A few weeks ago I did a master class with Dr Ashleigh Berry, an integrative GP who has extensive experience working with chronically ill patients. He has studied with the guru of nutrition in Australia, Professor Melvyn Sydney-Smith (http://www.nutritionmedicine.org/index.php?id=8) who I have done a few workshops with.
Dr Berry showed us some clever ways to get an insight into clients’ nutritional status through physical examination. Here are my top 12 that I learnt. Please ensure that you refrain from self-prescribing and discuss your concerns with your practitioner!
- If you have dark rings and puffiness around your eyes you have an allergy to something, most commonly a food.
- Acne occurs due to too much sugar and not enough zinc and essential fatty acids. Skip the sweets and head for tahini and smoked salmon on rice cakes
- Acne scarring shouldn’t happen and if it does, you are probably suffering from an undiagnosed food intolerance. Ask your practitioner for a comprehensive IgG intolerance test to reveal the culprits.
- If your heels are cracked your vitamin E levels are far too low. Tender calves are also caused by a deficiency of vitamin E.
- Excessive sweating can be embarrassing and usually due to a deficiency of the minerals calcium & magnesium or an accumulation of the toxic metal, mercury. Ask your practitioner for a comprehensive hair mineral test to determine your levels.
- Want to know if you are eating enough protein? Turn your hand palm upward and gently press on your top finger pad. It should bounce back immediately and if even slightly delayed, means you need to eat more protein
- If you have soft nails with white spots your zinc is too low.
- If the muscles just under your eye twitch then your magnesium levels are deficient. As magnesium is the most relaxing mineral, you are probably feeling a little stressed as well!
- Do you suffer from mouth ulcers? Try eliminating gluten and taking a vitamin B complex
- Are the sides of your tongue slightly scalloped in shape? If so, you are low on magnesium and vitamin B3. Sounds like a little R&R is overdue!
- If you have a yellow coating on the back of your tongue, your digestion is not working properly, leading to an overload of pathogenic bacteria.
- Check your body for skin tags – if present then watch your blood sugar control. Skin tags are often precursors to insulin resistance and diabetes.
