11 Nutrients You’ll Die Without (Are You Getting Enough?)

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted November 7, 2017

Dear Living Well Daily Reader,

When did nutrition get so darned confusing?

I’ve known so many patients over the years who wanted to eat well… who wanted to take care of their health… but they couldn’t sort through all the conflicting advice they were getting.

It feels like every week there’s some new super food or “miracle vitamin” we can’t live without.

So I’m going to help you cut with the clutter.

Because there are actually 11 nutrients that are absolutely essential to good health.

And if you make sure your diet – and your multi-vitamins or supplements – feature these 11 nutrients, you’ll be well on your way to living a long and healthy life.

My “Super 11” nutrients include:

Potassium: If there is one nutrient that almost no one gets enough of, it’s potassium. Potassium helps with water balance and is needed for nerve and heart health. This is one nutrient I’m going to tell you NOT to supplement. You must get it in food. Yes, bananas do contain potassium, but so do spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, avocadoes, sweet potatoes and even salmon.

Magnesium: If you want strong bones, a sharp mind, and better sleep, then you need to make sure you are getting enough magnesium. You can find magnesium in seeds, nuts, and avocados.

Vitamin D: The sunshine vitamin helps us absorb calcium (for good bones) and is important for skin, brain, and even sleep. I recommend supplementing because it is hard to get enough in our diets.

Vitamin K: This is the “lost vitamin” because most people don’t know about it. Vitamin K helps with blood clotting, but is also important for keeping our arteries clear and our brains healthy, and it may even help prevent diabetes.

B Vitamins: The B vitamins are missing from our diets because they are easily destroyed by the cooking and processing of food. This is a problem, because B Vitamins are used for almost every chemical reaction happening inside our bodies.

Sodium: While sodium (salt) has a bad reputation, it is actually unbelievably important to our health. Sodium helps to regulate water balance, and keeps nerves and muscles working. Make sure you choose a real salt – one that has additional minerals and is not processed.

Iodine: The reason why we don’t get enough iodine is because we don’t eat enough foods from the sea. Iodine is important for our thyroid and metabolism to work well.

Polyphenols: These plant nutrients (including bioflavonoids, flavanols, and polyphenols) are important for our health and are the reason why coffee, chocolate, and wine help you to avoid disease and live longer.

Fat: Most people are afraid of fats, but we desperately need them in our diets. Yes, you can (and should) eat butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil. Stay away from vegetable oils. Make sure you are getting omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil).

Protein: Your muscles, brain, bones, and every cell in your body needs proteins. I recommend good quality proteins such as grass-fed beef, fish, or chicken.

Water: We can’t live without water, but you need to make sure you are filtering your water before it goes into your body. Get rid of the chlorine, fluoride and other toxins.

Find a good source of these essential nutrients in your diet and then supplement for those times when you don’t eat as well as you should.

Health and Happiness,

Dr. Scott Olson, ND

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Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

View More By Dr. Scott Olson, ND