Supplements Every Woman Should Take

Supplements, we hear about them all the time. They are virtually everywhere – from billboards, brochures and TV ads. For some reason, we have been made to believe that we need supplements in our lives. And true enough, we do.

Although the best source of nutrients comes from a healthy diet, you know for a fact that in today’s world, getting enough vitamins and nutrients from a variety of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and whole grains in the exact recommended proportions is close to impossible unless you have nothing else to do.

Women today are so busy running a household and building a career both at the same time that they do not have enough time to prepare healthy food.

In fact, most if not all of them would rather opt for takeaways and a drive-thru meal to last the day. It is for this reason why women are driven to turn to health supplements.

Millions of women all over the world take supplements especially if they are already in their childbearing years or if they are at risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and osteoporosis among others.

Keri Gassman, a registered dietitian as well as a nutrition expert says, “When considering supplements, women need to think bones, babies, and bellies. Sufficient bone density is needed to prevent osteoporosis, an adequate store of folate is essential for fertility and fetal development, and a healthy waistline lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases. Women must also load up on the nutrients that are essential to prevent diseases in the future.”

With this said, we know you want to ask this question:

What Supplements Should I Take?

Supplements are brimming and if you go to pharmacies, supermarkets and grocery stores you’ll find shelves filled with all sorts of health supplements.

The best way to know what you need is to consult with your health care provider so they can suggest what supplement is best for you after they have considered your specific health and nutritional needs.

But generally, the following are supplements your body needs.

Immune System and Intestinal Health

Women who wish to boost their immune system as well as improve their intestinal health should take probiotics.

According to research, probiotics or good bacteria is good for your immune system and your intestinal health.

This is because good bacteria in the gut help support the development of T cells and increase your immune system’s ability to ward off invaders. Women who are taking probiotics tend to experience lesser GI infections and their immune systems are working in perfect condition to fight off flu and cold.

Bone Health

Protecting your bones is crucial especially when you are still young because the older you get the more prone you are to falls and fractures.

That is why women should start taking the right supplements while following a healthy diet as early as now to make sure that their bones are strong and healthy as they age.

You can start by eating healthy and by taking the right supplements such as vitamin D and calcium.

Vitamin D and calcium help build dense and strong bones. Calcium helps build strong bones but more importantly it helps bones become healthy. It also aids in clotting blood, contracting muscles and transporting messages from nerves.

Although almost 99% of your calcium is found in your teeth and bones, you are losing calcium through your sweat, urine, excrement, hair, nails and skin.

But the problem is your body cannot produce new calcium once lost so you need to get it from your diet.

And if your diet doesn’t contain the recommended amounts of calcium then it’s safe to say that slowly and little by little calcium will come out from your bones making it weak and brittle.

And so that’s what calcium supplements are trying to help you with. Women who are younger than fifty years old require 1000mg of calcium per day while women older than 51 require 1200mg of calcium per day.

Together with calcium, women should also take vitamin D. Aside from bone healthy, your body needs vitamin D so it can absorb the calcium in your body.

Just like calcium, vitamin D also helps keep your bones healthy and strong and helps prevent bone breakage and the loss of bone density. Women below fifty years old should take 400-800 IU per day while those above fifty years old should take 800-1000 IU per day.

Childbearing Age

Pregnant women are required to take prenatal vitamin supplements because more than ever they need iron and folic acid compared to standard vitamins.

Folic acid prevents brain and spinal cord defects while iron helps support the fetus’ growth and development.

Wrapping Up

Although taking supplements falls on debatable ground, you can’t deny the fact that you can’t really get all the nutrients you need on diet alone.

Supplements make our lives a lot easier and not only that it makes us healthier. However, it is important that before you take supplements, you must ask your health care provider about it.

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