Deepika Rathod
There is a trend going around of late that all you need to do to stay healthy is pop a supplement be it a multivitamin, calcium, vitamin D, iron, etc. In certain cases supplements are of utmost importance to boost the immune system and keep you away from infections, but in some cases you may consider its food substitute to get the same benefits. Sometimes when the gut isn’t ready to absorb nutrients from the food you are eating then you would have to take a supplement to be sure that the nutrients do not get lost from the body. But if you are healthy and simply want to save time by consuming supplements instead of healthy food, you really aren’t treating your body right.
You can increase your vitamins and iron levels through diet. There are eight water-soluble vitamins referred to as B-complex vitamins: Thiamine (vitamin B1), Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin B6 , vitamin B12 , Folate, Biotin, and pantothen. These are important for healthy skin, good vision, a healthy systema nervosum, treating anaemia and therefore the formation of red blood cells. Enriched grain products, whole grains, nuts and seeds like almonds, walnut, sesame seeds, organic A2 cows’ milk and milk products, organic chicken, free range eggs, etc are good sources of B-complex vitamins.
Iron is vital in blood formation. Iron deficiency can cause anaemia, fatigue, and weakness especially in females who often lose iron during menstruation and post-delivery. Iron-rich foods include lean cuts of organic meat, organic chicken, beans, nuts, enriched whole grains, and leafy greens like spinach and fenugreek. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, detoxifier, provides immunity, is anti-inflammatory, useful in collagen synthesis, neurotransmission and should decrease the danger of heart condition and a few cancers. Vitamin C rich foods also help in absorption of iron. The simplest sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits including amla (goose berries), guava, lemon, grapefruits, oranges, kiwis, red and green peppers (capsicum).
You can increase your vitamin A levels also through diet. Vitamin A is vital for our vision and its deficiency causes anaemia, nyctalopia , poor vision, etc. Vitamin A is present within the sort of retinol in animal foods, for example, eggs have 80 per cent of daily requirement of vitamin A , organic A2 cows’ milk and milk product, cod liver oil, etc. Other sources are: beta-carotene which is found in green leafy vegetables, yellow fruits like orange, papaya and vegetables like carrots, broccoli, beetroot, etc (brightly coloured vegetables and fruits). Include these food items in your daily diet to increase your vitamin A levels.
Along with eating well, keep yourself well-hydrated and enjoy some exercise or activity. Exercise, walking or any such activity improves blood circulation and enhances the uptake of those nutrients in body.
