Welcome to the Wellness One-oh-Ones, a digital encyclopedia for all your wellness needs. This series is geared to tackle those everyday questions you secretly ask yourself in wonderment when you hear about a new trend. Instead of pretending to know what people are talking about, come hang with us as we uncover the latest and greatest in the wellness industry. Check back every other Wednesday to pick up your refill — no doctor’s signature required.
Immunity is a hot topic because, let’s face it, anything meant to strengthen it helps to ease a lot of unavoidable anxiety these days. One thing that I truly hated, though, were the sugary Vitamin C packets that seemed to be the most common solution. Enter Hilma Immune Support: With no dyes or fillers and less than one gram of sugar, I was immediately intrigued, but ingredients such as Echinacea, Ginger, and Turmeric really solidified why I found this product to be so perfect. On a personal note, it’s something I’ve really been enjoying and have been taking regularly. I prefer it hot with added lemon and honey, too – it’s such a great way to start my morning. One ingredient I didn’t really know about, though, was Zinc! While I’ve heard of all of the mentioned ingredients above time and time again, Zinc was new to me and I wanted to find out why this ingredient was also a superstar. I had to ability to toss some questions to Nina Mullen, Co-Founder and Co-CEO who leads product development at Hilma, and we talked everything Zinc. Read more about this powerful ingredient below and try Immune Support for yourself here. (Pst… code CHILL10 will get you 10% off!)
So what exactly does zinc do?
Though I do a lot for my immunity, I never once thought to consider how much Zinc I was consuming because, frankly, I didn’t know it worked for immunity! According to Nina, “Zinc is an essential mineral that plays a role in many bodily functions including immunity, cell division, the reproductive system, and cognitive development. [In fact, it’s] required for the activity of about 100 different enzymes that are involved in anything from regulating cellular metabolism and gene expression to bolstering our immune function and protein folding.”
Most people head right for Vitamin C, so why should they do the same with Zinc?
“People definitely reach for Vitamin C for immune health, and they are right to do so! There’s a reason we include Vitamin C in our Immune Support formula as it is a free radical scavenger and therefore helps support your immune system. We love to reach for natural sources of Vitamin C, and the Vitamin C we include in Hilma’s product comes from a whole food source, the Camu Camu berry, which is a fruit with the highest concentration of Vitamin C.
That said, Zinc is also crucial for healthy immune function. It’s an essential mineral that (as noted above) plays a key role in many bodily functions. Zinc is required to activate T-cells, which is how your body regulates and controls your immune system. Zinc has been found to support immune health through a number of preclinical and clinical studies.”
Another thing I learned in my research was that there were tons of forms of Zinc available on the market, and it was confusing what the difference between each was. Nina clarified, “We include Zinc Gluconate because it is the form that has the best clinical substantiation for immune support with the highest absorption for oral delivery.”
Are we lacking in zinc naturally?
“About 12% of the population is deficient in Zinc. Research has shown that zinc deficiency can depress immune function. According to the National Institute of Health, ‘zinc deficiency can impair macrophage and neutrophil functions, natural killer cell activity, and complement activity.’ This means it can leave your immune system extra vulnerable if you are deficient.”
Do you think immunity should be an entourage effect?
“We absolutely do! That’s why we developed our Immune Support formula–a powerful blend of herbs and minerals that are all clinically proven to support your immune system. We include Vitamin C and Zinc, of course! As well as other powerful immune boosters like Echinacea, Turmeric, Ginger, and Ivy Leaf extract. Each ingredient in our formula is clinically proven to give you an immune boost, and selected by our scientific advisory board made of MDs, PhDs, and herbalists.”
What fruits and veggies should we try that are high in zinc and immune boosting?
“There are a lot of foods that are good sources of Zinc. Red meat is the highest naturally occurring food source of Zinc. If meat is not your thing (I am not a big red meat eater), legumes are really strong sources – chickpeas, lentils, cashews, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds in particular are great ones to reach for. Generally, fruits and vegetables do not have high quantities of Zinc, but you can turn to a few foods like sweet potatoes and green beans for a bit of Zinc as well.
For other immune-boosting foods [high in] Vitamin C, we love to recommend citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, and lemon, as well as red bell peppers. For more [immune boosting] vitamins and minerals, you can turn to greens like broccoli and spinach. Garlic and ginger have also both been used for centuries for their immune-boosting properties.
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Feature Image via Hilma
