Your body provides you a wealth of information including signs that can serve as a symptom of an ailment. That’s why it becomes important for you to understand the language of the body and pay close attention to subtle signs that can signify bigger problems.

After identifying bodily symptoms, it’s not just enough to manage the symptom and put an end to your story. You need to understand the root causes behind the symptoms and take the necessary steps to mitigate it.

Identifying Nutritional Deficiencies

Most of the lifestyle disorders stem from nutritional deficiencies. Either you are not consuming essential nutrients in your diet or your body is unable to absorb the nutrients from the food. With either case, the good news is that you can identify nutritional deficiencies through visual signs in your body – skin, nail, and hair. Let’s get started and explore nutritional deficiencies through visual signs in the body:

  1. Vitamin A

This crucial vitamin is almost like a hormone of the body that is a precursor for important functions in the body. It is good for healthy vision, skin, bones and other tissues. Also referred to as Retinol, here are obvious symptoms of deficiency in Vitamin A:

  • Poor Night Vision, Blurred Vision
  • Acne
  • Weird growth or breakouts in the eye tissue
  • Red bumps on the skin under the hair follicles
  • Dry eyes
  • Poor wound healing as Vitamin A promotes the creation of collagen
  1. B Vitamins

The very first Vitamin discovered in the Vitamin B Family, B1 is an important nutrient that performs several functions. Visible signs of this nutrient deficiency include:

  • Horizontal Ridges in the Nails
  • Cyanosis or White Nails
  • Wandering Eye Muscles or Muscle Strain in the Eyes
  • Edema in the Ankles
  • Low tolerance to stress, always nervous, tensed or anxious

Next in line Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin is crucial for breaking down food, absorbing other nutrients and maintaining tissues. Here are some signs of its deficiency:

  • Stomatitis or Inflammation of Mouth or Lips
  • Ulcers in the lips, corners, and angles of the mouth
  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Cracked or dry heels
  • Red Tongue

B3 Vitamin deficiency occurs as a result of over-consumption of alcohol and corn, according to research. A common manifestation of its deficiency results in Pellagra or commonly referred to as the 3 D’s – Dermatitis or inflammation of the skin, Dementia, and Diarrhea. Often skin tends to get irritated and develops redness in the hands and feet.

Jumping over to Vitamin B6, this vitamin serves as a coenzyme in metabolism. Some important signs of Vitamin B6 deficiency include:

  • Skin rashes
  • Redness around the Nose and in the Forehead
  • Cracked and sore lips
  • Glossitis or sore tongue
  1. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that aids the liver to detoxify the accumulation of free radicals in the body. It also strengthens the capillaries of the blood vein. Lack of Vitamin C was attributed to scurvy. Here are some signs of Vitamin C Deficiency:

  • Bleeding gums and tooth loss
  • Varicose veins
  • Gingivitis
  • Rough, bumpy skin
  • Easy bruising since the blood capillaries are in a weakened state
  • Painful, swollen joints
  • Weak bones
  1. Vitamin H

Biotin or Vitamin H is an important nutrient that is important for the hair and nails. This is why if you lack biotin, you can experience signs that include:

  • Thinning hair
  • Alopecia or male-pattern baldness
  • Brittle nails
  • Peeling under the nail cuticles
  • Hair loss in spots
  • changes in the intestinal tract (frequent upset stomach) because some biotin is produced by the friendly gut bacteria
  1. Zinc

Zinc is an important trace mineral that is vital for immune function and producing cells. If you don’t have enough Zinc, you may have the following side effects:

  • White specks on the nails
  • Decreased sense of taste and smell
  • Open sores on the skin
  • Lack of alertness
  • Stunted growth

 

  1. Thyroid Problems

If you are having problems with thyroid function, an underactive or overactive thyroid, some visible signs can help you decipher thyroid malfunction:

  • Vertical ridges in the nails
  • Hair loss or brittle hair
  • Inflammation in the neck or back of the neck due to excess collagen
  • Loss of hair in eyebrow
  • Goiter or enlargement of the thyroid gland
  • Weight gain
  • Intolerance to extreme temperatures- hot or cold

How to Prevent Nutritional Deficiencies?

Treating a problem in the skin, hair or nails using cosmetic solutions is not effective in the long term as it simply manages the symptom. Get to the root cause of the problem and take the right measures so that there is no recurrence.

Nutritional deficiencies are the root cause of several ailments ranging from diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, digestive problems, and even cancer. The best way to get these nutrients is by eating a balanced diet rich in natural produce- fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

Supplements provide nourishment synthetically and are not beneficial in the long run. Instead, incorporate a nutrient-dense diet to maximize your wellbeing. Eating a diet rich in refined carbohydrates, refined sugar and polished grains leeches on vitamins and minerals further depriving of you these essential nutrients.

All in all, you can take charge of your health by conquering your nutrition and eating wisely. Understand the language of the body and dig deeper to find out why you have a particular symptom, rather than just managing the symptoms superficially.