It’s hard to imagine, but Americans are malnourished. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is woefully deficient in many key nutrients that are important for long-term health and vitality, but chock-full of calories. It’s been estimated that the average person in American eats about 2700 calories, but are deficient in at least six to ten nutrients. In fact, recent reports indicate that over 70% of the US population does not receive sufficient nutrients from their diet.
The most common nutritional deficiencies in the SAD include iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin K and vitamin C. Even one nutritional deficiency can result in numerous health conditions and disorders including irritability, nervousness, confusion, numbness, tiredness, heart palpitations, poor growth, muscle weakness, eye problems and poor coordination. Nutritional deficiency also greatly increases a person’s risk of developing chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
Even the US Department of Health says you need more than just calories to be properly nourished. Aside from warding off disease, getting the optimal amounts of vitamins and minerals can dramatically increase the quality of your life, helping you to feel better and be more active.
The SAD Truth
If you’ve been reading this blog or receiving our newsletter, you know that there is no substitute for getting as many nutrients as possible through your diet. Unfortunately, the latest USDA statistics indicate almost nobody is actually eating what they need to:
- Nearly 90% of individuals do not meet the recommendation for 5 servings/day (2.5 cups) of vegetables
- Over 96% of individuals do not meet the legume recommendation (3 cups/week of beans, peas or lentils)
- Over 99% of people do not meet the recommendation for whole grains (3 ounces/day)
- Almost 96% of people over-consume solid fats, added sugars and alcoholic beverages
This means that most people eat too little of what will nourish them and too much of what will create more deficiency. Supplements can be helpful in filling some of the gap, but supplements are no substitute for a healthy diet.
Do you have any nutritional deficiencies?
Many of us think we have a “healthy” diet, but the statistics above show that it is likely not to actually true. Since even one nutritional deficiency can cause all sorts of health problems, it’s important to determine your exact nutritional status. Now you can. There are several tests now available to determine if you (a) have a nutritional need or (b) are taking too much of any given nutrient (in the form of food or supplements).
The Micronutrient Testing from SpectraCell Laboratories is the most accurate and economical way to determine your nutritional status. This test requires a blood draw (so it has to be done at the clinic, via remote blood draw – we can help set this up for you, or at a clinic near you), and tests your functional nutritional status for vitamins, minerals, many antioxidants and several amino acids that are crucial to overall long-term health.
If a blood draw is not possible or feasible, another option is the Metabolic Profile (also called an Organix Profile). This test covers many vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants. In addition, it tests for nutrients involved in energy production, detoxification, and neurotransmitter balance in addition to testing for markers of flora imbalances in the intestines. Once more, you can choose to add on a Fatty Acid Bloodspot test to determine your balance of omega-3, omega-6 and other fatty acids. This test can be done in the comfort of your own home, requiring only a urine sample (and a blood stick if you choose to do the fatty acid test).
No matter which test you choose, you now have a way to determine exactly what nutrients you need to optimize your health and to avoid the negative consequences of nutritional deficiency.