Guest Author - Holly Webster

Zinc is an incredibly important mineral for women hoping to conceive, as well as pregnant woman and children. It is critical to healthy immune systems, growth and brain function.

Zinc deficiency is a huge problem in developing nations - up to 70% of children in Thailand may be zinc deficient. Up to 10% of children in the US are zinc deficient.

These deficiencies are proven to cause immune system failures, cause poor growth, and harm memory and attention. Even adult men who were tested after lowering their Zinc intake level were found to have mood swings, poor memory, poor attention and other similar issues.

In particular for fertility, men who are low in Zinc have been found to have low sperm count and a loss of libico. Women are found to have less of a chance to conceive.

It is key for both the male and female hoping to have a child to consume proper levels of Zinc. Good food sources for Zinc include:

beef
pork
chicken
whole grains
nuts
oysters