Selenium. The wonder mineral?

Selenium. An amazing trace mineral that is so important to your health.

Last night, I was reading the Fall 2009 Beeyoutiful Catalog (if I weren't a moron I would give you a link but I am so I can't). In it is a very informative article about selenium.

Selenium is a trace mineral that is present in the soil. Some areas have abundant selenium but most do not. I have been familiar with selenium & it's importance for many years.

My husband works in agriculture nutrition & selenium is huge factor in livestock health. I have seen it used in ways that border on miraculous. Think I am exagerating?

White muscle disease is a condition that strikes animals who are deficient in selenium. One of it's attributes is rubbery, curved legs in newborn animals. The legs are reduced to useless, the animal is crippled, unable to stand & would not survive without treatment. An injection of BOSE, the trade name of a selenium/vitamin E combo, will reverse the damage in a matter of hours.

I have witnessed this myself. A few years ago we had a set of twin kids affected by white muscle disease. The beautiful, large buck was affected the worst. He was unable to stand or nurse. His legs were curved & useless. A few short hours after a shot of BOSE he was up & running around & perfect! It was amazing.

While most humans do not suffer from white muscle disease, selenium is just as important to our health. Selenium protects us against several types of cancer, builds a stronger immune system, provides anit-oxidant protection & much more.

But the really cool thing I learned last night has to deal with  the flu. Everybody is talking about, reading about, freaking out about the flu right now. The media has everyone whipped into a frenzy over H1N1. People with selenium deficiency are more likely to experience severe lung damage & more severe cases of flu. Areas of the world that are known to be deficient in selenium, such as China, suffer from some of the worst flu epidemics.

Severe lung complications are what cause many flu related deaths; the flu outbreak in WW1, the Avain flu, SARS & H1N1 included.

Adequate selenium protects against the process that is responsible for this lung damage & helps a body have a milder case of flu when infected.

Does this surprise you? Wouldn't you think that the medical profession & the media would be blasting this info everywhere? Giving people the chance to protect themselves & their families? I have my own theories as to why they have not, but I won't go into them here.

But I want to give you the opportunity to protect yourself & your family. Research this. Go to Beeyoutiful.com. Go to WellTellMe.com. Google.

Check this out!

If you decide to supplement with selenium it is important to get a type that your body can actually metabolize. It is important to combine it with Vit E which aids your bodies ability to use it.  Beeyoutiful sells a great selenium supplement. We take one called Sel-Plex from Alltech. I don't know where to buy it though, as my husband gets it directly from their rep. But you could check out their website.

We have taken a selenium supplement for years because my husband has seen the dramatic effects it has on livestock. If ranchers are smart enough to give it to their cows shouldn't we be smart enough to give it to ourselves?

Our entire family had the flu a few months ago. It was miserable & painful & nasty but we were all over it in a few days. With no lingering complications. Did selenium help us? Can't prove it but I know it didn't hurt.

Research this mineral. Getcha some.

Blessings.