People have asked me which nutrients are most important and I usually say “All of them.”

However, there are four that stand apart from the others…because being without them is not only harmful to your health, but it can be deadly.

And unfortunately, they are also are among the top most common deficiencies:

1- Vitamin D

Most people think “Vitamin D--strong bones” but that’s just the beginning!

Vitamin D also helps prevent excessive immune responses such as those seen in autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s, colitis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.

It encourages healthy blood glucose and insulin levels, which is important for Type 2 diabetics.

It protects you against cancer.  Studies show vitamin D helps decrease the growth of cancer cells and stimulate the death of those killer cells!

Its anti-inflammatory actions decrease your risk of heart disease by counteracting arterial inflammation.

Why deficiency is common:  Because people shun the sun and slather themselves in sunscreen due to excessive fears of skin cancer, and exposure to sunlight is how your body makes vitamin D.  Plus sunlight is not abundant in the northern hemisphere this time of year.

How to help:  Get reasonable exposure to the sun without sunscreen—20 minutes or so can make a big difference.  Consider supplementing with a vitamin D formula that also contains vitamin D’s partner, vitamin K. 

And for the very best D supplement money can buy, look no further than our Optimum DK Formula with FruiteX-B®.  Optimum DK Formula contains therapeutic levels of vitamins D and K, plus the mineral boron, which works together with D and K to support strong bone and cardiovascular health!

2- Magnesium

Magnesium supports healthy bone growth, so deficiency can cause osteoporosis just like calcium deficiency, although most people don’t know that, thanks to the Dairy Council’s marketing efforts.

It helps regulate your heartbeat and is a natural muscle relaxant.  So being low in it can cause irregular heartbeat, muscle spasms, tremors, cramps, twitching, restless leg syndrome and even convulsions.

Magnesium deficiency can also lead to gallstones, joint degeneration and bone spurs, kidney stones, and atherosclerosis. 

Since magnesium is critical for proper cell energy production, lacking in it can cause chronic fatigue.

Plus it’s needed to produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin—that’s why magnesium deficiency is common in people with depression (and all the antidepressants on the planet won’t change that). 

Why deficiency is common: Poor soil conditions have led to decreased magnesium content in our crops.  Also, our heavy reliance on processed and fast foods has created widespread deficiency.

How to help: Get more real food sources of magnesium like meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, and oats.  Consider supplementing with a full spectrum multi-vitamin and mineral formula like Super Core if your diet is dicey.    

3- Omega-3 essential fatty acids

Omega-3 essential fatty acids support cardiovascular health by keeping artery walls flexible, reducing plaque growth, promoting healthier triglyceride and cholesterol levels, preventing blood clotting and encouraging a stable heart rhythm and lower blood pressure.

Whew!

They also support brain health and are essential to learning and memory. Your brain is especially rich in the Omega-3 EFA Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA).

Plus Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation and lower your risk of chronic diseases including cancer and arthritis.

Deficiencies in Omega-3 EFAs have been linked to heart disease, Alzheimer's, joint problems, depression, inflammation, vision loss, and other chronic conditions.

Why deficiency is common: The shift from pasture-fed to grain-fed animals has dramatically decreased the Omega-3 EFA content of their meat, milk, and eggs.  Also, the farm-raised fish in our grocery stores have a lower Omega-3 content than wild-caught varieties (plus they’re loaded with toxins to boot!).

How to help: Choose organic, grass-fed meats, eggs and milk whenever possible, and look for wild-caught fish.  Supplement with a pharmaceutical-grade fish oil formula like VitalMega-3 to ensure your body has adequate levels of this vital nutrient.

Each daily VitalMega-3 dose contains a generous 1,000 mg of the cream of the crop Omega-3 EFAs—EPA and DHA—in the highly recommended 3:2 ratio.

4- Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is crucial to your nervous system health.  Deficiency can cause damage to the soft, fatty material called the myelin sheath that surrounds and protects your nerve fibers.

This damage (called demyelination) can lead to neurological problems including numbness and tingling in your limbs, loss of balance, memory loss, fuzzy thinking, and depression.

Also, since B12 is needed for your immune system's production of disease-fighting white blood cells, being low in it means you are more susceptible to infections, viruses, and diseases including cancer.

B12 is needed for red blood cell production too.  When you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to bring oxygen where it's needed in your body, you can develop exhaustion, weakness, and anemia.

Lastly, B12 converts the toxic protein by-product homocysteine into the harmless amino acid methionine.  If this conversion doesn’t take place, homocysteine can build up in your blood and increase your risk of heart disease.    

Why deficiency is common: Your body's ability to produce the proteins needed for B12 absorption declines with age, so people age 50 or over are at increased risk.  Digestive conditions such as gastritis, IBS, celiac disease, Crohn's disease and colitis also affect the absorption of B12.

Antacids and acid reducers can affect B12 levels too because they reduce the stomach acid that you need for proper B12 assimilation. 

How to help: Food sources of B12 include beef, organ meats, eggs, milk, cheese, clams, sardines, herring, mackerel, salmon, crabmeat, and oysters. 

Also, consider supplementing with an oral B12 spray like Hydroxaden 2.5.  This is especially important if you have digestive issues, take acid reducers or are vegetarian.

To your health (and very long life!),

Sherry Brescia