To Fight Osteoarthritis & Multiple Other Chronic Diseases

Selenium, a trace mineral that is essential to the health, which developed into a power plant nutrition, but only a few people are aware of the significance, or if it.

Recently, a study by researchers at the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill Thurston Arthritis Center found that low levels of selenium are with knee osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis. The study, the past 15 years and includes 940 people, found:

For every additional tenth of a part per million of selenium, participants risk of knee osteoarthritis decreased from 15 to 20%.

People with lower than normal levels of selenium in their systems had a higher risk for the condition in one or both knees.

The severity of the participants in connection with arthritis, as their low selenium.

"We are very pleased about these results, because no one ever measured body selenium in this way in relationship to osteoarthritis," said Dr. Joanne Jordan study by the UNC.

"Our results suggest that we may be able to prevent or delay osteoarthritis of the knees and possibly other joints in some people if they are not enough selenium. This is important because the condition, which makes walking painful, is the leading cause of activity limitation among adults in developed countries, "said Jordan.

Selenium: an antioxidant powerhouse against disease

If you consume selenium, it is divided into proteins to make selenoproteins-potent antioxidant enzymes that help prevent cellular damage by free radicals.

Selenoproteins also help regulate the thyroid and function of the immune system, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). It is also known that the protection against a variety of chronic diseases, apart from osteoarthritis.

Cancer: Selenium is thought to protect against cancer by its antioxidant content. In addition, the tumor growth or prevent the strengthening of the immune system and suppression of tumor blood vessels. Studies on this topic have yielded interesting results:

Death from lung, colon and prostate cancer is lower in people with higher / intake of selenium.

Nonmelanoma skin cancer occurs more often in the areas of the United States, the little selenium in the soil.

In a 1983-90 study, a daily supplement of selenium had a significantly lower rate of prostate, colon, lung and cancer overall than those who do not.

Heart disease: As noted by the ODS, with a lower antioxidant intake has been associated with an increased incidence of heart disease. Further, selenium, the oxidation of bad cholesterol (LDL), which may help prevent coronary heart disease.

HIV: Antioxidant nutrients such as selenium can help ensure that the progression of HIV / AIDS. A deficiency of the nutrient is also associated with decreased immune cell counts, increased progression of the disease and a high risk of death of people with HIV / AIDS.

Cognitive decline: low selenium were associated with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease in elderly people.

Cataracts and macular degeneration: selenium antioxidant activity combat free radicals, which damage the eye lens and the center of the macula in the retina. This can prevent cataracts and macular degeneration, which are the two most common causes of blindness in older Americans.

Lips herpes and shingles: Cold sores and shingles, erupt from the herpes virus can by selenium because it strengthens the immune system. A study published in agriculture research also found that mice with low selenium were particularly vulnerable to herpes virus outbreaks.

The best ways to increase your selenium intake

"If you only grow most of your own food in soil that is not so much selenium and not eating vegetables and meat from other countries, you may have trouble with selenium deficiency," Jordan said. That is because the selenium content of your food depends to a large extent on the level of selenium in the soil where the food was grown.

In the United States, for example, land in northern Nebraska and the Big have a very high level of selenium. So high, in the fact that the people in these areas generally have the highest selenium intake in the country, says the ODS.

Soil in certain areas of China and Russia, on the other hand, are known to very low levels of the mineral, and the deficiency is often reported in those regions.

Since most people in the United States generally eat from a variety of regions, low levels of selenium soil is generally not a problem. Nevertheless, there are certain foods to concentrate if you want to be sure you have enough selenium in your system. Try snacking on:

Brazil nuts (01 nut contains 120 µ g, about twice the recommended daily allowance)
Tuna, cod and flounder
Oyster and Shrimp
Chicken and turkey
Beef
Oats
Brown rice
Eggs
Wheat germ
Sunflower

The best way to selenium from foods, as it is possible to overdose on this nutrient.

High blood levels of selenium can cause selenosis, a condition that results in mild nerve damage, gastrointestinal disorders, hair loss, fatigue, irritability, white spotted nails and garlic odor on the breath. Most selenium an adult should go to a day 400 micrograms, according to the Institute of Medicine's tolerable intake.