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common symptoms to be treated with nutriton
Dr. Susan E. Brown

The nutrition detective: Part 2

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When I’m not tracking down the latest on bone research, I’m often focusing on my work as a certified nutritionist and the clues our body gives us to tell us something isn’t right.

From excessive earwax to twitches of the eyelids, here are some common symptoms that can be resolved with the right nutrition:

Clue: Excessive earwax

A little earwax is normal, but a significant buildup likely means a lack of essential fatty acids, especially omega-3 fats in the forms of DHA and EPA.  In the Better Bones Program we recommend anywhere from 600 to 3000 mg of the omega-3 fats a day. Another sign of essential fatty acid deficiency is pimply skin on the back of your upper arms.

Clue: Bleeding gums when you floss

You should be able to floss and brush healthy gums without any bleeding.  When bleeding occurs, it’s a sign that the collagen needs more support and that you may need to be getting more vitamin C. This great antioxidant immune booster is essential for collagen production. (Since I also like history, you may be interested to know that scurvy, which killed so many sailors and pirates of the 1700s, is a serious collagen disorder caused by severe vitamin C deficiency.)  For a home test of your vitamin C level, see our VitaCheck-C test strips.

Clue: Twitches of the eyelids

If you have facial or eyelid twitches that just don’t go away, it’s likely your body is asking for more magnesium. Magnesium relaxes the muscles and when you’re low in this nutrient there can be all sorts of spasms and twitches. What’s more, back muscle spasms are often relieved with supplemental magnesium.

Clue: Muscle cramps in your toes legs even arches of feet

I find that these cramps respond to of a few hundred milligrams of calcium supplementation taken at bedtime.  If the calcium doesn’t do the trick, add a few hundred milligrams of magnesium and potassium citrate.

Clue: A stool that sinks in the toilet bowl

This might sound strange to you, but a sinking stool really indicates something very important — a lack of dietary fiber. The current recommendation for fiber is between 25 and 38 grams a day, but the average person consumes less than half that amount.

If you’re curious about more clues to your health, see my complete Nutrition Detective Questionnaire by visiting my Consultations page, go to Intake Forms in the left-hand navigation and click on the Nutrition Detective Questionnaire link. You may be surprised at the mysteries you solve!

insights from a nutrition detective
Dr. Susan E. Brown

Mysteries solved by the nutrition detective

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reviewing an apple with a magnifying glass

As a certified nutritionist, I piece together clues our body gives us to help my clients uncover nutrition deficiencies that lead to a wide range of health issues. Here’s the most common evidence I find in my work as a nutrition detective:

Clue: Dry skin and/or dry scalp

When we notice dry skin, most of us immediately think about hydration. But healthy skin also requires a considerable amount of essential high quality fats. Dry skin or a flaky scalp sound the alarm that you should eat more nuts, seeds, and high-quality olive, sesame or fish oils.  And while you’re at it, check if you have bumpy “chicken like” skin on the back of your upper arms. It’s another sign the body needs more essential fats, particularly omega-3 s.

Clue: Varicose veins

Strange as it may seem, a varicose vein is what you might consider to be a “constipated vein.” In other words, there’s blood stagnation in that vein.  While medical treatments can remove stagnation, increasing your fiber intake to 30 or more grams a day will help you avoid varicose veins.

Clue: Nocturnal leg cramps

Leg cramps that develop during the night or early morning  most often signal mineral inadequacy — and calcium is the mineral I think of first.  I always suggest that adults consume a total of 1,200 mg calcium from diet and supplements combined.  If your calcium intake is lower, try raising your intake to this level setting aside 200-300 mg of calcium supplements to be taken at bedtime.

If getting enough calcium doesn’t do the trick, try adding 200-300 mgs of additional magnesium.  If the problem still persists, consider taking 200-300 mgs supplemental potassium at bedtime. Once again hydration is important, but I’ve known many athletes who develop serious nocturnal leg cramping even when well hydrated.  They were able to resolve their tendency to cramp with calcium and/or magnesium supplementation.

Clue:  Black and blue easily

Vitamin C inadequacy can result in common symptoms such as bleeding gums when you brush or floss and the tendency to bruise easily (as when you a develop a black and blue spot and don’t recall hitting or injuring the  tissue.)

If you’re curious about my complete Nutrition Detective Questionnaire, visit my Consultations  page, go to Intake Forms and click on the Nutrition Detective Questionnaire link.  You may be surprised at the mysteries you solve!

 

Better Bones Blog
Dr. Susan E. Brown

Nutrition Detective answers

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Did you take our Nutrition Detective quiz?

If so here are the answers!  Below you will find the cause of possible nutrient deficiency of the listed symptoms:

SymptomDeficiency
1. Get black and blue easilyVitamin C, Rutin
2. Gums bleedVitamin C, Rutin
3. Slow wound healingZinc, Vitamin A
4. Poor night visionZinc
5. White spots on nails for no reasonZinc
6. Cracked skin behind earsZinc
7. Loss of sense of tasteZinc
8. Cracks in skin on fingertipsZinc
9. Yellow cast to face and skinB12 and B Complex
10. Muscle cramps or tremorsMagnesium, Potassium
11. Enlarged thyroid glandIodine
12. Burning sensation on feetPantothenic Acid
13. Crave sweetsChromium
14. AnemicIron, also B12, Copper or B6
15. Pale tongue and inner eyelidIron, also B12, Copper or B6
16. Break bones easilyCalcium, Magnesium, also Zinc
17. Nocturnal leg crampsCalcium, Magnesium, also Zinc
18. Receding gumsCalcium, Magnesium, also Zinc
19. Periodontal diseaseCalcium, Magnesium, also Zinc
20. Eyes sensitive to lightB Vitamins
21. Calluses on inner surface of heelVitamin A
22. Varicose veinsFiber, Vit. E, Bioflavinoids, Magnesium
23. Poor dream recallB6
24. Tend to grind teethCalcium, Magnesium
25. Slow growth (children)Zinc
26. Vaginal yeast infectionsLactobacillus Acidophilus
27. Nails horizontally ridgedCalcium, Magnesium, Minerals
28. Nails soft or brittleCalcium, Magnesium, Minerals
29. Dry skin and/or scalpEssential Fatty Acids
30. Excessive ear waxEssential Fatty Acids
31. Bumpy skin on back of arms/thighsEssential Fatty Acids
32. Stool that sinksFiber, Water
33. Sensitive to cold, easily chilledIron
34. Cracks in corner of mouthRiboflavin, B Complex
35. Elevated blood pressureMagnesium, possibly Calcium
Nutrient deficiency
Dr. Susan E. Brown

Nutrition detective

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Our body is the most efficient manufacturing plant in the world. From some 40-odd essential nutrients (a handful of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, water, and air), our body produces more than 10,000 compounds. Not a bad return — 10,000 from 40! Each of these 40-odd essential nutrients is really essential. Low levels of any one of them can raise havoc with our entire system.

For example, more than 300 enzymes require magnesium for proper functioning. Numerous problems including muscle spasms, heart irregularities, osteoporosis and nerve malfunctioning can be caused by low magnesium levels. Daily medical journal headlines highlight the need for adequate nutrient intake. “Folic Acid Reduces Risk of Colon Cancer”; “Low Vitamin Levels Linked to Higher Risk of Angina in Men”; “Cancer Deaths Linked to Low Antioxidant Vitamin Levels”; and “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Linked to Magnesium Deficiency” are some of the titles of medical articles sitting on my desk right now!

How likely is it that you suffer from inadequate levels of one or more nutrients? If your diet is at all like the Standard American Diet (SAD) you are at risk. Government studies reveal widespread nutritional inadequacies:

Nutrient
Percentage of people not meeting
RDA for selected nutrients
Vitamin A
50.1%
Thiamin (B1)
45.0%
Riboflavin (B2)
34.0%
Preformed niacin (B3)
32.9%
Pyridoxine (B6)
80.2%
Vitamin B12
33.5%
Vitamin C
40.8%
Calcium
67.9%
Iron
57.3%
Magnesium
74.4%
Phosphorus
26.7%

Nutrition Detective — Symptoms

Are you a good Nutrition Detective? The following symptoms could be signs of nutrient deficiency. See if you know how nutrients affect your health picture. (Click here for answers.)

  1. Get black and blue easily
  2. Gums bleed
  3. Slow wound healing
  4. Poor night vision
  5. White spots on nails for no reason
  6. Cracked skin behind ears
  7. Loss of sense of taste
  8. Cracks in skin on fingertips
  9. Yellow cast to face and skin
  10. Muscle cramps or tremors
  11. Enlarged thyroid gland
  12. Burning sensation on feet
  13. Crave sweets
  14. Anemic
  15. Pale tongue and inner eyelid
  16. Break bones easily
  17. Nocturnal leg cramps
  18. Receding gums
  19. Periodontal disease
  20. Eyes sensitive to light
  21. Calluses on inner surface of heel
  22. Varicose veins
  23. Poor dream recall
  24. Tend to grind teeth
  25. Slow growth (children)
  26. Vaginal yeast infections
  27. Nails horizontally ridged
  28. Nails soft or brittle
  29. Dry skin and/or scalp
  30. Excessive ear wax
  31. Bumpy skin on back of arms and/or thighs
  32. Stool that sinks
  33. Sensitive to cold, easily chilled
  34. Cracks or sores in corner of mouth
  35. Elevated blood pressure

(Click here for answers.)