Skin healthYour body is fascinating and talks to you in many different ways.  If you pay attention, or listen closely enough you are sure to find signs your body is giving, telling you when you are lacking in something.  For example like when you are falling short on certain vitamin.

Not hitting your nutritional needs is easy to do with today’s abundant diets of nutritionally void processed foods. Stressful work and life conditions can further deplete nutrients whilst poor digestive health can lead to malabsorption of nutrients from the foods we eat.

Whilst you may not end up with a chronic illness as a result, long term nutrient deficiencies can result in the body not functioning at it’s optimal levels because vitamins are required for all the biochemical processes in the body.

Here are a common signs and their corresponding deficiencies to look out for:

Skin:

Your skin is a true reflection of your health, and can be one of the first signs that something is missing from your diet:

  • Dark circles under the eyes – iron deficiency aneamia or a possible food sensitivity
  • Dry skin – Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), vitamin E and water!
  • Spots – Zinc,  (and too much dairy and sugar see my previous post https://www.nsnutrition.co.uk/2012/03/eat-your-way-to-better-skin/ for more info)
  • Goose bump like spots on the arms – Vitamin A
  • Stretch marks – Zinc

Hair:

  • Hair loss – B6, biotin, thyroid, iron
  • Dandruff – Selenium and EFAs
  • Dry hair – EFA, vitamin A
  • Premature greying – B12, Biotin, folic acid, weak adrenals

Nails:

  • White spots on the nails – Zinc, selenium
  • Brittle nails – Low stomach acid (can also cause bloating) , iron, zinc
  • Pale nails – Iron
  • Bitten nails – General mineral deficiency

Body:

  • Yellowish-brown-coated tongue – Liver or gall bladder problems
  • Yellow “whites” of the eye – Jaundice from liver disease; excessive beta carotene intake
  • Difficulty sleeping – Magnesium
  • Muscle cramps – Magnesium, potassium, sodium
  • Recurring colds/infections – Vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc
  • Sugar cravings – Chromium
  • Dry eyes– Vitamin A
  • Cracks at the corner of the mouth – B2
  • Bleeding gums – Vitamin C
  • Sugar cravings – Chromium
  • Cold hands and feet – Iron, thyroid, magnesium
  • Poor sense of taste and smell – Zinc
  • Low energy – Magnesium, B Vitamins

Best food sources:

VITAMIN/MINERAL

BEST FOOD SOURCE

VITAMIN A Liver, eggs, cheese, yoghurt, carrots, sweet potato, peppers
VITAMIN C Citrus fruits, peppers, berries, kiwi, sweet potato, dark green leafy vegetables
VITAMIN D Oily fish (salmon, mackerel), shitake mushrooms, egg yolk
VITAMIN E Olive oil, sunflower seeds, almonds
VITAMIN B2 (Riboflavin) Yoghurt, eggs, trout, tuna, broccoli, avocado, quinoa
VITAMIN B6 Poultry, red meat, whole grains, brown rice
BIOTIN (B7) Liver, fish, egg yolk, almonds, hazelnuts, sweet potato, tomatoes, avocados
VITAMIN B12 Red meat, poultry, oily fish, eggs, yoghurt
CHROMIUM Raw onion, tomato, poultry, shellfish, broccoli, whole grains, pulses
IRON Liver, beef, lamb, pulses, spinach
MAGNESIUM Brown rice, quinoa, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, nuts, green leafy vegetables
POTASSIUM Banana, avocado, sweet potato, peppers
SELENIUM Fish, shellfish, brazil nuts, walnuts,
ZINC Meat, poultry, eggs, seafood (esp. oysters), pulses, nuts seeds
ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS Oily fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados

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