Diagnoses of a disease more often associated with historical poverty have risen in the last decade, but there is a simple way to avoid the illness, which causes bleeding and rashes
A disease most of us would think is long-gone in the UK has seen an uptick in cases over the last few years – as the cost of eating healthily has increased. Scurvy is something many people would associate with centuries past, and it was something that particularly plagued sailors who were at sea for long periods of time between the 15th and 18th centuries.
The illness is caused by a lack of Vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects your cells, helps your wounds heal, and keeps your whole body healthy from your skin, to your bones and blood vessels. Many people are struggling to get enough Vitamin C, which is found in fresh vegetables and fruits, because of the increasing costs of these items.
NHS expert, senior GP Dr Helen Wall told The Sun: “Scurvy is caused by not having enough vitamin C in your diet over a long period of time.” She said symptoms include feeling very tired and weak, feeling irritable, feeling sad, joint, muscle and leg pain and swollen, bleeding, gums. One of scurvy’s key traits is the development of red or blue spots on the skin, usually on legs and feet, the GP said.
Dr. Wall also noted that another blockage to getting enough Vitamin C that she has been seeing in her patients is a lack of proper cooking equipment. This makes it harder for them to cook the vegetables needed to ensure they are maintaining healthy levels of Vitamin C.
“Vitamin C is found mainly in fruits and vegetables, and these are not foods that are easily accessible to many of our population cheaply,” she explained, “Part of the issue is that lots of my patients live with an air fryer or microwave. They might not have a working hob to boil vegetables.”
Doctors in Australia writing about a scurvy patient – who had zero traces of Vitamin C in his body – in a medical journal have also reportedly noted that the cost of living has become a major factor in impoverished or financially struggling patients not getting enough of this essential vitamin. “Scurvy is still seen as a disease of the past, especially in developed countries. The rising cost of living also makes it harder for families to afford good quality nutritious foods, while there have been numerous reports of scurvy arising from complications following bariatric surgery.
“Clinicians should be aware of this fatal but easily curable condition that may still occur in this modern age,” they wrote.
The good news is scurvy is easily reversible once you increase your intake of Vitamin C and adults need about 40mg a day. You should opt to include spinach, citrus fruits, broccoli, potatoes, peppers, strawberries, sprouts, and tomatoes in your diet to make sure you are getting enough.
If you are struggling with the cost of fresh vegetables and fruits, a food expert speaking to The Sun recommend that you buy tinned or frozen vegetables and fruits – which can often be cheaper, and have the added bonus of a longer lifespan, so you don’t need to worry about them going off before you have a chance to eat them all.
Do you have a story to tell? Email: emma.mackenzie@reachplc.com
