A straight-a student
Excess vitamin A intake increases the risk of bone fractures and can cause poisoning of some internal organs, like the liver. For optimal bone mineral density vitamin A (retinol) intake should not exceed 2000 to 2800 IU per day. A good idea is to take less vitamin A and more carotenes (found in fruit and veg), which are precursors to vitamin A but have no negative effects if you take more than you need.
Cut back on the fizz
The body doesn’t just need calcium to build strong teeth, skin, hair and bones – it also requires phosphorous. Keep the two minerals in balance for effectiveness (best sources are meat, dairy, fish, nuts and eggs). The recommended phosphorous dose is 1000 mg a day but to much is thought to prevent calcium being used properly. Fizzy drinks are high in phosphorous and don’t contain calcium, so it’s best avoid them if you want healthy bones.
Become an oyster eater
Chromium is a trace element that the body requires for sugar metabolism and to control blood-sugar levels. It also lowers LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and body fats. It is found in high levels in oysters, potatoes, brewer’s yeast and liver, and the RDA is at least 20 meg a day.
Meat matters
The best way to increase your intake of iron – particularly important in young women and those who have heavy periods – is to eat red meat. This is because the type of iron bound to muscle fibres in red meat is the most easily absorbed for.
Balance your calcium
Magnesium is used by the body in partnership with calcium to help lower cholesterol and build strong bones. In most calcium-containing foods, magnesium is present in the correct ratio (1:3), but if you’re taking a calcium supplement take magnesium as well – roughly 500 meg a day to balance 1500 meg calcium.
Go silly for silicon
The silicon content of the aorta, thymus and skin tends to decline with age so it’s important to make sure you get enough of this mineral as you grow older. It will help prevent skin sagging and keep your hair, nails and bones healthy. Find it in grains such as oats, barely and rice.
Pick picolinate
Zine is essential for all-over health, including giving important protection against cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, but it is estimated that 90% of people’s diets may not contain enough. Zinc picolinate is the most easily absorbed form, found in meat and shellfish. But caffeine, bran and dairy products can reduce absorption, so try to avoid eating them with your zinc sources.
Boost vitamins with tea
People who drink lots of coffee have lower levels of vitamin C and B vitamins and higher levels of homocysteine, a blood chemical linked to heart disease, than those who drink tea, which is thought to have some beneficial effects on the heart.
C things clearly
Humans are one of the few animals on earth unable to make their own vitamin C. Make sure your supply is topped up with a daily supplement for optimal nutrition, or opt for a diet rich in fruit and vegetables to boost your levels.
Building bones
Calcium, which is essential for building healthy bones, teeth and muscles, is best sourced form dairy products. Research suggests that dietary fat can reduce the amount of calcium absorbed by the body, so choosing low-fat or skimmed milk will help boost calcium as well as reduce cholesterol levels.
See yourself right
Foods containing vitamin A, like melons, mangoes and watermelon, can help give your eyesight a boost as the vitamin is important from optimum vision. Try to include these in your diet every days.
Miss out the marge
Some studies have shown that people who eat margarine have a slightly increased risk of cancer compared to those who don’t – perhaps because of the saturated fats it contains. A high intake of selenium and vitamins E and C, however, found in natural polyunsaturated oils such as canola, soy, safflower and flaxseed, is thought to offset this risk.
Get a bit of beta
Betacarotene, which is found in dark green yellow and orange vegetables such as squash, sweet potato, broccoli and greens, is converted in the body to vitamin A, which is vital for growth – so it’s especially important for young people under 18.
Summer dandy
Don’t forget the humble dandelion when you’re making up a healthy summer salad. High in many vitamins and minerals including the B-vitamin complex, it’s a healthy and tasty away to make summer dishes a bit different.
Brain booster
Omega-3 fatty acids – found in fish, nuts, and flax and hempseed oils – are essential for maintaining good function in a range of body systems, including the brain. Nutritionists often recommend a supplement to keep levels up. A higher dose may be recommended for a few months to build up levels. No RDA has been established to check the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Be good to yourself
If your skin’s feeling a little dry and jaded, give it an injection of vitamin E, which is an antioxidant vitamin essential for healthy skin, hair, nails and the immune system. Alcohol and lack of sleep deplete body levels, so if you’ve been out partying, try taking a supplement before bed.
Drink it fresh
The vitamin-C content of fruit juices halves after a few days in the fridge, so if you’re drinking juices at home, it’s best to drink them as freshly squeezed as possible to make the most of the nutrients.
Start with an a
Adults should avoid taking more than 300 mcg (ug) per day of vitamin A. Found in livers and food derived from them, such as pate and fish liver oils, too much can cause health problems and you should be able to get all you need from your diet. Pregnant women should be extra careful.
Be a health nut
Selenium is essential for preventing free radical damage in the body, and is available in a range of foods from grains to meat. It’s just been discovered that the body uses selenium best when it’s in a selenoprotein form, which is found in nuts (especially Brazil nuts).
The whole story
When you drink orange juice, you get the vitamin C but not the beneficial fibre and phytonutrients that come from the pulp. Even if you buy orange juice with pulp, you’re still not getting any of the fibrous white membrane, which is where many of the phytonutrients hide, so eat the pith too!
Quit the weed
If you smoke, your probably won’t be getting enough essential nutrients from your diet because tobacco decreases the absorption of many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, folate, magnesium and calcium. The best health advice is to give up, but if you can’t it’s worth taking a dietary supplement.
Cut back on the booze
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can impair the body’s ability to absorb vitamin B1, iron, zinc, magnesium and folate. Many people are surprised that excessive drinking is defined as more than two drinks a day for men under 65 and more than one drink a day for men over 65 and women. Aim for at least two alcohol –free days a week.
Spice it up
It might sound old fashioned, but a pestle and mortar is actually thought to be a healthier way to prepare spices than a food processor. This is because crushing retains more nutrients than whizzing.
Berry good for you
Although tomatoes are the best dietary source of lycopene, there is an alternative if you don’t like them – strawberries. These summer berries are the only other fruit or vegetable to protect against prostate cancer, and unlike tomatoes they are a potent raw as they are cooked.
Cook conventional
Think twice before you microwave your beef, pork, eggs, milk and cheese as you may well be reducing their health benefits. Microwave cooking (as well as alcohol, oral contraceptives and sleeping pills) if thought to destroy vitamin B12, which is essential for carbohydrate and fat metabolism.
Swim out to C
We all know the health benefits of vitamin C, labeled by some as the wonder vitamin for its far-reaching, positive effects on the body. People who smoke, drink alcohol or are taking aspiring, oestrogen or oral contraceptives should take more, as these can all limit uptake.
Go green
Green tea is reported to contain a variety of antioxidants and to offer protection against cancer, heart disease and stroke. Black tea, which is oxidized green tea, is not as effective. If you don’t like green, try oolong tea, which is only partially oxidized. But remember, all tea contains caffeine, so unlimited amounts aren’t recommended.
Seek out the synergy
Certain chemicals in the body work more powerful when combined. This is thought to be the case for selenium and vitamin E, which have better antioxidant properties when present together. Selenium is destroyed by processing, so choosing unprocessed nuts and fish is essential.
Where’s your bottle
Tap water containing chlorine can soak up vitamin E and prevent its absorption in the body, so if you’re taking a supplement or eating a healthy meal and your water is chlorinated, it’s best to drink bottled or filtered water instead.
Your health is ok-h
Don’t forget about vitamin K, which is essential to maintain healthy bones and has been found to be lacking in people with osteoporosis. Antibiotics and the ageing process lower absorption, so in the cases it’s even more important to get enough. Find it in green leafy vegetables, egg yolk and safflower oil.
Seek out the sunshine
The body manufacturers its own vitamin D as a result of being exposed to sunlight. People who work long hours and can’t get fresh air every day might find a supplement beneficial, especially as lack of vitamin D is linked to immune deficiency and osteoporosis.
Get a healthy u
As we as the well-known health-giving vitamins like vitamin C, there are a range of lesser-known substances which also have health benefits. Vitamin U is found in raw cabbage (used in coleslaw and salads) or cabbage juice, and is great for healing skin and membrane problems and uleers.
Have a tea party
The caffeine in coffee is thought to deplete calcium levels, contributing to osteoporosis but the same isn’t true for tea, which actually has the opposite effect. Drinking tea can reduce fracture risk by 10 to 20%, probably because of its oestrogen-building isoflavonoid chemicals.
Be a tart!
Choose tart fruits like plums, blueberries, cranberries and sour cherries, which contain the highest levels of the bio-flavonoid proanthocyanidin (also in known as pycnogenol and adoxynol), which is thought to reduce cholesterol, prevent cancer and fight the sign of ageing on skin and internal organs.
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