We need vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies healthy. Not meeting our daily needs of these various nutrients may cause complications that can affect our daily lives. These symptoms should be addressed quickly through changes in our diet.
Here are some of the red-flag scenarios that may indicate a person has nutrient deficiency.
Brittle Nails
Different factors can possibly cause nail breakage. These might be due to picking at a polish, wearing acrylic nails, or frequent use of hand sanitizer. However, a person could possibly be low in iron if both her toenails and fingernails are prone to breakage.
Iron is a mineral that serves several important functions. One of its main roles is to carry oxygen through our boy and make red blood cells.
A body deficient in iron may have a peeling and brittle nail. This is a side effect of the limited oxygen to organs, tissues, and muscles which is caused by insufficient levels of iron in the body.
Consume foods rich in iron such as shellfish, spinach, liver and organ meat, legumes, pumpkin seeds, broccoli, shrimp, scallops, sardines, and baked potatoes. Along with these foods, we also need to consume more vitamin c rich foods to boost absorption.
Irregular Heartbeat
Patricia Graham, MD, an internal medicine specialist at Rush University Medical Center, says:
“Calcium regulates your heartbeat. So, a deficiency could cause an arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, and even lead to chest pains.”
Some other signs that a body is deficient in calcium may include:
Muscle cramps. Without enough calcium, the muscles do not fully relax.
Twitches around your face and mouth. Calcium works with muscles to help them contract properly.
Fractures. Calcium is needed for strong bones. Without it, bone loss, or osteoporosis, can lead to more fractures.
Get more calcium by consuming calcium-rich foods such as salmon and sardines (both of which are also excellent sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids), broccoli and bok choi.
Twitching Eye
Aside from fatigue, stress, and consumption of too much caffeine or alcohol, one of the main reasons why we experience lid spasm is low levels of magnesium.
Luckily, there are magnesium-rich foods that we can add to our diet to up our level of the nutrient. Some of them are cashew, almonds, peanuts, spinach, quinoa, black beans, and avocado.
Dry Skin
According to the report of NIH, scale and flakes can be the cause of low fatty acid levels.
Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that have various benefits for our body and brain. They provide the starting point for making hormones that regulate blood clotting, contraction, and relaxation of artery walls, and inflammation. Aside from these, they may also help control lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis, help prevent heart disease and stroke and may play protective roles in cancer and other conditions.
According to a 2018 study, omega-3s play an important role in moisture retention and may protect our skin from UV rays, help prevent fewer wrinkles, and promotes even complexion.
Experts suggest that we need to get many fatty acids through food alone. We can obtain these healthy fats from eating avocados, chia seeds, walnuts, and flaxseeds.
Hair Loss
Hair loss is a common symptom. According to reports, 50% of men and women are suffering from hair loss by the time they reach the age of 50. Luckily, the intake of certain nutrients can help prevent or slow down hair loss. These include iron, zinc, Linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), Niacin (vitamin B3), and Biotin (vitamin B7)
Fatigue And Weakness
Experiencing a feeling of weakness even after plenty of shuteye or aren’t fighting a cold? Then probably the shortage of vitamin B12 is to blame.
Johns Hopkins Medicine explains that:
“Vitamin B12 is key in red blood cell production. Red blood cells transport oxygen throughout your system, so if they aren’t working efficiently, you’ll feel worn out.”
Experts even found that B vitamins are important in neural function, thus inadequate levels of it can lead to depression.
To prevent this from happening, consume more B12 power foods like liver, whole grains, salmon, tuna, clams, and trout.
Stiff Joints
For those individuals suffering from the achy body, a sunshine vitamin might be the answer.
Jerlyn Jones, RDN, LD, Atlanta-based owner of The Lifestyle Dietitian LLC and spokesperson for the American Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition, says:
“Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium, which is one of the main building blocks of bones. If you don’t get enough of it, either through food or sunlight, it can lead to bone density loss and soreness.”
Spend more time in the sun to boost the body’s levels of vitamin D, or eat foods rich in such vitamin-like egg yolks and salmon.
Bruises Easily
Insufficient levels of vitamin K could be to blame if a person easily bruises, gets a nosebleed without a reason, experiences heavy periods than usual, or has bleeding gum when using floss.
Since vitamin K plays a role in blood clotting, low levels of it can lead to excessive bleeding or bruising.
Add the following foods to your diet to increase the body’s levels of vitamin K:
- Green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens, parsley, romaine, and green leaf lettuce.
- Vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
- Fish, liver, meat, eggs, and cereals (contain smaller amounts)
