What is a Multivitamin and How can it Benefit Your Health?

A multivitamin is a combination of vitamins (and sometimes minerals) that make up a nutritional supplement.

Another basic way of looking at a multivitamin is that it is an all-in-one supplement. You take only one pill instead of taking a whole bunch of different ones. If you are a forgetful person then this situation is ideal!

No two people will tell you the same thing about multivitamins. In fact there is no consensus in the health community as to whether multivitamins are a good idea or whether they are not. What is known is that multivitamins are not a substitute for a healthy diet but are meant to provide supplementation to a person’s diet (thus the word supplement).

There are times when you are not likely to receive as many nutrients from your food as you require. For example, when you are under a tremendous amount of stress or when you get sick. These are times when you could really benefit from what a multivitamin has to offer you.

But stress and sickness are not the only two conditions under which taking a multivitamin is advisable. There are plenty of things in your environment that can wear down your body and make your immune system less able to fight off viruses and bacteria.

There are chemicals in the food you eat and the water you drink. There are also foods that contain too much sodium and/or too much sugar, as well as foods that are fried, fatty or highly processed. There are pollutants in the air and the aging process that you need to be concerned about. There are lifestyle habits to think about such as the consumption of alcohol, the use of drugs and smoking. There is also the general wear and tear of simply living life that can make the body’s defenses all that more vulnerable to health problems. Over time many of these factors combined can lead to a tired, worn out body that could use an extra boost of vitamins. That is where a multivitamin comes into play.

To help improve your health odds strive to eat as healthy as possible, not just once in a while but every day. If you eat seven to 10 servings of fruits and veggies daily then you can be guaranteed that your body is being well supplied with the 13 essential vitamins and 17 different minerals it needs to be healthy.

It is also important that you are a physically active person. It is recommended that everyone get 30 minutes of exercise per day. Exercise is about more than just going to the gym. Look for simple ways to incorporate more physical activity into your life.

It is not always possible for every person to eat a nutritious and well balanced diet every day of their life. This is why supplementing the food you eat with a multivitamin can help to keep illnesses from invading your body. The body is composed of millions of cells that are continuously being put through a period of regeneration. To work at the top of their game every one of these cells needs the proper nourishment. This comes by way of vitamins and minerals.

There are many popular myths about vitamins but the truth is only you can decide when and why a multivitamin is right for you.

Samantha