Hear the word “scurvy,” and you might think of pirates or sailors from long-ago times. You certainly don’t think about the illness – caused by extreme vitamin C deficiency – as something that affects anyone today, at least not in highly developed nations like our own.
In fact, this is something we noted a few years ago when blogging about vitamin C, which is essential for a great many bodily functions. That includes keeping your gums healthy.
Yet scurvy, according to a recent article over at Gizmodo, might be making something of a comeback, even in countries like the US.
This July, for instance, a study analyzing nationwide pediatric hospital admissions in the U.S. found that the reported rate of scurvy cases in children had increased more than threefold between 2016 to 2020. In early October, doctors in Canada reported on a specific case of scurvy involving a 65-year-old woman; they further cautioned that the condition “should not be considered only an archaic diagnosis of 18th-century seafarers.” And just today, a separate team of researchers in Australia documented their own scurvy case in a middle-aged man following bariatric surgery.
“The incidence of scurvy diagnosis is increasing among children in the U.S.,” Grant Hogue, senior author of the July study and a pediatric spine surgeon at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, told Gizmodo in an email.
That’s not to say anyone expects to see tons of cases. Scurvy only develops after extended periods of extreme deficiency. Still, the fact that doctors are seeing some increase offers a good reminder of our need for vitamin C.
Yet many don’t get enough C – 46% of the population, according to a 2020 study in the journal Nutrients, or about the same number who are low in vitamin A, another key nutrient for oral health. The news is even worse when it comes to vitamins E and D. Eighty-four percent of Americans are deficient in E, while up to 95% aren’t getting enough D.
That last number is only shocking until you realize just how much time we all spend indoors these days, tethered to our digital devices instead of spending time outdoors, getting the sunlight your bodies need to make vitamin D. Unlike those other nutrients, we don’t get very much D from diet.
Of course, the average American diet isn’t that great, either, consisting mostly of hyper-processed products. While vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients may be added to some products to make them seem healthier, you also get plenty of additives, preservatives, and other ingredients our bodies simply don’t need.
Even “healthy” and “organic” hyper-processed food can’t compare to getting our nutrition the way nature intended it – through whole, minimally processed food. With real food, you get more than just nutrients; you get a total package, a complex array of nutrients, fiber, and phytochemicals that work synergistically to meet our physiological needs.
As we approach Thanksgiving – a holiday synonymous with feasting, abundance, and comfort – it’s worth remembering that nourishment can be both delicious and nutritious. The beloved dishes that grace the table each year – buttery, crisp-topped stuffing; sweet potato casserole; creamy mashed potatoes; sweet cranberry sauce; all the pies – are more than just food. They’re memories. Traditions. Moments of connection with those we love.
Alongside those cherished favorites, we can enjoy colorful, nutrient-dense options that can complement the meal without competing with it: a vibrant dish of roasted Brussels sprouts, carrots, and other root vegetables; a crisp green salad with colorful peppers and earthy mushrooms; lightly steamed green beans, asparagus, or other veg.
These additions aren’t about restriction. They’re about celebration. About giving our bodies the same love and care we give to our gatherings – and to those we gather with to kick off the holiday season.
This Thanksgiving, let’s embrace the full spectrum of what food can be: comfort, tradition, and nourishment, all beautifully intertwined on the same plate.
