5 Vitamins For Women Over 50
Hello friends, does your medicine cabinet look like this?
Actually, this is my kitchen cabinet and it’s where I keep my vitamins and supplements.
I remember my grandmother would laugh in amazement as to how many pills some of the women at the Senior Center were taking. She never took a pill, not even an aspirin, as a matter of fact she almost choked taking an Advil.
She never took vitamins or supplements and still lived to be 98, the only “ailment” she suffered from was childbirth and arthritis.
Eating healthy was her remedy which I would hope is the same for me, but just in case it’s not, I am taking my daily vitamins.
I know I have a few bottles of unnecessary ones, so I decided to check in at WEBMD to get their recommendations.
Calcium
Osteoporosis, the bone-thinning disease that most commonly affects postmenopausal women, results from bones that have lost calcium and thickness. Women between the ages of 51-70 should be taking 1,200 mg of calcium daily, more if doctor recommended.
Foods that are high is calcium include Spinach, Kale, Okra, Collard Greens, Soybeans, White beans, Sardines, Salmon, Perch and Rainbow Trout. Foods that are fortified with calcium include orange juice, oatmeal and several brands of cold cereal.
Vitamin D is calcium’s indispensable partner. It’s essential for proper absorption of the calcium you get in your diet. But as we get older, our ability to synthesize vitamin D in sunlight through our skin diminishes. We must either get our Vitamin D through food, especially in the winter, or through supplements and you guys already know that I am Vitamin D deficient.
Foods that provide vitamin D include fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon. Foods fortified with vitamin D like dairy products, orange juice, soy mile, cereals, beef liver, cheese and egg yolks.
B-12
Folate
Folic acid helps to metabolize a substance called homocysteine, which has been clearly associated with the risk of heart disease and stroke. High homocysteine levels has shown to be associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia.”
Vitamin E and Vitamin C
Vitamin E and Vitamin C are both powerful antioxidants; studies have suggested that they may help protect against diseases of aging as varied as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and cataracts.
However, just as my grandmother believed: “To get the vitamins and other nutrients we need, food should always be first, and in a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables, whole-grain bread, and cereals — especially those that are enriched,” says Smith Edge. “Any decision to supplement ideally should be based on professional input from a health professional.”
So what’s in your medicine cabinet?
Stay Blessed ~ No Stress in 2014!
