Every one of us requires dozens of vitamins and minerals in the correct quantity to achieve optimal health. But how can you tell whether you’re getting enough? What should you do if you suspect you’re not receiving the recommended amounts?
The Challenge of Vitamin and Mineral Intake
Vitamin and mineral intake can be a challenging nutritional issue, for the following reasons:
- The sheer number of vitamins and minerals. More than 31 essential vitamins and minerals ought to be supplied to our system on a regular basis. But hardly anyone has the time to track his or her precise intake of all these micronutrients, across all the foods we eat, though.
- Individual differences. There are standard intake recommendations for healthy adults of practically every nutrient we know about. But these numbers aren’t fully reliable. Individual differences related to genetics and environment can dictate different nutritional requirements for various individuals.
- Feedback. When it’s deprived of specific nutrients, the body tends to exhibit certain symptoms. For example, a lack of enough vitamin C is linked to scurvy. However, short of a massive nutritional deficiency, we tend not to possess a natural feedback loop that informs us whether and when we are missing something essential.
How to Get Ample Vitamins and Minerals
The best way to make sure you’re getting enough minerals and vitamins is through a two-pronged approach.
- Eat a balanced diet. The best thing you can do is to eat a balanced diet. That means consuming a wide variety of different foods, with a special emphasis on the ones that contain high quantities of vitamins and minerals. Fruits such as apples, strawberries, and oranges, and vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots all have tons of vitamins and minerals. However, the nutritional balance in each plant species tends to favor some nutrients and utterly omit others. That’s why it’s crucial to change what you eat on a steady basis. Also, it’s wise to minimize your intake of “nutritionally empty” foods like ice cream, candy bars, and artificial snacks.
- Take nutritional supplements. If you’re already eating the right foods (mostly) but you want an additional buffer to support your physiological needs, investigate nutritional supplements. You can take vitamins and minerals to make up for anything you might specifically be lacking, but it’s more common to take a well-rounded multivitamin. You might also consider taking additional nutritional supplements that are designed to provide vitamins, minerals, and other valuable compounds for a host of particular benefits; for example, bee pollen supplements have become popular because of their anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant content, and anti-bacterial effects. Research shows that bee pollen extracts may also support the immune system and reduce cancer risks. You can also supplement your daily intake of vitamins with NAD IV therapy in Atlanta. An IV infusion is a fast and effective way to get the vitamins you need, support your immune health, and repair cellular damage throughout your body.
Diagnosing a Problem
If you’re like most people, you expend a certain amount of effort maximizing your intake: You eat fruits and vegetables as much as possible, and perhaps ingest a supplement. How can you tell if this is sufficient for your needs, or you need something more?
- Physical symptoms. You may experience physical or mental symptoms based on your specific deficiency. For example, if you begin to lose hair, it could be a signal of a lack of iron. If you have a burning sensation in your tongue, or tingling and numbness, this might suggest a vitamin B12 deficiency. Unfortunately, these symptoms aren’t necessarily a reliable diagnostic tool. A deficiency may present differently in different people. On top of that, many symptoms are generic, and could be a byproduct of an array of physical complaints.
- Cravings. In some cases, you might experience strange cravings as a result of a nutrient deficiency. This isn’t a sign that you should indulge every food craving you encounter, but if you crave something strange on a consistent basis, it might be a sign that something is off.
- Physicals and checkups. Discuss your eating habits with your doctor, as well as any physical symptoms you might be experiencing. He or she can measure your vitals, analyze your eating habits, and provide recommendations for how to change your habits in the future.
- Blood work. The only way to be absolutely confident you’re deficient (or adequate) with regard to a particular nutrient is to evaluate a sample of your blood. A blood test will tell you which vitamins and minerals are present in your circulatory system, and which may be below the recommended quantity.
Addressing a Deficiency
If you discover a deficit in a given nutrient, you can take action to restore your levels. Depending on your needs and your doctor’s recommendation, the solution may include taking a supplement to restore your levels, or it may require greater quantities of a particular food in your diet.
It can be hard to achieve the right balance of nutrients, especially if you have unique systemic needs. You shouldn’t expect perfection. But with proper attention and effort, you should be able to improve your nutritional intake.