Vitamin deficiency is an everlasting plight that plagues our society

Vitamin deficiency is an everlasting plight that plagues our society. It can come from unhealthy diets, a GI absorption issue or even environmental exposure. A few of the top vitamin deficiencies in the United States are anemia, vitamin D, and vitamin A.

Anemia

Cause: Anemia can be caused by an unhealthy diet or the lack of ability to absorb nutrition. With anemia your body does not produce the proper amount of red blood cells which robs you of oxygen needed to create energy.

How it is absorbed: It is normally absorbed in the small intestines. B-9 can be taken in the form of a supplement and vitamin C can help absorb the B vitamin into the bloodstream.

Can Lead To: Subcategories of anemia such as folate deficiency which is caused by the lack of B-9

How to be Proactive: Eat citrus and green vegetables such as orange, pineapple, grapefruit, asparagus and spinach.

Vitamin D

Cause: Vitamin D deficiency can be caused largely by the lack of exposure to sunlight.

How it is absorbed: It is absorbed through the skin in the form of sunshine and then processed by the body. Absorption occurs also in the small intestines where it is then sent to the liver to support functions.

Can Lead To: Severe asthma in children and multiple scleroses

How to be Proactive: Watch out for your body’s strength by absorbing natural sunlight. Make sure to have your doctor test your get calcium levels.

Vitamin A

Cause: Vitamin A deficiency can be caused by not eating food rich in the vitamin β-carotene.

How it is absorbed: The liver stores the vitamin and determines when to release it into the body.

Can Lead to: Blindness, impaired immunity

How to be Proactive: Eat green, leafy vegetables and bright fruit like mangos and oranges. Eating fish and egg yolks are also beneficial.

When we eat we normally don’t think about the digestive aspect of the task. All we think we need to know is that we are full. If our digestive tract is not working properly then that could be a large reason why a personal deficiency could be a problem. According to the National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse, “When you eat foods—such as bread, meat, and vegetables—they are not in a form that the body can use as nourishment…Digestion is the process by which food and drink are broken down into their smallest parts so the body can use them to build and nourish cells and to provide energy.”

Without our bodies extracting the vitamins from those parts we cannot run. It is important to listen to your body and know if something does not seem right. Usually deficiencies are fixed easily with a change of diet or oral supplements. The most important thing is that it is fixable.