5 Nutritional Deficiencies You Might Not Even Know You Have
SPECIAL FROM Grandparents.com
As we age, proper nutrition is essential for maintaining a healthy body and mind. And while we need to eat fewer calories the older we get, our bodies actually require more of certain vitamins and minerals.
A number of factors may contribute to nutritional deficiencies: Some people have limited access to food due to financial constraints or physical disabilities. Depression, loss of appetite and forgetfulness can also lead to a decreased intake of food. Furthermore, certain medical conditions and medications can increase nutritional needs or decrease the body's ability to absorb nutrients as well.
Let’s take a look at the top nutritional deficiencies for people over 50, plus helpful ways to avoid these inadequacies:
#1: Zinc
Zinc has a big effect on our bodies, influencing everything from metabolism to immunity and tissue healing and repair. Not getting enough of this essential mineral can lead to a decline in immune system function, as well as increased inflammation associated with cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Unfortunately, older adults tend to consume less zinc and also appear to absorb less of what they do consume.
Signs of deficiency: Hair loss, poor wound healing, increased frequency of infections, diarrhea
How to Get More Zinc: The best way to combat the loss of zinc is to eat more of it (specifically 11 mg/day for men and 8 mg/day for women) in the form of lean meats and seafood—specifically, oysters have the highest lev...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
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