little low on the Zink and vit D

I got back some Blood tests and my zink is bit low as well as vit D.

Hey Michelle, my Vitamin advisor...what does it mean to be low in Zink?

I know that zinc is excellent for boosting the immune system.

Catherine,

It could explain why you got sick in India.  You will need to add more shrimp to your diet as well as some extra supplements.  My biggest concern for you will be about the lowering of the Vit D as that can be the hard one to bring up.  Vitalady has the dry formula that is better for us to absorb - stay away from any of the oil formulas. 

When you were ill did you drink as many lattes as usual?  Still getting in your yogurt, cheese and sunshine?

I have posted a copy of one of the vitamin charts.  Did you get a copy of all the different ones I referred to at the meeting?  Will do some more research and pass along what I find.

Go get a latte then keep reading ...

Nutrient Incidence of Deficiency *** Typical Symptoms and Diseases *** 

Natural Sources of Nutrient

Biotin

Uncommon 

Dermatitis, eye inflammation, hair loss, loss of muscle control, insomnia, muscle weakness

chard, tomatoes, romaine lettuce,carrots, almonds, chicken eggs,onions, cabbage, cucumber,cauliflower, goat's milk, cow's milk,raspberries, strawberries, halibut,oats, and walnuts.

Calcium

Brittle nails, cramps, delusions, depression,insomnia, irritability, osteoporosis, palpitations,periodontal disease, rickets, tooth decay

Average diet contains 40 to 50% of RDA*

blackstrap molasses, Swiss chard,yogurt, kale, mozzarella cheese,cow's milk,goat's milk, Basil, thyme,dill seed, cinnamon, and peppermint leaves, romaine lettuce, celery,broccoli, sesame seeds, fennel,cabbage, summer squash, green beans, garlic, tofu, Brussel sprouts,oranges, asparagus and crimini mushrooms.

Chromium

Anemia, arterial damage, depression, diarrhea, fatigue, fragile bones, hair loss, hyperthyroidism, weakness

90% of diets deficient

Anxiety, fatigue, glucose intolerance, adultonset diabetes

romaine lettuce, onions, tomatoes, brewer's yeast, oysters, liver, whole grains, bran cereals, and potatoes

Copper 75% of diets deficient; average diet contains 50% of RDA*

calf's liver, crimini mushrooms, turnip greens, molasses, chard, spinach, sesame seeds, mustard greens, kale, summer squash, asparagus, eggplant, and cashews, peppermint, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, ginger, green beans, potato, and tempeh

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Very common

Diarrhea, dry skin and hair, hair loss, immune impairment, infertility, poor wound healing, premenstrual syndrome, acne, eczema, gall stones, liver degeneration

Salmon, flax seeds and walnuts, scallops, cauliflower, cabbage, cloves and mustard seeds, halibut, shrimp, cod, tuna, soybeans, tofu, kale, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts.

Folic acid

Anemia, apathy, diarrhea, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite, neural tube defects in fetus, paranoia, shortness of breath, weakness

Average diet contains 60% of RDA*; deficient in 100% of elderly in one study; deficient in 48% of adolescent girls; requirement doubles in pregnancy

romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, turnip greens, mustard greens, calf's liver, parsley, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, and lentils, squash, black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, papaya and string beans.

Iodine

Cretinism, fatigue, hypothyroidism, weight gain

Uncommon since the supplementation of salt with iodine

Sea vegetables, Yogurt, cow's milk, eggs, strawberries, mozzarella cheese

Iron

Most common mineral deficiency

Anemia, brittle nails, confusion, constipation, depression, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, inflamed tongue, mouth lesions

chard, spinach, thyme, turmeric, romaine lettuce, blackstrap molasses, tofu, mustard greens, turnip greens, string beans, shiitake mushrooms, beef tenderloin, lentils, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, venison, garbanzo beans, broccoli, leeks, kelp

Magnesium

Anxiety, confusion, heart attack, hyperactivity, insomnia, nervousness, muscular irritability, restlessness, weakness

75 to 85% of diets deficient: average diet contains 50 to 60% of RDA*

Swiss chard, spinach, mustard greens, summer squash, broccoli, blackstrap molasses, halibut, turnip greens, pumpkin seeds, peppermint, cucumber, green beans, celery, kale and a variety of seeds, including sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds

Manganese

Atherosclerosis, dizziness, elevated cholesterol, glucose intolerance, hearing loss, loss of muscle control, ringing in ears

Unknown, may be common in women

mustard greens, kale, chard, raspberries, pineapple, romaine lettuce, spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, kale, maple syrup, molasses, garlic, grapes, summer squash, strawberries, oats, spelt, green beans, brown rice, garbonzo beans, ground cloves, cinnamon, thyme, peppermint, turmeric, leeks, tofu, broccoli, beets, beets, whole wheat, tempeh, cucumber, peanuts, millet, barley, figs, bananas, kiwifruit, carrots black beans

Niacin (B3)

Commonly deficient in elderly

Bad breath, canker sores, confusion, depression, dermatitis, diarrhea, emotional instability, fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, memory impairment, muscle weakness, nausea, skin eruptions and inflammation

mushrooms, tuna, beef liver, halibut, asparagus, sea vegetables, venison, chicken, salmon

Pantothenic acid (B5)

Average elderly diet contains 60% of RDA*

Abdominal pains, burning feet, depression, eczema, fatigue, hair loss, immune impairment, insomnia, irritability, low blood pressure, muscle spasms, nausea, poor coordination

Mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, calf's liver, turnip greens, sunflower seeds, tomato, strawberries, yogurt, eggs, winter squash, collard greens, chard and corn.

Potassium

chard, crimini mushrooms, spinach, fennel, kale, mustard greens, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, winter squash, blackstrap molasses, eggplant, cantaloupe, tomatoes, parsley, cucumber, bell pepper,turmeric, apricots, ginger root, strawberries, avocado, banana, tuna, halibut, cauliflower cabbage.

Commonly deficient in elderly

Acne, constipation, depression, edema, excessive water consumption, fatigue, glucose intolerance, high cholesterol levels, insomnia, mental impairment, muscle weakness, nervousness, poor reflexes

Pyridoxine (B6)

Acne, anemia, arthritis, eye inflammation, depression, dizziness, facial oiliness, fatigue, impaired wound healing, irritability, loss of appetite, loss of hair, mouth lesions, nausea

spinach, bell peppers, turnip greens, garlic, tuna, cauliflower, mustard greens, banana, celery, cabbage, crimini mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, kale, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, cod, chard

71% of male and 90% of female diets deficient

Riboflavin (B2)

mushrooms, calf liver, spinach, romaine lettuce, asparagus, chard, mustard greens, broccoli, collard greens venison, turnip greens, chicken eggs, yogurt, cow's milk

Deficient in 30% of elderly Britons

Blurred vision, cataracts, depression, dermatitis, dizziness, hair loss, inflamed eyes, mouth lesions, nervousness, neurological symptoms (numbness, loss of sensation, "electric shock" sensations), seizures. sensitivity to light, sleepiness, weakness

Selenium

Brazil nuts, button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, cod, shrimp, snapper, tuna, halibut, calf's liver, salmon, chicken's eggs, lamb, barley, sunflower seeds, turkey, mustard seeds, oats

Average diet contains 50% of RDA

Growth impairment, high cholesterol levels, increased incidence of cancer, pancreatic insufficiency (inability to secrete adequate amounts of digestive enzymes), immune impairment, liver impairment, male sterility

Thiamin (B1)

mushrooms, spinach, sunflower seeds, tuna, green peas, tomatoes, eggplant and Brussels sprouts.

Commonly deficient in elderly

Confusion, constipation, digestive problems, irritability, loss of appetite, memory loss, nervousness, numbness of hands and feet, pain sensitivity, poor coordination, weakness asparagus, romaine lettuce,

Vitamin A

Calf liver, Cow's milk, eggs, carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, collard greens, and tomatoes

Vitamin B-12

Anemia, constipation, depression, dizziness, fatigue, intestinal disturbances, headaches, irritability, loss of vibration sensation, low stomach acid, mental disturbances, moodiness, mouth lesions, numbness, spinal cord degeneration

Snapper, calf's liver, venison, shrimp, scallops, salmon, and beef.  Plant sources are less consistently good sources of B-12: sea plants (like kelp), algaes (like blue-green algae), yeasts (like brewer's yeast), and fermented plant foods (like tempeh, miso, or tofu)

20% of diets deficient

Acne, dry hair, fatigue, growth impairment, insomnia, hyperkeratosis (thickening and roughness of skin), immune impairment, night blindness, weight lossSerum levels low in 25% of hospital patients

Vitamin C

broccoli

20 to 50% of diets deficient

Bleeding gums, depression, easy bruising, impaired wound healing, irritability, joint pains, loose teeth, malaise, tiredness., bell peppers, kale, cauliflower, strawberries, lemons, mustard and turnip greens, brussels sprouts, papaya, chard, cabbage, spinach, kiwifruit, snow peas, cantaloupe, oranges, grapefruit, limes, tomatoes, zucchini, raspberries, asparagus, celery, pineapples, lettuce, watermelon, fennel, peppermint and parsley.

Vitamin D

Burning sensation in mouth, diarrhea, insomnia, myopia, nervousness, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, rickets, scalp sweating

salmon, shrimp,

62% of elderly women's diets deficientvitamin-D fortified milk, cod, eggs

Vitamin E

Gait disturbances, poor reflexes, loss of position sense, loss of vibration sense, shortened red blood cell life

mustard greens, turnip greens, chard, sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, collard greens, parsley, kale, papaya, olives, bell pepper, brussels sprouts, kiwifruit, tomato, blueberries, broccoli

23% of male and 15% of female diets deficient

Vitamin K

Bleeding disorders

spinach

Deficiency in pregnant women and newborns common, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, green beans, asparagus, broccoli, kale, mustard greens, green peas, carrots.

Zinc

Calf's liver, crimini mushrooms, spinach, sea vegetables, basil, thyme, spinach, pumpkin seeds, yeast, beef, lamb, beef, lamb, summer squash, asparagus, venison, chard, collard greens, miso, shrimp, maple syrup, broccoli, peas, yogurt, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, mustard greens.

68% of diets deficient

Acne, amnesia, apathy, brittle nails, delayed sexual maturity, depression, diarrhea, eczema, fatigue, growth impairment, hair loss, high cholesterol levels, immune impairment, impotence, irritability, lethargy, loss of appetite, loss of sense of taste, low stomach acid, male infertility, memory impairment, night blindness, paranoia, white spots on nails, wound healing impairment

Common Nutrient Deficiencies

This information refers to the

general population, not just the WLS community.

Also remember that after gastric bypass surgery/duodenal switch we are not fully able to absorb micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) from the food we eat – thus the need to a lifetime of taking vitamins and supplements.

I knew you would get me the answers Michelle...you are such a good woman.

Regarding the D,  as my calcium has not been checked yet.  So I have more blood tests to finish the job and then my doctor will let me know if it is just D or as she said often lower D goes in line with Calcium.  The lab only did some of the tests the Dr. asked for as Gov only pays for say 15 items at a time and my Dr. sent 20.  So, I go back this morning for the rest.

One thing she did tell me is the D is just slightly low and in Luxembourg as there is almost no winder sunshine she often sees low D.  And that coupled with the fact I never get out of the office I sure do not get much sunshine.

I will keep you posted on the Caldium and D. 

Re the Zink..can you send me the link for getting more of this suppliment.  I currently have 50mg daily.

http://www.vita4life.net/dosage.html

and interestingly enough...after all the meat, liver, cheese, bacon, fats, litters of milk a day .... my cholosteral is slighty low.  Certainly not a worry...but is an interesting thing eh.

Another good item was my liver counts and "lipase" which they monitor quite closely as I battled Pancreatitus in past..and those numbers are really perfect.  So, no probs there.

all in all good tests.  Just need to get the calcium numbers, and the D,Zink sorted.

oh...and my B is bit high...but at this time I am not sure if this is an issue and will need to go to my German Surgeon for advice as my family Dr. advises.  It will be tricky if something is too high because with a multi vit. it is hard to take something out.

Thx,
Catherine

oh...and the damn Iron.  Well, I always, my whole life have battled low iron.  It was dipping really low for the first 18 months after my BPD/DS in June 2006.  Then I had a hysterectomy for other reasons, but on benefit was that my iron should level out.  A few months after my Hys.  I did have to have an Iron Infusion (direct drip of Iron) and was on extra iron pills.  It was at a bare minimum.

Anyway...yesterday she told me it is no longer officially low.  But...it is not as high as she would like to a non menstrating female of my age.  So, I need to add more iron.

I currently take 70 mg a day.

I need to boost this up quite quickly as I will have some surgery later this year to nip and tuck.

darn...as we all know...taking more iron has a sideeffect in the loo visits.


so my advice to you folks waiting for a DS...get your iron up...way up! 

and just a short comment regarding the food recommendations for the different vits. 

I already drink and eat my max in healthy foods for me.  ie. 2 ltrs milk a day, cheese, yugurt, beef, chicken, shrimp...so from a DSer point of view...as I am a shining food example...I need to very quickly go the suppliment route to bump things up.

although..will take your advice and eat more shrimp...gotta love shrimp.  I put a little olive oil in a pan, cut up 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, sprinkle in hot pepper and a bunch of shrimp and pan fry it and eat it with a toothpic...if we have guests it is a great little snack, but often it is just me and Bev (hubby) who chow down on  our little plates of shrimp in the evening.  (people that eat bread dip that in the oil and eat the shrimp with bread..that does not work so good for me)

This is how they searve it in spain as a starter called Pilipili Shrimp...I really like it and eat this a time or two a week...but can never have enough shrimp.

Just googled for a real recipe, not my invention and see that butter is called for...good idea for the DSer to boost even more the protein.

------

Shrimp Pili-Pili

Pili-Pili is the generic name for African chiles as well as the name of this shrimp dish from Mozambique. Shellfish is abundant off the coast, and the prawns are so large that a couple will make a meal. The marinade not only goes well with shrimp or prawns, but also with fish and chicken.

Marinade:

1 tablespoon crushed dried African birdseye chile, or substitute piquin
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup peanut oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice, fresh preferred
1 pound large shrimp or prawns, shelled and deveined

METHOD:

Melt the butter and add the oil and the remaining marinade ingredients. Simmer for a couple of minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a ceramic bowl.

Toss the shrimp in the marinade and marinate for a couple of hours in the refrigerator..

Thread the shrimp on skewers and grill over charcoal or broil, until the shrimp are slightly browned and done.

Note: Double the marinade recipe and use it as a sauce over the cooked shrimp. and serve on the side.

Yield: 4 servings
Heat Scale: Hot

oh...and a final comment.

Generally my blood work was very good and in line with what my Dr. sees in her patients every day.  It is just because of my situation that we need to act quickly to ensure I raise those that are low, because I can not raise them as easy as others.  And if something was to go lower it would then be a real issue.

Also...my blood work is better now then last July...and this is probably due to the fact that in July I had had 2 surgeries in the 6 months previously.  (The Dec and April previous to July blood work)

One thing my Dr here insisted on was to get a benchmark blood work up before surgery.  To see where I was when I was "normal" and to improve where necessary and also later to know how it looked pre surgery because as we all know...after WLs...we blame all our ailments on our WLS..and sometimes it is not the case.

Funny- I had very severe pancreatitus 15 years ago and my doctor monitors my amylase level as an indicator of the condition of my pancreas.

HI,
I looked up the two tests on internet and they go hand in  hand to diagnose and monitor pancreatitus.

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/amylase/test.html

I get both tested...I just remember when I had pancreatitis my lipese is the one that was at 750...instead of about 35.  This is the one my dr point out to me in my blood work as severly high and the one to watch for when ever I get my blood work in the mail.

It took a couple of years of clean living to see the numbers drop back down into normal range.  Now both of these amylase and lipase are in normal range.  

Here I go for blood tests, the tests are sent to me and to my Dr.  Anything out of normal range is highlighted in red font. Then I decide if I need to call my Dr. to discuss anything.  I usually do go in to discuss...but it is the patient who monitors their blood counts along with the Drs. 

In my case, if I get blood work and don't call the Dr to discuss....she does not call me.   Unless she sees something severere in my tests.

At first this seemed strange, but now, I really like having all my blood work files and knowing what is tested and being able to compare all tests for the last 3 years to see if I see something that is out of whack.

So...check your blood work Charlene, maybe you actually have both tests as well?
C

good golly Michelle how do you know so much about vitamins.  That whole field confuses me.