Are you getting your micronutrients?
There are nearly 30 essential vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to maintain efficient brain, nerve, bone and muscle function. These vitamins and minerals are also important for our immune system and blood circulation. A lack of a single vitamin can lead to fatal nutrient-deficiency diseases such as scurvy and rickets. An insufficient intake of a variety of vitamins can contribute to serious illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and obesity.
Eating a well-balanced, varied diet is the best way to ensure we provide our bodies with a steady supply of most of the essential vitamins and minerals.
The importance of micronutrients in maintaining a healthy weight and fighting off diseases.
Although vitamin deficiencies alone are often not the root cause of any metabolic disorders or chronic diseases, good nutrition is the most important factor for weight management and overall healthy wellbeing. And we all know how much our weight can affect our health!
Recent research has shown that an insufficient intake of certain vitamins and minerals may affect our metabolism.
Data from several research has shown that there may be a link between an abnormal BMI and micro-nutrient deficiency.
Obese and overweight individuals, for example, are more likely to have vitamin-deficiencies; not because a higher body weight causes vitamin deficiency, but because overweight individuals are more likely to opt for ‘bad food choices’ which leads to a nutrient-poor diet. Similarly, individuals that are following a strict diet that excludes certain foods, are also more likely to suffer from nutrient-deficiency as excluding certain foods means excluding specific vitamins and minerals.
We all know that most carbohydrates and high-calorie foods such as pizza, pasta and bread contain very little if any micronutrients. Similarly always opting for multi-grains may only provide our body with minimal traces of calcium, thiamin and iron.
It is therefore so important to note that vitamin-deficiency doesn’t come from just eating too much, but rather from eating too much of the wrong foods. That’s why a well-balanced, varied diet is key in maintaining a healthy weight and fighting off diseases.
We can get most of the essential vitamins and mineral that our bodies need by eating right. Aside from proteins, carbohydrates and good fats, our bodies need micronutrients such as vitamins A, B, C, E, K and minerals such as calcium, choline, iron, potassium and zinc to name just a few!
All these vitamins and minerals play a role in metabolism and collectively these nutrients help the body’s natural ability to manage weight and fight off diseases. Although our metabolism is primarily influenced by age, hormones, physical activity and genetics, an insufficient supply of micronutrients over a long period of time, can greatly impact weight management.
Taking micronutrient supplements
As we’ve established above, unhealthy eating habits lead to unhealthy weight and subsequently chronic diseases; in both adults and children. Simply put, bad nutrition means increased chronic disease risk.
The best way to prevent and ‘fight off’ chronic diseases, namely obesity, is to ‘eat right’ and opt for ‘superfoods.’ Eating right means having a balanced, varied diet that shouldn’t exclude any group of foods. That way, we can ensure our bodies are at least getting traces of most vitamins.
In addition to opting for healthy and ‘superfood’ options, multi-vitamin supplements can be very beneficial for our overall wellbeing. It is often very difficult to reach our recommended daily intake of certain, vital nutrients via food and this is where multi-vitamin supplements come in! * Multi-vitamin supplements ensure patients that are ‘watching what they eat’ do not fall vitamin-deficient.
Getting the recommended daily intake of iron, zinc, folate, thiamin and vitamin B12 is very difficult through food, which is why they are the most common vitamin-deficiencies seen in individuals. To prevent such deficiencies, many physicians and nutritionist alike recommend and prescribe multi-vitamin tablets to their patients as part of their weight loss programs and/or post weight loss surgery regimes.
The most-recent breakthrough weight loss program; the Elipse Balloon Weight Loss Program, has allowed many patients to change their lifestyle and eating habits by following a 4 month program; carefully monitored and managed by Dr Faruq Badiuddin and the regionally renowned nutritionist and behavioural therapist Mirna AlSabbagh.
Since its introduction in the UAE in January 2018, Dr Faruq Badiuddin has had over 65 patients (and counting) enroll onto the Elipse Balloon Weight Loss Program at BR Medical Suites. By the end of the 4 month program, patients not only lose an average of 15kg, but during the weeks they learn about good nutrition and what vitamins and minerals their body really needs for optimal metabolic function and overall healthy wellbeing for them to continue to maintain that healthier weight and new lifestyle.
Ongoing research by Dr Faruq Badiuddin and his team has shown that following a nutrient-rich diet is pivotal for weight management during and post weight loss programs. For more information about the Elipse Balloon weight loss program or other weight loss options, you can call/whatsapp Dr Faruq and his team on 0559546068 / 0552912074.
* As always, please consult a physician before taking any supplements
