Your Body Is Talking!

Are You Receiving the Message?

We readily recognize many types of communication. There are spoken words, non-verbal sounds, song lyrics and many others. With practice, we recognize and comprehend many of these; yet there are other messages that you many not be comprehending.

The proliferation of processed foods in today’s diet causes vitamin deficiency, whether from not eating enough of the right foods or not absorbing them properly due to digestive issues. According to Dr. Susan Blum, author of The Immune System Recovery Plan, “You may not get a disease, but you can end up with impaired functioning, because vitamins are cofactors for all the biochmical reactions in the body. We need them in order to function properly.”

This impaired functioning can manifest in some unusual ways:

Cracks at the corners of your mouth – are a clue that your body may be a signal that you are deficient in iron, zinc, and B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin) and B12. You may be reducing essential protein in a diet program, or following a vegetarian protocol.

Eat more poultry, wild-caught salmon, tuna, eggs, oysters, sun-dried tomatoes, Swiss chard, tahini and legumes such as lentils. Combine these foods with vegetables such as kale, broccoli, red bell peppers, and cauliflower to supply vitamin C to improve iron absorption.

Red or white acne-like bumps on cheeks, arms or thighs – are a clue that your body may be deficient in essential fatty acids and vitamins A and D (which are fat-soluble vitamins).

Increase healthy fats in your diet by focusing on salmon and sardines, nuts like walnuts or almonds, and seeds like ground flax, hemp and chia. Beta carotene is a precursor for vitamin A, so eat lots of leafy greens and orange veggies such as carrots, red bell peppers and sweet potatoes.

Tingling or numbness in hands, feet, or elsewhere – is another sign of insufficient B vitamins like B6,, folate (B9) and B12. The tingling or numbness is related to the peripheral nerves and where they end in the skin.

You can restore these valuable B vitamins by selecting from spinach, asparagus, beets, beans (black, kidney, and pinto), eggs, clams, oysters and poultry for your meals. If you have been on antibiotics recently, add fermented foods and probiotic supplements to restore the bacteria in your gut that supports the absorption of B vitamins.

Frequent muscle cramps in toes, calves, arches of feet and backs of legs – are usually a sign of deficiency in magnesium, calcium, and potassium. These minerals can be lost through heavy sweating when you are exercising heavily

Support your body by eating more bananas, almonds, hazelnuts, squash, cherries, applies, grapefruit, broccoli, bok choy, and dark leafy greens like kale and spinach (which are better sources of calcium than milk).

If you have identified some of these signals from your body, you can probably fix the issue by adjusting what you are eating…by fueling your body with the right nutrition. Do you find this confusing?

I stand ready to help you pursue wellness for you, wellness for life … because your health is wealth for you and those whom you love.