Most people eat to live never giving second thought to eating for a healthy body and longevity of life.  It’s true, we need food, water, and air to stay alive.  But, the fact that poor dietary habits are common among a major portion of the human race proves that most of us never think twice about what we’re putting in our mouths when we eat.  We eat the foods we eat to satisfy our hunger and cravings.  Our choice of meals, our steady diet was formed out of our environment as a result of habit, i.e. what we grew up eating, and according to how good a specific food tastes.  Most family meals were and still are prepared mainly using processed foods. Processed foods are known for their low nutritional value.

 

 

Yes, we all have our favorite foods.  But those foods can be good or bad for our health, depending on how it’s prepared (raw, baked, boiled, broiled, fried, etc.).  In the end, we deceive ourselves into thinking that as long as we are eating to sustain our life, we’re automatically getting the vitamins and minerals our bodies require.  And because we’re alive, and our bodies aren’t exhibiting any symptoms of illness, we think we are healthy.

 

That’s fine, but the reality is our eating habits eventually determine whether we will live a healthy, disease-free life, or one that is plagued with poor debilitating health problems, chronic illness, and/or the  development of a terminal disease.  The Creator, not only created food for the sustenance of life, but so that we can live a long, healthy, stress-free life, full of energy and vitality.  Proof of this is the fact that food comes pre-built with the vitamins and minerals the human body needs to live. This is a universal law or principle that cannot be broken.  A universal law is one that is true for everyone at all times, everywhere.  It is so much a law that if you don’t eat—you will die.  And, if your body does not get the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to function properly, you will for sure shorten your lifespan on this earth.

 

The Importance of Vitamins and Minerals

Every day, your body produces skin, muscle, and bone. It churns out rich red blood that carries nutrients and oxygen to remote outposts, and it sends nerve signals skipping along thousands of miles of brain and body pathways. It also formulates chemical messengers that shuttle from one organ to another, issuing the instructions that help sustain your life.

 

But to do all this, your body requires some raw materials. These include at least 30 vitamins, minerals, and dietary components that your body needs but cannot manufacture on its own in sufficient amounts. Acting in concert, these essential vitamins and minerals perform hundreds of roles in the body, ranging from shoring up bones and healing wounds to bolstering your immune system, converting food into energy, and repairing cellular damage.

 

These essential vitamins and minerals are often called micronutrients because your body needs only tiny amounts of them. Yet failing to get even those small quantities virtually guarantees disease. Watch the video below for better understanding.

 

Sailors from long ago learned that living for months without fresh fruits or vegetables — the main sources of vitamin C — causes the bleeding gums and listlessness of scurvy. In some developing countries, people still become blind from vitamin A deficiency. And even in the United States, many people aren’t getting enough vitamin D, possibly putting themselves at greater risk of a number of health problems.

 

Just as a lack of key micronutrients can cause substantial harm to your body, getting sufficient quantities can provide a substantial benefit. For example, a combination of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, and phosphorus protects your bones against fractures. Deficiencies of minerals and vitamins can lead to fatigue, illness and disease. A balanced daily diet generally provides the essential nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.  If necessary, a doctor can determine if you require vitamin or mineral supplements to enhance your regular nutrition.

 

The Role of Supplements

The body needs a minimum amount of vitamins and minerals each day to remain healthy and function properly. A balanced diet normally supplies sufficient vitamins. Vitamin supplements or supplements are very important because if we do not intake enough vitamins necessary for our bodies, vitamin supplements will substitute for the shortage of the amount of vitamins in your system.  Many times, a diet will be sufficient, but when it is not, vitamin supplements make sure you intake enough vitamins for you to be healthy.  They make it much easier to get the necessary nutrients to be healthy, especially when taken right, and combined with a good diet.

 

 

Vitamins allow your body to grow and develop. They also play important roles in bodily functions such as metabolism, immunity and digestion. There are 13 essential vitamins, including vitamins A, C, D, E, and K and B vitamins such as riboflavin and folate. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the best way to meet your vitamin needs is to eat a balanced diet containing a variety of foods. If you can’t meet your needs through food alone, you may require dietary supplements.

 

However, serious disorders can still develop if the diet does not meet your body’s needs. Symptoms of a deficiency in vitamins and minerals usually appear when the lack is already in a relatively advanced level. For instance, people who do not have enough of the vitamins A, B1 and B2 suffer from recurring tiredness, mental or emotional disturbances, loss of appetite and chapped lips, among others.

 

 

The common causes of these vitamin deficiencies include poor eating habits, alcoholism, emotional stress, the improper absorption of vitamins and minerals (usually due to liver or intestinal disorders), the intake of medicines that interfere with the ingestion of vitamins and lack of exposure to sunlight. If you constantly feel sluggish and suffer from chronic health-related inconveniences, you might be short of the vitamins your body needs to function properly. Doctors will usually prescribe supplements that address the lack of vitamins and minerals in the body. However, also keep in mind not to overdo it, as an excess of vitamins can also be harmful. Do you still need to take vitamins even if you maintain a healthy diet? The answer is yes.

 

Proper food consumption should be accompanied by the right vitamins and minerals. Vitamins serve as buffers in the event that your diet does not meet your daily requirements fully. Surely you can’t calculate how much vitamins and minerals your body takes in with every meal you consume. And while most people take vitamins to avoid common deficiency-related diseases, not all products available cater to what your body requires. There are those that still lack what you need.

 

The secret to living a long, healthy life is found in the foods we consume.  Within foods, are the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to be a healthy, well-oiled running machine all the days of your life.  The root cause of all sickness and disease can be traced back to some form of vitamin and/or mineral deficiency. Vitamins, minerals, and micro-nutrients are what the human body needs to remain healthy and disease-free.  God designed your body to be healthy and free of disease, and He placed disease-fighters and health-maintainers — vitamins and minerals — within food.  It is our responsibility to take care of our health.

 

Make sure you eat to develop and maintain a healthy body that stays healthy, even throughout your senior years. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables helps to add minerals and vitamins to your diet. Very rarely does anyone maintain a perfect diet, so supplements may need to play an adequate role in building and maintaining your health.  However, seek guidance from your doctor or dietitian before taking supplements.

 

References:

Nadia Haris. healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-vitamins-minerals-5991.html.

Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, MD , Internal Medicine. sharecare.com/ health/nutrition-diet/what-role-vitamins-minerals-body.

Charlene Nuble. Health Guidance For better Health. healthguidance. org/entry/4588/1/The-Importance-Of-Vitamins-To-Your-Body. html.

 

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