About Vitamins
Learning about vitamins can be confusing at best, especially when you are attempting to determine just what type of
supplements will be right for you. We have all been advised, at one time or another, eating a
nutritionally-balanced meal three times a day would supply us with all the vitamins and minerals we needed.
This premise that we would not require dietary vitamin supplements, or need to know about vitamins, just
is not realistic in today's modern world. Many people are just stressed out on a daily basis, and
don’t bother to eat at all, let alone eat a nutritionally well-balanced meal.
One word of caution, vitamins should never be substituted for good nutritional foods. This is one reason that
they are called vitamin supplements. Our bodies need fuel to provide energy to accomplish all the
tasks we attend to in a day. A well-balanced diet is one which contains plenty of protein,
calcium, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. This type of diet also should be supplemented by
vitamins as deemed essential for specific health concerns.
Many foods we buy are enriched with vitamins and minerals. Good examples of this are breads,
pastas, and cereals. The information box on almost every product tells you about vitamins including the
percentage of the daily recommended allowance for each. This key information provides you with an
excellent idea of how much vitamins or minerals you are consuming with each portion.
As you probably know, calcium is an important mineral for women. Almost every source about
vitamins states that women need to consume at least 1200-1500 mg of calcium every day. Interestingly, most
calcium supplements only contain 30 to 50% of the recommended daily amounts. The shortfall must be
supplemented through your diet with foods high in calcium, such as, yogurt, cheese, milk, and ice
cream.
Vitamins and minerals facts about vitamin D show that this is an important vitamin and is an essential element
for bone health. This is why it is included in many calcium supplements. Also, vitamin D is
absorbed through the skin by way of sunlight. However, for people living in the northern
states, or for seniors, this may not always be an option. Therefore, a vitamin supplement is the answer
to getting the required amount of vitamin D.
An essential part of care for yourself is learning about vitamins and minerals that are required by our
bodies for optimal health. There are many sources available to you to learn more about vitamins, and
how vitamin deficiencies or over-consumption can be detrimental to your health. It is
extremely important for you to take an active role in your health, and becoming knowledgeable about vitamins
in your medicine cabinet is a key component of this important responsibility.
Besides searching on the internet, you can locate an abundance of information about vitamins in different
health magazines and publications. Also don't be afraid to consult with a nutritionist or
naturopathic physician for advice about vitamins and supplements, and the proper way to implement them into
your diet. Here’s to a long life and your good health!
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