Health

Detecting Nutritional Deficiencies

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A healthy diet can provide all a growing body needs, but the reality of our busy lifestyles and sometimes finicky eating patterns can lead to vitamin deficiency. Knowing what to look for is part of the battle.
Symptoms are actually better indicators of nutritional deficiency than signs.
Hands

Cold hands: magnesium deficiency, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue with low cardiac output

Nails

White spots: mineral deficiency but often low zinc
Ridges: zinc deficiency
Soft or brittle nails: magnesium deficiency
Bitten nails: general mineral deficiency

Skin

Stretch marks: zinc deficiency
Follicular hyperkeratosis: vitamin A deficiency
Spontaneous bleeds: vitamins C or K or platelet deficiency
Dry scaly skin with hair follicles plugged with coiled distorted hairs and a red halo: vitamin C deficiency
Yellow palms: excessive beta carotene intake
Pimply rough skin at the back of the upper arms “chicken skin”: essential fatty acid deficiency

Mouth

Pale fissured tongue: iron deficiency
Sore painful fissured tongue: vitamin B3 deficiency
Sore burning tongue and lips and peeling of lips: vitamin B2 deficiency
Swollen tongue with lateral teeth indentations: food intolerance
Painful sore tongue with a smooth appearance: folic acid deficiency
Cracked lips: vitamin B2 deficiency, thrush

Sking of face

Greasy red scaly skin of face and sides of nose: vitamin B2 deficiency
Seborrheic dermatitis around nose and an acne like forehead rash: vitamin B6 deficiency

Eyes

Cataracts: chromium deficiency or excess free radicals
Bags or dark rings under eyes: allergies or food intolerances
Blue eyes and blond hair are often found in hyperactive male children: zinc magnesium, B6 and essential fatty acids deficiencies
Blue eyes and premature grey hair – vitamin B12 deficiency: a feature of pernicious anemia

Troat

Thyroid swelling: iodine deficiency, hypothyroidism

Heart

Any problem with the heart, including irregular beat, high blood pressure, cardiomegaly: magnesium and Co Q 10 deficiencies and sensitivity to caffeine.

Legs

Tender calf muscles: magnesium deficiency
Brisk knee reflexes: magnesium deficiency
The following problems can suggest particular deficiencies or allergies:
Nasal polyps: salicylate sensitivity