Most people have heard of the saying, “You are what you eat” but not many of us have looked deeper to gain an understanding of what we need to eat in order to achieve optimum health and wellbeing. The fact is, eating a healthy diet is not necessarily sufficient to achieve good health and longevity. Even when eating balanced meals made with high quality healthy ingredients, you could be missing vital micronutrients which are essential for the body’s development and growth.

What are micronutrients? Every type of food has both macronutrients and micronutrients. Fats, carbohydrates and proteins are classified as macronutrients, whereas micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals required every day to power the body. The body needs 27 micronutrients and it can be tricky making sure you are getting enough of each. The problem is, if you don’t have enough micronutrients, you will not function at full capacity.

An article posted by Harvard Health Publishing (Harvard Medical School), “Micronutrients have a major impact on health”, summarises the importance of ensuring you have the correct amounts in your body in order to stave off nutrient-deficiency diseases and promote good health.

Healthy diet but lacking micronutrients?

It may seem strange that you can lack nutrients even though you are eating healthily. The simple answer is that your metabolism plays a key role in your overall health and performance, and also the health of your bones, muscles and immune system etc. Depending on how your metabolism processes the food and nutrients you ingest, your body may have too much or could be deficient in certain micronutrients, which in turn will affect your overall health.

 

Identifying harmful levels of micronutrients

A white paper “Micronutrients in health and disease”, published by the National Library of Medicine, outlines the central role that micronutrients play in the metabolism and tissue function. It also clarifies that both excess and inadequate intake of micronutrients can be equally harmful. Therefore, it is not advisable to take vitamin, trace elements or food supplements indiscriminately in the hope that you will fulfil your body’s unique nutritional requirements. Instead, the answer is to take a more scientific approach, by finding out exactly what your body needs and what it doesn’t. The best way to ensure your metabolism is working correctly and your body is receiving the right balance of nutrients is to undergo metabolic testing and body composition analysis.

 

Advanced Micronutrition and metabolism analysis

This type of analysis is offered by Executive Health, the premier Scandinavian Medical Preventative Screening Clinic in Marbella. The comprehensive analysis requires two visits; during the first visit you will be asked to provide your medical and dietary history, a mouth swab and blood sample will also be taken. The results will be discussed in the follow up appointment and you’ll receive a personalised supplement and diet plan.
To obtain a true analysis, you will need to stop taking any supplements, trace minerals or vitamins two weeks prior to your first appointment.

To give you an idea of the level of detail involved in the analysis, let’s take a look Executive Health’s comprehensive metabolic profile analysis. The vitamin and mineral profile test will show which vitamins are deficient. For example, you may be lacking B12 which is required for cell renewal, Omega 3 to reduce cholesterol or vitamin C and other antioxidants which are crucial for maintaining a healthy immune system etc. Nutritionists will analyse the genes involved in the metabolization of micronutrients and test for any intolerance to gluten, histamines, fructose and lactose and other disorders. It is also possible to identify over 170 genetic mutations linked to hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and other lifestyle related risk factors.

Executive Health’s Dr. Henrik Reinhard, explains the benefits of undergoing nutrigenomic analysis, “Our nutritionists use cutting-edge medical technology to carry out a comprehensive assessment of your vitamin, mineral and metabolic profiles. Through comprehensive analysis we can evaluate your body’s unique response to the diet, identifying any deficiencies in micronutrients that would otherwise go unnoticed and recommend changes to help achieve optimal long-term health. To achieve this, our nutritionists create personalised diet and supplement plans that will provide all of the micronutrients specific to your body’s requirements”.

In conclusion, even if you look and feel like you are in good health, you could be missing vital micronutrients that have otherwise been overlooked. To work towards achieving long-term good health and wellness, it is essential to identify any potential risks before they turn into health issues. Specialist medical screening programmes, such as Executive Health’s advanced micronutrition and metabolism analysis provides patients with the necessary data and subsequent diet plans to help you to live a long, happy and healthy life.

If you would like more information about the range and benefits of Executive Health’s medical screening programmes, please visit the website, contact [email protected] or call or Whatsapp +34 670 674 246.