Although you hear the words "vitamins and minerals" tossed around like a baseball in the World Series, you may not truly realize how important they are to you.
Worse yet, you may not understand how dangerous a vitamin deficiency is to your health.
There are specific vitamins and minerals your body requires, most of which you can received by eating a balanced diet.
However, if you do not eat properly, you may require a supplement to meet your recommended daily allowance.
Significance of Vitamins To obtain and maintain optimal health, and have a body that functions correctly, you must consume the right amount of vitamins and minerals daily.
The body is truly not a complicated system, however, it relies on you to take care of it so it can take care of you.
It is your job to know how to do this and then follow through with the knowledge you are given.
There are specific vitamins and minerals you must consume each day, and if you do not consume them by a healthy diet, you must supplements.
Confusion Resolved There are numerous vitamins and minerals available for you to choose from, and this can make your head spin in confusion.
This is easily resolved, though, as your body requires certain vitamins and minerals more than others.
These vitamins are the most important and are what you should focus on for optimal health.
These include Vitamin A, the Vitamin B family, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Vitamin E.
Vitamin A benefits you in many ways, supporting your immune system and improving your vision.
It also helps in the growth and maintenance of skin, cells and bones.
The recommended daily allowance for women is 800 mg, while men should take 1,000 micrograms.
The members of the vitamin B family is vast and includes B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12.
Each plays a different role in your health.
B1 stabilizes your appetite.
Men should take 1.
5 mg daily while women need 1.
1 mg.
B2 energizes your metabolism and promotes healthy skin.
Women require 1.
3 mg daily while men require 1.
7 mg.
Your body produces B3, however, you may require more.
The benefits of this vitamin include a healthier digestive system, an improved nervous system, healthier skin and an improvement in your metabolism.
Men need about 19 mg via supplement while women should take an estimated 15 mg.
Vitamin B6 does wonders for those who have problems thinking clearly, helps support hormone activity and once more supports your immune system.
Men should take 2 mg per day and women need to aim for 1.
6.
Finally, B12 is beneficial for your immune system, metabolism and bone growth.
Men, aim for 200 mg each day, and women you need 180 mg.
Vitamin C is the next Vitamin on your journey to optimal health.
Not only is it a great preventive measure for disease and infection, it helps form scar tissue and strengthens your blood vessels.
Both men and women should consume 60 mg per day, but no more than this.
Vitamin D is a tricky vitamin to deal with.
Sunlight may offer you enough of this vitamin, however you may require a supplement no matter how much time you spent outside.
The only way to know is by having your doctor perform a blood test to check your levels.
If you need a supplement, the recommended daily allowance for both genders is 5 mg per day.
This vitamin provides many benefits including maintaining organs such as your pancreas, muscles, skin and reproductive organs.
It also maintains your immune system and maintains your brain function.
Vitamin E is amazing, helping protect your lungs from pollutants in the air.
It also helps heal wounds and assists in providing you with healthy skin.
Food Sources of Vitamins You can receive all the vitamins you require by eating a balanced diet.
Here are some of the foods you can eat that contain all the above vitamins: milk, yogurt, spinach, liver, peanuts, eggs, leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, carrots, whole grain breads and cereals, fish, poultry, oats, tomatoes, fortified soy products, fish, strawberries, kiwis, oranges, red and green peppers, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter, broccoli and cabbage.
Whole foods are always the best choose to get your nutrients.
But meal replacement shakes are a sure way of getting all the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein you need.
Two or three shakes a day can give your body 100% of all the nutrients in needs to work properly.
These shakes are quick and easy to make, you can carry them with you, and makes a great snack to curb your appetite.
Choosing Your Supplement You may feel overwhelmed, thinking you have to purchase all of these Vitamin supplements separately.
This is not the case.
You can purchase a multivitamin containing all of these vitamins provided it clearly states "100 percent of the recommended daily allowance.
" You also do not have to buy the most expensive brand on the shelf.
This is simply a marketing ploy by the companies.
The generic brands are just as effective.
In some cases, the store brands are made by the same manufacturer as the brand name products.
Your health is nothing to take for granted.
The sooner you realize how to take care of yourself, and the sooner you apply this information to your life, the sooner you will be thankful you took this information to heart.