10 Indications That May Mean Your Not Be Getting Enough Nutrients In Your Diet

Nutrients are compounds in foods that are essential to life and health. They provide us with energy and are the building blocks for repair, growth and substances necessary to regulate chemical processes.

While the onset of some nutrient deficiencies may occur gradually (the increasing urge to constantly move your leg or fatigue that progressively gets worse) other deficiencies can occur suddenly and can easily be identified. If you’re struggling with some of these symptoms I recommend visiting your local GP to discuss possible diagnosis.

Remember before taking any supplements always consult with your local GP first

1. Wounds That Won’t/ Are Slow To Heal

A vitamin C deficiency can lead to poor wound healing. Vitamin C is necessary to promote the growth of new blood vessels and direct immune cells to the skin sore to help beat infection. Severe cases of vitamin C deficiency can cause old wounds to reopen. If your diet lacks citrus fruits, tomatoes, spinach, potatoes, broccoli and fortified cereals you may be lacking vitamin C.

Note: If you smoke, amid the many other negative health effects, smoking limits your body's ability to absorb vitamin C.

Slow wound healing may also indicate that more protein is needed in your diet as protein is essential for building and repairing muscle and tissue. Although protein deficiencies are rare for the average Australian, people on special diets that restrict food groups such as vegetarians and vegans should take note. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend 0.75 grams per kg for adult women per day, 0.84 grams per kg for adult men per day and 1 gram per kg for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and for men and women over 70 years. Drink a glass of milk with dinner, add beans to your salads or top your apples with peanut butter for some extra protein.

2. Dry Skin

Even though dry skin can be attributed to our physical environment such as cold or windy weather it can also be a symptom of your diet lacking healthy omega-3 fatty acids. If your skin is feeling flakier than usual, you have “chicken skin” on the back of your arms or dandruff or dry hair you need to have a look at your diet.

Omega-3s help nourish your skin’s lipid or fat barrier (the layer of oils in your skin that keeps damaging microorganisms and pollutants out and essential moisture in).

Without a sufficient amount of omega-3s your skin loses moisture, which can lead to an unpleasantly scaly texture, wrinkles and visible aging due to skin dehydration.

In Western diets too many inflammatory omega-6 fats (think vegetables oils) are consumed and too few anti-inflammatory omega-3s, between a ratio of 1:2 and 1:5 when the ideal ration is 1:1. This increases the chances of developing nutrient deficiencies that can lead to more serious diseases and conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes.

Avoid developing an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency by eating a diet rich in essential fatty acids. These foods include fatty fish, such as salmon and sardines, walnuts, flaxseed and chia seeds.

3. Cracked and Sore Lips

Extreme cracked and sore lips might indicate you have an iron, zinc or vitamin B (niacin, riboflavin, and B12) deficiency. A riboflavin deficiency can cause cracking at the corners of the mouth and dryness around the outside of the lips and will usually be accompanied by a swollen, dark-red tongue and swollen mouth. If left untreated it can also cause nerve damage that can lead to tingling in your fingers or toes. If you are showing any of these symptoms see your local GP to address the deficiency in its earliest stages.

Good dietary sources of these nutrients include almonds, salmon, broccoli, cheddar cheese and eggs. Note: Because iron absorption is enhanced by vitamin C, be sure your diet also includes plenty of vitamin C-rich veggies like broccoli, capsicum, kale, and cauliflower

4. Poor Night Vision

A nutrient-poor diet can sometimes cause vision problems.

For instance, low intakes of vitamin A are often linked to a condition known as night blindness, which reduces people’s ability to see in low light or darkness and also reduces the sharpness of your sight. A lack of vitamin A causes the cornea to become dry and that makes the eyes cloudy and which leads to vision loss while also damaging the retina and

reducing the amount of rhodopsin pigment that helps your eyes see at night. When left untreated, night blindness can progress to xerophthalmia, a condition that can damage the cornea and ultimately lead to blindness.

Dietary sources if vitamin A include organ meat, fish liver oil, dairy, eggs, fish, dark leafy vegetables and yellow/ orange coloured vegetables.

5. A Pale Complexion

A sickly, unhealthily pale complexion may signal that something is going on with your iron levels. Iron is an important dietary mineral that is involved in various bodily functions, including the transport of oxygen in the blood. This is essential in providing energy for daily life. Iron deficiency causes red blood cells to be smaller, fewer and filled with less hemoglobin, which makes them less red. This results in paler skin most obvious around your eyelids and around your mouth. Iron deficiencies need to be checked out by your GP, but to increase your iron intake consume more lentils, beef, spinach and iron-fortified cereals in your diet.

6. Muscle Cramps (in Your Toes, Calves, Backs of Legs, and Arches of Feet)

Muscle cramps may be a sign of deficiencies in magnesium, calcium, and potassium, especially if it happens frequently. Magnesium is a key mineral in the body. It is essential for bone and teeth structure, and is also involved in more than 300 enzyme reactions. Low intake and blood levels of magnesium have been associated with several diseases, including type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and osteoporosis. The main symptoms of magnesium deficiency include abnormal heart rhythm, muscle cramps, restless leg syndrome, fatigue and migraines. More subtle, long-term symptoms that you may not notice include insulin resistance and high blood pressure.

Fix magnesium deficiency by eating more nuts,dark leafy greens, broccoli, apples and wholgrains.

7. Persistent Acne

Although no single food can individually cause acne (forget the myth about chocolate), some nutrient deficiencies might make breakouts more frequent or more severe. A 2013 study investigated the blood levels of zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin E in people with and without acne. The researchers found that the levels of all of these vitamins and minerals were significantly lower in the people with acne. Lacking omega-3 fatty acids in your diet can also lead to acne outbreaks due to their powerful anti-inflammatory properties. If your diet is lacking omega-3s, your skin may be more inflamed, which can turn to acne. Omega-3s’ role in maintaining your skin’s lipid/ fat barrier can also affect acne development as your skin’s natural oils have antimicrobial properties, and an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency that disrupts your lipid barrier may let acne-causing bacteria in.

Rich dietary sources of vitamin A include sweet potatoes, liver, spinach, carrots, pumpkin and capsicum. Vitamin E is found in its greatest quantities in nuts and oils, with wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, almonds, sunflower oil, peanut butter and hazelnuts. Among the best sources of zinc are oysters, crab, beef, lobster, fortified breakfast cereal, pork, beans, chicken, yogurt and cashews. Rich omega-3 fatty acids sources include salmon and sardines, walnuts, flaxseed and chia seeds.

8. Thinning Hair

Hair loss is a very common symptom and while losing some strands of hair is normal (we lose between 50 and 100 hairs daily), noticeable thinning of your hair or finding clumps of hair on your pillow should be mentioned to your GP.

Protein, iron, zinc and vitamin C deficiencies can cause thinning or brittle hair and hair that falls out easily. Vitamin C helps you make collagen (a building blocks of healthy hair and a strong hair follicle), iron is involved in making DNA that is present in hair follicles, zinc is essential for protein synthesis and cell division (two processes needed for hair growth) while protein supplies amino acids for collagen (and other protein) synthesis.

Our biotin levels also play a role as our body needs biotin for metabolising fats, carbohydrates, and amino acids, but also strengthening your hair and nails. A recent study found that nearly four in ten women who reported suffering hair loss had a biotin deficiency.

Meat, fish, eggs, legumes, dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds and whole grains are good sources of iron and zinc. Biotin rich foods include meat, fish, dairy, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and leafy greens egg yolks and organ meat.

9. Brittle Nails

A variety of factors can cause brittle nails. But if you’re regularly dealing with sore hangnails, nail splits and nail breaks, your diet might be low in biotin. Biotin nourishes your nails’ growth plates and when these plates are disrupted this can lead to irregular growth. Other symptoms of biotin deficiency include chronic fatigue, muscle pain, cramps and tingling in the hands and feet. Pregnant women, heavy smokers or drinkers and people with digestive disorders such as Crohn’s disease are most at risk of developing a biotin deficiency. Also, the prolonged use of antibiotics and some anti-seizure medications are risk factors

Getting more biotin in your diet can aid in nail growth and strength. One study has found that biotin supplementation boosted nail thickness by as much as 25 percent.

Foods rich in biotin include egg yolks , organ meats, fish, dairy, nuts, bananas and whole grains.

10. Bleeding Gums

Sometimes a rough tooth brushing technique can cause bleeding gums or if it still bleeds even with a softer technique it most likely means you need to floss more often. But if your gums start bleeding for no apparent reason, you might be dealing with a vitamin C or vitamin K deficiency.

Vitamin C plays important roles in wound healing, immunity and even acts as an antioxidant, helping prevent cell damage. The human body does not make vitamin C on its own, which means the only way to maintain an adequate level of it is through the diet.

Vitamin C deficiencies are rare in individuals who consume enough fresh fruits and vegetables however many people fail to eat enough fruits and vegetables each day.

Consuming very little vitamin C through the diet for long periods of time can bring on symptoms of deficiency, including bleeding gums and even tooth loss.

Another serious consequence of severe vitamin C deficiency is scurvy, which depresses the immune system, weakens muscles and bones and makes people feel fatigued and lethargic.

Other common signs of vitamin C deficiency include easy bruising, slow wound healing, dry scaly skin and frequent nosebleeds. Make sure to consume sufficient amounts of vitamin C by eating at least 2 pieces of fruit and 3–4 portions of vegetables each day.

Vitamin K is best known for its role in helping blood clot, or coagulates. It sets off a sequence that activates pro-clotting factors in your blood, which help you stop bleeding after a cut and also prevent spontaneous bleeding from delicate tissues like your gums. Vitamin K deficiency is generally pretty rare, so check with your GP and dentist to investigate the cause of your bleeding. But you can get plenty of vitamin K from dark, leafy green veggies, including Brussels sprouts and kale.

NOTE: If you think you may have any of these deficiencies please ensure you see you local GP prior to any supplementation.

#New #Nutrients #NutrientDeficiencies #SignsandSymptoms #Nutrition