Vitamins and minerals are important because they help the body carry out some of its vital functions. When things go wrong or when you lack certain vitamins or minerals, your body sends you a signal such as restless nights, poor fingernail growth, leg cramps etc. These may turn up as seemingly random symptoms, but it is your body’s unique way of warning you of potential bigger problems.
While the lack of vitamins does not cause illnesses, it can pave the way for them to appear. Watch out for these red flags to avoid serious health complications.
Frequent minor illnesses
In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, it can be easy to ignore general aches, pains, colds or flus. Keep in mind, though, that your immune system weakens when you lack some essential vitamins and nutrients; thus, making it difficult to fight off diseases.
Tingling and numbness of the hands and feet
This is often due to a lack of B vitamins, particularly vitamin B6, B9 and B12. Consider adding clams, mussels, oysters, eggs, beans, spinach and asparagus to address this problem.
Fatigue and exhaustion
If you’re feeling exhausted most of the time, it may not just be caused by a few sleepless nights. Rather, it may be due to a lack of Vitamin B12. There’s a good chance that you may be experiencing fatigue if you are a vegetarian. This is because vitamin B12 can only be found in animal foods.
Leg cramps
If you experience leg cramps from time to time, then you may be vitamin-deficient. Common nutrients that may be lacking include vitamin B 12, vitamin D, calcium, potassium and magnesium.
Changes in nails, skin and hair
This is often the first sign of vitamin deficiency. If your skin becomes dry, or if your hair becomes dry, brittle and suddenly starts shedding heavily, this could be a sign of vitamin deficiency. Similarly, nails that were once hard and then suddenly started cracking or splitting could be a sign of inadequate nutrients. In this case, you might want to incorporate foods that are rich in Biotin, Vitamin B12 and Omega 3 fatty acids into your daily diet. Be sure that you seek care with a professional who has training in recognizing and screening for vitamin insufficiencies. The help and advice you receive can greatly enhance your health and well-being.