Nowadays, with all the high tech advances in food, preparation, genetics and just technology altogether, there really shouldn’t be any deficiencies in America right?
Dr. Emil Tompkins, Tucson Chiropractor and natural health advocate uncovers 5 nutritional deficiencies and what to do about them.
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I think we’d all like to think that were the case, however this is unfortunately false. Nutritional deficiencies are incredibly common in America. Our soil is depleted and genetic engineering of food has changed that which our body WAS used to digesting. So every day we’re eating healthy and your body becomes more nutrient deficient
Or maybe you’re “normal” and you aren’t eating so healthy.
Most foods in the Standard American Diet are nutrient poor, which means there are plenty of calories but not a lot of nutrients at all. Maybe the food is full of simple carbohydrates and sugar. Unfortunately eating this way has no possibility of long term success.
Both methods are going leading to nutritional deficiencies and here are the 5 most common nutritional deficiencies in America right now.
Iron
Iron is an essential nutrient, it is a major component or red blood cells, where it will bind with hemoglobin and transports oxygen to the cells. 25% of people are deficient worldwide and 47% of preschool children are iron deficient. Vegans and vegetarians are deficient.
If you have iron deficiency it can lead most commonly to anemia, which causes tiredness, weakness, a weakened immune system and impaired brain function. Get more iron in your day by eating more liver, meat, eggs, nuts and dried fruit.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is called the sunlight vitamin because you actually do get it from the sun. Your skin absorbs vitamin D from sunlight. Unless you spend most of your time indoors and cover yourself with sunscreen. So, basically, everyone is deficient in vitamin D. This creates a series of problems. Vitamin D affects your immune system, so getting sick and tired often is a side effect. Back pain, bone pain, depression, impaired wound healing, muscle pain, blood sugar problems, hair loss, are all common effects of vitamin D, deficiency.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a key mineral in the body.
It is essential for bone and teeth structure, and is also involved in more than 300 enzyme reactions (42).
Almost half of the US population (48%) consumed less than the required amount of magnesium in 2005-2006 (43).
Low intake and blood levels of magnesium have been associated with several diseases, including type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and osteoporosis (43, 44).
• Whole grains:
• Nuts: 20 almonds provide 17% of the RDI.
• Leafy, green vegetables:
B vitamins
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin.
It is essential for blood formation, as well as for brain and nerve function.
Every cell in your body needs B12 to function normally, but the body is unable to produce it. Therefore, we must get it from food or supplements.
Vitamin B12 is only found in animal foods (with the exception of nori seaweed and tempeh — see here). Therefore, people who do not eat animal products are at an increased risk of deficiency.
Studies have shown that vegetarians and vegans are highly likely to be deficient in vitamin B12. Some numbers go as high as 80–90% (24, 25).
• Shellfish, especially clams and oysters:
• Organ meat:
• Meat: A small, 6-ounce beef steak (170 grams) provides 150% the RDI.
• Eggs: Each whole egg provides about 6% of the RDI.
Iodine:
Iodine is an essential mineral for normal thyroid function and the production of thyroid hormones (8).
Thyroid hormones are involved in many processes in the body, such as growth, brain development, and bone maintenance. They also regulate the metabolic rate.
Iodine deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the world. It affects nearly one-third of the world’s population (9, 10, 11).
The most common symptom of iodine deficiency is an enlarged thyroid gland, also known as goiter. It may also cause an increase in heart rate, shortness of breath and weight gain (8).
Severe iodine deficiency may also cause serious adverse effects, especially in children. These include mental retardation and developmental abnormalities (8, 10).
There are several good dietary sources of iodine:
• Seaweed: Only 1 g of kelp contains 460–1000% of the RDI.
• Fish: 3 ounces (85 g) of baked cod provide 66% of the RDI.
• Dairy: One cup of plain yogurt provides about 50% of the RDI.
• Eggs: One large egg provides 16% of the RDI.
Moving Forward
So, there you have it, these are 5 of the most common nutritional deficiencies. And you don’t have to do much special to improve them. Simply start eating nutrient dense foods. It will change your life. Sometimes, nutrient dense foods aren’t enough to give you everything that you need. Problems with the environment, soil depletion cause us to suffer from poor nutrients even in good foods.
Consider high-quality supplementation to help you in this area. Talk today with our health coach and learn how we can incorporate a high-quality diet and nutrition protocol to help you to achieve your health and wellness goals today.
Get more energy, reduce your pain, experience clear thinking and everything else that comes with getting good nutrients every day.
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Dr. Emil Tompkins is a chiropractor in Marana, AZ who takes care of families, children, babies, pregnant moms, kids with ADHD, seniors with neuropathy, back pain, neck pain and more. Really, our focus is on creating wellness for our patients, our community, and our world. Thank you for helping us to make a difference in the lives of people around us.
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