Getting a balanced diet in the Western world can be difficult. Believe it or not, many nutrient deficiencies are very common in people that think they are getting a good quality balanced diet. But the fact of the matter is that we need a broad range of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to give us what we need to function and contribute to our overall wellness on a day-to-day basis. The common diet in the Western world, based on our general eating habits, means that we lack in the most typical nutrients, and here are two.

Calcium

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Calcium is an essential part for every cell in our body, it helps to mineralize our teeth and bones, especially when we are children, but it’s also important to maintain bone strength. The most common symptom of a lack of calcium in the body is osteoporosis, which is where our bones become softer and more fragile, and if we place a lot of stress on a weak framework, we will get lots of aches and pains. The best sources of calcium include fish, especially oily fish such as mackerel or sardines. If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, it’s best to supplement your diet in addition to eating a high quantity of dark green vegetables, such as broccoli or kale. However, you will need to eat a huge amount of vegetables to get your daily intake, which means you may what to invest in a supplement. One that is proving popular right now is AlgaeCal, but the effectiveness of calcium supplements have been debated a lot in recent years, so it’s worth looking at AlgaeCal reviews so you can get an informed opinion on its effectiveness for you depending on your lifestyle. To maximize calcium effect on your body, it’s best to consume this with vitamin D.

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Vitamin D

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In the US, approximately 42% of people may be lacking in vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin. In the Western world, the best way to get your body to produce vitamin D is to expose it to sunlight, but people who live further away from the equator are more likely to be deficient in this vitamin, due to a lack of sun exposure. The symptoms of a lack of Vitamin D are more subtle than others, adults may experience the risk of fractures in the body, as well as weakness in the muscles. For children, a lack of Vitamin D may have an impact on their growth and could cause rickets. The best source of vitamin D in food is fatty fish, such as mackerel or salmon. These contain roughly 75% of your recommended intake per 85g. For those that don’t eat fish, one large egg yolk contains roughly 7% of the recommended daily intake, so it’s best to get a vitamin D supplement. It’s also worth noting that vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, so it’s always best to take this with a small amount of healthy fats.

If we were to address these two common nutrient deficiencies, we would notice a massive impact on our well-being, and it can be possible to be deficient in so many other nutrients, such as vitamin B12, iodine, iron, as well as magnesium. It can be worth your while to try a supplement that prevents and fights lectins if you’re eating plenty of vegetable matter and still finding yourself deficient of key nutrients. If you find yourself feeling under the weather a lot, it may very well be due to a lack of proper nutrients.