Vitamins And Minerals To Combat Everyday Health Ailments

Bad breath, muscle cramps, heavy periods, dry skin – these are just a few of the minor health hiccups that we go through in our mundane lives. Little do we realize that vitamins and minerals could be to blame for these recurring issues. A severe lack of Vitamin C could lead to the scary ‘scurvy’; but even the slightest of lacks in vitamins and minerals can be seen to have a noticeable impact on your overall health.

Read on to learn about how to deal with these common ailments by using vitamins and minerals as your weapons.

• Bad Breath

You’re Missing – Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps the body to rid itself of the excess toxins and mucus which tend to build up. These can lead to bad breath, if not combated with in time. This vitamin helps create an environment which is acidic, and this automatically becomes inhospitable for the bad-breath-creating bacteria. It aids in killing them.

Ways To Get It

Broccoli, red vegetables like red cabbage and tomatoes, citrus fruit.

• Muscle Cramps

You’re Missing – Magnesium

This mineral plays an integral role in transmitting messages from the brains to the muscles. It may comes as a wonder then, that, most of us are magnesium deficient. Fast foods, crisps, refined grains, fizzy drinks and biscuits; which tend to dominate our dietary patterns, are not rich in magnesium. In addition to this, we consume a lot of dairy products which can further lower the levels of magnesium.

Ways To Get It

Wholegrain foods, mushrooms, sweetcorn, dried fruits and nuts are good sources of this mineral. Do not combine these with any sort of dairy products. Avoid sardines in combination with magnesium rich food.

• Heavy Periods

You’re Missing – Vitamin K

This relatively unknown Vitamin has more to offer than is known. It is extremely helpful in the clotting of blood and is thus helpful in the case of women who have excessive bleeding during their menstrual periods. Vitamin K is fat-soluble; and any vitamins that the body doesn’t require at that point in time will get stored in the liver to be used as and when required.

Ways To Get It

Most vegetables, wholegrain cereals, meat and vegetable oils will have Vitamin K in small quantities.

• Lethargy

You’re Missing – Iron

If you’re feeling a little less energetic than usual, just rethink what you ate this morning. Your breakfast may have lacked the adequate amounts of iron. It is a known fact that lack of iron in your diet could lead to anemia in the long run. The slightest lack of iron, however, could lead to you feeling lethargic and less energetic. You could either increase the intake of iron via your meals; or you could turn to supplements.

Ways To Get It

The best source of iron remains to be red meat; but if you’re off the meat then egg yolks and dried fruits may make for a good alternative plan. Tannin in tea reduces the body’s capacity to absorb iron; so refrain from having a cup of tea just after your meals. Vitamin C, however, aids the absorption. So couple up your meal with a glass of fruit juice that is rich in Vitamin C.