Vitamin deficiency? What to look out for!

A wonderful quote by Hippocrates once said “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. As fabulous as this sounds, to most of us the sad reality is that food presented to us from most major corporations today is often either contaminated with harmful pesticides or tampered with in some way or another. This means that many vital minerals and vitamins are often lost -  leaving them very much depleted of their natural nourishment and goodness. If you can, always try go with organic produce from a trusted source!

Not  feeding your body and mind with what it naturally requires leaves an open door for all kinds of illnesses and diseases. That is why it is important to identify what your body could be lacking in the vitamin and mineral department in order to naturally improve your wellbeing and quality of life.

How do vitamin deficiencies present themselves in the physical body?

To make it easier for you, we have identified some of the most important signs to watch out for in the case of a nutritional deficiency. However, when in doubt, always consult a health professional for advice.

Vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is essential for a healthy immune system and also for bone health and growth. Spending at least 10 minutes in the sun a day is adequate to get your daily dose of this essential vitamin! However, many of us are unable to leave office bound jobs during the day and this kind of sun exposure can prove to be limited. Widespread use of sunscreens has also meant that many people are deficient in Vitamin D.

If you are experiencing signs of:

Depression, aching bones, osteoporosis and muscle weakness it could be that you are not getting enough vitamin D.

Try supplementing your diet with Solgar Vitamin D3 and include lots of fatty fish like tuna and salmon in your diet. If you are vegan or vegetarian make sure you eat plenty of mushrooms. Egg yolk is also a great source of essential Vitamin D.

Vitamin E deficiency

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects the body cells from damage. Signs of a Vitamin E deficiency could include:

Eye issues (cataracts), skin issues (acne, stretch marks), brain function abnormalities and fertility issues.

Crede Almond Oil is rich in vitamin E and can really benefit your skin health. Try eating foods like avos, almonds, nuts & seeds, shellfish, plant based vegetable oils like sesame and peanut oil, broccoli.

Vitamin K deficiency

Vitamin K prevents blood coagulation and clotting issues. Signs that you may be lacking Vitamin K include:

Bruises, heavy menstrual bleeding, and osteoporosis.

Foods that may help add Vitamin K to your diet are asparagus, fennel, cauliflower, dried herbs like parsley and basil, leeks and green leafy veggies.

Vitamin A deficiency

Vitamin A is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system and radiant skin health.

Signs that you are lacking this essential vitamin could have you experiencing:

Dry skin and hair, ridges on your finger nails, night blindness, red/white acne type bumps and recurring conjunctivitis.

Make sure you eat foods that are rich in beta-carotene like carrots, sweet potato, peas, broccoli, pumpkin, kale, lettuce and spinach.

Vitamin C deficiency  

Unlike most animals, humans are unable to synthesise Vitamin C on their own - therefore it is vital to get Vitamin C through our daily diets.

If you are experiencing:

Poor immunity, coarse and splitting hair, bleeding gums/gingivitis and fatigue, you could have a Vitamin C deficiency.

Foods that are rich in Vitamin C include tomatoes, cabbage, guava, oranges, grapefruit and berries. Lucuma Powder is a Superfood that can be mixed into smoothies and has a very high Vitamin C content.

Vitamin B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 plays an essential role in the normal function of the brain and central nervous system.

If you are experiencing some of the below it could mean that you have a Vitamin B12 deficiency:

Memory loss, anaemia, stress, tingling in hands and feet, swollen and inflamed tongue and fatigue.

Add foods like meat, chicken, oily fish, tofu and dairy to your diet. We also recommend supplementing your diet with Solgar Vitamin B Complex and Solgar Vitamin B12 nuggets. Most vegans and vegetarians battle with getting enough of Vitamin B into their daily diets.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids deficiency

The essential omegas are vital for brain function, growth and development.

Signs that you are not getting enough of these essential omegas into your diet can include:

Dry and itchy skin, eczema, cracking and peeling of the finger tips, small red bumps on the back and upper arm, as well as joint and muscle pain.

Try adding a supplement like Solgar Omega 3-6-9 to your diet. Also try adding foods like Omega rich flax seed oil, chia seeds, oily fish and eggs to your diet.

Calcium deficiency

Calcium is essential to keep your skeletal structure healthy and strong. It also helps to keep your pearly whites strong.

A Calcium deficiency can present itself in the form of psoriasis, muscle cramps, ridges on the nails, course hair and fatigue.

Foods like almonds, broccoli, nuts, seeds, cheese and yoghurt are rich in calcium. We also recommend adding Solgar Calcium, Magnesium plus Boron to your daily diet.

Iron deficiency

Iron is a key ingredient needed for the production of healthy red blood cells in your body. These red blood cells are responsible for making sure that you have a healthy amount of oxygen flowing through your body at all times.

If you are experiencing dizziness, look pale, experiencing headaches and a shortness of breath you could have an Iron deficiency.

Be sure to add a supplement like Solgar Gentle Iron to your diet and try eating foods like red meat, raw cacao, tofu, seafood, nut and seeds.

Magnesium deficiency  

Magnesium helps you maintain a healthy immune system,  keeps your bones healthy and strong, supports cardiovascular health and is involved in almost every body process!

A Magnesium deficiency may have you experiencing hot flashes, restless leg syndrome, anxiety, high blood pressure, cramps and general fatigue.

Foods like bananas, raw cacao, avocado, lentils, whole grains and nuts can help add Magnesium to your diet. It is also highly recommended adding Solgar Calcium, Magnesium plus Boron to your diet. A Magnesium Oil spray can also help reduce inflammation, joint & muscle pain and increase mobility as magnesium is also absorbed transdermally (through the skin).

Zinc deficiency

Zinc deficiencies can lead to serious health issues like mental issues, delayed wound healing and dermatitis.

If you experience dandruff, stretch marks, white spots on your nails, acne/eczema, mouth ulcers and have an all-round low immunity you could have a Zinc deficiency.

We recommend adding Solgar Chelated Zinc to your diet and also eating foods like meat, legumes, mushrooms, eggs, spinach, kale and seafood.

It is very important to always take a regular multi-vitamin supplement daily like Solgar V-2000 for adults and teens and Solgar Kangavites for children. Superfoods are foods that are exceptionally high in vitamins, minerals and overall nutritional value. Adding superfoods to your diet helps to re-mineralise the body, minimizing the desire for snacking on sugar rich foods, helping the body get back on track with a healthy lifestyle.

Always make sure that your supplement range contains no fillers, colourings and flavourings. Our Feelgood Health supplement range has been carefully selected in order to ensure that your health is not compromised in any way, free from harmful side effect ingredients often found in conventional vitamin and supplement ranges.

If you feel that any of the above vitamin deficiency signs resonate with you, then why not start adding these much needed vitamin and mineral essentials to your daily diet? If you have any queries or questions please do not hesitate to contact us.