Even if you are getting adequate to eat, if you are not eating a balanced diet, you may still be at risk for certain natural deficiencies. Also, you may have dietary deficits due to certain health or life conditions, such as pregnancy, or certain medications you may be taking, such as high blood pressure medications. People who have had intestinal diseases or had sections of intestines removed due to disease or weight loss surgery also may be at risk for vitamin deficiencies Alcoholics are also at high risk of having nutritional deficiencies.
One of the most common nutritional deficits is iron deficiency anemia. Your blood cells need iron in order to supply your body with oxygen, and if you don’t have enough iron, your blood will not function properly. Other nutritional deficiencies that can affect your blood cells include low levels of vitamin B12, floate, vs vitamin “C”.
Vitamin D deficit may affect the health of your bones, making it very difficult for you to engage and use calcium (another mineral that you may not be getting enough of). Although you can get vitamin D by going out in the sun, many people with concerns about skin cancer may end up with low levels of vitamin D by not getting enough sun.
Other Dietary deficiencies include:
- biotin deficiency: low levels of vitamin B7, which can be common in pregnancy
- beriberi: low levels of vitamin B1 (found in cereal husks)
- ariboflavinosis: low levels of vitamin B2
- pellagra: low levels of vitamin B3
- paraesthesia: low levels of vitamin B5 leading to a “pins and needles” feeling
- hypocobalaminemia: low levels of B12
- night blindness: low levels of Vitamin A
- scurvy: low levels of vitamin C
- rickets: severe vitamin D and/or calcium deficiency
- vitamin K deficiency
- magnesium deficiency: occurs with certain medications and medical problems
- potassium deficiency: occurs with certain medications and medical problems
Eating a balanced and healthy diet can help to avoid these conditions. Vitamin supplements may be necessary for certain people, such as pregnant or nursing mothers and people with intestinal conditions.
Diseases and Illnesses Influenced by Diet
Many health conditions are caused and affected by food and nutrition. Some are directly caused by food, such as “food poisoning” or bacterial infections from contaminated food. Some people can have severe allergies to foods like peanuts, shellfish, or wheat (celiac disease). Gastrointestinal ailments—such as irritable bowel syndrome, ulcer active colitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)—are also directly affected by the consumption of food.
For other diseases and conditions, the type or quantity of food can affect the enhancement of the disease. Diabetes mellitus, for example, which results in the inability of the body to regulate blood sugar, is drastically affected by the types and quantities of food eaten. Carbohydrate intake has to be carefully monitored if you suffer from diabetes, or blood sugar can rise to dangerous levels. Other conditions affected by food and nutrition include:
- hypertension: Salt intake affects blood pressure.
- heart disease/high cholesterol: Fatty foods and partial hydrogenated oils can create plaque in arteries.
- osteoporosis: Low calcium, low vitamin D and excess fat can result in fragile bones.
- certain cancers: A poor diet and obesity are associated with increased risk of breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal, and kidney cancers.
Natural food vs Organic foods
Natural foods may have certain limits with organic foods, but they are two totally different things.
‘Organic’ is a protected term that is subject to legal regulation.
In order for a drink or food to be labelled organic, at least 95% of the ingredients must come from organically produced animals or plants.
These ingredients must be approved by an independent certification body, like the Soil Association Certification, who certify over 70% of organic food in the UK.
The main aim of organic food production is to limit the environmental impact as much as possible.
The European Commission states that organic farming is required to encourage:
- Maintenance of biodiversity
- Responsible use of energy and natural resources
- Preservation of regional ecological balances
- Maintenance of water quality
- Enhancement of soil fertility
On the other hand, the term ‘natural’ is not subject to legal regulation.
This is why you can’t always trust food packaging has ‘natural’ plastered all over it.
Summary
- Organic food is a protected legal term for food that has less environmental impact, e.g. organic vegetable growers won’t use chemical pesticides that harm the soil
- Natural foods also follow most of this logic, but it is more of a vague term to describe food that is un-altered and as nature intended it to be, e.g. a fresh potato from the ground rather than a portion of French fries.