Are You Getting Your Vitamins and Minerals?

When we consider nutrition, we tend to think of our inner health, such as heart or lungs but there are other areas of the body that are important to consider. Nutrition also has an effect on our wellbeing. Below are some aspects of wellbeing that can be affected if your diet does not contain all the nutrients it needs to work efficiently.

Well-Being
An all-round healthy lifestyle rich in vital nutrients together with plenty of sleep are important for concentration. If your diet is lacking in vitamins and minerals or you are not getting much sleep then it can be hard to concentrate. The mineral Iron plays a vital role in maintaining healthy blood which is needed for normal work performance and concentration.

Why do you need Iron?
Iron is a nutrient, which is essential for the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body.

Are you getting enough Iron?
Most people need 14mg of Iron daily to keep healthy and maintain a small store in the body. You could get this from two grilled steaks or two large bowls of spinach every day. Iron is also present in many other foods. Iron can be found in red meat, sardines, liver, eggs, green leafy vegetables, nuts, apricots and some breakfast cereals.

Healthy Skin
A healthy glow should radiate through the body’s largest organ, the skin, as well as through glossy hair and healthy nails. Vitamins A, C, E and the B vitamins (Riboflavin, Niacin, and B₆ ) all help to maintain healthy-looking hair and skin.

Why do you need Vitamin E?
This vitamin helps to neutralize potentially damaging free radical molecules in the body. Vitamin E is particularly important for the protection of cell membranes and may help maintain a healthy circulation.

Are you getting enough Vitamin E?
Most people need 10mg of Vitamin E daily to keep healthy and maintain a small store in the body. Having half an avocado pear and 28grams of hazelnuts daily will give you this required amount. The following foods are a good source of Vitamin E – seeds, nuts, avocados, muesli and vegetable oils.

Energy
Various vitamins and minerals are essential for the release of energy from the food we eat. To help release energy we need an adequate supply of Vitamins B₁, B₂, B₆, Pantothenic Acid and the minerals Phosphorus and Magnesium.

Why do you need Vitamins B₁, B₂ and B₆ ?
These vitamins are vital to allow us to use the energy we get from food. As well as this important job, they have the following roles:
Vitamin B₁ helps keep nerve and muscle tissue healthy
Vitamin B₂ helps keep our skin, eyes and nervous system healthy
Vitamin B₆ promotes a healthy nervous system and good skin

Are you getting enough Vitamins B₁, B₂ and B₆ ?
Vitamin B₁ – most people need 1.4mg daily to keep healthy. Foods such as brown rice, milk, eggs, yeast extract, wholemeal bread, pork, liver and other offal are good sources of Vitamin B₁.
Vitamin B₂ – most people need 1.6mg daily to stay in good health. Vitamin B₂ is found in yeast extract, liver, red meat, chicken, eggs, milk, cheese, cereals and green leafy vegetables.
Vitamin B₆ – most of us need 2mg daily to maintain good health. Fortunately, you can find Vitamin B₆ in wholegrains (wholemeal bread, brown rice), liver, chicken, red meat, fish, bananas, cabbage, yoghurt and tomatoes.