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Do you suffer from insomnia? Constantly irritated for no apparent reason, and completely lost your appetite? Do you notice that you are losing weight for no reason, while you feel bad? If back pain and muscle spasms have been added to all this, then it is obvious that these are the first signs of vitamin deficiency. In other words, your body lacks vitamins.
Causes of hypovitaminosis
Avitaminosis in the traditional sense is a rare occurrence. Few people are severely deficient in all vitamins, but only a few. This is called hypovitaminosis. And if you already feel some of the symptoms listed above, then think about what is causing this unsatisfactory condition.
Insufficient nutrition is considered to be one of the main reasons. Today, some part of the population of our country is experiencing a tangible lack of financial resources, therefore, cannot afford a full-fledged table. But many consciously go on a fast, for example, go on a diet to lose weight, or it is necessary for medical reasons.
Insufficient and improper nutrition leads to the fact that our body sooner or later begins to deplete. There are malfunctions in the hormonal system, as well as the nervous and immune systems. The body becomes unable to resist a wide variety of infections.
How to Replenish Vitamins with Nutrition
As you probably already guessed, in order to prevent hypovitaminosis and vitamin deficiency, it should be remembered that our body needs a varied, nutritious diet. This is not just about fruits and vegetables.
Your daily diet should include:
- 3-4 servings of protein, preferably from different sources (meat, fish, eggs) – meat products are rich in iron, in fish you will find vitamin D, phosphorus and the most valuable omega-3 fatty acids, in eggs – vitamin E and B vitamins. origin contain essential amino acids and vitamin B12, which are in dire need of vegetarians.
- 1-2 servings of dairy and fermented milk products (milk, kefir, cottage cheese and cheese) are sources of calcium, vitamin D and the amino acid tryptophan, which is necessary for the production of serotonin, a hormone that provides us with a good mood.
- 2-4 servings of vegetables and herbs, and 1-2 servings of fruits are the main sources of vitamin C and other water-soluble vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
- 2-3 servings of cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal, brown rice and other brown cereals) are sources of B vitamins and dietary fiber.
- About 2 liters of pure water is a source of various mineral salts.
Here’s a list of the vitamins you should be getting on a daily basis, with tips on which foods to look for.
If you want your body not to experience a lack of certain vitamins and minerals, you need to adopt not only proper nutrition, but also adhere to a food intake. Try to eat what you cook yourself. Hot, fresh food is much healthier than canned or pre-cooked foods. Avoid ready-made foods like frozen pancakes, cutlets that have been in your refrigerator for several months, McDonald’s products, etc.
How to preserve vitamins while cooking
High temperatures, improper food preparation, and inappropriate storage destroy vitamins. Follow these cooking guidelines to make your diet even more delicious and nutritious.
- Stop frying in oil – during frying, about 50% of the vitamins contained in foods are lost. Steam, simmer, boil, bake.
- During the preparation of vegetable dishes, vitamins turn into a decoction, so cook and simmer in a small amount of liquid so as not to drain the water.
- Fresh frozen vegetables and fruits retain all vitamins, but slow thawing destroys them, so cook them immediately after washing.
- Do not overcook or overcook foods.
Eat a balanced diet and do not skip breakfast. Lunch is also important, it is better to set aside 15 minutes for a calm, full meal instead of being content with snacks.
When you need vitamins from the pharmacy
The needs for pharmacy vitamins depend on a number of factors. Doctors recommend drinking the vitamin and mineral complex in courses – in autumn and spring, when the amount of fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet is reduced, most foods lose their nutritional value and there is a risk of contracting another ARVI or influenza virus.
Another indication for taking a vitamin-mineral complex is diet. This can be a diet for weight loss or a medical diet prescribed by your doctor. Calorie restriction, even with proper nutrition, goes hand in hand with relative nutritional deficiencies.
If you are a vegetarian, your diet lacks vitamins that are found only in meat products. You need to buy “packaged” vitamins at the pharmacy and start taking the course.
There is an opinion that vitamins of natural origin are more preferable due to the fact that they quickly and very effectively help our body to restore cellular metabolism, they are healthier, and also completely safe, because they are not addictive. Every pharmacist knows that both natural and synthetic vitamins are useful. But before you buy and start taking any vitamins or nutritional supplements, you should definitely consult with your doctor and find out if you have any intolerance to them.
Thus, in order to live a full life, in order not to know health problems, you need to monitor your diet. Take care of your loved ones, spoil them as often as possible with your culinary masterpieces and forget about semi-finished products.