Helping Kids and Families Cook & Eat Healthier.

What’s Missing: The Importance of Recognizing Nutritional Deficiencies

  Posted on   by   No comments

Everywhere you turn you hear about the importance of getting a balanced diet or another new study revealing yet another benefit  provided by various vitamins or minerals. Yet, even the most well-intentioned, healthy eaters may still be lacking in certain nutrients. If you’ve never evaluated your nutritional levels here’s what you need to know and why it may be time to take a closer look into your nutritional intake.

Why Should I Care about My Nutritional Levels?

Each nutrient we take in plays a different role in our health and wellness. Getting too little of certain nutrients can cause both immediate and long term problems. Consider some of the most common ways nutritional deficiencies can cause you harm.

Common Nutritional Deficiency Problems-

B Vitamins: fatigue and lack of energy, impaired neurological functions, brittle skin and nails

Vitamin C: fatigue, increased bruising, poor gum health, weakened immune system

Vitamin D:  poor calcium absorption, increased respiratory illness, weakened bones and teeth

Iron: anemia, fatigue

Magnesium: increased risk of osteoporosis, internal inflammation

What Should I Do to Learn More about Nutritional Levels?

There are a few things you can do to check to see if you may be low on key nutrients. First, do a self-assessment. Take note of any symptoms you may be having. Additionally, keep a food log for about a week. Seeing your food intake in black and white may help you spot gaps you didn’t even realize you had and allow you the opportunity to make adjustments.

After completing a self assessment, you may wish to talk with your physician. Come in armed with the notes you have collected. Your doctor may be able to identify problem areas based on your symptoms and dietary intake, or he or she may wish to perform a blood or hair test to analyze your nutrient levels.

Action Plan

Once you are armed with the knowledge of nutrients you may be missing, it’s time to work to remedy the problem. Depending on your level of deficiency, you may need to do anything from adjusting your diet to getting more sun to taking a prescription level supplement. Whatever the plan, consider making a nutritional evaluation a part of your yearly health plan to prevent any deficiencies from getting out of hand!

 


Author: Coach Kim

Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *