Monday, August 26, 2013

Why Should Nutritional Deficiencies be Taken Seriously?

Nutritional deficiencies give rise to nutritional diseases. Nutritional diseases are illnesses that occur due to deficiency in some kind of nutrient that your body needs. They may appear as eating disorders, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes etc. The human body is a finely tuned machine, but like any other machine it needs to be maintained with care. A well balanced intake of the different nutrients is essential for the smooth running of our body. Different kinds of foods contain various nutritious elements that our body requires. Our body will be healthy only when it receives an adequate amount of the important nutrients.

How to look out for nutritional deficiencies in your diet

RDA or Recommended Daily Allowances is a broad spectrum diet that helps you figure out how much nutrients your body requires. It also gives pointers on the kinds of food that you should eat to ensure that your body receives the supplements it needs. It is not wise to take too little or too much of these supplements. Fortunately, most of the nutrients that our body needs are found in the regular food we eat. People who have unhealthy food habits may suffer from a nutritional deficiency.

Some people have a nutritional deficiency in spite of eating well balanced meals. This could be due to hereditary factors, pregnancy or due to ill health. Someone who has just got over a bout of sickness may find that they have to take supplementary vitamins etc to recoup. They will show symptoms of the deficiency depending on what kind of supplement they lack. The usual symptoms are fatigue, sleeplessness, obesity, weight loss, depression etc. People who have a lesser iron content in their bodies may show anemic symptoms like dark circles under the eyes and paleness. Vitamin deficiencies manifest in various forms like cavities in the teeth, joint pain, low immunity etc. Here are a few signs that may help you find out if you need supplements and if so what kind of supplements you would need.

Vitamin A

Dryness in the nasal passage, vision impairment, dry skin, dulled senses, reduced immunity.

Vitamin D   

Children may develop rickets which could include any or all of the  following Muscle weakness.

 Delay in tooth development


Adults could manifest osteomalacia or osteoporosis which leads to brittle, soft bones that can break easily.

Vitamin E   

Body is unable to absorb fat

Vitamin K   

Clotting problems

Vitamin C   

Scurvy – this includes tooth loss, bleeding in the gums, breathlessness, low immunity, body ache, allergies, joint pains etc.

Thiamin(vitaminB1)

Low content of thiamin results in reduced appetite, gastric problems, lack of concentration and weight loss

Riboflavin(vitaminB2)

Inflammation in the nasal passage, dry lips, ulcers on the tongue and in mouth, anemia, reduced immunity

Niacin

Stomach problems, memory loss, dementia in worst cases

Vitamin B6 

Anemia, fits, allergies, gastric problems

Folate

 Anemia

VitaminB12

Cell damage

Biotin

Hair loss, depression, allergies, scaly skin

Stay healthy

Our body requires each of these nutrients in adequate amounts for healthy functioning. Children may require a different type and amount of supplements than adults. As we grow older, we may require additional supplements as our body slows down and the absorption of vitamins also decreases. This is one of the reasons that children and the elderly are advised supplements. Most adults get all these nutrients from a healthy meal plan. It is advisable to check your nutrition levels if you suffer from any of the above symptoms.

If you suffer from a nutritional deficiency, it is better that you take the right steps, right now to supplement your diet!

Reference: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/signs-of-vitamin-deficiencies-in-your-diet.html

No comments:

Post a Comment