Get to the root of pain, insomnia
Consider the possibility that a simple deficiency in a certain vitamin or mineral is causing you to experience symptoms like joint pain, strained knees or even insomnia? Is your diet and/or daily intake of nutrients giving you the daily recommended value for the production of energy, regeneration and healing?
What do your symptoms/ailments say about you, and which nutrients are you really lacking to create those symptoms? Take a quick quiz to find out.
Let’s run a few well-known symptoms and see if you can figure out what you are lacking in your diet. Below are a few examples of symptoms from vitamin, mineral or nutrient deficiencies. Try to guess which supplement best suits such symptoms or ailments. The answers are provided following the list of symptoms.
List of symptoms
1) Brittle fingernails, vertically ridged nails; pain on forearms and biceps; cramps in calf muscle during sleep or exercise; joint pain; nervous tics or twitches; nervousness, irritability and anxiety; insomnia; heart palpitations
2) Swelling of ankles and hands; slow rapid or irregular heartbeat, palpitations; unusual thirst; muscular weakness; usually sore or still muscles after exercising; high blood pressure
3) Prone to athletic injuries, strained knees, elbow; loss of ligament tone or strength; muscular weakness; cracking and clicking of joints
4) Burning in mouth and throat; poor bone development; abnormal number of dental cavities and cracked teeth; osteoporosis, joint and bone pains; nervousness; nearsightedness and myopia
Once you view some of the associated nutrients, the first reaction may be: “but I take that or I eat foods that are high in that.” Keep in mind that what you eat or take as a supplement may not always be metabolized and absorbed. That is a huge assumption on our part.
Nutritional quiz answers
Match the above number to the number below to find out the deficiency.
1) Calcium: Salmon (with bones), sardines, seafood, dark green leafy vegetables, almonds, blackstrap molasses, brewer’s yeast, carob, dulse, figs, kelp, oats, sesame seeds, soybeans, tofu. Supplement range: 1000-1500 mg of elemental calcium daily. Do not exceed 2500 mg daily.
2) Potassium: Lentils, salmon, veggies like sweet potato, legumes, meat, poultry, whole grains provide sources of potassium. Supplement range: 99 mg elemental potassium daily. (Clinical doses may be higher as recommended by your practitioner.)
3) Manganese. Nuts, green leafy vegetables, peas, beets, egg yolks, whole-grains, bananas, bran, celery, legumes, liver, pineapple. Supplement range: 15 to 22 mg. daily.
4) Vit D: Sunlight, cod liver oil, egg yolks, liver, herring, sardines, salmon, tuna, organ meats. Supplementary range: 400 to 800 IU daily.
Please consult a nutritionist or a qualified holistic health professional for further information, and recommendations on supplementation.
Nutritional information and recommendations provided by Sue Pellerin, a Sudbury, ON-based registered nutritional consultant and certified nutritional microscopist.
