There is a strong drive within many of us to be able to do an activity without the assistance of another. Perhaps this started when you discovered how much more of the world you could explore when you learned to walk, or maybe when you learned to ride a bike without someone holding on to you. As we move into May, many young people will graduate from school and take on new responsibilities and new adventures. We use phrases like “spreading their wings” and “gaining independence.” While it cannot be denied that knowledge and practice lead to new abilities, some reflection will note there are things we are dependent on that should not be forgotten.
Being dependent on something is not a sign of weakness. Recognizing what we are dependent on can give us greater clarity and wisdom on the essentials of life. For example, you are dependent on oxygen. We take this for granted until we get “the wind knocked out” of us, or when we find ourselves in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask. You are dependent on pure water. When you were born, your body was 70% water. How important that you keep pure water flowing through so that you do not become a “stagnant pond” growing all kinds of unhealthy things. The general guideline is half your body weight in fluid ounces, so a 200 pound individual should be drinking around 100 ounces of water a day, which is about 12 cups.
You are also dependent on vitamins and minerals. Most of the vitamins were discovered in science observations during the first part of the 1900s. They were first described as “vital amines” noting the vital role these nutrients played in providing health and vitality. With each vitamin there is a list of deficiencies noted when the vitamin is absent in a person’s regular diet. Deficiencies point to our dependence on these essential nutrients. When Vitamin A is absent, you may notice night-blindness, or some kinds of skin disorders like eczema or psoriasis. When B vitamins are absent, you will notice mood swings, fatigue, or mental health challenges. When Vitamin C is absent, illness increases and sores develop in the mouth and on the skin. When Vitamin D is absent, illness increases, weight can increase, and insomnia can increase. These are just the beginning of the ABCs and Ds of vitamins.
Minerals are essential for a healthy immune response, promoting energy, and helping the body muscles to function properly. Most Americans do not consume enough magnesium each day. Magnesium is essential for helping you to relax as well as helping the body to produce energy. Zinc is used in more than 300 different reactions in the body, aiding the proper activation of the immune system and helping the digestive process. Iodine is the key mineral for the hormone produced by the thyroid that keeps your metabolism in balance. This mineral tends to be deficient in many clients living in the Midwest region. Minerals and vitamins work as a team to complete the perfectly designed function of your body.
Knowing you are dependent on vitamins and minerals for healthy living should help you to consider the best way to acquire these nutrients each day so that you can be more independent on other activities. Will taking a multi-vitamin or mineral tablet work best for you? Can you identify those foods that are the best source for these nutrients and make sure to eat them regularly? You will note our great grandparents were strong and lived active lives without supplements, so getting your nutrients from food is possible. In today’s world of convenience foods and fast eating, the nutrient value has significantly declined requiring us to take a closer look at the sources of our food.
If you choose to take vitamin supplements to help maintain a healthy life, make sure to identify a quality supplement that obtains its vitamins from fruits and vegetables. There should be ingredients listed that mention fruits and vegetables on the nutrition label. A simple test on the quality of the supplement is to place a tablet in a glass of water and return one hour later. If the tablet has fallen apart in the water then it is a tablet your body can easily absorb. If the tablet has not fallen apart and remains whole there is a chance you are not getting any nutrients from that vitamin.
I am available to review your questions about supplements, testing, and food plans. Contact me to discuss your health goals for the coming year. I can help you realize greater health freedom in 2025. You can contact me at nutritionproportion@gmail.com, or check out my website at www.nutritionproportion.net
