How to Maintain a Healthy Body with Vitamins and Minerals

Let's face it we all know that we don't get enough vitamins and minerals that are needed on a daily basis for our bodies.In fact most people only get about 30 percent of the 70 percent needed a day.In todays society it's hard enough to even manage a full day of duties and there just never seems to be enough hours in the day.The thing that most people fall victim to is simply not eating right,myself included.

As we are told over and over the key is to have a well balanced diet (yeah right),get plenty of rest (come on how many people actually get 8 hours of sleep?),exercise (okay so hauling around kids all day isn't considered your daily exercise) and stress management (I'll not even go there).The thing about supplements is that you need to follow the RDA (recommended daily allowance) you should take in at least 2,000 calories a day.There are actually 13 vitamins and 15 minerals that are essential for everyday intake,most can be found in a Multivitamin but some should be taken individually.

I have compiled a list of some vitamins and minerals along with their benefits to your body and the food sources they can be found in.

Folic acid or Folate:benefits red blood cell development for tissue growth and repair.Food sources:poultry,tuna,mushrooms,oranges,asparagus,broccoli,spinach,bananas,strawberries and cantaloupe.

Vitamin B 6:benefits protein metabolism for normal growth,PMS,kidney stones and carpal tunnel.Food sources:fish,soybeans,avocados,lima beans,chicken,bananas,cauliflower,green beans,potatoes,spinach and raisins.

Calcium:helps build and maintain bones and teeth as well as nerve function,blood clotting and osteoporosis.Food sources:milk,cheese,yogurt,salmon,broccoli,green beans,almonds,turnip greens and fortified orange juice.

Vitamin A:helps normal vision in dim light,maintains normal function of the mucous membrane,aids in growth of bones,teeth and skin.Food sources:carrots,pumpkin,sweet potatoes,spinach,tuna,cantaloupe,mangoes,apricots and broccoli.