As you age, your body needs additional vitamins to stay strong and fight disease. Your muscles, joints, and organs need all the help they can get. Many people either cannot afford supplemental vitamins, or they just don’t want to take a pill every day. You can give your body more of what it needs to function properly by eating certain foods that have natural antioxidants and vitamins. The good thing is, you may already be eating most of these foods so it won’t be much of an adjustment to add those you don’t.
Vitamin A: Avocado is rich in Vitamin A which is essential for good eyesight and helps patients that suffer from asthma. Carrots are another great source of Vitamin A.
Vitamin B6: is necessary for hormone production and red blood cell production. Get your vitamin B6 from raw red and green peppers, rabbit, pork, and wheat germ.
Vitamin B12: is important for a healthy nervous system; some people even take B12 tablets for stress. Animal meats including liver, sardines, lamb, and beef are the best source for this vitamin.
Vitamin C: is a powerful antioxidant and helps produce collagen for your skin. Whole fruits such as oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe, and tomatoes are sweet ways to acquire Vitamin C naturally.
Calcium: Whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, dairy products like milk and cheese. Avoid caffeine found in soda, coffee, and even diet soda. These drinks can leech valuable calcium through elimination before your body has a chance to absorb them.
Vitamin D3: This vitamin helps you absorb calcium and helps you guard against arthritis. You can get it by eating Shellfish and orange juice contains this essential vitamin, and getting out in the sun helps as well.
Vitamin K: helps prevent osteoporosis and keeps your blot clotting normally when you get a cut or scrape. Kale, spinach, collard greens, green peas and carrots are all great sources.
Magnesium: helps your blood circulate smoothly throughout your body and is good for your nervous system. To get your daily requirement of this vitamin try eating foods such as almonds, shredded wheat, black-eyed peas, yogurt or rice.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Avocado is a great source, as is salmon. Cook with canola oil for an extra boost to soften your skin. Mercury-free tuna is also a great way to ingest these essential acids. Just adding two tuna sandwiches a week can make a big difference.
Potassium: helps regulate your bone mass and blood pressure. Get your fill by eating bananas, cabbage, cauliflower, raw onions, or broccoli.
Of course, this short article cannot go into depth about required amounts or full benefits of vitamins. What I hope it does for you is to bring your attention to some vitamin-rich foods you don’t normally eat. Try incorporating some of them into your daily diet and perhaps you will notice a difference.
Want to know where you stand? Take the Real Age test
If you take a dietary supplement, take this test to see if you’re on target or not.
