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In your stay-at-home life today, it is very important to stay on top of the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy physically and mentally.
While we know that self-isolation indoors is the best defense against getting the coronavirus but not being outside enough – unless you happen to have your own garden – and additional stresses can negatively impact you. That’s why health care providers are recommending that people need to catch up on what they call the ABC’s of vitamins when you spend more time indoors.
Of course, eating well, exercising, sleeping enough, and getting all the vitamins and minerals you need through the foods you eat – which is difficult if you cannot get out to shop – or through vitamins and supplements can help your help you stay healthier and better able to cope with the new realities.
Here are some of the most important vitamins and minerals your body needs:
Vitamin D
It’s called the sunshine vitamin for very good reasons and if you are not outdoors enough to soak sunlight in naturally, you must get vitamin D through foods or supplements. Your health can suffer if you don’t.
According to the National Institute of Health, vitamin D is needed for bone health by absorbing calcium but it is also needed by your nervous system to send messages from your brain to other body parts and by your immune system to help you fight off bacteria and viruses.
Recent research has also found that vitamin D may also play a role in helping to regulate mood and ward off depression. Depressed patients who received vitamin D supplements showed an improvement in their symptoms. Keeping your mood elevated is an important key to coping with a stressful situation.
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Probiotics
Maintaining your gut health is very important during these trying times. In fact, there is a connection between stress and bowel inflammation as well as general health and eating foods rich in probiotics – live bacteria and yeasts that are good for you – like yogurt or taking supplements is a good way to keep your gut and the rest of your body functioning well.
A study recently found that eating probiotics can help your mental health too. People in the study showed a marked improvement in their emotional states after taking probiotics for two months. A second study showed that probiotics can help boost people's immune systems, something that is usually lowered when people are feeling blue. So now is the right time to turn to this natural health source.
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Vitamin C
Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is an essential vitamin which according to Healthline means that your body cannot produce it on your own. You either have to eat foods rich in vitamin C or take supplements to get enough of this immune system boosting vitamin.
Vitamin C encourages the production of white cells called lymphocytes and phagocytes that can help fight infections, decrease healing time., and help regulate blood pressure. While this vitamin isn’t a cure for colds and viruses, its properties can help you fight it and feel better faster.
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Zinc
Zinc is a trace element that is necessary for a healthy immune system according to Medical News Today and a deficiency can actually make a person more likely to get sick. That’s because a study shows that your body needs zinc to activate T cells that control and regulate immune responses and to fight off infected cells. That is why so many people use zinc throat lozenges when they are sick.
The WHO says that zinc can help reduce diarrhea which causes dehydration and is a big health risk. Especially for young children. The good news is that only a small amount of zinc – 8 mg for women and 11 mg for mg – so it is easy to get the required amount from food or a multivitamin.
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B Vitamins
The B-group plays a vital role in your health and well-being, said Healthline which calls them “the building blocks of a healthy body.” Vitamin B complex helps prevent infections, increases energy levels, promotes brain function, and overall well-being by converting nutrients into needed energy. You must eat a diet rich in B vitamins or take a supplement to ensure that your body gets what it needs.
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Magnesium
This powerful mineral strengthens bones, improves heart health and helps to reduce anxiety but low magnesium levels according to WebMD has been linked to high blood pressure, clogged arteries, diabetes, and heart disease. These are all high risk factors in the coronavirus.
Magnesium has a myriad of medical uses and is found in over-the-counter antacids, and to treat constipation. It is naturally found in foods that have a high fiber content and is available as a supplement.
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Melatonin
Getting a good night’s sleep is an important way to stay healthy but the stresses of the new reality frequently cause people to toss and turn all night. But sleep does even more than just giving the body rest. WebMD said that in the deepest sleep stages where dreams occur, the body recharges its immune system. All the more reason to get enough sleep.
The body’s sleep and wake cycles are regulated by melatonin, a hormone that is found naturally in our bodies. People can have difficulty sleeping if they have low levels of melatonin (or high levels of stressors) and this can be relieved by eating foods that support the production of melatonin like dairy or by taking a supplement.
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