Could Your Health Issues Actually Be Nutrient Deficiencies? — Compass Rose Nutrition & Wellness

You and I both know that a healthy, balanced diet can provide most people with the nutrients essential for good health.

Fruit and vegetables naturally contain a number of beneficial nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and other biologically active components or phytochemicals.

In fact, the consumption of at least 5 servings per day is linked with a reduced risk of various diseases, including several cancers and heart disease.

Unfortunately this may not be the case for us. With the overall lack of nutrient bio-availability due to things like:

It’s no wonder that many of us are indeed lacking in a number of key nutrients that we once came by very easily. We simply aren’t eating our Grandmother’s fruits and veggies anymore.

You may be surprised to learn that there may be a connection to certain symptoms and a nutritional deficiency.

Got muscle twitches or leg cramps? A nutrient that is commonly found in plant foods, but also commonly lacking in our diets due to all of the reasons for poor bio-availability, is magnesium.

This talented mineral is involved as a co-factor for a range of biochemical reactions in the body, is involved in the structural development of bone, and plays a role in nerve impulse conduction, maintaining a normal heart rhythm and muscle contraction.

Hormonal issues causing chaos? Maybe your fats aren’t so good.

FYI, while hormonal imbalances are another topic entirely, here are some of the most common signs and symptoms of hormone imbalances:

● Depression and anxiety

● Fatigue

● Insomnia and poor sleep

● Low libido

● Infertility and irregular periods

● Weight loss, weight gain or weight loss resistance

● Digestive issues

● Hair loss and hair thinning

Hormonal imbalances are complex, multi-faceted issues, meaning they are caused by a combination of factors such as your diet, medical history, genetics, stress levels and exposure to toxins from your environment.

Again, another topic altogether, but one of the major contributors to hormonal imbalances includes your diet and specifically a lack of fats. Good fats, that is!

Think wild-caught salmon, hemp seeds, coconut oil, avocados, and a special mention of GLA (gamma linoleic acid) found in evening primrose and borage oils — studies have shown that supplementing with GLA can support healthy progesterone levels.

How’s your nail health?

Maybe not as good as you think! Please do note that what’s considered ‘normal’ differs in everyone, but generally, fingernails should be clear, smooth, pliable and peachy-pink in colour.

White spots Ever noticed white spots on your nails? While this is most often due to mild trauma (like banging your nail against something hard), it can also indicate a zinc deficiency.

Horizontal lines, ridges and spoons What about horizontal lines or ridges across your nails? These are sometimes called Beau’s lines, and may be due to a zinc deficiency but could be indicative of low iron or anemia. Nails can be spoon-shaped at the tips with iron deficiency as well.

Dry, brittle and peeling Dry, brittle, thin or peeling nails? Could just be dry nails, but possibly also…-a lack of protein-Vitamin D deficiency-Deficiency in one or more B vitamins

No half moons?
Ever noticed the lighter-toned half-moons at the base of your fingernail? Or perhaps you haven’t noticed them because they’re absent all together. This is usually due to a Vitamin B12 deficiency and is also associated with anemia.

So, how do we get all the nutrients we need, and improve our health?

Even with striving to maintain a healthful, balanced diet, it’s clear that many of us may not be getting all the nutrients we need for our optimal health.

Things that contribute to acquiring nutrient deficiencies:

• Lack of nutrient bio-availability
• Poor dietary choices
• Restricted diets
• Food sensitivities & intolerance
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Poor nutrient absorption (through the small intestine)
• Some medications

As always, getting your full complement of nutrients is encouraged through whole food sources, but sometimes our diet just isn’t meeting all of our needs and this is where supplementation may be necessary.

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Originally published at https://www.compassrosenutrition.ca on June 1, 2020.