Wouldn’t it be great to think that we live in a world where we get all of the nutrients we require from food? The fact of the matter is that even if you eat a very healthy diet full of fresh natural foods balanced for your own unique metabolic requirements chances are still very high that you will have several deficiencies that render your nutritional program lacking. But why is it so difficult to give our bodies all that they require? Surely Mother Nature has it covered?

In today’s blog I am going to explain why it’s not so straight forward. Don’t blame Mother Nature however! If we respected the laws of nature we probably wouldn’t find ourselves in the nutritional mess that many experience in the modern world.

This is why you’re deficient.

1. Your Digestion Sucks!

One of the most common problems I see with over 90% of my first time clients is poor digestion. Symptoms like heartburn, reflux, bloating, gas and constipation are all signs and symptoms that your digestive system is not up to scratch. If you are not digesting your food properly then the nutrients that you just ate will never make it to your cells.

2. You don’t eat perfectly.

I don’t know a single person who eats perfectly 100% of the time and calculates and calibrates each and every meal to contain every nutrient and macronutrient we require all the time. Even with the best of intentions and eating really well 90% of the time you could come up short on some key nutrients.

3. Your Stress levels are high.

Now if you are the Dali Lama of consciousness and have achieved the serenity of Buddha then you can skip this section because you are one of the rare souls on this planet that does not experience stress! For those of us who do experience stress in our lives the effects on our nutritional profile can be devastating.

Stress depletes the body of key vitamins most notably the B family and vitamin C. On top of that stress impairs our ability to absorb any nutrients we have ingested. So it’s a double blow to the system.

4. You are eating meats and produce that are low in nutrients.

Stressed animals are just the same as stressed humans. They produce low quality tissue and are not as nutrient rich as their free range, grass fed, happy camper outdoor bread cousins. So if you are not eating high quality meats don’t be surprised if you are not getting everything you require.

When it comes to vegetables and fruits in theory these food stuffs are one of the richest sources of vitamins minerals and phytonutrients. In theory. In reality modern farming methods, intensive farming, avoidance of crop rotation and artificial fertilisation of the soil leads to crops that grow and look like what we are after but taste bland and uninviting because they don’t have the whole compliment of minerals that they should have. All modern farmers have to do (and this includes organic farmers!) is put NPK on the land to get almost every plant imaginable to grow and give the appearance of health. That NPK folks is Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium. Your body requires many macro and micro-minerals to stay healthy, not just 3.

5. Your food is not as fresh as you think.

Even if you buy your own food fresh from the farmers market every week, chances are that the nutrients in that food have already begun to break down. Those oranges flown in from South Africa have taken a while to get to your front door and although they look and taste inviting their vitamin C content may have plummeted by the time you get to eat it.

6. You are Toxic!

You are being exposed to toxins left, right and centre every day of your life in this modern world. In order for your body to cope with the assault you need way more than the RDA (recommended daily allowance) of a given nutrient. I have had a longstanding battle with heavy metal toxicity and my body has required 9 times the average dose of B complex to cope with my detox requirements. Try to get that from your standard diet!

7. You have special genetic requirements for higher doses of nutrients.

The RDA for nutrients are average amounts based on the average population. Funny thing is almost nobody tests as average. We all have idiosyncrasies about us that mean we may need way more than the RDA for certain nutrients. The study of matching our nutritional requirements to our genetics is known as nutritional genomics. Genetic testing allows you to see your weak spots and cover them nutritionally. In many cases this would involve supplementation.

It’s funny. I was talking to a nutrition scientist working in the field of animal nutrition for the livestock trade and he was telling me about the advancements in animal supplementation. How it increased the mass of the animals, reduced sickness and reduced mortality rates in new born cattle and sheep! Wow! Surely it must be the placebo effect! So now a day’s animal nutrition is superior to most human nutrition as scientists have learned the benefits of supplementing their livestock.

Maybe you should take a tip from our four legged friends and get advice on how to customise a nutritional supplement program for your own unique requirements!

For information on my comprehensive Nutritional Coaching Program send an email to info@clarerooney.com