The many benefits of Selenium

[Guest guest]

By Stephen Daniells

 

25-Sep-2007 - Selenium supplements may reduce the risk of heart

disease by inhibiting the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol,

suggests a small study from Italy.

 

Writing in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular

Diseases the Italian researchers report that 14 healthy subjects

taking a daily selenium supplement did not experience significant

increases in oxidatively modified LDL, compared to a two per cent

increase observed prior to supplementation.

 

 

Read the rest of the article here:

http://tinyurl.com/22ptdk

 

By Stephen Daniells

 

27-Aug-2007 - Low blood levels of selenium could double the risk of

weaker muscles in the elderly, suggests new research based in Italy.

 

Writing in this month's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,

researchers from the Tuscany Regional Agency, (Italy), Johns Hopkins

School of Medicine, Azienda Sanitaria Firenze, (Italy), and the

National Institute on Aging, report that people with the lowest blood

levels of the mineral were 94 per cent more likely to have poor knee

and grip strength, relative to those with the highest selenium blood

levels.

 

Read the rest of the article here:

http://tinyurl.com/2hhqfe

 

By Stephen Daniels

 

13-Feb-2007 - Low levels of selenium throughout life have been linked

to lower cognitive function, says an epidemiological study based in

China.

 

The epidemiological study, published in the current issue of the

American Journal of Epidemiology, could help further increase public

awareness of a mineral already associated with reducing the risk of

prostate and lung cancer, as well as boosting the immune system.

 

Cognitive performance declines naturally with age, but the results of

the longitudinal study suggest that this increased long-term selenium

intake may slow this decline.

 

Read the rest of the article here:

http://tinyurl.com/yoejfz

 

In short, Selenium is a GOOD thing to have in the diet.

Does that mean we should follow the herd and stampede off to the

shelf with Selenium pills? Perhaps not.

 

See the other post on eating 2 Brazil Nuts a day instead.

 

Trace minerals like Selenium, Chromium and Vanadium to name just a

few are tricky to supplement with. You need them, but only in tiny

amounts, and in the right natural balance. Too much of one can induce

a shortage in another. The same goes for B vitamins.

 

Better eat a few nuts, and make sure your diet contains some

foods that are rich in all minerals. Ideally, grow some of your own,

or buy at the farmers market from organic growers who use rock

fertilizers. Use Celtic sea salt or Himalayan Rock salt.

 

Whole-food supplements like Maca or AFA are rich in trace minerals

and B vitamins, amino acids, plant sterols and so on.

You can't beat Nature.

 

Bon Appetit!

 

Ien in the Kootenays, longing for spring

http://freegreenliving.com (blog)

http://wildhealing.net (Rainforest Herbs)

http://wildwholefoods.net (AFA algae)