Fixing Vitamin Deficiency

 In General, Nutrition, StoneAgeFuel

Do you eat red meat? What about seafood? Do you consume enough leafy green vegetables?

If you answered NO to any of the above, you could have a vitamin or mineral deficiency.

While sometimes there are symptoms involved to let you know theres a problem, such as feeling tired and sluggish, other times it takes years for the repercussions of vitamin and mineral deficiencies to catch up with you.

Its time to learn about four of the most common deficiencies, the symptoms, and repercussions that can arise, as well as what you can do to reverse the deficiency.

IRON

Iron is important because its the main component of red blood cells; it binds with hemoglobin to transport oxygen to your cells.

Iron deficiency is probably the most common deficiency in North America. In fact, 25 percent of the population worldwide is iron deficient!

Its more common in women than men, and its especially prevalent in vegetarians and vegans since iron is found in high doses red meat and shellfish.

If you feel tired, weak, or your immune system doesnt seem to be fighting off illnesses as fast as you think it should, you might be iron deficient.

Foods high in iron include:

Red meat (3 ounces of ground beef provides almost 30% of your recommended daily intake (RDI) of iron

Organ meat: One slice of liver provides 50% of your RDI

Shellfish, including clams, mussels, and oysters, as well as canned sardines.

Beans: Half a cup of kidney beans gives you 33% of your RDI

Foods with iron, but to a lesser quantity include:

Seeds, such as pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds

Broccoli, kale, and spinach

VITAMIN D

Vitamin D works like a steroid hormone in the body and travels through the blood into the cells, telling the receptors to turn genes on and off.

Basically, the best place to get Vitamin D is from the sun: It gets produced out of cholesterol in your skin when it gets exposed to the sun.

So if you live in a place where theres little to no sunlight much of the year, theres a good chance you could be deficient in Vitamin D. In the US alone, 42% of people have experienced Vitamin D deficiency at one point or other. The older you get, the more your chances increase.

In the US alone, 42% of people have experienced Vitamin D deficiency at one point or other. The older you get, the more your chances increase.

Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency include muscle weakness, bone loss and an increased risk of fractures. It can also lead to decreased immune function and an increased risk of cancer.

Though you really do need the sun to get enough vitamin D, some foods that contain it include:

Cod liver oil: One Tbsp. has 227% of your RDI!!

Fatty fish, like salmon, mackerel, and trout

Egg yolks

If you know your body doesnt see much sunlight, its highly recommended that you take Vitamin D supplements, since its really tough to get enough of it from your diet.

VITAMIN B12

Also known as cobalamin, Vitamin B12 is crucial for blood formation, and for nerve and brain function.

Again, vegetarians and vegans are susceptible to becoming deficient.

One of the other challenges with Vitamin B12 is its harder for the body to absorb than other vitamins, hence why many people get vitamin B12 injections if theyre deficient.

Read about MyersCocktail (Vitamin B injections) HERE

Common problems of this deficiency include impaired brain function and elevated homocysteine levels, meaning you become more susceptible to several diseases.

Foods that contain Vitamin B12:

Shellfish: 3 ounces of cooked clams gives you 1400% of your RDI!

Organ meat

Eggs

Milk products

Red meat

CALCIUM

Calcium mineralizes bone and teeth. Its especially important when youre a kid and growing. Its also important for proper heart and muscle function.

The most common problems that arise when youre deficient include soft bones in children and osteoporosis in older adults.

Foods that are high in calcium include:

Fish with bones

Dairy products: You mom was right when she said, Drink your milk!

Dark green vegetables, like kale, spinach, bok chou, and broccoli.

Like Vitamin D, calcium is a good one to supplement in pill form, especially if you dont eat much of the above foods.

Bottom line, if you dont eat a balanced diet, or there are things you dont eat, such as red meat or seafood, or you know dont eat enough leafy green vegetables, and you’re unwilling to make the diet changes, it might be wise to supplement to ensure you dont become deficient!

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