Vitamin DWhy it’s good for you: This important vitamin helps maintain the strength of muscles, bones and teeth because it helps your body absorb calcium, an essential mineral that helps with muscle contraction, bone density, heartbeat regulation, and nerve transmission.
Where to find it: You can get your required amount of vitamin D by simply spending time outside, as the vitamin is transmitted through sunlight. Milk, fish oils, butter, and egg yolks also contain good levels of vitamin D.
Signs of deficiency: While children experiencing a vitamin D deficiency often have the ill fortune of developing rickets -- a bone disease characterized by soft, easily breakable bones -- adults can develop osteomalacia, a similar disorder that leads to weak muscles and an increased risk of bone fractures.
Vitamin KWhy it’s good for you: Vitamin K is critical for your body’s blood-clotting ability, which helps the healing process of cuts and wounds. Without the ability to properly clot, your body could bleed to death from a simple wound.
Where to find it: Green, leafy vegetables are the best source of vitamin K, though many other foods, such as dill pickles and soybeans, contain smaller amounts of it.
Signs of deficiency: If you have a deficiency of vitamin K, your skin may have a tendency to bruise and bleed easily.
Vitamin B12Why it’s good for you: Vitamin B12 performs a critical role in the synthesis of red and white blood cells, and it helps your body create DNA.
Where to find it: You can easily meet your daily requirement of vitamin B12 by eating eggs, milk, meat or other foods derived from animals. This vitamin is also present in some fortified cereals.
Signs of deficiency: If you’re not getting enough vitamin B12, you could experience anemia, fatigue, constipation, and loss of appetite. In severe cases, a deficiency can lead to neurological symptoms, such as a tingling sensation in the hands and feet.
eat right, feel rightIf getting your vitamins conjures up images of obediently chewing Flintstones tablets, your outlook needs some updating. Vitamins are found in nearly every food you eat, and without them, you could feel weak and vulnerable to ailments.
Luckily, in most cases, getting the proper vitamins is simply a matter of maintaining healthy eating habits on a daily basis. So load your diet with green leafy vegetables, lean meats and fruits, and you will be able to confidently pass by the rows of bottled supplements knowing that you’re getting what you need.