5 Symptoms of Nutritional Deficiencies and How to Fix Them Easily
Do you ever feel tired but you sleep enough, have low energy but eat enough, or other random issues? We might be experiencing symptoms of nutritional deficiencies and not even know it! Lucky for us, the fix is usually quick.
Some symptoms can be due to other things in life. Being low energy can be due to not sleeping the day before or being bloated can be due to that time of the month. However, if you can rule out other issues, chances are the symptoms are due to nutritional deficiencies. Keep reading to discover common symptoms of nutritional deficiencies and how to fix them today!
5 Symptoms of Nutritional Deficiencies
Here are common symptoms of nutritional deficiencies and how to fix them today! Found out what to eat to feel like a million bucks.
1. Low Energy or Weak
Our bodies should have a good amount of stored energy ready to be used, especially if we are eating nutritional meals. What happens when we don’t feel at our best, or even feel weak? It could be a lack of iron, vitamin B12 deficiency, or lack of potassium.
To Fix:
We need iron to boost the oxygenation of the blood in the body. Eat beans, especially white beans, for a high boost in iron. Potassium is found in high quantities in sweet potatoes and bananas. Vitamin B12 is a common deficiency in people who are vegan. It is found in animal products like fish, eggs, and dairy products. A good vegan supplement for B12 is nutritional yeast, a natural supplement that can be used in smoothies, salads, or drinks.
2. Bloated
There can be natural causes of feeling bloated, like eating a large meal, drinking carbonated beverages, or eating too fast and swallowing air (a common issue, happened to me all the time). Some causes may even be hormonal or gut issues with your microbiota. One issue, though, is a deficiency in your dietary fiber.
To Fix:
Increasing your fiber intake can help relieve feelings of bloatedness. Fiber can be found in many fruits and vegetables that are commonly eaten, but chia seeds and flax seeds are also high in fiber and nutrients, and easier to digest. You can use flax or chia seeds in oatmeal, salads, smoothies, and more!
3. Stressed and Muscles Ache
Stress is highly common. In fact, chronic stress can lead to inflammation that causes aches in the body, which just makes you more stressed in a vicious cycle. Here are some tips to reduce and cope with stress, but in the meantime, achy muscles and stress can be a dietary issue too. A common deficiency that causes muscle aches and stress is magnesium. There may also be an electrolyte imbalance which can leave you feeling out of sorts.
To Fix:
There are some forms of magnesium you can supplement. This includes magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate. Take them in pill or powder form to increase magnesium in the body. It is easy to add to a drink and chug it down. Natural forms of magnesium can also be found in pumpkin seeds and dark leafy green vegetables. Foods that can help fix an electrolyte imbalance include olives, leafy greens, fruits like bananas and citrus, legumes, and nuts.
4. Trouble Sleeping
Many of us have trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, and trouble getting up. Practicing good sleep hygiene, like not using electronics 2 hours before bed or regulating your light intake, can be a way to fix some sleep issues, but not all of them. Some trouble sleeping can be due to a nutritional deficiency that affects the production of tryptophan, a hormone for rest, and melatonin, a light-regulated hormone for sleep.
To Fix:
Tryptophan is an amino acid used to make melatonin and serotonin. It is necessary for repair and rest in the body. Tryptophan can be found in animal products like meat, pork, poultry, and dairy. It is also in nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes. Melatonin is the light-dependent hormone responsible for sleep. It is created in the absence of light, so taking in some sunlight in the morning can regulate the body and help melatonin production at night. Sources of melatonin in the diet include grapes, tomatoes, nuts, eggs, lean meat, and fish.
5. Feeling Low
It is common to feel a bit low from time to time. We can have a lot of things going on, all of which may add stress and anxiety to our day. There may be feelings to sort through, past regrets to overcome, issues at work, or a variety of challenges we need to overcome. Feeling low when everything is going pretty ok though? It might be a nutritional deficiency making you blue. Common deficiencies that can cause feeling low include vitamin D and omega 3.
To Fix:
Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin. In the body, it acts as a hormone and a vitamin and is involved in almost every reaction in the body from repair to metabolism to breathing, etc. Take in a couple of minutes of sunshine daily to get your dose of vitamin D. It is created in the skin and then transported all over the body to help with various activities. You can also consume vitamin D in fatty fish and eggs. One common issue that leads to low feelings and body inflammation is omega 3. More specifically, it is an imbalance between omega 3 and omega 6. The common diet, high in canola oil and soybean oils, is high in omega 6. Too much omega 6 can cause inflammation and total imbalance. Eat omega 3 to balance it out. It can be found in chia seeds and fish.
The Takeaway
Symptoms of nutritional deficiencies can sneak up on you. It could be a lethargy you cannot shake, a low mood, issues sleeping, etc. Sometimes the issue is not due to a deficiency, but if everything else is going well, chances are, it can be nutritional. Use this guide to troubleshoot issues and fix symptoms!
Remember that health comes from within. Eat nutrient-dense food, move your body daily, and care for your mental health. Daily habits are the building blocks for emotional, mental, and physical health. Take care of your gut health too! Learn everything you need to know about gut microbiota today for free here.
