Thursday, November 30, 2006
Vitamins for Health
It's no exaggeration to say that millions of people take vitamins for health. Medical professionals and nutritionists have known for a long time that vitamins are not only good for us, but essential to our good health: the numerous intricate ways in which vitamins assist in body processes are still being discovered. In recent years, the role of herbs has also gotten a lot of attention in medical research, particularly within the realm of alternative medicine.
The best way to get all the vitamins and herbs for health is to eat a nutritious diet that includes abundant whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. A good knowledge of herbal remedies, particularly which ones have good evidence for their efficacy, will aid in selecting appropriate herbal preparations for particular problems. There are still those who maintain that taking supplementary vitamins for health does not provide the same benefits as obtaining them from whole foods, but vitamin supplements are often recommended by doctors nonetheless, and at least they are very unlikely to do any harm if taken as directed.
Some of the most important vitamins for health are the B vitamins. B vitamins are found in whole grains, vegetables, and beans. Vitamin B12, essential for health, can only be obtained from animal sources and particular strains of yeast - strict vegetarians must ensure that B12 is included in their regimen of supplemental vitamins and herbs for health. The B vitamins play a vital role in nervous and cognitive health; therefore, ensuring that our diets contain abundant sources of these vitamins is essential as we age.
Fruits and vegetables are also good sources of vitamins A, C, and K. Brightly colored vegetables tend to be better sources of these vitamins as well as being full of antioxidants, nutrients that are getting more and more attention as substances active against many disease processes and the unwanted effects of aging. The positive effects of antioxidants are becoming so evident that many proprietary vitamins for health now include them as well (and not surprisingly, some vitamins themselves have antioxidant properties, as do many culinary and medicinal herbs). All these facts considered, it makes a lot of sense to take vitamins and herbs for health, one way or another.
The remaining important vitamins for health are vitamins D and E. We make our own Vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight, and in many countries it is also added to milk - Vitamin D deficiency is very rare in developed countries. Vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin, is found in nuts and seeds, a good reason to include these foods in your diet. It has also long been available as a dietary supplement and is added to many topical creams and skin treatments. One of the antioxidants identified as having anti aging properties, it is likely to become even more popular in the future. Taken as directed, it is a good addition to your choices of vitamins and herbs for health.
