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The
body needs vitamins to help it stay healthy. The best way to obtain
vitamins is through eating healthy food. In some cases vitamin supplements
may be needed. Some people take extra large doses of vitamins to
treat certain conditions. Vitamins in large doses can sometimes
be harmful - talk to a pharmacist and doctor.
Vitamins
can be divided into:
-
Fat soluble vitamins e.g. vitamins A, D, E and K-stored in the
liver and fat tissues from which they are slowly removed
-
Water
soluble vitamins e.g. B group vitamins, vitamin C, folic acid-lost
quickly from the body so a regular daily intake is needed.
You
may not be getting enough vitamins if you have:
-
A
diet low in certain foods, because of health, cultural or religious
reasons, during heavy drinking or not enough money to spend on
food
-
An
extra need for vitamins e.g. while recovering from illness or
surgery, or while pregnant or breastfeeding
-
A
failure to make, take in or store some vitamins e.g. coeliac disease,
ulcerative colitis, cystic fibrosis, gastrectomy
-
Medications
that may change vitamin levels (e.g. the pill, laxatives, long
term antibiotics)-ask a pharmacist.
Healthy
eating is the best way to ensure the body gets all the vitamins it
needs. To eat a healthy diet you need:
-
Plenty
of plant foods (bread, cereal, pasta, noodles, vegetables, legumes
and fruit)
-
Moderate
amounts of animal foods (milk, yoghurt, cheese, meat, fish, poultry,
eggs)
-
Small
amounts of: oils and margarines; cakes, desserts, and pastries;
high-fat snack foods such as chips, pies, pasties, sausage rolls
and other takeaways; lollies and chocolate
-
To
limit alcohol to one or two drinks a day-have at least one alcohol-free
day a week
To
retain goodness when preparing meals:
-
Prepare
food just before serving
-
Cook
vegetables for the shortest time possible-steam or microwave them
-
Cook
frozen vegetables quickly without thawing
-
Re-use
cooking water in gravies, soups, stews
-
Leave
vegetables in large pieces-do not cut up too much or soak them
before cooking.
While
vitamins are an important part of health, resist being tempted to
solve health problems by taking vitamins.
Source:
Pharmaceutical Society
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