Vitamins and Minerals: Keep Your Body Healthy and Functional

Your Body Needs Nutrients to Survive

Even without your conscious awareness, your body creates skin, muscle, and bone daily. To do so successfully, it produces rich red blood that transports nutrition and oxygen to distant areas, as well as nerve signals that travel endlessly across brain and body circuits

. It also creates chemical messengers that travel from one organ to the next, transmitting instructions that help you live. However, to achieve all of this, your body requires some raw materials. These comprise at least 30 vitamins, minerals, and nutritional components that your body need but cannot produce in sufficient quantities on its own.

The Importance of Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are regarded as essential nutrients because, when combined, they perform hundreds of functions in the body. They strengthen bones, heal wounds, and boost your immune system. In addition, they transform food into energy and heal cellular injuries. However, keeping track of what all of these vitamins and minerals do can be difficult. IMost people can get all of their necessary nutrients by following a healthy, natural and balanced diet. However, certain conditions, or other external circumstances may put you in a situation where taking vitamins supplements is beneficial to your health. 

And just to remember how important they are, here are a few disorders that can be caused by vitamin deficiencies.

Scurvy 

Centuries ago, sailors discovered that living for months without fresh fruits and vegetables—the primary sources of vitamin C—was extremely dangerous to their health. Scurvy causes the bleeding of gums and the general decline of your health and well-being.

Blindness

People continue to go blind as a result of vitamin A deficiency in several impoverished countries.

Rickets 

Shortage of vitamin D intake can result in rickets, a disorder characterized by soft, weak bones that can lead to skeletal abnormalities such as bowed legs. Since the 1930s, the United States has fortified milk with vitamin D, primarily to prevent rickets.

Just as a lack of important micronutrients can cause significant harm to your body, enough quantities of these vitamins and minerals can provide significant benefits to your organism. 

Bones of Steel 

Calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, and phosphorus work together to preserve your bones against fractures. 

Fewer Birth Malformations

Taking folic acid and vitamins supplements early in pregnancy aids in the prevention of brain and spinal birth abnormalities in children. 

Healthy Teeth

Fluoride is a mineral that not only aids bone development but also prevents the creation or aggravation of dental cavities.

What’s the Difference Between Vitamins and Minerals?

Although they are all classified as micronutrients, vitamins and minerals differ fundamentally. Vitamins are organic compounds that can be degraded by heat, air, or acid. Minerals are inorganic substances that retain their chemical structure. So, why is this important? It means that minerals in soil and water can easily enter your body via the plants, fish, animals, and fluids you ingest. However, transporting vitamins from food and other sources into your body is more difficult since cooking, storage, and even simple contact with air can inactivate these more fragile components.

There Are Different Vitamin Categories

Vitamins are classified as either fat-soluble or water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body’s fatty tissues. There are four fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K. When these vitamins are combined with a small amount of dietary fat, they are more quickly absorbed. Water-soluble vitamins are immediately utilized by the body. They are not stored in the body and must be consumed regularly. Any remaining water-soluble vitamins are eliminated in the urine. Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and B vitamins. Vitamin B12 is an exception since it can be stored in the liver for many years.

And What About Minerals?

Minerals are naturally occurring minerals that are required for the formation of bones, the production of hormones, the regulation of your heartbeat, and the maintenance of healthy muscles and brain function.

Minerals are divided into two types: macrominerals and trace minerals. 

Macrominerals are required in greater quantities:

• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Magnesium
• Sodium
• Potassium
• Chloride
• Sulphur

Trace minerals are needed in small amounts:

• Iron
• Manganese
• CopperIodine
• Zinc
• Cobalt
• Fluoride
• Selenium

Interacting—in Both Positive and Negative Ways

Many micronutrients interact. Vitamin D allows your body to obtain calcium from dietary sources as they move through your digestive tract rather than from your bones. Iron absorption is increased by vitamin C. However, the interaction of micronutrients is not always cooperative. Vitamin C, for example, inhibits your body’s capacity to absorb the vital mineral copper. Even a slight excess of the mineral manganese can exacerbate iron deficiency, etc. Consult with your doctor to see if you need further blood work to detect any deficiencies.

Above All, Put Your Well-Being First

You can’t accomplish anything if you’re unwell or under a lot of stress. Many of us believe that we can burn the candle at both ends, consume junk food, don’t exercise and still function properly. You may be able to get away with it for a time when you’re young, but it eventually catches up with even the best of us. Burnout is a genuine possibility if you neglect your well being. Set aside time each day to do something you enjoy, such as walking, working out, or listening to music. Allow yourself to decompress after a long day, and follow your inner compass to know when you should take a break.