Many conditions and “illnesses” have malnourishment as an implicated factor in their development, if not a direct cause. However, there is more at stake here than just considering what we eat. We must also consider how well food is digested and absorbed and if the nutrients were in the food in the first place. New Zealand soils are deficient in several minerals, meaning that produce grown or grazed on these soils will also be deficient. We should also remember the extra nutrient-needs that are placed on the body by stress, extreme exercise, injury, illness and overload of various heavy metals and toxins. Heavy metals like mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic can all block the cellular uptake of minerals, whilst dramatically increasing nutrient requirements. Many prescription and over-the-counter medicines increase our nutrient-needs and can lead to deficiencies. A wise man once said “You are what you eat”, but it would be more appropriate to say, “You are what you absorb”.

Sadly, many deficiencies are self-perpetuating. For instance, when you are zinc deficient stomach acid production is decreased, but without adequate stomach acid you cannot easily digest and absorb zinc. This is one of the times when it is not possible to treat a deficiency solely by corrective diet. An easily assimilated zinc supplement must be given until zinc levels are improved enough to be self-sustaining.