The Most Common Nutrient Deficiencies
Many working Americans spend long hours at their desks but don’t pay attention to their nutrition. Forgive yourself for breaking your diet or indulging in your favorite “unhealthy” foods from time to time. However, you should make sure that you are keeping up proper nutrition. This will help your work performance and overall quality of life. Here are a few nutrients that many of us have deficiencies in (taken from MindBodyGreen.com):
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is vital for healthy bones. But in addition, research suggests that it also plays a central role in your immune function, insulin resistance, and blood pressure.
This is unfortunately a very common deficiency, especially if you live in a colder climate or you don’t spend much time in the sun. There are some foods that contain vitamin D, but if you’re deficient, you’ll probably want to consider supplementing with vitamin D. Look for vitamin D3; research suggests that is the most effective form.
Iron
According to the World Health Organization, iron deficiencies are the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world. Iron is essential for your body to make hemoglobin (Hgb), which is what makes your red blood cells red. Iron supplements can be tricky, since they can cause digestive upset or nausea, but if you look for a form called iron bisglycinate, you’ll know you’re getting a well-tolerated and well-absorbed form of iron.
Omega-3s
Scientists and health experts are getting behind the health benefits of the wonderful fats in avocado, coconut oil, nuts, and seeds every single day. But of all the beneficial fats we should be consuming, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (found in fish oils) might be the most important. Eicosatetraenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the two primary omega-3s that support healthy heart and brain function, a healthy inflammatory response, and healthy blood sugar and triglycerides—just to name a few.
Vitamin K
We hear a lot about vitamins C, D, and even E, but what do you know about vitamin K? If you’re like most of the world, probably not a lot. This underrated nutrient is important for everything from artery elasticity and bone mineral density to metabolism. Taking a high-quality vitamin K supplement can support all of these aspects of your health and more.
Vitamin B
There are a lot of B vitamins, so it can be confusing to know which ones are the most important and what combo you might need to take. Each one is different, but they all work together in the body to support energy production and neurological function. Taking a blend can take out all the guesswork.
Magnesium
Magnesium has gotten a lot of attention lately—and for good reason! This mineral is used in hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body and plays a role in the health of your heart and blood vessels, brain, bones, skeletal muscles, lungs, and pancreas, just to name a few. Many people take this "relaxation mineral" to help the body handle stress and promote GI regularity. The form magnesium bisglycinate has glycine that helps with the solubility and absorption of Mg in the GI tract. Plus, the better absorbed it is, the less likely it will cause a laxative effect.
16
May
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