What is your body telling you?

By Judy Davie

Is your body missing out on important nutrients? There are ways to spot the warning signs.

If your answers are “sometimes”, “often” or “most of the time” to the majority of questions in each section, you should consider increasing your intake of foods rich in the deficient vitamin.

If you answer “most of the time” to many of the questions, you should seek nutritional advice from a health professional.

Remember, eating nutrient-rich foods instead of nutrient supplements is a much safer, tastier and cheaper way to tackle health issues, particularly when many nutrients are reliant on others to work to their optimum potential.

Do you get a burning feeling in your tongue or lips?
Do you get palpitations, racing heartbeat or irregular heartbeat?
Do you get numbness or tingling sensations in your hands or feet?
Do you tend to get a dull ache in the small of the back?
Do you suffer from burning sensations in the feet?
Do you find that your co-ordination has diminished?
Do you get cracks or soreness in the corner of your mouth?
Do you drink more than two glasses of alcohol per day on average?
Is your tongue sore or sensitive to hot drinks?
Do you find that your ability to concentrate is impaired?
Do your finger joints or toes feel stiff or sore on awakening?

Foods high in vitamin B

Oats, barley, wheat bran, avocado, salmon, Brazil nuts…

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Do you suffer from frequent coughs or colds?
Do you get sore red gums or gums that bleed easily on brushing your teeth?
Do you find that you bruise easily?
Do you get muscle tenderness or weakness in your legs?

Foods high in vitamin C

Oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, broccoli, red capsicum…

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Do you get soreness, burning or gritty feelings in your eyes?
Are you sensitive to bright lights?
Do you get generalised muscle aches and pains?

Foods high in vitamin D

Milk, cheese, fish, liver, eggs…

Do you suffer from restless legs when trying to fall asleep?
Do you suffer from dry or flaky skin?
Do you get irritation or itching inside your ears?
Does the skin on your face or upper chest feel dry or lumpy?

Foods high in vitamin E

Vegetable oils, nuts, sunflower seeds, wheatgerm…

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Do you suffer from flatulence?
Do you suffer from abdominal bloating, especially after eating?
Do you suffer from constipation?

Foods high in vitamin K

Deep green vegetables like spinach and kale…

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Do you have trouble getting to sleep or suffer from restless sleep?
Do you experience a low backache, especially on waking in the morning?
Do you suffer from muscle twitching or cramping?
Do you get pain or soreness in muscles with use?

Foods high in magnesium

Do you tend to get dull muscle aches during the day?
Do you suffer from muscle twitching or cramping in legs or feet at night?
Are your nails soft and papery?
Do you restrict your intake of dairy foods?

Foods high in calcium

Milk, soy milk, yoghurt, cheese…

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Does your hair tend to fall out or break easily?
Is your vision at dusk or nighttime poorer now than before?
Is the skin on the back of your arms rough, thickened or scaly?
Do you find that your food tends to be tasteless?

Foods high in zinc

Oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts…

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Do you get dizzy or lightheaded on standing up?
Do you feel tired on waking in the mornings?
Do you frequently feel excessively tired or exhausted?
Do you feel like your head is in a fog and your memory is not what it should be?

Foods high in iron

Beef, certain cereals, green leafy vegetables, liver, prunes…

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