Vitamins and minerals are essential to life. Chances are you’re not getting enough of the good stuff, but figuring out what you need is tricky business. Vitamins are health-boosters that can help fill in nutritional gaps and protect your body against the occasional diet slip-up. Vitamins help us keep our cells, tissues, bones, skin, and just about every part of our body healthy. Here are the 6 essential vitamins that young women should take to maintain a healthy diet.
1. Vitamin D:
The vitamin du jour, D could be something of a wonder drug. Doctors believe it can reduce your risk of breast cancer by as much as 50 percent, and it may offer protection from both ovarian cancer and diabetes. Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption, promoting metabolism, and plays a central role in muscle function.
2. Vitamin C:
Despite its rep as a cold fighter, C has never been proven to prevent or cure the sniffles. On the other hand, the antioxidant is believed to boost your immune system and help prevent heart disease, prenatal problems, and eye illnesses. It even helps wounds heal faster and fends off wrinkles.
3. Calcium:
Two words: strong bones. Women start losing bone density in their 20s. Calcium is your single best defense, and you should start taking it now. The mineral also helps build strong teeth and nourishes your nervous system.
4. Vitamin B Complex:
The eight B vitamins help maintain metabolism, muscle tone, and fight fatigue. Most important for young women is B9. Referred to as folic acid, it helps keep red blood cells healthy and guards against cancer. Vegetarians and vegans, in particular, have few dietary sources of vitamin B-12, which is found naturally only in fish, dairy products, poultry, red meat, and eggs.
5. Vitamin A:
Talk about the overachiever Vitamin. This antioxidant boosts immune systems, improves vision, cuts risk of heart disease, and may slow skin aging. Vitamin A is also used as a treatment for measles, acne, wrinkle reduction, and dry eye in people.
6. Iron:
Iron helps with building muscles naturally and maintaining healthy blood. It also prevents against anemia.Many human health problems worldwide are caused by iron deficiency than by lack of any other nutrient. Almost all the cells in our body burn dietary calories to create energy through a process that requires iron.
All these vitamins can help regulate cell growth, promote bone health, act as antioxidants, and keep cells functioning at their peak. It is important to talk to your doctor or physician before taking any new vitamin supplements, but these tips will help with narrowing down the most important vitamins to take to maintain your health. While they won’t make up for a bad diet, think of vitamins as your nutritional pit crew, standing at the ready to make those quick adjustments, tweaks and fixes to your internal engines and get you back out on the road, raring to go.
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