FRUITS. VEG . MICRONUTRIENTS

Ever since I was a kid, people have been urging me towards the salad bar. I bet it’s the same for you. Perhaps, you listened and devoured those platefuls of Brussels sprouts. Or maybe your dog had a steady diet of greenside dishes, served under the table while your parents couldn’t see. Either way, now that you’re an adult, eating your fruits and vegetables should be a part of your regular routine.

Do you love having soft, smooth skin? Do you love being able to think clearly? To see clearly? Then eat your fruit and vegetables!!

The more I learn about vitamins and minerals, the more I realize how lucky I am to live in a place where fruits and vegetables are available to me year-round. Simply eating fresh fruit and vegetables gives me a heap of calcium for my bones, iron for my blood, and Vitamin C for my immune system. And whether I’m on the road, doing my training, or memorizing lines, all those spinach salads rocket salads, bowls of cherries, and plates full of broccoli, corn, aubergine, and tomatoes make me feel sharper, stronger, and more capable.

WHAT YOU HAVE IN COMMON WITH PLANTS

Just as our bodies store sugar and fats, plants store extra glucose as starches and fats. Think of sweet vegetables, like carrots and beetroot – that sweetness comes from the stored sugar. On the other side of the spectrum, there are creamy avocados and coconuts, examples of plants storing extra energy as fats.

THE BONE BUILDERS

Calcium, Vitamin D, Phosphorus, Magnesium

In my lifetime, with all the physical activity than I do. I’m lucky to have broken only two bones. Well, not including my nose, which I’ve broken four times. But I only had to break a bone once to know how important it is to make sure that I get plenty of bone builders, especially as I get older. Our bones are in a constant makeover montage, with the old cells continuously being lost and new cells being created. So supplying the nutrients our bodies need to build healthy bones – calcium, Vitamin D, phosphorus, and magnesium – is integral if you want to maintain your bones as an adult. If you eat whole foods, you probably get enough phosphorus and magnesium, but many women do not get adequate calcium from food and may want to consider a calcium supplement.

SUPRISING SOURCE OF CALCIUM

When people think of getting enough calcium, they usually turn to dairy foods. But dark green leafy vegetables (broccoli, turnip, and spring greens) and other nondairy foods also offer a nice dose of calcium as well. So instead of a glass of milk, how about.

• Soya milk, 250ml; 300mg (as much calcium as cow’s milk!)
• Soya beans, 180 grams, cooked; 261mg
• Broccoli, 90gras, cooked; 180 mg
• White beans, 130 grams, cooked; 100mg
• Kale, 70 grams, raw; 90mg
• Almonds, 30 grams; 80mg

VITAMIN HAPPY

Moods are sometimes related to micronutrients. For instance, vitamin D plays a role in the production of serotonin, a hormone that promotes positive feelings in our brains. A deficiency of D is associated with lousy moods and lack of energy, which means that not getting enough vitamin D means not getting enough happiness.

Lucky humans, we can eat our Vitamin D – or get it from sunshine. While we can’t get our energy directly from the sun’s glittering rays, we can get our daily dose of D, because our bodies can make Vitamin D from sunlight. A quick jog outside in the morning, and I have not only recharged and had a chance to sweat. I have received some Vitamin D, too!

The same way that plants use light to create their fuel via photosynthesis, your skin uses the light of the sun to photosynthesize vitamin D. at midday in the summertime, it takes only twenty minutes of sun exposure for the body to make 20,000 IU (international units) of Vitamin D…and when you consider the recommended daily allowance for people under the age of fifty is 200 IU. It’s clear that the sun is an effective supplier (as long as it’s not raining).

You can eat your vitamin D too, of course, just in case you’re trapped in a monsoon. Foods like fortified milk, eggs, butter, and fatty fish are all great sources of Vitamin D. if you suspect you’re not getting enough D, your doctor can give you a simple test. And if you have trouble fitting in enough time in the sun or D-centric foods, you can also take a supplement.

But remember, once you have soaked up your dose of vitamin D, you have got to protect your skin. Be sure to apply sunscreen on all exposed parts of your body if you plan to be in the sun longer than twenty minutes.