Today’s woman has a busy lifestyle that sometimes can make getting the proper nutrition from meals next to impossible. With work, family, and other time consuming activities, many women just do not have the time to fix a healthy meal every time then eat. They can eat additional foods that contain these essential vitamins. The essential vitamins and minerals listed below show their benefits and how women can include more of them into their diet.
As women get older they need more calcium in their diet to combat osteoporosis. As women age, their bodies do not absorb calcium as well as when they were younger, so it is very important to get the extra calcium in their diets for bone health. Without the proper calcium, bones become brittle and will break easily. Drinking lots of milk and eating yogurt and cheese will increase calcium levels to help prevent osteoporosis and ensure that bones are healthy, well into the latter years. Other foods which are rich in calcium include sardines, shrimp, and salmon.
Another essential nutrient that women need is iron. Without proper levels of iron in the diet, women can feel lethargic, cold, weak, and dizzy. Low iron levels can lead to heart palpitations and anemia. Iron is lost during menstrual cycles and while supporting a new life when pregnant. This iron needs to be replaced. Iron is used in the body to make hemoglobin which carries oxygen throughout the body. When iron levels are low, your body is being starved of oxygen. The best foods to consume with high iron levels are liver, oatmeal, soybeans, red meat, spinach, and poultry. Also, many breakfast cereals are 100% iron fortified and will give your body the iron it needs every day.
Vitamin D is another necessary nutrient for all women. Deficiencies in vitamin D can lead to depression, heart disease, osteoporosis, and a wide range of other problems. Almost all milk sold is vitamin D fortified and drinking milk can supply the body with the vitamin D it needs. We also absorb vitamin D from exposure to the sun. Studies have shown that over 10,000 IU of vitamin D can be absorbed with just a few minutes of exposure to the sun.
One of the best vitamins to take for overall health is vitamin C. Vitamin C is safe and effective for protecting the immune system, prenatal problems, cardiovascular disease, eye diseases, and is even effective for helping prevent wrinkles in the skin. It is good for the overall health of the body and can be found in many tasty foods. Orange juice, cantaloupe, cabbage, green peppers, red peppers, and broccoli all contain high levels of vitamin C.
Women need these essential nutrients to maintain proper health. Taking some nutritional supplements is a way to help women get the proper vitamins and minerals in their diet when their meals do not supply them, but as shown above, there are many foods that can be consumed to help raise these critical vitamin levels.