Is Selenium A Friend Or A Foe?

One of the biggest issues with health and wellbeing is that with each supposedly miraculous pill or supplement discovered there are a dozen studies released to discredit it. It’s actually really hard to know for sure whether the latest thing is going to improve your health or make you more likely to get very well. I stand by the view of, a healthy and well-rounded diet is the ultimate way to maximise your wellness. You can get all of the vitamins and minerals you need to survive from a balanced diet, if you couldn’t then it wouldn’t be a balanced diet! This way you don’t have to worry about supplements at all and you can rest a little bit easier.

If you’re convinced that you’re going to go for supplements then there are some things which you’ll need to know. Firstly, don’t take supplements unless you’re lacking those specific minerals or vitamins. Too much of a good thing can be very bad for you indeed, the only difference between poison and medicine is the dose after all. We need a very specific amount of each mineral and vitamin to survive, without it we fail and with too much of it we fail. Consider a human being as an incredibly complex machine. Instead of just petrol, brake fluid, water and oil we need dozens of things!

Selenium is a mineral which can be really good for you in the right quantity. It’s great as an anti-aging agent, fighting free radicals and similar. It can protect your cognitive functions as you get older and even help to maintain your heart. However a recent study shows that too much of the mineral in supplement form can raise the risk of type two diabetes! At Yourwellness we recommend eating no more than two Brazil nuts a day to get your full selenium dose, this won’t be harmful and it’s the most you’ll ever need!