Nutrition Videos

From our diet we must receive dozens of necessary nutrients that the body is not capable of producing. Unfortunately, most people's diets are usually deficient in some nutrients. I see these nutrient deficiencies all the time in my practice and I always make sure to cover these needs. Today, I want to introduce the 6 most common nutrient deficiencies. •Iron. Studies currently estimate that at least 30% of women are iron deficient during the 3-4 decades or so they have their period, and a large percentage of men are also iron deficient. In pregnancy, 42% of women have been observed to be iron deficient, which is why iron supplementation is recommended in pregnancy regardless of blood counts. Low iron levels during pregnancy also result in children being born with low iron stores. It has been estimated that almost half of children preschoolers have low iron stores. It's good to remember that people who don't eat meat have an increased chance of being iron deficient. The most well-known consequence of iron deficiency is anemia, which means that the number of red blood cells in the blood is reduced. In addition to this, further research has shown that low iron stores in the body have consequences for the whole body long before anemia occurs, such as disturbances in the body's defenses, disturbances in metabolism and others. Fortunately, there are many foods that are rich in iron, mainly animal foods, but many plant foods such as beans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and dark green leafy vegetables also contain a lot of iron. •Iodine. It has been estimated that at least 1/3 of the world's population suffers from iodine deficiency. Fortunately, this number is much lower in countries that use salt that contains iodine, also known as iodized salt. Iodine is used to make thyroid hormones. When iodine is less in our diet, this has the consequence of disrupting the functioning of the thyroid gland. The people who have replace table salt with some other salt that does not contain iodine, it is good for them to know that after a few months they may develop an iodine deficiency. Foods that are rich in iodine are fish and seafood, dairy and eggs. It is very important to emphasize that you should never take iodine supplements without a doctor's supervision. •Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency has reached epidemic proportions, which is why you need to get your vitamin D blood checked regularly and work with your doctor to make sure your levels are at what is ideal for you. Even in the very affluent countries in Europe and America, it is estimated that 42% of the inhabitants are deficient in vitamin D, while in older people the percentage can reach 74%. All the cells of our body have receptors for vitamin D and its sufficiency is important for its function. Vitamin D has become known primarily for its effect on bone formation. Long-term low levels of vitamin D increase possibility of developing osteoporosis in old age. This is not insignificant because we know that 40% of people over 65 who sustain an osteoporotic hip fracture will die in the next 12 months as a result of the fracture and its treatment. Foods that contain an increased amount of vitamin D are fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, anchovy and trout. In any case, however, everyone should regularly measure their vitamin D blood levels and, with the help of their doctor, ensure that they are within the target set as ideal for everyone. •Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is another vitamin that we often see lacking and it is very good that it is systematically measured in the blood. Unfortunately, the test is not the best possible and therefore it must be combined with the measurement of homocysteine, and the results taken into account together with folate. It is estimated that about 20-30% of older people are deficient in vitamin B12, while in people who avoid meat and do not take a reliable source of vitamin B12 supplementation the deficiency rates can exceed 80 and 90%. Vitamin B12 is important for blood production as well as for good brain function, of the heart and nerves. Vitamin B12 is mainly produced by microbes and stored in the tissues of farmed animals, from which most people get the vitamin B12 they need. If for any reason you have limited the consumption of animal foods, you must definitely measure Vitamin B12, and homocysteine, and ensure its adequacy. •Calcium. Calcium is a nutrient that has already been heard a lot, mainly because it is linked to bone health. It has been estimated that about 10 to 20% of people do not meet their calcium needs, especially in older ages. Dairy is a good choice to meet our needs, while fish with bones can be a solution for people who are intolerant to dairy. Too much calcium can also be found in dark green leafy vegetables, although it is difficult to consume a large amount of them. Unfortunately, and calcium supplements have recently been blamed for various problems in our health, especially in relation to the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, with the result that they are often not recommended even for some people with osteoporosis. As with all nutrient deficiencies, it is always best to get the nutrients we need from our diet rather than supplements. •Magnesium. Magnesium is a nutrient that is extremely important for body function and is often missing from many people's diets. It is estimated that in the countries of Europe and North America up to 70% of people do not receive sufficient amounts of magnesium, while in people over 70 this percentage rises even more and reaches 80%. Magnesium deficiency is associated with many diseases and many health problems that appear and affect health long-term. The best way to get enough magnesium is to have large amounts of dark green leafy vegetables in your diet. It is very difficult to assess whether the magnesium present in our body is sufficient and there are many ways to find this. Unfortunately, the blood test is not enough, so we have to be careful how we evaluate the results of hematological tests. If you are interested in learning how to find out if your magnesium in your blood is sufficient, then you should definitely watch the video currently displayed to my right. I remind you that if you press the like button and share the video with people who will find it interesting, you help me a lot. Thank you.