Chapter 21: Zinc

Drug Muggers:  How to Keep Your
Medicine from Stealing the Life Out of You !

Zinc is needed in order for you to see, to hear, to taste foods and to have sex. It’s important for growing hair and for staying fertile. Did you hear that? If you have fertility issues, this could be the supplement for you. You need zinc in order to make DNA, your genetic code.

There is also evidence to support zinc and it’s protective effect on the prostate. It helps prevent and relieve symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Adult men need about 1/3 more zinc than adult women because it helps make testosterone. And sexually active men need a little more zinc than men who prefer to just watch TV. That’s because zinc camps out in the prostate and in fact, one article I read said that zinc is 100 times more concentrated in semen, than in a man’s bloodstream.

The ‘metal’ mineral zinc participates in many life-sustaining biochemical reactions in the body by sparking activity in about 100 enzymes. Everyone needs this antioxidant mineral for a strong healthy immune system and it helps to heal wounds quickly.  Zinc can help you if you are prone to digestive disorders. People with Celiac disease, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome are usually always deficient in zinc. Notice that acid blockers, once again, make it to another drug mugger list and zaps your zinc supply. How ironic! Yet you need zinc to help fend off infections of the gut and to maintain a healthy lining. Zinc helps kill bacteria and viruses, not only in the gut, but everywhere. Read More

Zinc is a well known immune protector, boosting activity of our T-lymphocytes, natural killer cells and interleukin. Without enough zinc, we will get frequent colds or infection.  This is a good reason to take zinc at the first sign of the sniffles.  It can attach to the cold-causing virus in the nose or the mouth, and zinc obliterates the virus before it can multiply more offspring.  This keeps you from getting a full-blown infection and may shorten your misery time for a cold by about 3 days.

Levels of this trace mineral decline as we age, and our soils have become depleted in many parts of the world adding to the growing problem of zinc deficiency. It’s actually quite common. In fact, elderly people are usually deficient, as are alcoholics, vegetarians, and those with kidney or liver disease. While researching this book, I learned how incredibly easy it is to lose zinc, a mineral that is rarely talked about and almost taken for granted. It’s lost through sweat and via the feces, urine, hair, skin, semen and menstruation. Liver and pancreatic disorders are associated with lower levels of zinc.

Since zinc is needed to make both insulin and thyroid hormone, a deficiency could lead to diabetes and hypothyroidism, respectively.  Zinc works in tandem with vitamin A, so a deficiency in one could result in a deficiency of the other.  Oftentimes, low zinc means low vitamin A and this explains why you could develop visual problems, macular degeneration, and ultimately blindness.

In summary, a zinc deficiency can have widespread effects all over the body, and may also cause hearing loss, prostate problems, sexual difficulties, frequent infections, poor vision, night blindness, white spots under the fingernails and muscle atrophy.

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Drug Muggers of Zinc

Acid blockers

Ranitidine (Zantac)

Cimetidine (Tagamet)

Nizatidine (Axid)

Famotidine (Pepcid and Pepcid Complete)

Omeprazole (Prilosec OTC)

Esomeprazole (Nexium)

Pantoprazole (Protonix)

Rabeprazole (Aciphex)

Antacids (Maalox, Amphogel, Gaviscon)

Benazepril (Lotensin)

Betamethasone (Diprolene, Luxiq)

Blood Pressure Meds of ACE Inhibitor class

Captopril (Capoten)

Enalapril (Vasotec)

Ethambutol (Myambutol)

Lisinopril (Zestril, Prinivil)

Quinapril (Accupril)

Ramipril (Altace)

Trandolapril (Mavik)

Fosinopril (Monopril)

Budesonide (Rhinocort, Symbicort)

Bumetanide (Bumex)

Candesartan and HCTZ (Atacand HCT)

Chlorthalidone (Hygrotin)

Cholestyramine resin (Questran)

Coffee, Tea and Soda (Caffeine)

Dexamethasone (Decadron)

Enalapril and HCTZ (Vasotec HCT)

Enalapril and felodipine (Lexxel)

Estrogen-containing drugs (hormone replacement therapy and birth control)

Estrogen (conjugated) (Premarin, Prempro)

Estradiol (Estrace, Climara, Estraderm, Estring, Activella,

Femring, Combipatch. EstroGel, Menostar and many others)

Estradiol and testosterone (EstraTest, Depo Testadiol)

Ethinyl estradiol (found in many birth control pills)

Fibrate cholesterol medicine

Fenofibrate (TriCor)

Ezetimibe (Zetia)

Gemfibrozil (Lopid)

Clofibrate (Atromid S)

Flunisolide (Nasarel, Nasalide)

Fluticasone (Flonase)

Furosemide (Lasix)

HCTZ or hydrochlorothiazide (any drug containing this,

there are dozens)

Indapamide (Lozol)

Irbesartan and HCTZ (Avalide)

Levonorgestrel (in birth control & ‘morning after’ pill, Plan B)

Indapamide (Lozol)

Losartan and HCTZ (Hyzaar)

HIV drugs including abacavir, lamivudine, didanosine, zidovudine, delavirdine, stavudine

Hydralazine (Apresoline)

Moexipril (Univasc)

Norethindrone (found in many birth control pills)

Penicillamine

Steroids including prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, etc.

Raloxifene (Evista)

Ranitidine (Zantac)

Thiazide diuretics (HC TZ, Zaroxolyn, chlorthalidone)

Torsemide (Demadex)

Triamterene/HCTZ (Maxzide, Dyazide, Dyrenium)

Valsartan and HCTZ (Diovan HCT)

Excessive calcium supplementation

Put This on Your Plate

Avoid a deadly drug interaction by learning if your medicine interacts with grapefruit.  There is a chart on page 272 listing
dozens of medications.  If you take these meds, you need toavoid grapefruit.

Love yogurt, but hate diary products?  I have the answer.
Find out about delicious yogurt loaded with healthy probiotics
and calcium.  It’s derived from coconut milk!  Page 159-160.

Do you grind your teeth?  I have a natural, safe option for you:
Rriboflavin!  Learn more about this on page 109.

Learn how to buy the right form of beta carotene, a form of
vitamin A.   Buy the wrong form, and you could increase your
risk for cancer.  (page 60)

The real story on how to lower your risk for heart attack for pennies a day using a natural nutrient that sustains life.  (Chapter 4)

People with diabetes can greatly benefit from this nutrient because it may prevent atherosclerosis and clogging of tiny arteries that lead to the kidneys and heart.  It costs $10 a month!  See page 103.

Want great sex?  It could be one supplement away.  Find out what natural over-the-counter nutrient sends blood flowing to all the good parts, including your heart!  See page 254.

Gluten-intolerant?  You may think you’re giving up delicious foods, but there are many alternatives for you.  Find out what grain is safe for you to eat, and an excellent source of vitamin E, calcium, iron and B vitamins. Page 268.

If you are tired, or have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, you could benefit from selenium.  This powerful mineral is a strong antioxidant and anti-cancer supplement but did you know that steroids, estrogen-containing drugs and diabetic medications can be rob you blind?  See Chapter 18.

Do you get frequent vaginal yeast infections or jock itch?  This simple nutrient will restore good health to the mucosal lining of these delicate tissues, lessening the frequency of these uncomfortable and annoying issues.  Page 94.

LEARN THE REASON BEHIND SOME NAGGING, PAINFUL PROBLEMS

If you’ve been suffering from pins and needle pain or numbness, you will find out what natural, inexpensive vitamin can put a stop to it.  (page 146)

People with a history of alcoholism need to take this nutrient, see page 107.

The rates of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer are increasing at an alarming rate.  Find out how to protect yourself from these conditions, and possibly even diabetes by improving gut health with one simple nutrient – a nutrient robbed by virtually all medications.  See page 95.

Want more passion in your pajamas?  Drinking this simple inexpensive tea each day can relieve prostate problems and erectile difficulties, without the dangerous side effects of prescribed sex pills.  Find out more on page 228.

Here’s a super easy way to make delicious soda naturally, without dangerous additives or artificial sweeteners.  Get my recipe on page 262.

Find out what natural nutrient works hard to improve thyroid hormone which in turn helps you burn fat and increase energy.  Page 109.

Are you considering putting your loved one in a nursing home due to dementia.  Don’t make a move until you find out how this B vitamin can restore memory, energy, mood and vitality.  Read more on page 147.

This and MUCH MUCH more in Suzy’s newest release, Drug Muggers:  How To Keep Your Medicine From Stealing the Life Out of You!

Learn More About Drug Muggers