It’s debatable that few words in the English language are misused more than depression. Just as an example, if you’ve ever had a friend or family member who’s felt a little down in the dumps, chances are they’ve described them­selves as depressed.

Depression isn’t the same as being sad or discouraged.  Those feelings are just part of being alive. Depression is an illness, one that can be controlled with proper treatment or that can ruin your life if you don’t get the help you need.

Zinc is important in wound healing and skin repair, but it’s probably more important for older people who are most likely to be

deficient in this nutrient.

You can get your Daily Value of zinc (15 milligrams) by filling your plate with shellfish and other seafood as well as with whole grains and lean meats. In fact, just one steamed oyster contains a whopping 12.7 milligrams of zinc.

Zinc Food Source

Note: Frequent inexplicable bruising, although rare, may be a sign of a clotting disorder or an immune problem, or a side effect of some medication. If you find yourself bruising easily and frequently, see your doctor.

You would think that a couple of thousand years would be enough time to find a way to beat an ailment as common as bedsores. Evidence of these painful lessons has been found in ancient Egyptian mummies, but today we’re still struggling to prevent bedsores from forming on people who are confined to bed.

Clearly, the quality of mattresses has improved since the rule of King Tut. Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers, have less to do with beds and lots to do with nutrition, say the experts. And that, sadly, is something that can still be pretty poor even in this day and age, especially among the elderly.

Researchers who say vitamin C is helpful for asthma point out that other nutrient with similar antioxidant properties could be beneficial. These nutri­ents include vitamin E, selenium, and beta-carotene, a yellow pigment found in carrots, cantaloupe, and other fruits and vegetables. Laboratory work indi­cates that all three help reduce inflammation-producing biochemicals.

“So far, however, all we have are primarily case-control studies,” said doctor. Those studies that looked at actual supplementation with micronu­trients or vitamins did not show significant improvement of lung function, with the exception of one study, according to professional nutritionist. In that study, people with asthma who took 100 micrograms of sele­nium daily for 14 weeks had improved lung function and were less sensitive to airway-constricting inhalants than when they were taking placebos (inac­tive pills).

We’ve all heard about iron-poor blood, and for good reason. Iron deficiency is by far the most common cause of anemia. Up to 58 percent of healthy young women may be short on iron, although not always to the point of.

Iron Mineral

.

The problem is that many women don’t consume enough iron each day to make up for the 2.5 milligrams or so they lose each month during men­struation. Pregnant women need even more iron. Teens and women nearing menopause also often come up short.

Studies show that women ages 18 to 24 get about 10.7 milligrams a day, which is nowhere near the Daily Value of 18 milligrams.