You may remember your parents encouraging you to take your vitamins as a child, to grow healthy and strong or to prevent getting sick. Vitamins are important in adulthood, too. They are required by the body to grow well and develop normally, each with its own important job. If you become deficient in any of these vitamins, you can develop an illness or other medical problem such as night blindness. Therefore, it's crucial to make sure you're obtaining all the necessary vitamins.
Step 1
Eat a consistently healthy diet. MayoClinic.com states that the best way to obtain all the vitamins you need is through healthy whole foods. Eat a wide variety of foods from all the major food groups--fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, low-fat dairy products and heart-healthy fats--and you'll likely get all the vitamins you need through your diet alone.
Step 2
Take a daily multivitamin for nutrition "insurance," advises the Harvard School of Public Health. Even if you usually eat a healthy diet, you may miss out on key vitamins now and then. A daily multivitamin is generally considered safe, and they are widely available at any supermarket or drugstore.
Step 3
Consider an extra vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D is important for strong bones and seems to help prevent autoimmune disorders, heart disease and some cancers. However, many Americans are vitamin D deficient. Increasingly, health experts are recommending people take an extra vitamin D supplement, up to 800 or 1,000 International Units per day, for optimal health. Vitamin D supplements are available at any supermarket, drugstore or health-food store.
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