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Author:
Heather Dominick

Can I share a secret with you?

Vitamins are more than popping a capsule.

Chances are you've bought a bottle of vitamins lately. Have you taken them? Vitamins are easy to buy and hard to take. At least this has been my experience and that of most of the clients that I work with.

Taking vitamins is a fabulous way to promote your health, help your digestion to improve, increase your energy, and jack-up your overall vitality. So why do they sit in our cupboards for months on end and never make it into our mouths? I’ve identified a major block (for most people) to taking vitamins.

We don’t understand them.

Once you know what an actual vitamin or mineral is doing for your body, it makes it a lot easier to take it in.

Understanding not only what a vitamin is doing for your body but also what foods are naturally giving your body a vitamin boost generates ease with vitamin-intake as well. I now know what vitamins and minerals are coming from my food, and which I am missing. This information makes it much easier to take the liquid supplement I now use as part of my morning routine. It’s important to have a balance. You really are not doing your body a favor by eating non-nutrient food and then taking a multi-vitamin everyday. It doesn’t make sense.

You should consider knowing the Top 5 vitamins. You can then make food choices based on what type of vitamins and energy you are getting from your meal, a.k.a., what’s your fuel?

To get you started, here’s a Top 5 list of vitamins, the benefits of each and what foods are going to give them to you:

Vitamin A

Benefits:
prevents eye problems
prevents skin disorders, acne in particular
enhances immunity
helps to heal gastrointestinal difficulties
protects against colds, flu, infections

Sources:
animal livers
fish liver oils
green and yellow fruits and veggies

Vitamin B (complex)

Benefits:
eases nerves
strengthens skin, hair
creates healthy intestine muscles
increases brain function
increases energy

Sources:
brown rice and other whole grains
egg yolks
pork and poultry

Vitamin C

Benefits:
healthy tissue growth
healthy gums
aids in anti-stress
helps to prevent cancer
reduces ‘bad’ cholesterol

Sources:
citrus fruits
dark leafy greens
berries

Vitamin D

Benefits:
helps absorb calcium
promotes growth of bones
protects against weak muscles
prevents breast cancer
enhances immunity

Sources:
halibut
sweet potatoes
oatmeal

Vitamin E

Benefits:
prevents cancer
improves circulation
repairs tissue
eases PMS
maintains healthy nerves

Sources:
dark green leafy vegetables
sea vegetables
wheat germ

Heather Dominick, “The Energy Expert” is an energy~nutrition specialist with over 10 years of teaching and coaching experience. Heather’s primary focus is in helping others identify sources for increasing physical energy and making permanent lifestyle changes. To sign up to receive your fr8e EnergyRICH Chapter, recording, fand or her freebie how-to articles and no-charge teleclasses on creating your most energized life, visit http://www.individual-health.net

| Article Keywords: Nutrient Basics

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Nutrient Basics... How Non-essential Nutrients Reduce Cancer Risk Numerous studies show that those who eat the most fruits and vegetables have the lowest risk of cancer and heart disease. Yet, when isolated vitamins are consumed, the results are mixed. Why? According to Dr. Rui Lui of Cornell University, "The key question is whether a purified vitamin has the same benefit as does the whole food." Dr. Lui concluded, "Our group found that, for example, that the Vitamin C in apples with skin accounts for only 0.4% of the total antioxidant activity, suggesting that most of the antioxidant activity of fruits and vegetables may come from phenolics and flavonoids in apples. We propose that the additive and synergistic effects of phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables are responsible for their potent antioxidant and anti-cancer activities." In other words, the powerful benefit of fruits and vegetables come from the antioxidant activity of the "non-essential" nutrients, in tandem with vitamins. The main categories of these supernutrients are: Ellagic Acid: Twenty years ago, this antioxidant was unknown to the scientific community. Today, it is one of the most studied of the newly discovered supernutrients found in food. A large number of studies have documented the ability of ellagic acid to protect against lung, colon, breast, intestinal, and exophageal cancer. It may not only block the carcinogenic effects of chemicals, but, it can even halt the progession of cancer and prevent genetic mutations. It may be the key to explain why certain fruits and vegetables have better health benefits than purified vitamins. Wolfberries contain the highest amount of ellagic acid of any known food. Other good sources are raspberries and pomegranates. Resveratrol is a powerful anti-cancer antioxidant and cardioprotective compound found in...