Now one of the things I most commonly get asked is what supplements should I be taking? My answer to this is always make sure you're taking a good quality multivitamin each day. In the UK whether it be through poor diet or lack of sun having a good multivitamin can help reduce your deficiency's. Below is what I'd recommend looking for when buying a good multivitamin.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium, which is important for bone health. Not getting enough of this vitamin can increase:
Your likelihood of getting sick
Your chances of bone and back pain
Bone and hair loss
While you technically should be able to get your daily vitamin D by being in the sunlight for 15 minutes, the reality is with the weather in the UK right now it's just simply not possible. Living in wintery locations with little sunlight, working an office 9 to 5 life, and applying spf creams makes getting vitamin D hard. This vitamin is also hard to come by in food, which is why you should look for this ingredient in your multi.
Foods with vitamin D
Fatty fish
Egg yolks
Fortified foods like milk, juice, and cereal
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential nutrient, which means that we must get it from food or supplements. Magnesium is best known for being important to our bone health and energy production. However, magnesium may have more benefits than that. magnesium mineral can also:
Calm our nervous system and reduce stress
Ease sleep problems
Regulate muscle and nerve function
Balance blood sugar levels
Make protein, bone, and even DNA
But a lot of people are magnesium deficient because they aren’t eating the right foods, not because they need supplements. Try eating more pumpkin, spinach, artichoke, soybeans, beans, tofu, brown rice, or nuts before jumping to supplements for solutions.
Calcium
Over 40 percent of the UK population doesn’t get enough calcium from their diet. This means those people aren’t getting the mineral they need for strong bones and teeth. Women in particular start losing bone density earlier, and getting enough calcium from the start is the best nutritional defence against this loss.
Foods with calcium
Fortified cereals
Milk, cheese, and yogurt
Salty fish
Broccoli and kale
Nuts and nut butters
Beans and lentils
Zinc
Zinc is often lower in older people and anyone under a lot of stress. Which, these days is basically everyone. Zinc supports our immune system and helps our body use carbohydrates, protein, and fat for energy. It also aids in wound healing.
Foods with zinc:
oysters
grass-fed beef
pumpkin seeds
spinach
organ meats
tahini
sardines
brown rice
wheat germ
tempeh
Iron
Iron should be in your multivitamin, but not everyone needs the same amount of iron. Some of the benefits of iron include:
increased energy
better brain function
healthy red blood cells
Those who eat red meats typically get enough iron, but certain circumstances like having your menstrual cycle, going through puberty, and being pregnant may increase the amount of iron you need. This is because iron is essential during times of rapid growth and development. Vegetarians and vegans may also want to make sure their multivitamin has iron, especially if they’re not supplementing meat with other iron-rich foods.
Help and Advice
If you’re looking for any advice on the above blog or are looking for guidance and motivation through online coaching please drop me an email on josh@joshualukedavies.com to find out more information on how we can help you. Just like we’re helping hundred’s of other individuals become a fitter, healthier version of themselves. Alternatively go to this link to set up a consultation call.
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