According to Harvard- and Stanford-educated Dr. Saurabh Sethi, if you are low on important nutrients, essential for several bodily functions, your body will make sure you know it.

While you may often overlook it, doing so can also be life-threatening. "Is your body trying to tell you something?" Dr. Sethi said in a video posted on Instagram. Dr. Sethi breaks down key signs that may indicate you're not getting enough essential nutrients. A few of these are:

Brittle nails

According to Dr. Sethi, brittle nails are among the most commonly reported nail problems. Also, you may feel they become rough and even crack easily. Officially known as onychoschizia, brittle nails are mostly caused by repeated wetting and drying of fingernails. It happens due to a deficiency of iron causing hypothyroidism. You can try and fix it by eating an iron-rich diet wh includes spinach, beetroot, red meat, legumes, and fortified foods.

Twitching in the eyelids

Twitching of your eyelids is also a common symptom of various nutrient deficiencies; however, magnesium deficiency is often cited as a primary cause. According to Dr. Sethi, other potential nutrient deficiencies that may contribute include magnesium, potassium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and calcium. While most twitches are painless and harmless, in a few rare cases, eyelid spasms may be an early warning sign of a chronic movement disorder, especially if other facial tics or uncontrollable movements accompany the spasms. Also, magnesium plays a key role in keeping your muscles relaxed and your nerves calm. When your levels dip too low, your nerves can start firing off tiny spasms, especially in delicate muscles like your eyelids. To replenish magnesium naturally, eat lots of nuts and bananas daily.

Clicking joints

If you hear a sudden pop or crack when you stand up, stretch, or even just move your neck, it can be a sign of a lack of vitamin D-one of the most important nutrients your body needs to work properly. According to Dr. Sethi, even though a bit of joint noise can be normal, a sudden increase could signal your body is short on a few joint-supporting nutrients. When vitamin D is low, your bones and joints can lose their strength and cushioning, leading to all sorts of noises and even discomfort. You can get enough vitamin D by exposing your bare skin to the sun to help your body make the nutrients from ultraviolet B (UVB) light. However, overexposure can cause skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer as well. Through foods, taking 15 mcg of the nutrient daily in the form of oily fish, like salmon and tuna; fortified milk; egg yolks, mushrooms, and fortified breakfast cereals can help you replenish vitamin D.

Premature greying of hair

If you notice too much grey hair, it could be due to genetics or lack of vitamin B12 in your body. According to Dr. Sethi, when the levels of B12 become low, it begins to affect the production of pigment due to less melanin production - responsible for the colour of your hair.

Random bruises on your arms

If you have been noticing random bruises on your arms and legs, your body may be dropping a big hint. Dr. Sethi says easy bruising can be due to low levels of vitamin C-an antioxidant that your body needs to keep blood vessels strong and healthy. Without enough vitamin C, even a slight bump can cause tiny blood vessels to break.