Today’s episode is all about micronutrient! I am going over some of the main micronutrient deficiency that are found in the current fitness industry, this was based on a book that I have been reading “The Woman’s book” by Lyle McDonald, even though it is mainly based off female population I think it is still valuable to take it into consideration. I will link the studies at the end of the show notes so be sure to check these out! The most common nutrient deficiencies are frequently seen in this population are inadequate intake of B12, iron, zinc, calcium, Vitamin D and magnesium. Vitamin B12 has a huge effect on the physiological process, such as red blood cell creation and neurological function. If you are having severe deficiency in vitamin B12 you can suffer from an autoimmune condition that can cause neurological disorders. Vitamin B12 is only found naturally in animal source foods such as meat and dairy foods, of course you can always use supplement to supplement B12 for vegans/vegetarians. Food sources that I recommend for Vitamin B12 are meat, dairy, fish, fortified vegetarian foods. Iron is the next big one, most women suffer from lower iron because of menstrual cycle but this is not to be playing around with supplement as you can actually overdose on iron. Only blood work can determine this. So, keep that in mind, but beside from that, iron is mainly responsible for red blood cell production and thyroid hormone metabolism, so if you have a low level of iron it will decrease both thyroid hormone and red blood cell in your body. Low iron also has an effect on your cognitive performance and emotional health. Food sources that I recommend for iron are red meat, chicken, pork, fortified foods, various vegetables. Zinc is responsible for the process of metabolism of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Most people are familiar with zinc for immune system function. So, same as iron, selenium and iodine, sufficient zinc is also critical for normal thyroid hormone metabolism. Food sources I recommend for zinc is basically the same for iron, red meat, chicken, pork, fortified foods, various vegetables. Calcium and Vitamin D are both critical for bone health and bone density. Calcium actually have a potential role in fat loss and improving body composition. Dairy foods are the primary source of calcium but of course you can find calcium in vegetables as well but amounts are much lower and it is absorbed less efficiently. Calcium from dairy is absorbed with 97% efficiency vs 22% from broccoli. Vitamin D is a super important micronutrient, in terms of not only it’s a role in human healthy but low levels being related to almost all diseases and cancer such as diabetes risk, depression, colon cancer, depression, autoimmune diseases, PCOS and many more. Vitamin D also have a direct role on skeletal muscle. Vitamin D is actually very unique in the sense that you can’t really get the most vitamin D from food rather it is directly produce in the body in response to direct sun exposure…in current day and age we are usually coupled up in doors or rather during winter we barely leave the house, as well as office jobs so sun exposure has decreased drastically causing vitamin D level to be very low. So, since vitamin D is a bit different I usually recommend clients to supplement with Vitamin D around 600IU/day and of course, just get more sun, go out for a walk. Next, we have magnesium and vitamin K. Vitamin K is critical for bone health and you can find it primarily in leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spinach and turnip greens. Magnesium is often deficient in many diets and has numerous physiological roles is found in whole grains, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Same food recommendations for magnesium as for vitamin K. Okay guys, hope these tops/recommendations are helpful! I like to keep all episodes short and