Naturopath’s differ from conventional medicine is we use non-invasive testing to look at signs for mineral deficiencies. The rule of thumb is to look for 3 signs of a deficiency and then confirm with pathology testing where we can.
Some common deficiency signs in a healthy person are:
White spots on nails – zinc deficiency. This can be confirmed with serum zinc in a blood test.
Pale conjunctiva – iron deficiency. Confirmed via ferritin levels – iron stores in a blood test or circulating iron levels.
Twitching or restless legs – magnesium deficiency. It can be confirmed with red blood cell magnesium or treated to check response.
Dry skin – essential fatty acid deficiency. Can be checked with an omega 3 index test kit.
Bleeding gums or bruising easily - vitamin C deficiency. Usually treated with vitamin C or can be tested with a Dutch test.
Mouth ulcers – B vitamin deficiency. B vitamin levels are confirmed through blood testing or more complex tests such as a Dutch test.
There are many more!
Of course, there are reasons that you may be deficient. These reasons can include a poor diet, side effects of medications, a condition or disease, or poor absorption through lack of digestive enzymes or leaky gut. These are conditions to get checked out. These all get assessed in a Naturopathic appointment.
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