Vitamin symptoms may be subtle at first, but they increase as the deficiency worsens. A diet rich in processed food is one of the main culprits, aside of the consumption of lack of food. But the main concern remains that all the chips and biscuits that you so love strips you off all the essential nutri ents. Junk fare is mostly `dead food’ and seldom has any nutrients to contribute to your health and wellbeing. Besides, it doesn’t help absorb them properly as it messes with your digestive tissues.

So although you may not suffer from a disease, there’s a chance that you may end up with impaired functioning, because vitamins are co-factors for all the bio-chemical reactions in the body. That impaired functioning can sometimes manifest in strange ways. It’s your body trying to tell you something. So listen to it. While fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, pale skin, irregular heartbeats and weight lass are apparent, there are unusual vitamin-deficiency warning signs.

SIGNAL:

Red or white acne like bumps, on the cheeks, arms, thighs and butt

DEFICIENT IN

Essential fatty acids and vitamins A and D.

FIX IT

Tank up on the sunshine.Long hours in air-conditioned spaces and pollution make it hard. Even sunscreen lotion prevents absorption. Consuming fish, sardine, tuna, egg, and green leafy vegetables also helps. Increase healthy fats like dairy products in your meal. Add salmon and walnuts and almonds, and seeds like ground flax, and chia in your diet. For vitamin A, eat plenty of leafy greens, papaya and colourful veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, and capsicum. This provides beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, which your body will use to make the vital nutrient.

SIGNAL

Tingling, prickling, and numbness in hands, feet or elsewhere.

DEFICIENT IN

B vitamins like folate (B9), B6, and B12. It’s a problem directly related to the peripheral nerves and where they end in the skin. These symptoms can be combined with anxiety, depression, anaemia, fatigue, and hormone imbalances.

FIX IT

You can fix the vitamin B group largely with your diet. Opt for brown rice, millet, wheat germ, nuts, wheat bran sprouted grains. Egg, chicken, mutton, salmon, banana, broccoli, red kidney beans, asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage and all green leafy vegetables.

SIGNAL

Cracks at the corners of your mouth

DEFICIENT IN

Iron, zinc, and B vitamins like niacin (B3), riboflavin (B2), and B12. It’s common if you’re a vegetarian to not get enough iron, zinc, and B12. Likewise, if you’re skimping on essential immunitybuilding protein because of excess dieting.

FIX IT

Eat more poultry, salmon, tuna, eggs, chicken, tomatoes, peanuts, and lentils. Iron absorption is enhanced by vitamin C, which helps fight infection. Combine these foods with broccoli, and cauliflower. Ensure that you also eat dairy products like yoghurt, paneer and ghee.

SIGNAL

Muscle cramps in the form of throbbing pain in toes, calves, arches of feet, and backs of legs

DEFICIENT IN

Magnesium, calcium, and potassium. If it’s happening frequently, it’s a sign that you’re lacking in these. And if you’re training hard, you can lose more minerals (and water-soluble B vitamins) through heavy sweating.

FIX IT

To fix potassium, have oranges, bananas, peanuts, beans, coconut water. For magnesium, go for dark green leafy vegetable, nuts and soybean.Almonds, figs, carrots, raisins, brown rice, cashew are rich sources of calcium.