No one can get all the healthy vitamins they need from food, alone. That is why we have supplements. Vitamin C is one of the most important supplements we have. Yet we do not naturally produce vitamin C. Getting vitamin C into our diet is a little like nutritional hacking. We have learned about its benefits and we have found foods that are rich in that vitamin. We also have learned there are no ill-effects to blasting as much vitamin C as you want.
You might wonder why natural food sources aren’t enough for vitamin intake. There are plenty of good foods that are rich in vitamin C such as bell peppers, strawberries, and citrus fruits. If you are more of a brussels sprouts person, that is also a great source for C. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to fresh produce. And we don’t always have complete control over what we eat. It is easy to talk about always eating healthily. But it is not so easy to pull it off. There are plenty of healthy foods to buy when broke. But it takes planning. Sometimes work gets hectic and there is no time for a good meal. Sometimes, the store doesn’t have the items you need so you have to settle. If that is the case for you, then you have at least one very good reason to take supplements. Here are a few others:
Iron
There are as many impressive health benefits to iron as there are to Vitamin C. One of the big ones has to do with the improvements to cognitive abilities. It helps you think better and more quickly. With sufficient iron, you can practically say goodbye to your chances of getting Alzheimer’s. Make iron supplements a daily part of your brain health routine. Don’t forget that brain health is an essential part of health. And you will likely not forget if you were taking in sufficient amounts of iron.
Iron is necessary for peak muscle performance. It helps muscles contract and maintain muscular elasticity. It also helps you fight off anemia. That is when your body stops producing red blood cells. Iron is an important part of red blood cell production. When you are not taking supplements, boost your iron with meat and potatoes, along with white beans, dark chocolate, and blueberries.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is not calcium. But it works in conjunction with calcium to foster strong teeth and bones. Do you have arthritis? Vitamin D can help with that by slowing deterioration of the joints. It also appears to be helpful in the prevention of breast, lung, and colon cancer. Just remember there is much about cancer we still don’t know. While helpful in the fight, vitamin D should not be mistaken for a cure.
There is also the matter of reducing inflammation. If you have pain in your joints, doctors will often prescribe vitamin D. It not only helps with the joint pain, it has the side benefit of reducing your dependency on stronger medications such as opioids. You will not be able to get enough vitamin D from diet, alone. But you can get some help from the sun. It is a shame too much exposure to the sun also causes skin cancer. But getting a bit of D for free is a great reason to spend some quality time having fun in the sun. Don’t forget the sunscreen.
Vitamin B
If you have a B12 deficiency, you could be in for the following:
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Depression
- Mouth soreness
- Weakness in the muscles
- Much more…
Vitamin B12 deficiency is more likely for vegans and vegetarians. Vitamin B comes in many flavors such as B6, B9 (folate), and B12. Folate is used in mood management. It is so effective that in 1998, the FDA mandated the synthetic form of folate (folic acid) be added to cereal, flour, bread, rice, and other common ingredients.
It would be great if we could all just eat our way into perfect health. But that is seldom possible in the modern world. Fortunately, you can supplement your way into much better health by adding vitamin C, iron, Vitamin D, and Vitamin B to our diet. What nature doesn’t give us in sufficient quantities, supplements can.