Common Nutrient Deficiencies

Common Nutritional Gaps in Your Diet

As the saying goes—you are what you eat! Often what you don’t get enough of in your diet can significantly impact your health, making it essential to build a well-rounded diet.

In recognition of National Nutrition Month, the health experts at Southwest General are here to shed some light on the most common nutritional gaps in people's diets and how you can fill these gaps in your own diet.

Iron

Iron is a mineral that helps your body to produce hemoglobin. This protein is found within red blood cells and helps them to transport oxygen to various muscle groups throughout the body. Additionally, your body uses iron to produce hormones such as hepcidin and erythroferrone, important hormones for regulating iron within your body.

Iron-rich foods to add to your diet include:

• Spinach
• Beans and lentils
• Red meat
• Pumpkin seeds
• Turkey
• Broccoli
• Shellfish
• Dark chocolate

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is both a vitamin that can be eaten and a hormone produced by the human body. This vitamin helps the body to efficiently absorb calcium and phosphorus, which help to support healthy bone density.

Foods rich in vitamin D include:

• Fortified orange juice
• Fortified milk
• Egg yolks
• Cod liver oil
• Mushrooms
• Oily fish (such as salmon and mackerel)

Calcium

Calcium is one of the most important minerals in the body, ensuring healthy teeth and strong bones. Additionally, it helps to support blood clotting, muscle contraction and nerve signal transmission.

You can introduce more calcium into your diet with the following foods:

• Cheese
• Yogurt
• Milk
• Dark leafy greens
• Soybeans
• Seeds
• Shellfish and canned fish (with bones such as sardines)
• Beans and lentils
• Almonds
• Rhubarb

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is a vitamin that is necessary to support healthy and efficient blood clotting. Also, it helps your body to develop brain and nerve cells.

The following foods are excellent sources of vitamin B12:

• Beef
• Milk
• Seafood
• Cheese
• Eggs

Primary and Specialty Care in Ohio

The Southwest General Medical Group, Inc. includes both primary care and specialty care physicians who are committed to providing patients with high-quality medical care. Our team of board-certified specialists and skilled physicians work to raise the bar for excellence in health care service for our community. To learn more about our primary and specialty care services or schedule an appointment, visit our website.