Malnutrition places Americans at risk for serious health consequences. For people with chronic conditions, proper nutrition is more than just a good idea. It's an essential part of managing health concerns such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, cancer and more.
Many people think malnutrition refers only to people who are undernourished and appear emaciated. However, malnutrition is actually a broad term defined as the insufficient, excessive or imbalanced consumption of nutrients — and yes, many people in the US are malnourished even though they appear overweight!
Consuming the wrong types of foods — foods that are calorie dense, but nutritionally poor contribute to this phenomenon known as "hidden hunger," a serious and growing challenge in the US. Officially known as micronutrient deficiency, people fail to obtain essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and trace elements which allow them to be mentally and physically healthy.
Are you experiencing loss of muscle tone or energy, a declining immune system, depression or depleted memory? If you're overweight you certainly need to be concerned since "hidden hunger" and obesity are often highly correlated. Doesn't it make sense to protect yourself with a Healthy Aging Panel so you can know if you're deficient in key nutrients?
The Healthy Aging Panel (basic) contains the following components:
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Complete Metabolic Panel with Lipids – To detect proteins, anemia, electrolytes and kidney and liver function.
- Complete Blood Count (CBC) – To evaluate anemia, immune function and infection.
- C-Reactive Protein (high sensitivity)- Malnutrition may aggravate existing inflammation.
- Vitamin B12- Vitamin B12 deficiencies can lead to anemia, depression, dementia and neurological damage
- Folate – Folate deficiencies can lead to anemia, irritability, and birth defects if pregnant.
- Vitamin D 25-hydroxy - The consequences of Vitamin D deficiency are numerous and include skeletal diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, infections, cognitive disorders and more.
- Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) - Keeps an eye on how well you're keeping your diet free of sugar which damages DNA and contributes to "hidden hunger".
- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)-Deficiency of vitamins and minerals can lead to low thyroid function.
- Ferritin- A protein which serves as a storage form of iron. Low values may indicate iron deficiency anemia
- Insulin- Optimal levels show the balance of what type of food you eat, when you eat it and your activity level.
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