Vitamin Deficient? Not Me…

Even though you eat a balanced diet, exercise and take a multivitamin you are NOT exempt from being deficient in micronutrients – vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. This may sound pretty far out but it’s true. In fact research done by the University of Texas shows that a whopping 50% of those taking multivitamins are still nutritionally deficient. So the questions remain…how is this possible, what does it mean if I am deficient and how do I find out??

Living a healthy lifestyle is a step in the right direction but unfortunately it doesn’t mean your body is fueled the way it should be. Deficiency occurs for a variety of reasons:

1. Biochemincal Individuality – Because each of us is metabolically and biochemically unique, we all have very different micronutrient requirements
2. Absorption – Eating a balanced diet is great, but if you are not absorbing things properly then you may have deficiencies
3. Aging – Our micronutrient requirements change dramatically as we pass mile markers like age 40, 50 and 60 – making it more challenging to absorb nutrients like vitamin B12 and others.
4. Lifestyle – Excess physical activity, prescription drugs, smoking, alcohol and sedentary habits all impact our need for micronutrients.

 
What happens if I am deficient?
Overwhelming scientific evidence confirms that vitamin deficiencies are associated with disease processes and the overall condition of one’s health. Vitamin, mineral and antioxidant deficiencies have been shown to suppress immune function and contribute to chronic degenerative processes such as arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Well respected organizations like the Journal of the American Medical Association not only substantiate these claims but are working hard to educate people about their potential risk and the proactive and preventative measure they can take.
 
Nutritional Testing
Like most things…not all tests are created equal. Most nutritional tests evaluate blood serum levels of micronutrients, but this only give you a 24 hour history of what you have ingested AND it doesn’t reveal if the nutrients are properly functioning in the body. A much more accurate method for testing is to measure nutrient levels within white blood cells. This gives you a 6 month snapshot and thorough evaluation of a person’s functional nutrient status.

The Wellness Center is now offering such a test – The Micronutrient Test by Spectracell Laboratories. They have been on the cutting edge of nutritional testing for years and utilize and advanced intracellular test that evaluates 33 vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants!!