Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Live Healthy with the Right Vitamins

Many people think that a well balanced diet is something difficult to achieve however it is not that hard and there are many benefits to be had. The basis of sensible nutrition can be as simple as adding those foods that are vitamin rich into your daily diet.

Vitamins have a positive impact on our energy, complexion, and immune systems.

Vitamin A offers assistance in the prevention of eye infections and night blindness and generally promotes good eyesight.

At first vitamin B was considered to be a single vitamin but later research found it actually to be a group (complex) of eight that help your body in a number of various ways.

Vitamin C is vital to a wide range of bodily functions and more specifically to the immune system resulting in better general health.

A fat soluble vitamin, vitamin A is a retinal due to the fact that it produces the pigments found in the eye’s retina. Our bodies use vitamin A in many ways. By keeping the linings and functions of the eyes in good order vitamin A helps you to have good eyesight generally and night vision in particular. Vitamin A also assists in maintaining the linings of the urinary, respiratory and intestinal tracts. Vitamin A’s wrinkle fighting properties make is a common ingredient of skin creams and it also can assist in getting rid of acne. Foods such as apricots, eggs, spinach, carrots and sweet potatoes all provide vitamin A.

Vitamin B complex is actually 8 distinct vitamins that occur together in various food groups such as meats, leafy greens and whole grains. Vitamin B1 assists in the metabolization of carbohydrates, proteins and fats into usable energy. B2 is needed by the body to convert the foods we eat into energy. Metabolizing carbohydrates is helped by vitamin B3 as well as acting as an anti-inflammatory that can assist in adult acne treatment. Vitamin B5 assists in growth, cell re-generation and general health as well as aiding a number of metabolic processes. Processing carbohydrates, proteins and fats is carried out by the co-enzyme action of B6. Vitamin B7 is used in the formation of fats as well as the utilization of carbon dioxide. Vitamin B9 is more popularly referred to as folic acid and helps to produce red blood cells. Vitamin B12 is the last of the B complex and is found in every cell of the body, it helps in the development of red blood cells.

Our bodies are different to many animals in that we need vitamin C yet cannot produce it, as such we must consume foods containing it. Vitamin C is found in foods like broccoli, strawberries, cauliflower, and of course, oranges. Supporting the immune system, vitamin C helps to protect you from disease. It is a powerful antioxidant that helps to offset the effects on the cells of aging. The antioxidant properties combined with the anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin C make it a common tool in some of the best acne treatment programs, penetrating the skin to reduce and prevent breakouts. The combination of vitamin C and other known anti-inflammatory vitamins can help in easing the symptoms of inflammatory conditions such as heart disease and arthritis.

One of the keys to healthy living is getting the vitamins our bodies need. The processing of foods you consume, increasing your energy levels and supporting your immune system are all functions supported by vitamins. Reaping the benefits that vitamins offer is as easy as eating foods that are vitamin-rich every day.

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