Do you remember the daily vitamin you took when you were a kid? As a child, you were told how important it was to eat vitamins and minerals. But as we age, many of us stop taking vitamins without even thinking about it.
No matter your age, you need vitamins and other nutrients to stay healthy. But 92% of Americans aren’t getting enough of at least one mineral or vitamin.
Nutrients give us the energy we need to stay alive and help our bodies do many of their own natural things, like breathing and repairing cells. The health experts at Bergen County Botox in Bergen County, New Jersey, have been using personalized nutrition plans to improve the health of their clients.
Most of us don’t get enough nutrients, but we don’t know it. So, we’ve made a list of the top five things to look for if you think you might be missing a vitamin.
1. Extreme hair loss
Even though it’s normal to lose about 100 hairs a day, if you lose a lot of hair, it could be a sign that you’re not getting enough of a certain nutrient. By the time they are 50 years old, 50% of adults have lost hair in some way.
If you find clumps of hair on your pillow or in your drain, it could be a sign of a health problem. Getting enough of these nutrients can help stop hair loss and improve your health:
- Iron
- Zinc
- Niacin (Vitamin B3)
- Biotin (Vitamin B7)
- Linoleic acid (LA)
- Alpha-linoleic acid (ALA)
Foods that help stop hair loss include fish, meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
2. Dandruff or dry, scaly patches
Seborrheic dermatitis is a skin condition that causes patches of dry, scaly skin and dandruff, which are most often found on the scalp. This is a common skin condition that affects the parts of your body that make oil. This problem is common in young children, but 50% of adults will also have it at some point in their lives.
Many people think it’s just a condition, but it’s often caused by not getting enough nutrients. If your skin is dry or you have dandruff, try eating foods that are high in niacin, pyridoxine, and riboflavin.
3. Bleeding gums
Vitamin C is an important part of healing wounds and staying healthy. If you don’t get enough vitamin C, you might have gums that bleed. Your body doesn’t make vitamin C on its own, so eating it is the only way to get more.
It is thought that 5-17% of the population doesn’t get enough vitamin C and 13-30% have low levels of vitamin C. If you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, you can get enough vitamin C to give you more energy, stop your gums from bleeding and make your muscles and bones stronger.
4. Cracked nails
Do your nails break or chip often? Many people think this is caused by genes, but it’s usually a sign of a lack of biotin, which is also called vitamin B7.
You may have heard of biotin supplements, which help keep hair and nails healthy. Taking a supplement may help you get more biotin, but you can also get it from egg yolks, fish, dairy, seeds, and other foods.
5. Mouth ulcers
You can get ulcers, canker sores, or cracks in or around your mouth.
These sores are painful and annoying, and they are the cause of a number of vitamin deficiencies. A study found that people with mouth ulcers were twice as likely to have low iron levels as people without mouth ulcers. In another study, 28% of people with mouth ulcers were found to be lacking in three nutrients:
- Vitamin B1 (B1)
- Riboflavin (B2)
- Pyridoxine (B6)
If you have painful sores in your mouth, you don’t have to just live with them. Try adding foods like poultry, meat, fish, beans, and whole grains that are high in iron and B vitamins.
A custom nutrition plan can help you feel your best.
If you’re like most people, you’ve probably had one of these five signs of a nutrient deficiency. Even though it might seem easy to take supplements or buy healthy foods, it’s not easy to eat a balanced diet.
Let us help you come up with the best diet for your body and way of life. Our plans are made by health experts based on scientific data and results that have been shown to work. We look at your health history and come up with a plan that includes healthy eating, supplements, and counseling to help you lose weight.
No matter if you want to get your dream body, get more nutrients, or just feel better, our custom nutrition plans can help you live a healthier and happier life. Call us at (973) 314-2770 or book an appointment online to learn more about our custom nutrition plans.