5 Nutritional Deficiency Illnesses That Are Very Common!

Nutrition is what keeps the body functioning. There are different types of nutrients that serve different purposes and if you are not careful about your diet, you could end up with a nutritional deficiency that can trigger health complications.

Here are some common illnesses that are caused by a paucity of a nutrient-

Osteoporosis

Your body needs a substantial amount of calcium. Bones and teeth comprise a large percentage of your body and calcium is essential to their health.

Everyone, no matter his/her age, requires calcium. Children need calcium because their bones are in a developmental stage and if there were a deficit, they would grow up with weak bones and eventually get osteoporosis. After the age of 25, your bones start to degenerate faster and unless you take in sufficient calcium, it will lead to loss of bone density and osteoporosis. It makes bones brittle and prone to fracture and breakage.

Foods you need to eat to counter calcium deficiency are-

• Milk

• Beans and lentil

• Cheese

• Fatty fishes

• Almonds

Anaemia

Iron deficiency anaemia is a common ailment among women in India. When your body does not get enough iron, it cannot produce sufficient red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of the body. If it is not treated, iron deficiency to lead to damage of the liver.

If you are anaemic, your doctor will prescribe iron supplements. You should also consume-

• Spinach

• Legumes

• Pumpkin seeds

• Quinoa

• Red meat

Goitre

Goitre is a painful swelling of the thyroid gland. One of the commonest reasons for goitre is a shortage of iodine. Goitre may start out as a small inflammation but it may become even larger and that would make swallowing and breathing difficult. 

To make up for the shortfall of iodine, stock up on-

• Seafood

• Cereals

• Cheese, milk and yoghurt

Rickets

Rickets is a kind of bone disorder that is the outcome of Vitamin D deficiency. It usually manifests in children with growing bones. If a child does not get enough Vitamin D, his/her bone development would be stunted and vulnerable to fractures. Rickets may even lead to misshapen skull and bowlegs.

Foods that contain plenty of Vitamin D that everyone needs to consume-

• Egg yolk

• Fatty fishes

• Cheese

The best source of Vitamin D is sunlight.

Night Blindness

If you do not get enough Vitamin A, you could contract night blindness, which means your vision will become blurry at night. Vitamin A is instrumental to the health of your retina because it is responsible for creating images out of nerve impulses. 

To undo Vitamin A deficiency, you will need to consume-

• Beta carotene enriched vegetables such as carrots, broccoli or spinach

• Eggs

• Cod liver oil

• Skimmed milk

Nutritional deficiency illnesses can easily be averted if you carefully plan a wholesome diet. Seek the help of a dietician to prepare a balanced, healthful diet chart.