Vitamins are Good for You!

Muscle cramps? Heavy periods? Fatigue? You may be lacking vitamins or minerals. Some deficiencies can be dangerous; even a slight lack of vitamins or minerals can have a noticeable impact on your health. We are all different and your lifestyle factors such as excercise, stress and alcohol all affect your vitamin and mineral levels.

Instead of popping a pill, it's better to fix problems by eating the right foods, as vitamins and minerals are almost always better absorbed this way.

HERE IS A HELPFUL GUIDE TO SOME COMMON AILMENTS AND HOW TO TACKLE THEM NUTRITIONALLY:

MUSCLE CRAMPS:
Lack of: Magnesium - This mineral is crucial for the nerves that transmit messages to the muscles.

Alot of us don't get enough because fast food, fizzy drinks, crisps, biscuits and refined grains are VERY low in magnesium. If you consume a lot of milk and dairy products, calcium-rich foods can lower magnesium levels.

Where to find it: Wholegrain foods, bran, dried fruit, sweetcorn, mushrooms, nuts, seeds and cocoa.



URINARY TRACT INFECTION:
Lack of: Vitamin C - Research has shown that Vitamin C can help reduce harmful bacteria in the urinary tract.

Vitamin C is water soluble and the body can't store it, so you need it daily.

Where to find it: Guava, pineapple, strawberries, green peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, citrus fruit such as oranges, lemons and naartjies. Tomatoes, cabbage and spinach.



BLOODSHOT EYES: 
Lack of: B Vitamins - B vitamins help to regulate how much fluid there is in the eye socket.

Bloodshot eyes occur when the small blood vessels on the surface of the eye become inflamed and engorged with blood. This can be caused by a deficiency of Vitamins B12 and B6.

Where to find it: Dairy products, fish and meat (especially liver). Also found in yeast extracts such as marmite.

STRESS:
Lack of: B Vitamins - B vitamins are needed for all out body functions and are especially vital for concentration and brain function.

Another stress-buster is magnesium. It has a calming effect and helps regulate levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Where to find it: See BLOODSHOT EYES and MUSCLE CRAMPS.



PMS: 
Lack of: Zinc - Zinc is essential for hormone-related health needs and is especially important for menstruating women.



Where to find it: Poultry, chickpeas, cashew nuts, oysters and sardines, red meat and pumpkin seeds.



BRUISES: 
Lack of: Vitamin C

If you're bruising more easily that usual or bruises take longer to heal, you could have a Vitamin C deficiency. It's essential for collagen formation which keeps the skins' tissue strong and helps wounds to heal.

Where to fiind it: Citrus fruit, broccoli and red vegetables such as tomatoes and red cabbage.

DRY SKIN:
Lack of: Vitamin A - Vitamin A is often added to skin creams which help to keep the skin supple. This antioxidant fights the free radicals that damage cells and also helps to form new skin cells. Many multi-vitamins contain Vitamin S and other supplements such as fish liver oil.

Where to find it: Egg yolk, bright yellow, red and green vegetables, oysters, dairy products and fatty fish such as herring, mackerel and anchovy.



COLD HANDS AND FEET:
Lack of: Selenium - Selenium controls thyroid function and affects your metabolism.

You need plenty of selenium for a healthy metabolism and good circulation.

Where to find it: Nuts, lentils, seeds and shellfish.



PINS AND NEEDLES: 
Lack of: Potassium - Potassium is needed to regulate metabolism and low levels can lead to muscle weakness and pins and needles.

This mineral is also lost through the pores when you perspire and is depleted by caffeine, alcohol and smoking.

Where to find it: Lentils, peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts and asparagus.

INSOMNIA: 
Lack of: Magnesium - Magnesium is involved in the production of melatonin, the hormone needed during our sleeping and waking cycles.

Try taking a supplement an hour before bedtime or ensure you get more magnesium into your diet.

Where to find it: Bran, wholegrain foods, dried fruit, sweetcorn and mushrooms.

You can also take a bath with epsom salts added. This allows the mineral to be absorbed through the skin.



LETHARGY:
Lack of: Iron - Iron helps make the haemoglobin, that carries oxygen around the body.

Even a slight deficiency can make you feel lethargic. Women often have low iron levels at menstruation.

Where to find it: Red meat is the best source as the iron is easily absorbed, dried fruit and egg yolks are good too. Vitamin C enhances absorption so drink orange juice at the same time. Avoid tea, the tannin retards it.