Are you getting all the essential nutrients (vitamins and minerals) you need for your body to function properly and improve your immunity against diseases?
Well guess what?
Regardless of what you believe, the answer is … probably not, especially if you are dieting.
The caveman diet, the ketogenic diet, dairy-free diet, Atkins, South Beach, Dukan, carb-restricting and fat-free diets can all leave unhealthy holes in a smart nutritional approach to what you eat.
And this could lead to nutritional and vitamin deficiencies which can harm your health, both mentally and physically.
The following 9 nutritional deficiencies and their symptoms are the most common found in the United States and in other modern societies like England and Australia. Accompanying each deficiency is a list of the foods you can target for replacing the missing nutrient, mineral or vitamin.
Remember, in most cases a balanced diet including fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat, oily fish like salmon or mackerel and whole grains and legumes can deliver a complete nutritional profile.
1. Iron
Deficiency symptoms – pale skin, thin hair, constant fatigue.
This is the most common nutritional deficiency. Iron is referred to as a vitamin, although it is not.
It is a mineral which helps your body make red blood cells. A low-iron diet means your body can’t deliver oxygen properly. Eat beef, beans, oysters and spinach to improve your iron intake.
2. Vitamin B12
Deficiency symptoms – numb feet, legs and hands, balance problems, fatigue, swollen tongue, paranoia and loss of memory.
Vitamin B12 is a vital component in the production of DNA. It is also important for manufacturing your brain’s signal sending system. Vegans often have a vitamin B12 deficiency. A B12 supplement or a diet rich in chicken, fish, milk and yogurt is the answer to providing this necessary nutrient.
3. Magnesium
Deficiency symptoms – weak appetite, fatigue, abnormal heartbeat, drastic personality changes, muscle cramps or spasms.
Magnesium helps you produce energy. It is also important for bone health. Some medications cause a low level of magnesium. Spinach, almonds, black beans, peanuts and cashews are extremely high in magnesium.
4. Calcium
Deficiency symptoms – fatigue, abnormal heartbeat, weak appetite and muscle cramps (symptoms are often vague).
Calcium is linked to bone health. It is also crucial for proper nerve and muscle functioning. Two or three servings of yogurt or milk a day provides all the calcium you need. Cheese and dark leafy greens like kale deliver plenty of calcium as well.
5. Vitamin D
Deficiency symptoms – aching muscles, weak bones, chronic weakness and fatigue (symptoms are often vague).
As with calcium, vitamin D is important for proper bone health. Food sources for vitamin D include yogurt and milk. This important nutrient is also found in salmon and tuna. Just 15 minutes of exposure to sunshine (20 minutes in winter) on your skin triggers your body to manufacture all the vitamin D you need each day.
6. Potassium
Deficiency symptoms – lack of strength, abnormal heartbeat, weight loss and constipation.
Potassium is crucial if your heart, kidneys and major organs are going to work properly. Eating disorders, kidney disease and diarrhea are some known causes of potassium deficiency. Bananas, many vegetables, beans, peas and whole grains are potassium rich.
7. Folate (Vitamin B9)
Deficiency symptoms – prematurely gray hair, fatigue, swollen tongue and mouth ulcers.
Folic acid is extremely important for women during their childbearing years. Many doctors will recommend women to take a folic acid supplement daily during their childbearing years. Make sure you check with your family practioner to see what he/she recommends for you.
Fortified cereals, dark leafy greens, beans, lentils, spinach and oranges are all high in folate.
8. Vitamin C
Deficiency symptoms – bleeding gums, bruising easily, dry, brittle hair, nosebleeds, inability to fight infection.
I mention vitamin C only because the modern-day diet often doesn’t supply enough. In most cases, this is a deficiency that does not lead to significant health conditions. It is important because it is related to healthy growth and repair of tissues throughout your body.
Oranges, kiwi, cantaloupe, grapefruit, watermelon, broccoli, green and red peppers, spinach and tomatoes all deliver high quantities of vitamin C. Severe deficiency in vitamin C is uncommon.
You can take a vitamin C supplement to ensure you are getting enough of this important health component. As in all cases, if you can receive your vitamin C through foods, that is the preferred option.
9. Zinc
Deficiency symptoms – healthy skin, wound healing, occasional moodiness, lack of appetite white spots on your fingernails and a weakened immune system.
Zinc is an essential trace element of which only small amounts are necessary to help maintain your overall health but it is one mineral I have found that is often overlooked. Apart from we humans it is also very important for animals and plant foods.
I remember years ago when I was crop farming, any patch that didn’t produce as well as I expected it to could usually be traced back to a lack of zinc in the soil. It is something I have always remembered especially in winter when your immune system is likely to be under the pump.
For all you baby boomers out there it is worth noting, the CDC reports 35-45% of elderly adults in the US (it is similar for other countries) are at risk for inadequate intake of zinc but fortunately this can be easily remedied with some dietary changes and a supplement.
Some foods containing good sources of zinc are oysters, liver, pumpkin seeds, beef, shellfish, mushrooms, nuts, wheat germ and dark chocolate.
https://youtu.be/HkhAaNHraoY
Conclusion
The above 9 vitamins and minerals make up the most commonly absent items in a modern-day diet. In most cases a one-a-day multivitamin supplement will usually fix the problem but as I always recommend, it is best to receive your necessary nutrients and minerals from nature.
You should also try to eat foods that are as close to their natural condition as possible. The less the food you eat is processed and tampered with the better it is for your body.
Over the years it has always been my recommendation, as well as being something I practice my-self, to get the majority of your necessary nourishment of vitamins and minerals from food ….. and not from supplements.
And remember…..everyone deserves to have good health so please Like and Share.
Here’s to your future good health – John.
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