Are You Getting the Right Vitamins?

As part of your attention to your whole-body health and wellness, you might wonder about your vitamin and mineral needs. Vitamins come from plants and animals, so we consider them organic in nature. We consider minerals to be inorganic, coming from soil, stone, or water. 

We sometimes describe the vitamins you need to stay strong and healthy as “essential,” because your body can't make them on its own. You need to bring in vitamins from dietary and other sources.

So what vitamins do you need to stay healthy, and what's the best way to get all of the vitamins you need? At Alpenglow Pain & Wellness, Nichelle C. Renk, MD, provides dietary and whole-body health support, including recommending any vitamin supplements you may need to correct for deficiencies. 

Water vs. fat soluble vitamins

Your body can naturally flush away excess amounts of some vitamins, called “water soluble” vitamins. The eight types of B vitamins are water soluble, as is vitamin C. We classify other types of vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K, as fat soluble. This means that excess amounts get stored as reserves in your liver and fatty tissues. 

Because of this distinction, it can potentially cause health problems to overdose on certain vitamins, as well as to run chronically short on your essential vitamin intake. In addition to making healthy dietary choices, you may need to consult a professional to get vitamin deficiencies or excesses correctly diagnosed.

Making broad healthy dietary choices

To get all of the vitamins you need, it’s best if you can eat a broad-based, healthy diet with plenty of variety, heavy on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat proteins. Here are some of the most vitamin-rich food options you can eat regularly to support your health:

Vitamin A

Look for liver, eggs, beef, fish, shrimp, fortified milk, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, and mangoes.

B vitamins

Try fortified and whole grains, milk and soymilk, cheese, eggs, meat, fish, poultry, legumes, tofu and other soy products, and fruits and vegetables including asparagus, spinach, avocados, broccoli, mushrooms, watermelon, bananas, acorn squash, and potatoes.

Vitamin C

Pick any type of citrus fruit, as well as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, or tomatoes.

Vitamin D

In addition to synthesizing vitamin D naturally from contact with sunlight, you can get it from fatty fish as well as fortified milk and cereals.

Vitamin E

You can find vitamin E in leafy green vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, or use vegetable oils in your cooking for a vitamin E boost.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K comes from milk, eggs, cabbage, spinach, kale, and broccoli.

In addition to providing you with the vitamins you need, a healthy, balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and protein should also give you important minerals like iron and calcium.

Would you benefit from vitamin supplements?

Without the right amount of vitamins, you can suffer from potentially severe health and wellness impacts. Too much of some vitamins can be almost as much of a problem as a vitamin deficiency. If you aren't getting the right amounts of key vitamins, you could suffer from symptoms including:

• Fatigue and weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Insomnia
• Dysfunctional immune system

Chronic vitamin deficits can also increase your risks of contracting serious conditions like Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes.

It can be difficult to get all of the vitamins and minerals you need through your diet consistently throughout the year. You may benefit from nutritional counseling to identify deficits in your vitamin intake, and from supplements to get your levels back to the right place.

If you're concerned about your dietary wellness, consult Dr. Renk at Alpenglow Pain & Wellness. She can help you strategize the right ways to increase or boost your vitamin intake, including recommending dietary supplements in multiple forms to fit your lifestyle needs. 

To make your appointment, call our Anchorage, Alaska, office now at 907-313-2976. You can also send a message to Dr. Renk and the team here on our website.