Is iodine a necessity? ... Iodine - Kelp
Iodine is a trace element, with an interesting role in health, which we associate with the thyroid gland. It occurs naturally in the marine environment and one of the richest natural sources of iodine is kelp seaweed, also known as "Bladderwrack, Norwegian Laminaria," which has been used in traditional medicine and cuisine for centuries. Kelp can absorb large amounts of iodine directly from the ocean. The body needs iodine to produce thyroid hormones, without which much more would not work ... our metabolism would not function properly, we would have little energy, and our minds would be dull.
Iron - the Elixir of Youth
Anyone who admires the muscular Arnold Schwarzenegger has surely seen the documentary Pumping Iron about his complex transformation from a skinny teenager to an absolute physical Olympian. His musculature is still admirable today. And it was ordinary iron that helped him achieve it. Of course, it's a joke; he mainly lifted iron. However, to make his muscles look like Hercules', he needed iron in a completely different form.
Vitamin A - and I see...
Vitamin A - Retinol, was discovered in 1916. But it was not until 15 years later that its chemical structure was determined. And it took another 15 years before we learned to produce it synthetically (in the form of acetate). It is relatively rare in dietary supplement stores, which is strange because its deficiency can lead to night blindness.
Choline and Inositol
Choline and Inositol - two words you probably haven't heard before. In the world of dietary supplements, however, they are an important combination of B vitamins, which are actually not vitamins. They are substances very similar to vitamins which support liver function and lipid metabolism - that is, fat metabolism. Choline is a water-soluble vitamin analogue. It is found in lecithin, which is common in many plant and animal tissues. Choline is a precursor for the neurotransmitter (i.e., carrier) acetylcholine - which is involved in many memory and muscle functions.
Fascinating Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
It is not by chance that in various countries it is referred to as the "mushroom of immortality" and the "mushroom of eternal life". In Japan, "Reishi" means "spiritual power". In China, it is known as "Lingzhi", which means "divine mushroom". It is one of the most valuable mushrooms in traditional medicine, used for the treatment of chronic diseases, and acknowledged for over 4000 years for its strong effects (similar to ginseng) documented in ancient books. It's also called the "mushroom of happiness" for its ability to alleviate ailments such as arthritis, insomnia, chest tightness, persistent weakness, high blood pressure, dizziness, mushroom poisoning, and heart diseases ...
Cordyceps - Zombie in Reality
Cordyceps sinensis - this is our zombie predator. In China, it is called "in winter insects, in summer herbs." Imagine a fungus that during reproduction in summer shoots its spores (seeds), which attach to the insect's body. It gradually grows throughout and parasitizes it, devours it from the inside out, with the insect still alive, even altering its outer appearance but still foraging until it retreats underground where it dies and mummifies. The fungus can survive in it for a longer period. The fungus literally controls the host's body, growing out of its body in summer, forming slender "sticks" 5-20 cm high. This inspired the video game series Last of Us where the Cordyceps fungus turns humankind into zombies. In real life, this video game unfolds in the actual life of insects. The victims are larvae of butterflies, large ants, spiders...
