Overfed But Undernourished? 9 Signs You're Nutrient Deficient

BY NATHALIE CHANTAL DE AHNA

As a nutritionist, I know one thing's for sure: the road to chronic disease often begins on our plate! While many people turn to pills for relief, the downside of this strategy is that meds often address symptoms rather than treat the root cause(s) of disease.

Here are nine signs that your lack of health and happiness might actually be a nutrient deficiency:

1. You're suffering from anxiety and depression.

According to the National Institutes of Health, about 21 million American adults suffer from a mood disorder every year. A deficiency in the following nutrients may be linked to anxiety and depression: B vitamins, biotin, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, chromium, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, and iron.

2. Your bones are weak.

No matter how old you are, strong bones are vital to feeling fit and healthy. If you have troubles in this department, you might be lacking: vitamins A, vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin K, copper, chromium, zinc, magnesium, and molybdenum.

3. You have brittle hair & nails, or hair loss.

It doesn't matter if you're male or female, beautiful hair and nails are really nice to have. If you're not too happy with yours, you could be needing vitamins B5, B6, B12, biotin, or chlorine.

4. You're tired all the time.

Do you sometimes feel like you want to do so much but are just too tired to do anything? Fatigue is a huge problem for many of us and keeps us from living life to the fullest. If you're lacking energy, you might be missing: vitamins B1, B3, B11, B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, biotin, iron, potassium, or magnesium.

5. You're experiencing hyperactivity/ADHD.

Sometimes meds are necessary to help you calm your mind. But maybe you're lacking attention and calm "simply"because you are deficient in: vitamins B1, B2, B5, E, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, magnesium, or zinc.

6. You have poor immunity, or you experience infections often.

Nobody wants to be sick all-the time or constantly deal with inflammation or infections. A strong immune system can fend off a lot and help you heal. If your body's defense is constantly letting you down, however, it may be calling for vitamins A, C, D & E, chromium, selenium, magnesium, or zinc.

7. You have skin troubles.

Acne, rashes, eczema and age spots can be very annoying and undermine our self-esteem. There's a lot we can put onto our skin, but if you want to heal your issues from within, it's good to know that skin troubles are often caused by a deficiency in: vitamins A, B3, biotin, B8, C, E, omega-3 fats, copper, selenium, or zinc.

8. You're dealing with digestive issues.

If you don't digest and absorb your food properly, the best diet in the world is pretty useless. If you're suffering from poor digestion, constipation, diarrhea, bloating or other GI tract troubles, you might be lacking: vitamin B11 & iron, B8,B12, C, D, E, K, selenium, magnesium, or zinc.

9. You can't sleep.

Did you know that 90% of people who suffer from sleeplessness also suffer from other chronic conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease or high blood pressure? They are also more likely to feel depressed or gain weight.

If getting enough zzz's seems impossible, you could be deficient in: Vitamins B11, E, calcium, magnesium, or zinc.

What to do if you're worried that you're nutrient-deficient

Keep a diary and note down when exactly you experience which symptoms. Once you've got a good overview, call your doctor to schedule a comprehensive blood test and, if possible, discuss the results with someone experienced in orthomolecular therapy.

Also, make sure to eat a balanced diet, rich in a rainbow of colors. Aim to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Some ideas to help you do this:

• Have "liquid salads" (aka green smoothies).
• Put a bowl with fruit on every table in your home.
• Keep containers with a mix of veggies in your fridge to take with you when you leave the house.
• Dehydrate veggies.
• Make your own veggie chips.
• Schedule actual fruit breaks in your agenda (with reminders).

If our body and mind are out of balance, there is a lot we can do ourselves to make things better. Start slowly with simple and real food, find alternatives for coffee, alcohol, and white sugar (because these affect the absorption of nutrients) and learn about a holistic approach to health and happiness.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-12434/overfed-but-undernourished-9-signs-youre-nutrient-deficient.html

Moringa Tree: An Emerging Method for Treating Cancer

Kaitlyn Fusco

Listen up, Popeye, there’s a new leafy green in town — and it’s better than spinach.

The plant is called moringa, and it can do much more than strengthen your biceps. It may be able to help fight the side effects of cancer.

Moringa is a naturally grown plant native to India, but is cultivated worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. It is known for its nutritional and medicinal properties that potentially can help combat the symptoms of cancer, asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other diseases.

There are 13 species of moringa that range in size, from tiny, leafy herbs to tall, massive trees. The most commonly harvested species, M. oleifera, is a small, fast-growing tree used for centuries to combat many different ailments, including symptoms associated with a mesothelioma diagnosis.

That species also is commonly known as the drumstick tree because of its long, slender, triangular seedpods and the horseradish tree because of its taste.

Nutritional Benefits

Cartoon character Popeye may have been on to something when he discovered that spinach, a good source of iron, strengthened his muscles.

However, moringa contains three times the amount of iron found in spinach, and it has many other benefits, too.

ECHO, an organization that aims to reduce hunger and improve the lives of the poor, reports that researchers at the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) found that moringa leaves contain high levels of nutrients, including protein, calcium and iron; and high levels of antioxidants, such as vitamins A, B and C.

Antioxidants help protect against cell damage caused by chemicals in the body, known as free radicals, which can play a role in the development and spread of cancer.

Vitamin C helps to maintain a healthy immune system, while Vitamin A is essential for normal growth, vision and bone development. It can also help maintain mucous membranes that protect against infections in the respiratory and digestive tracts.

Moringa leaves also contain essential amino acids that can help boost the immune system. This is extremely important while undergoing treatment such as chemotherapy, because the drugs used during chemo can wreak havoc on the immune system and the body needs ways to combat this side effect in order to fight back.

Additionally, the National Institute of Nutrition published a book, titled "Nutritive Value of Indian Foods," which reports that a handful of moringa leaves contain:

Seven times the amount of vitamin C in an orange

Three times the amount of iron in spinach

Four times the amount of vitamin A in a carrot

Four times the amount of calcium in one glass of milk

Three times the potassium in one banana

Two times the protein found in regular, plain yogurt

Moringa Leaves

There are many ways to incorporate moringa into your daily diet. Its leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked or crushed, and stored as dried powder for several months without loss of nutritional value.

It tastes great in fruit smoothies. You can try combining passion fruit, moringa and honey for a tasty, nutritious snack. You can use the dried powder in a curry recipe and serve over rice. It is also commonly used as a replacement for spinach in almost any recipe.

Anti-Cancer Benefits

Not only is M. oleifera highly nutritious, but every single part of the tree has been used for beneficial purposes. In India, its leaves, bark, fruit, flowers, seeds and root are regularly used to make medicine, especially for anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor growth.

As moringa has long been recognized by folk medicine practitioners, scientists are beginning to research the possible cancer prevention of this power plant.

The Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention in 2003 published a study in which researchers examined skin tumor prevention following ingestion of moringa seedpod extracts in mice. Results showed a dramatic reduction in skin papillomas and suggested that M. oliefera has possible cancer preventing properties.

Another study conducted in 2006 reported that a molecule found in M. oleifera induced cell death in ovarian cancer cells grown in a lab. Based on these findings, researchers believe the plant has potential to treat this type cancer.

According to ECHO, a diet of moringa leaves with porridge made from amaranth grain has substantially reduced or alleviated HIV symptoms in patients. These symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, weight loss and chronic cough, which are also common in people diagnosed with mesothelioma and other cancers of the lung.

Research also suggests the moringa tree has shown potential to reduce the following symptoms common in cancer patients:

Chest congestion

Cough

Diarrhea

Difficulty breathing

Fever

Joint pain

Headaches

Respiratory complications

Skin irritations

Sore throat

Weight loss

The organizations Trees for Life, Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization and Church World Service have strongly advocated for moringa as a way to combat these symptoms, as well as a way to improve malnutrition.

Malnutrition occurs when your body does not get enough nutrients. Because of the side effects of some cancer treatments, patients experience a loss of appetite, which can lead to malnutrition and severe weight loss.

This can negatively affect their quality of life, treatment response and survival. Moringa provides an easy way to meet your daily nutrient requirements without having to eat a big meal.

Keep in mind that treatment options affect people differently. As with any alternative medicine, it is best to talk with your doctor before adding moringa to your treatment regimen or diet. If you experience any side effects after using these alternative methods, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Moringa’s Growing Recognition

As the benefits of moringa become more evident, scientists and researchers are beginning to give the plant some credit. In fact, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations recognized moringa as the September 2014 Traditional Crop of the Month.

While the nutritional and medicinal value of moringa is becoming more well-known, further scientific research and clinical studies are needed to provide further acknowledgement of this plant as a cancer preventive method.

http://www.asbestos.com/blog/2014/10/24/moringa-leaves-alternative-cancer-treatment/