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Author:
Mansi Aggarwal

Whether you’re trying to have a baby, already pregnant, going through menopause or worried about osteoporosis, it’s worthwhile for you as a woman to consider the importance taking a multivitamin to create and maintain optimal health. But why would you want to take a supplement if you can get all your nutrients from your diet? Nutritionists say it is possible—and preferred—to get all your nutrients from the food you consume. And in a perfect world, this would be true for everybody.

But it’s not a perfect world. Today’s world finds people in fast-paced, hectic and stressed lifestyles. It has become harder for people to eat healthy, nutritionally balanced meals, and even more so to get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly every day.

This is especially true for women, who are often trying to juggle family, career, homeschooling, education, other relationships, housework and more. In order to achieve good health and to prevent stress, fatigue, infections and disease, women need to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they require. Yet for most women in most societies, a diet alone just won’t cut it. This is why taking a multivitamin or a combination of the most important vitamins and minerals is so beneficial for most women.

A multivitamin will ensure you’re getting all the recommended daily dosages of vitamins and minerals that are missing from your diet. While a general multivitamin is fine, you can actually find multivitamins specifically tailored to women’s needs at different stages in their life, such as pregnancy and the postmenopausal stage.

One particular time for all women to take a multivitamin is right before and during pregnancy. Even if you are confident in your healthy eating habits, it’s still recommended to take prenatal vitamins, as your body requires even more nutrients to grow a healthy baby—specifically folic acid. Folic acid, or folate, is required not only for healthy tissue growth and red cell formation, but also to prevent birth defects, especially in early pregnancy. Many women today don’t get enough folic acid from their diet, and taking a multivitamin with enough folic acid (400 micrograms) is recommended by most doctors.

Another important mineral for women is calcium. Calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth and to prevent osteoporosis later on in life, a condition that affects many postmenopausal women. Many women report not having enough dairy on a regular basis because of either allergies (lactose intolerance) or dietary restrictions. While calcium can be found in other foods such as salmon, green leafy vegetables and soy, it’s still difficult to get enough through food alone, which is why a multivitamin containing calcium is so beneficial.

Other important vitamins and minerals for all women include vitamin K, for blood clotting; vitamin C, for tissue growth and repair as well as adrenal function; and iron, for healthy cells and muscles. Another recommendation is the vitamin B complex, which is great for regulating certain bodily functions as well as reducing stress.

While you can certainly take all of these vitamins and minerals on their own, it’s much more convenient for women to take a multivitamin containing all the necessary nutrients in one little package. Make sure you do your research when considering a multivitamin, as not all are created equal. Quality varies, for one thing, as does the amounts of each vitamin and mineral. Further, make sure you select a multivitamin that is best suited to your needs and stage in life. Once you do, you are on your way to a healthier and stronger you.

About the Author :

Mansi Gupta recommends Vitamins For Women. See http://store.femnutrition.com/vitamins-for-women-femnutrition-complete-vitamins.html for more information.


Article Source: www.iSnare.com

| 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... Vitamin B3 - Why We Need It And How To Get It Vitamin B3 is a very important part of the B group vitamins. Its primary role is to help the body make proper use of carbohydrates and to transform it into sugars that can be used by the body. It is also essential in helping to allow the body to use proteins well and also to keep your skin healthy and it is important in maintaining the muscles and the body's overall fitness. The B3 vitamin is part of one of the major vitamin groups that is known as the B vitamins. This is a group of water-soluble vitamins that are very important for the proper performance of all of the major functions of the body. Vitamin B3 is also known Niacin and another useful function that B3 helps with is in getting rid of toxins from the body. Niacin is also very helpful if you have high cholesterol. This is a much more acceptable alternative to those people who do not like to take chemical medicines if they can avoid it. However, if you are thinking of taking Vitamin B3 to lower your cholesterol, then it is essential that you consult your doctor as it can have serious side effects. It is also thought to be beneficial in the prevention of arteriosclerosis. This can be a very painful condition that can cause the sufferer great pain when the vessels are blocked by plaque. Niacin is also thought to be helpful in a great number of different conditions and maladies such as diabetes, cataracts and even burns. Vitamin B3 is found in a variety of different food sources. One of the best sources if you want to take supplements to obtain your B3 vitamin is a yeast tablet. Of course, it can also be found in large quantities in such foods as liver, kidney and poultry. Fish is also a very good source of vitamin B3, especially oily fish such as tuna. Vitamin B3 can also be found in some seeds...