3 Overlooked Nutrients To Add to Your Diet Now

Everyone’s always talking about how vitamin B12 deficiency leads to energy issues or how most people don’t get enough vitamin D. But there’s a whole universe of nutrients you likely never think about. Generally, that’s okay. If you’re eating a variety of whole foods including lots of diverse fruits and vegetables, you’re likely getting most of them in our diet naturally. Still, it’s good to know about other important nutrients your body needs for peak performance, in case you’re feeling like something’s missing, or your diet is restricted to certain foods (i.e. if you’re a vegetarian or gluten-free). RELATED: What You Need to Know to Be A Healthy Vegan To start, read up on these three underrated and often overlooked nutrients, which you should definitely make sure your diet is rich in, 24-7. 3 Overlooked Nutrients to Add to Your Diet 1. Vitamin A The very first vitamin of the alphabet does a heck of a lot when it comes to maintaining a healthy, high-functioning body. Not only is it involved in regulating the growth and differentiation of basically all of your cells, it plays a huge role in maintaining a strong immune system. And it’s key to the development and maintenance of good vision. (Kind of important, right?) RELATED: How to Strengthen Your Immune System Every Time You Eat The important thing to know is that there are two forms: preformed, found in animal foods, and, provitamin A carotenoids, found in fruits and vegetables. Eating too much preformed vitamin A can actually be toxic and is especially dangerous during pregnancy, but that risk doesn’t apply to the form found in plants. So, of course, we prefer to get ours from produce. Find it in leafy greens like broccoli rabe, spinach, and kale and orange-y veggies like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots. 2. Vitamin K Vitamin K is known for its role in blood coagulation and clotting and is linked to a decreased risk of heart disease. Recent research has also revealed it plays an important role in helping our bodies absorb calcium, and you’ve definitely already heard about how much calcium you need for strong, healthy bones. Find it in vegetables like kale, collards, and spinach. Plus, those leafy greens also contain magnesium, a mineral involved in calcium absorption as well as nerve and brain function. (Notice a trend in which foods contain the widest array of nutrients??) 3. Choline Choline is a micronutrient that’s a big building block for cells and is involved in many different systems in the body. It’s used to make a neurotransmitter that’s important for learning and memory, is involved in the methylation cycle, which affects energy and mood, and has been shown to regulate inflammation (score!). RELATED: 7 Delicious Anti-Inflammatory Foods Get your daily dose from eggs, beef, seafood, broccoli, and peanuts.

How to Strengthen Your Immune System Every Time You Eat

Got a runny nose that won’t quit? If you’re wondering how to strengthen your immune system, here’s a simple strategy: add immunity-boosting foods to every meal. (Duh!) No, we’re not just talking about citrus fruits and ginger. In this video, we share nutrient-dense foods that may help you avoid getting a cold or the flu—and you may not have heard about their special powers before. You’ll meet the vegetable that has twice the vitamin C of an orange, discover which mushrooms are the best for your immune system, and find out whether chicken soup is really the effective remedy your Grandmother promised it was. Watch the video to get smart about avoiding illness—and recovering faster when you’re already sick—now. How to Strengthen Your Immune System With Food  

3 Best Foods for Healthy Skin

Healthy skin is one of those things we all want, but many of us have trouble getting. Blemishes…zits…pimples…are you cringing at even just the thought of them staring back at you in the bathroom mirror this morning? It’s a topic most people like to avoid. It’s important to take care of your skin, and your mind might already be thinking of cleansing and hydrating properly as two of your go-to strategies. But what you choose to eat is also a huge contributing factor to having healthy skin! A varied diet rich in whole foods is great for skin health, and I’m giving you 3 of the BEST foods to help you clear up your acne and prevent future breakouts. These 3 healthy skin foods are rich in selenium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, and omega-3s which act as antioxidants in the body to help fight inflammation and reduce the occurrence of blemishes (along with a whole host of other health benefits!). Clear skin with a side of heart health, anyone?