It's a well-known fact that you are what you eat -- as far as your physical health goes. But it's so easy to get off the track and fill up on empty calories instead of eating wholesome energy-packed foods. For example, how many times have you heard chocolate chip cookies in your cupboard calling for attention? It's all right to eat sweets as a special treat but not as a steady diet. What's passed is passed. You can't un-eat what you've eaten, but you can decide to use wisdom in the future to choose more wholesome foods. And if you do, there's the anticipation of having lots more energy today and in your tomorrows too. For you to function at your best, you need essential vitamins, minerals and fiber, so here's a short list of energizing vitamins with foods to select for your daily diet: 1. Vitamin A is essential for your vision, growth, healthy skin and hair, mucous membranes and immunity to disease. Make a selection from this list: sweet potatoes, carrots, mangos, turnip greens, raw spinach, papaya, red bell pepper, apricots, cantaloupes, eggs, raw tomatoes, broccoli, green bell pepper and oranges. 2. The B-complex vitamins are needed for your energy, healthy nervous system, skin, hair, eyes and liver. Choose some of these: whole-grain cereals, rice, nuts, milk, eggs, meats, fish, fruits, leafy green vegetables, brewer's yeast, and liver. 3. Vitamin C helps your body to stay well. Want to help your body fight off sickness? Make sure you eat enough foods containing Vitamin C. A dangerous result of not having enough Vitamin C is a condition known as scurvy -- a disease characterized by bleeding gums and loose teeth. Sailors suffered from this illness in the past. If your gums bleed a lot and easily, you just might want to eat more food with this essential vitamin. Some of the fruits containing Vitamin C are apples, apricots, pears, avocado, banana, grapes, grapefruit, mangoes, melons, plums, oranges, peaches, persimmons, pineapples, plums, berries, strawberries, tangerines and tomatoes. You'll also find Vitamin C in vegetables such as asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, bell peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes, spinach, and turnip greens. 4. Vitamin D enables your body to absorb calcium. Would you like to give a boost to your body's absorption of calcium? Eat more food containing Vitamin D. It's necessary for the development and protection of healthy teeth and bones. Brain and nerve cells also depend on getting enough calcium that Vitamin D helps to deliver. Not getting enough Vitamin D can cause rickets -- a disease characterized by soft and deformed bones. Eat these foods to include Vitamin D in your diet: cheese, butter, cream, fortified milk, fish, and fortified cereals. 5. Vitamin E helps protect your body. Eat these foods to include this necessary vitamin: whole eggs, apples with skin, raw avocados, raw spinach, raw tomatoes and raw turnip greens. 6. Minerals Don't forget to include minerals in your diet. Your blood needs iron and your bones and teeth require calcium. Some salt is needed for the proper functioning of your muscles. Two foods that most people enjoy are beans that are high in iron and other minerals, and potatoes that are rich in Vitamin C, copper, magnesium phosphorous, potassium, and iron. 7. Fiber Want to avoid the misery of feeling sluggish from being plugged up? Be sure to include enough fiber in your diet. It makes your digestive system work properly. You'll find fiber in grains, fruit, brown rice, whole wheat, buckwheat and barley. So why not treat yourself to a bran muffin! What you put in your mouth is an ongoing decision that will drastically affect your energy level. |
