Being healthy is not always easy; it comes at the cost of proper care and maintenance. Proper care and maintenance involve regular exercise, maintaining a healthy and regular schedule and of course a balanced diet.
Balanced Diet
Diet is basically the food you eat on a regular basis. A balanced diet is a diet which includes the correct proportions of food items, such that the nutrients and minerals are perfectly in the amount required by your system for perfect health. Thus, a balanced diet includes carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, fats, minerals, and roughage etc. in the perfect amounts and needed proportions.Â
Types of Nutrients
As mentioned already, nutrients come in 2 types: macro and micro.Â
Macronutrients:
It is a type of nutrient/food that is required in large amounts by the body to function to its maximum. Examples such as carbohydrates, protein are needed in many grams for the everyday diet of a regular adult human.
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are not required in a great quantity. In fact, a few traces or grams of this kind of nutrient is enough. Any more than that can cause poisoning to the human body. The two types of micronutrients are vitamins and minerals.
How essential are micronutrients?
Even though micronutrients are required in very small amounts, they play an integral role in maintaining the human system when it comes to metabolism, heartbeat regulation, pH regulation at the cellular level and even bone density. Even for maintaining your body temperature, whether it’s in the summer heat or the cold winter winds, these micronutrients fine tune your body to adapt to your surroundings making them an integral part of your diet. Just, like most other important necessities of your body, a diet that does not contain these important micronutrients could spell trouble for the person. Such an inadequate diet in growing children could hinder their growth, physically as well as mentally.Â
Diseases that may happen due to micronutrient deficiency
Vitamin c
- Rickets: This occurs due to the lack of vitamin D (which is found in bananas and sun rays). Vitamin D helps in proper mineral absorption, but its lack causes poor absorption of calcium and phosphorus into the bones. This weakens the bone structure and decreases bone density.
- Scurvy: This is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is available in citrus fruits. It helps maintain dental health and skin care. Thus, when a person’s dietary supplement of vitamin C drops too low, he starts developing bleeding gums, weakness and even rash around very parts of his body. Not only do citrus fruits contain the cure for this disease, so do strawberries, broccoli, and potatoes. These are just among the many foods for important micronutrients, without which your diet would be insufficient for proper body maintenance.
- Osteoporosis:Â When talking about bone weakening, the first disease that comes to mind is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is basically when a person with an insufficient calcium diet starts suffering from low bone density and is prone to fractures.
Home remedies for micronutrients replenishment
Most of the sources of micronutrients are available in your own kitchen. So, instead of running for a commercially available supplement, try approaching the natural way and try replenishing your diet with raw foods. Here is a list of the various micronutrients and the foods that they are available in :Â
Milk
- Calcium: Milk, yogurt, and other dairy products. Green vegetables like broccoli also contain calcium. Canned food/preserved fishes like sardines also can bring the daily required dose of calcium.
- Vitamin B12: Protein sources like beef, cheese, eggs, and fish come packed with vitamin B12.
- Zinc: Protein sources like beef and turkey do contain zinc. Vegetarian sources include beans (garbanzo) and cashews.
Hence you can see how important these minuscule nutrients are for your body. Including foods which are rich in them will work wonders for a flourishing healthy lifestyle in the long run.