Even though this may come as a surprise, many people have nutritional deficiencies that they don’t know about.
This is because nutritional deficiencies go a lot deeper than simply getting enough food.
It’s what you eat that’s most important – especially when it comes to fertility.
In this post, we’re going to be talking about nutritional deficiencies, how they affect fertility, and how to tell if you might be dealing with nutritional deficits.
How to Tell if You Might Have a Nutritional Deficiency
Nutritional Deficiencies Aren’t Talked About Very Often, but They Exist
We live in a culture that centers around a lot of poor diet habits – things like processed food, fast food, and fad diets that cut out entire food groups.
When you’re on a fertility journey, it’s essential to eat an abundance of different food groups and not cut anything out.
This is because certain ways of eating can lead to nutrient deficiencies over time.
How Should You Address a Nutritional Deficiency?
There are two ways you can approach a nutritional deficiency.
1. Talk to a Naturopath
By going to see a naturopath, you can get a full nutritional panel and see where you’re at – both with your hormones and your nutrients.
But this method is going to cost you at least a couple hundred of dollars.
So, let’s talk about another method you can use. It’s a free way see if you might have a nutrient deficit due to your diet.
2. Cronometer
Cronometer is a free food tracking app that gives you a nutrient breakdown of all the foods you’re eating.
It’s important to eat how you would normally eat right now – and track everything.
Be truthful with yourself so you can realistically see where your diet might be lacking. Once you can see your micronutrient intake, you can adjust your diet accordingly.
What Nutrients Are the Most Important to Keep Track of?
When it comes to fertility, here are some key nutrients to keep an eye on:
- Folate
- Iron
- Vitamin C & D
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B6
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids
Another thing that’s important to note is that recommended daily values put out by the FDA are on the lower side. So, you might even need a bit higher than those numbers.
After about a week, you’ll be able to see which nutrients you might need to pay more attention to.
What Are Some of the Most Common Nutrient Deficiencies?
Some of the most common deficiencies we see are:
- Iron deficiencies
- B vitamin deficiencies
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
Once you start tracking your vitamin and mineral intake, you can begin tackling those deficits.
What to Do After You Identify Deficiencies
So, now you see where your diet might be lacking – what should you do now?
Well, the first step is learning about foods that are high in the nutrients you might be missing.
So, if you need more calcium, you could include nuts and seeds in your diet that are high in calcium. If you don’t eat a lot of folate, you could start eating more beans and greens and so on.
Google is your best friend when you’re looking for the best foods to help you reach your vitamin intake.
For example, you could search “foods high in B12” or “foods high in iron” to see what to eat more of.
Learn What Nutrients Work Together
Sometimes different vitamins and minerals work synergistically when it comes to nutrient absorption.
For instance, having enough vitamin C is crucial when it comes to iron absorption.
And for this reason, it’s important to learn about which nutrients work together in your body.
Tackling Your Nutrient Deficiencies Isn’t as Hard as It Sounds
This might all sound very daunting. But I promise, it’s not.
Once you know where your diet might be lacking, you can find the foods that have those missing vitamins and minerals. Then, you can start incorporating them into your diet.
If you want a shortcut to this, try eating a whole foods diet with tons of color and variety.
This means a diet with nuts, seeds, grains, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and organic meats.
Finally, you should still track everything. This is how you can ensure that you’re getting the nutrients you need on a consistent basis.
Can I Take Supplements Instead of Changing My Diet?
You might be asking yourself:
Should I be taking a multivitamin? Can I supplement instead?
You absolutely can, but food should be your first choice.
This is because there are so many amazing advantages that come with food, like anti-inflammatory benefits and fiber.
Fiber is a big one when it comes to fertility because it helps with your hormone metabolism.
Need More Resources?
Tracking your food is an easy and convenient way to tell where you’re at nutrient-wise. It allows you to dig deep into the dietary changes necessary to tackle those deficiencies.
I hope you found this helpful. If you need additional help learning how to eat for fertility and the other important foundational steps for supporting your fertility natural, check out my Free Fertility Foundations Course.
You can download it by clicking on the pink button bellow.
