Oxygen Australia — January-February 2018

100 Jan/Feb 2018 oxygenmag.com.au

Where to get your

essential minerals

1

Supplements containing magnesium,

potassium, sodium and calcium. Look

for citrates, aspartates, and chelated

forms. Avoid oxide, carbonate, and sulphate

forms.

2

Green leafy vegetables, celery

greens, beetroot

leaves, root

vegetables, and

parsley are good

sources of nutrients.

3

Soups and stews and

casseroles, while not

always wanted in summer

in Australia, are good

food sources for mineral

replenishment as the water

component will hold the

minerals.

Zinc and

selenium

There are hundreds of enzymes in the

body that must have zinc and selenium

to function. Enzymes are needed to build

things and break things apart.

Zinc is crucial for our immune system,

and selenium is a must-have for our

antioxidant defence. We churn through zinc

and selenium when we overeat, drink, and

sweat. Then when we try to get things back

on track in the new year, we can’t get things

to work. Our guts don’t work, our immune

system lets us down, and we fail to respond

to dietary and exercise strategies.

Water-soluble

B vitamins

The festive season depletes B vitamins at

an alarming rate. The combination of the

abundance of food and drink, along with the

excessive perspiration and playing, depletes

your B vitamin stores.

As they are water-soluble, your body

does not retain much — B vitamins leave

your body in sweat. A good example of

this is vitamin B1’s reputation for keeping

mosquitoes away due to its presence in your

sweat (insects don’t like it).

B vitamins are essential for detoxification

and elimination. If you increase your liver

burden, you will burn through your B

vitamins. Alcohol, caffeine, and excessive

macros (protein, sugars, and fats) all deplete

your B vitamin stores.

A few days of depletion without adequate

replenishment can result in significant

deficiencies very quickly.

B vitamins are essential cofactors

for all processes in your body. But

synthetics won’t cut it. Synthetic

vitamins can be seen as another

burden on the body, adding

extra work to the already

overwhelmed stomach,

liver, and kidney.

Without the correct

forms in the correct

ratios and their

necessary cofactors that are found in foods,

they do not work and can do more harm

than good.

B for the brain

Before you go to the psychologist or accept

that you are just weak and lack commitment,

listen to your body.

If you are struggling with motivation

and drive and your body is telling

you to stop, look for reasons why.

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

will cause:

 a lack of neurotransmitters

thatcreate the chemicals that fuel

motivation and drive

 hormonal imbalances to create a

change or maintain a particular

body shape

 cravings and blood sugar imbalances

 inefficient energy production, creating

fatigue and poor recovery from

exercise and stress, and

 a failure to respond to diet and

exercise interventions.

Always consider that stable state

— the solid foundation to launch

from. Make sure you are capable

of change before starting a

campaign, and remove some of

the variables that get in the way

of your success. After all, you will

deliver results or excuses.

To make sure you have the best

chance of getting results from

your efforts, take away the

excuses first. Don’t wait for half

of 2018 to go by before you finish

laying your foundations with

which you plan on launching

your new year, new me,

Building your

foundation

5 take-home tips to top health

Supplement with natural

vitamins. That is, foods

tested to confirm the

presence of vitamins,

delivered in supplemental

form — not a standard,

synthetic multivitamin or a

‘greens blend’ spiked with synthetic,

multivitamin premix blend. They will

add burden to your system.

Eat whole

foods in

season.

Eat fresh

and local

fruits and

vegetables — including

their peels, skins, and seeds

as well to support healthy gut flora.

Eat nuts and

their skins.

Replenish electrolytes —

magnesium aspartate or

citrate, potassium aspartate

or citrate, sodium (sea salt) or

sodium citrate, and calcium citrate

are the best forms

1

2

3

4

5

ATP Science MULTI

FOOD provides

your body with a

natural balance

of nutrients. Not

just the vitamins

and minerals; but

also the included

phytonutrients,

polyphenols

and other plant

based nutrients

that are missing

in your standard

multivitamin.