Watch Your Copper Balance!

Copper is key to proper functioning of your cardiovascular system. It is found in a wide variety of foods, including your favorite chocolate, liver, shellfish, meats, whole grain cereals and raisins.

Staple Indian food consisting of nuts and legumes is also a very rich source of copper.

It is known that consumption of extra amounts of Vitamin C and zinc when one feels an illness coming on helps cut the duration and the severity of the symptoms. While this helps alleviate symptoms of illnesses like flu such people should be careful about depleting their copper levels as Zinc can inhibit the body's ability to absorb copper.

People taking zinc to ward off colds should simultaneously supplement with a vitamin and mineral supplement with 1.5 to 3 mg of copper per day.

People, who tend to rely on herbal teas, should note that herbs contain tannins - acid substances that can possibly alter the absorption of copper - as well as other minerals that the body needs like iron, magnesium and zinc.

Suggested Correction

What more could one do for a better living than adopt the age old practice of drinking water from a copper vessel on an empty stomach the first thing in the morning? This ensures your body gets its legitimate dose of copper in the day before other agents stop inhibiting its absorption in your body! While the practice helps supply it's much needed copper, the water efficiently 'irrigates' the digestive system.