Health and Nutrients

Please answer each of the following questions with a maximum of 200 words.

1. What micronutrients are missing from your diet? What foods, that you enjoy, could you eat to supply these nutrients?

I believe the majority of half of the micronutrients are missing from my diet. The most specific micronutrients that are missing from my diet are Zinc, Iron, Phosphorous, Calcium, Potassium, Folate, Biotin, Riboflavin, and Vitamin A. The foods which I have listed in "My Food Choices" were not foods part of my food log but foods I had around the house. I think I can incorporate more white rice into my diet. I do eat a lot of rice but the rice I eat is flavored and not white. For Iron, I do eat shrimp but not as often as I did before living with my husband, however eating more oat bran cereals can make a difference for my diet. I enjoy eating turkey but I can add roasted turkey or pot roast into my diet (which I don't know how to make a pot roast but I can find a way to learn). I don't not eat enough Calcium and I can start by adding swiss cheese to my sandwich's and spinach as a side for dinner or eat it as a snack. I recently have stopped eating Potassium all together. This week I went grocery shopping and I decided to add more potassium to my diet and I picked up some bananas. For Folate, I can cook some broccoli and have it as a side dish for dinner or eat uncooked broccoli for a snack. I also recently stopped eating peanut butter and this week I picked up some of Skippy's peanut butter, which I can eat on a whole wheat bread for breakfast. This week I picked up some of Multigrain Cheerios (Yogurt flavor) so I can have Riboflavin into my diet. Vitamin A is one micronutrient that is not consistent in my diet. I can eat more yogurt, milk, fish, and eggs.

2. Micronutrient deficiencies can have many negative effects on your health. What long-term effects can you anticipate if your current deficiencies continue?

Micronutrient deficiencies can have long term effects if not taken serious and prevented. If micronutrient deficiencies are not taken seriously then long term effects occur. For example children that have Vitamin D deficiency are known to have rickets. In adults, Osteomalacia occurs because of Vitamin D deficiency. If an individual suffers from Vitamin K deficiency, than hemorrhage and fractures will occur. If I do not take micronutrient deficiencies serious, my life and health is at risk. The Vitamin Thiamin deficiency causes heart changes and weakness. In fact, Vitamin B deficiency can cause anemia, convulsions, nausea, and vomiting. Indeed, Niacin deficiency can cause dermatitis, dementia, and even death. These are examples of micronutrient deficiencies. Some of the deficiencies are there for a life time, in which there is no cure, surgery, or medication can overcome the deficiencies. From these long term