It’s easy to overlook the importance of good nutrition when trying to keep up with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. And with so many premade options that make mealtime quick and convenient, you can grab a bite on the go without giving it much thought.
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However, your body needs the right nutrients to function and remain healthy, so it’s essential to make your nutrition a priority.
Our team at Scottsdale Private Physicians, LLC, understands the crucial relationship between diet and health. That’s why we examine the foods and drinks you consume regularly and offer nutrition counseling to ensure you gain the knowledge you need to follow a balanced diet for optimal wellness.
While everyone can benefit from nutritional counseling, it’s especially helpful for people with these five risk factors for vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Perhaps the most obvious risk for developing nutritional deficiencies involves a poor diet. That’s because the nutrients you need come from the foods and beverages you consume, from fruits and vegetables to whole grains, meats, and seafood.
Some foods naturally contain a specific vitamin. Others are fortified with added vitamins to increase their nutritional value. So, eating a variety of nutritious foods typically gives you all of the nutrients you need.
However, if you consume a diet high in salt, fat, or sugar, you’re more likely to lack the vitamins and minerals you need to thrive — and you’re more likely to develop chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
Just as a poor diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies, a restrictive diet can also cause problems. Examples of restrictive diets include:
While following a restrictive diet and getting the nutrients you need is possible, it takes careful planning to succeed. Our experts can offer personalized recommendations to help ensure that you get the vitamins or minerals you may be lacking if you’re avoiding certain foods.
Did you know that approximately 42% of Americans have a vitamin D deficiency? This can increase your chances of bone loss, muscle weakness, fractures, and even cancer.
Unlike other nutrients, sunlight plays a role in vitamin D production. If you have less exposure to sun on your skin, like living farther away from the equator or working the night shift, your chances of deficiency increase.
While you’d think this may be less of a concern for Arizona residents, studies also have shown that 82% of people with darker skin have a vitamin D deficiency because their skin produces lower levels of nutrient when exposed to the sun.
The natural aging process leads to numerous changes in the body, including appetite. As a result, it becomes increasingly difficult to ingest the ideal amount of food to meet your nutritional needs.
Other age-related factors that can impact nutrition include:
Unfortunately, the nutritional deficiencies that increase with age also put a person at higher risk of certain chronic diseases and health problems.
Even when you follow the best diet, certain medical conditions can increase your chances of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. It’s especially common if the disorder interferes with how your body absorbs and metabolizes nutrients.
Medical causes of nutritional deficiencies include:
Vitamin deficiency can also be a serious problem during pregnancy.
Trying to determine if you’re meeting your nutritional needs can feel overwhelming, but we can help. During your nutrition counseling appointment, we discuss your overall health, diet, and wellness goals, and we order a series of lab tests to take a closer look for deficiencies.
We can outline a personalized nutrition plan based on your needs using all of this information. This might include meal and snack ideas as well as nutritional supplements. We continue tracking your progress over the weeks and months to come and make adjustments as needed.
Are you at risk of a vitamin or mineral deficiency? Ready to learn how nutritional counseling could benefit you? Contact Scottsdale Private Physicians, LLC, in Scottsdale, Arizona, to learn more today.
