Boost Your Energy Levels with Vitamins

Boost Your Energy Levels with Vitamins

Many of our foods today do not have as many vitamins as they used to. This can result in deficiencies of certain vitamins, which is detrimental to our health. How can you boost your energy levels with vitamins? When you have the correct amount of vitamins your body needs you will feel better and have more energy.

Why do we need vitamins? Vitamins are essential to our bodies to keep them functioning correctly. Vitamins help us in many ways by allowing the chemical reactions in our bodies to utilize the food we eat.

Lack of vitamins: Can cause serious deficiency diseases in the body and over time can even cause death. Common examples are:

• Scurvy—vitamin C
• Beriberi—vitamin B
• Rickets—vitamin D

There are 2 classes of vitamins: They are classified by how the body absorbs them:

1. Fat soluable: 4 fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K)
2. Water soluable: nine water-soluble vitamins (eight B vitamins and vitamin C).

Most cannot be manufactured by the body but are found naturally in many foods. Common examples are:

• Whole grains—Vitamin B complex (group). Many of the vitamin B group is found in whole grains.
• Citrus fruits—are high in Vitamin C.
• Vitamins A and D—are found in dairy products.

Supplements: Many people take a multivitamin supplement daily. This can make up for any vitamin deficiency in the diet. A good quality liquid vitamin is the best choice. It is often best to consult your doctor before you start to take these supplements on a regular basis.

It is important not to overdose on synthetic vitamins, because you can get too much of a good thing and it may cause some harmful effects to the body. However when you take food-matrix vitamins, there is no concern with overdosing. 100% food matrix vitamins are non-toxic in any amount.

• Digestive problems like diarrhea and excessive gas—vitamin C—this usually occurs when people try to cure the common cold with mega doses of vitamin C.

• Water-soluble vitamins like the B complex are normally just excreted from the body by means of urine or stool.

• You have to be a little more careful with fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D and A as they can be retained by the body and are excreted more slowly.

Importance of eating a balanced diet: A good balanced diet can usually supply you with most of the vitamins you need, especially vitamins A and D. To be really sure you are getting your vitamins, try to eat whole grain cereal, brown rice, and whole wheat bread. Also try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are very versatile foods and although raw is best you can lightly cook them in all sorts of ways.

The vitamin that gets lost the most in cooking is vitamin C. You can add this to your meal by squeezing fresh lemon juice on your foods. It works as a nice zest and is better for you than other additives. Two common foods that you can do this with are fish and baked chicken.