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
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!
