‘Never ask a woman her age,’ as the saying goes. Not just women, but even men, are concerned about their age, health, and appearance. This can be accomplished with methods ranging from simple aesthetic care to advanced, sophisticated surgery. The good news is that keeping youthful is entirely dependent on your inside health. A well-balanced diet high in vitamins and minerals can do wonders for slowing the aging process.
Understanding the process of aging
Fitness is all about keeping your body in perfect chemical equilibrium. Recent research shows that free oxygen in the body hurts tissues and disrupts the body’s chemical composition (known as oxidative damage). Any activity in the body generates free oxygen as a byproduct. Our body, being a marvelous creation, has the power to neutralize it. However, when the free oxygen load is too great, oxidative damage occurs. This is the cause of chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, cataracts, and all the signs and symptoms that indicate aging.
Benefits of vitamin supplements
Antioxidants scavenge free radicals and prevent oxidative damage, and vitamins are the building blocks for these friendly antioxidants. The function of vitamins in illness prevention has long been recognized.
General benefits: People who take adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals are healthier than those who do not. They possess-
- Decreased risk of heart attack and stroke
- Decreased incidences of respiratory and urinary tract infections
- Decreased days of infection-related illness and fast recovery
- Decreased need for antibiotics
Vitamin supplements Benefit in specific disease condition
Folate, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 Decreases risk of cardiovascular diseases
Vitamin E , Lycopene Decreases risk of prostate cancer
Vitamin D, Calcium Decreases incidence of fractures in elderly
Zinc, Beta carotene, Vitamin E Slows progression of age-related macular degeneration
Folate Decreases risk of neural tube defects and certain cancers
Vitamin C Reduces blood pressure
Vitamin E Improves symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease
Folic acid Improvement of depression symptoms
Staying young is not a Herculean task. Vitamins can also be obtained as supplements, which are just as effective as those from dietary sources. You can’t make time stop, but you can certainly make it wait—with the help of vitamins!
