They say our gut is our second brain, and when you don't give it what it needs, your focus becomes clouded, you start to feel tired and have low energy. Diet is very important for giving your body & brain what they need. More than diet, the vitamins you take or don't take play a huge part in your overall gut health. If you're not a big vitamin person but you have some of these symptoms; you may want to reconsider & give them a try.
B Vitamins
B vitamins play a key role in maintaining overall good health and well-being. As the foundation of a healthy body, B vitamins have a huge impact on your energy levels, brain functions, and cell metabolism. Also, Vitamin B complex helps in the prevention of infections and helps support or promote: healthy cells.
Iron
Iron is so important to preserving all the vital functions in the body. This includes energy, focus, gastrointestinal processes, your immune system, and even the regulation of your body temperature. The benefits of iron often go unnoticed until a person has a deficiency.
Strict vegetarians may need to take in higher levels of iron since they get less of it in their diet. At high doses, iron can be toxic, so take with caution. For adults and children ages 14 and up, the upper limit. The highest recommended dose is 45 mg a day. Also, children under age 14 shouldn't take more than 40 mg a day. Also, this will change if you are pregnant.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, often referred to as ascorbic acid, is essential for growth, development and repair of all body tissues. In fact, it's involved in almost all bodily functions. This includes the formation of collagen for your skin, absorption of iron, your immune system strength, fast wound healing, and the maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth. Taking a recommend 3000mg of Vitamin C daily for a strong immune system & other gut benefits can prove beneficial. It drastically can lower the amount of sick days you have throughout the year.
Selenium
Selenium is a mineral no one really hears about. But, it plays a key role in many bodily functions. Online studies have shown it could protect against cancer, thyroid problems, cognitive decline, and even asthma. Also, Selenium enhances the gut’s response to inflammation. A lack of selenium has been proven to increase stress and inflammation, leading to potential damage to the lining of the gut which causes leaky gut. Selenium deficiency is also linked to a higher risk of bowel disease. The safest limit for selenium intake is 400 micrograms a day in adults.
Vitamin D
Getting enough, but not too much, vitamin D is needed to keep your body functioning well. In fact, I've had a Vitamin D deficiency at one point & I felt horrible. Constantly tired, I got headaches almost everyday, lack of focus, etc. Got my blood tested at the doctor & they told me I wasn't getting enough Vitamin D. Since you can get Vitamin D from the sun you don't have to take the pill. However, if you're like me & prefer to limit your sun exposure I definitely recommend getting the vitamin. Vitamin D can also help with strong bones and may help prevent some cancers. More symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are; muscle weakness, pain, fatigue, and depression. So make sure you see your doctor if you think you may be deficient.
For your gut, preclinical trials have also shown vitamin D to restore good bacteria in the gut and improve metabolic disorders. If you're taking a vitamin D supplement, you probably don't need more than 600 to 800 mg per day.
Zinc
Zinc is found in cells throughout our entire body, making it one of the most important vitamins. It helps our immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses 🦠 . Our bodies also need zinc to make proteins and DNA, the genetic material of cells. During pregnancy it's very to have proper levels of zinc, since the body needs zinc to grow and develop properly.
Zinc supplementation also helps to strengthen the gut lining. Having a strong & healthy gut lining ensures you won't have leaky gut, which is a condition where the lining of your small intestine becomes damaged. This causes undigested food particles, toxic waste products, and bacteria to "leak" through the intestines and flood the blood stream. This can make you very sick. Since zinc helps to modify the tight junctions of the intestinal lining, it can limits gut permeability. When taking Zinc, take amounts no greater than 40 mg daily.
Magnesium
Magnesium is important for the peristaltic movement, which moves food along your gut as it gets digested. If you are low in Magnesium, your bowels become sluggish or get constipated. Which in turn can give you very painful stomach cramps.
Healthy men should take 400 to 420 milligrams (mg) of magnesium daily. Healthy women should take 310 to 320 mg daily.
2 comments
May I add: B17, also a MIRACULOUS Vitamin, famously known for its anti aging and cancer fighting properties.
Unfortunately B17 itself is illegal in the United States (I wonder why…_ ), but it can be taken from sources like; Laetrile, Wheat Barley-green and Apricot Seeds, some of which can be imported from Mexico and perhaps, still, Canada.
An EXCELLENT resource for a simplified explanation!
Thank You for Keeping it Super Simple!
Question:
1) What may be some other benefits?
From experience, I have noticed tremendous improvements to my skin, hair and nails since increasing my Vitamin C and D3.
2) Your thoughts and WHAT to cook on/with (Stainless steel, “Non-Stick” etc.) ?
Cast Iron is known to be a great source of additional iron for food. (Food also tastes MUCH better, in my opinion😋 )