Key Nutrients Women Often Miss and Why They Matter

A healthier diet should provide adequate nutrients, including micronutrients and macronutrients. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals that the body requires in smaller amounts and must be acquired from one’s diet. Macronutrients are large and visible to the eye and are needed in larger quantities. Macronutrients include fats, proteins and carbohydrates, and are responsible for creating energy and building up the body’s cells.

The quality of the nutrients is important

• Examples of high-quality carbohydrates include:  Starchy vegetables such as yams, sweet potatoes, winter squash, etc. beans and legumes; and whole grains.
• High quality protein sources include:  grass-fed meat (sparingly), skinless poultry, wild caught fish and seafood, eggs, tofu, tempeh, cottage cheese and yogurt.
• When it comes to fats, they are not created equal. Certain fats are beneficial and important to health such as olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds, fatty fish and coconut.
• Other fats may be harmful to your health and should be limited. These include highly processed vegetable oils, soybean and corn oil, margarine, shortening and saturated animal fats.

Vitamin D: A Powerhouse Nutrient

Vitamin D is a powerhouse nutrient that does so much more than build strong bones.

• Strengthens bones and muscles.  You need sufficient vitamin D to help absorb calcium you take in to keep your bones nice and strong.
• Protects oral health.  Did you know your teeth need calcium just like your bones? Vitamin D keeps your teeth and gums healthy by helping them absorb calcium and stimulating production of antimicrobial peptides.
• Supports immune health and fights inflammation.  The antimicrobial peptides that vitamin D stimulate help your body fight infection.
• Prevents diabetes.  Vitamin D helps improve blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, which could lower your risk of getting diabetes. 
• Helps shed extra pounds.  Obesity is actually a risk factor for low vitamin D. That’s because vitamin D is fat-soluble, which means it gets stored in fatty tissue instead of being absorbed right away. So, more vitamin D may help you lose weight (and increase your vitamin D levels).
• Boosts mood.  It’s not called the sunshine vitamin for no reason. Just like a good sunshiny day, vitamin D can help improve your mood and combat depression.
• Reduces risk of cancers.  Vitamin D has been found to slow or even prevent cancer cells and tumors. 

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• Women's Health