Primal Blog

Signs You Might Have a Nutrient Deficiency

If your body isn’t receiving adequate nutrition, it will tell you in a variety of ways. Here are some of the physical signs of a lack of nutrients. 

Nails and Hair that is Brittle

The most common cause of dry hair and fingernails remains a lack of biotin in the diet. Biotin, also called vitamin B7, comes from foods like organ meats, nuts, dairy products, avocado, nuts, and cauliflower. Other signs of a biotin deficiency include chronic fatigue, muscle cramps and tingling in your extremities. 

Sores in the Corners of Your Mouth

Canker sores, or lesions in the corners of your mouth, can be caused by a deficiency in vitamin B. One study indicated that people with mouth ulcers were low in iron levels, especially vitamins B1, B2, and B6. Foods rich in these iron-containing B vitamins include poultry, fish, meat, nuts, whole grains, and dark leafy vegetables. 

Gums that Bleed

In most cases, bleeding gums remains caused by brushing your teeth too hard. But in some cases, you may be lacking in vitamin C in your diet if your gums bleed often. If you are deficient in this nutrient, you may also have scaly skin and get frequent nosebleeds. Vitamin C plays a crucial part of building the immune system, healing wounds, and preventing cell damage. Up to 17 percent of people in the US are deficient in vitamin C. Foods rich in this crucial nutrient include fruit and vegetables, which should be eaten every day. 

White Growths on the Eyes and Night Vision Problems

If you have problems seeing at night, you may be able to correct this problem by eating more foods containing vitamin A. Plus, a vitamin A deficiency may also cause elevated white bumps on the white part of your eyes. The only way to eliminate these white spots, called Bitot’s spots, is to increase the amount of this nutrient in your daily diet by eating organ meats, eggs, orange-colored vegetables, and dairy products. 

Dandruff and Scaly Scalp Skin

Dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis can also be caused by a lack of nutrients such as zinc, vitamin B3, B2, and B6. These nutritional elements can be added by eating seafood, legumes, nuts, meat and whole grains to your grocery shopping list. 

Cure your Hair Loss by Improving Your Diet 

About half of men and women tend to start to lose their hair once they hit the age of 50. Adding some specific elements to your diet may decrease the amount of hair loss you experience. A few foods you should add to your diet include: 

• Iron. 
• Zinc. 
• Linoleic Acid. 
• Niacin(B3). 
• Biotin. 

These nutrients for a beautiful scalp can be found in such foods as: 

• Meat. 
• Dark leafy greens. 
• Whole grains. 
• Nuts and seeds. 

If you want to increase your levels of these nutrients, be sure to change the way you eat rather than taking supplements to avoid overdosing on the supplements.