to do its job, but it also needs minerals like zinc, selenium and magnesium. The best way to get these minerals is through the foods like seeds, nuts, dairy foods, organic free-range eggs, potatoes, green beans, kale and dark chocolates.  Red meat and shellfish are also good sources.  Legumes and whole grains are a good source of these minerals, but they contain phylates that can inhibit the absorption of these minerals, especially zinc.  Heat breaks down these phylates, so It is important to cook them before eating.

This brings me to why the gentleman’s daily onion sandwich was so important. Zinc is an ion. It’s main job in the immune system is to help shut down a virus’ ability to replicate.  Zinc does this by crossing the bilipid layer of the cell wall. Zinc cannot do this alone. It needs an ionophore to carry it across the cell wall.

If phylates block zinc absorption, then how do we get more ionophores?  The onion! Onions contain a component called quercetin.  Quercetin is specifically a zinc ionophore. It can be found in apples and berries, seeds and grains, and green leafy vegetables. Quercetin also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Another ionophore is epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG.  It is found in green tea. Macha Green Tea has one of the highest levels of EGCG.

During cold and flu season, in addition to eating the foods listed above, I take Young Living’s Immupro Herbal Supplement to help ensure that my immune system is getting plenty of zinc. Young Living’s Immupro combines ingredients such as Ningxia wolfberries, orange essential oil and mushroom powders and is enhanced with selenium, copper, and zinc.

If you would like to know more about Young Living wellness products or their Seed to Seal guarantee please visit my website www.myyl.com/tmdmassage.

Remember to get plenty of sunshine and eat whole foods to support your immune system. The time to make sure your immune system has everything it needs is before you need it to fight off invaders.

Tammy Deatelhauser, LMT BCTMB

Healing Traditions Therapeutic Massage, Essential Oils, Herbs and More.

Young Living Member #1521964

Disclaimer:. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Young Living products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your physician before making any changes.