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Vitamin Deficiencies by Bonnie Lloyd

We have all heard the phrase 'vitamin deficient' but do we know what this means and what being deficient in certain vitamins can do to us physically? I would hazard a guess that most of us would not.

So, let's look at what the common causes for vitamin deficiencies are.

We are quickly becoming a society that relies on highly processed foods and we are slowly losing the skill of cooking from scratch. Our busy lifestyle often dicatates that we do not have the time to cook and so processed foods may seem like a gift from God. Unfortunately, the processing of food rids the food of its natural vitamins and goodness. It is also thought that vegetables start losing vitamins and goodness from the moment it is picked. Think about how much is lost from the canning and storing process of canned goods.

We all know that we are supposed to eat 5 portions of fruit and veg each day but do we? Well, I know I don't. If we don't put the good stuff into our bodies then it cant benefit from them.

Occasionally, there are medical reasons for the body not absorbing vitamins and therefore causing a deficiency. For instance, if your body cannot absorb Iron, you will become anaemic.

So now we have looked at the 3 common causes for vitamin deficiencies, let's look at the physical effects of certain deficiencies.

While this not a comprehensive list, it is a good start and certainly offers food for thought.

Let's end with this thought - eat your vitamins don't rely on supplements as there is no substitute for the real thing.