We all need different amounts of specific vitamins and minerals to be as healthy as possible, because we’re all unique individuals with unique lifestyles. Some of us need more vitamin D, because we live in places without enough sunlight - others need extra iron because we don’t eat meat. But when it comes to vitamins and minerals, there are some generalisations we can make. For example, women have different vitamin requirements to men.
And in this post, we’ll examine the minerals and vitamins which help to improve women’s health.
Antioxidants
The first type of vitamins and minerals which women should pay careful attention to are the antioxidants. They provide a whole host of benefits, protecting you from free radicals that can damage your cells, boosting your immune system and even helping to slow aging.
These include:
Vitamin A, which helps eyesight, and soft tissue such as your muscles and skin.
Vitamin C, which helps you feel alert, helps you fight stress, and can even improve alertness.
Vitamin E, which slows signs of aging and can be found in cod liver oil.
B Vitamins
B vitamins are powerhouse vitamins that do lots of things for your metabolism and your body, helping you to absorb nutrients from your food, keep your brain working well, and even help you out while pregnant.
The three most important B vitamins for women are:
Vitamin B6, which helps your brain function and your metabolism, and which is found in potatoes, fish, chickpeas and cereals.
Vitamin B12, which also boosts your metabolism, helps your body create those all-important red blood cells, and combats anaemia. It’s also vitally important for vegetarians, vegans, and those who don’t eat red meat and fish.
Folate (folic acid), which helps your brain and spinal cord, and is recommended by doctors to aid in conception and help with the healthy development of your baby while pregnant.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D might be a vitamin, but your body uses it as a hormone. And it uses it in a whole host of ways - moving calcium and phosphorus around your bloodstream and warding off osteoporosis, and helping you to get a restful night’s sleep. We can absorb vitamin D through sunlight, find it in foods such as eggs and oily fish, or take it as a supplement.
Vitamin K
This vitamin is vitally important for women as they get older, as it’s been proven to keep bones strong (reducing the risk of injuries and fractures), and to help your blood clot. Vitamin K is found in a whole host of foods, including leafy greens, broccoli and fish oil.
If you’re a woman looking to improve her overall health, getting enough of these vital vitamins and minerals is a good place to start. Living a healthy, active lifestyle, and eating the right foods will help your body absorb and use these nutrients, but if you’re in need of a little boost, Millions and Millions have a specially formulated Women’s Multivitamin Supplement that’ll give you exactly what you need.