There are no signs that COVID-19 is going away anytime soon. The world could not be on self-isolation for so long. Parents should make sure to keep their family healthy.
Buying fresh goods every week is not possible because of the risk of getting infected. It would be better to supplement your family with vitamins. Doing so will prevent them from getting ill from COVID-19.
Here are the five best vitamins to take during COVID-19 to stay healthy.
Vitamin A
Besides helping with your vision, Vitamin A also helps your heart, skin, and immune system. There are preformed vitamin A, known as retinol. The body converts it to its active form, known as the beta-carotene.
Eat green and orange-yellow fruits and vegetables. Examples are tomato, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and broccoli. All these contain vitamin A. Eggs, butter, milk, and liver contain retinol.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is known for its ability to regulate sleep, appetite, and mood. It also plays a vital role in keeping you healthy. It helps with cognitive abilities and immune health. It also aids in red blood cell formation. Foods that contain vitamin B6 are whole grains, meat, nuts, vegetables, baked potatoes, chickpeas, bananas, and other fortified foods.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 keeps your nerve and blood cells healthy. It also helps with the production of energy and DNA. This vitamin should be appropriately absorbed to get the said benefits. As a person ages, stomach acid decreases. Hence, it would be hard to digest protein to release vitamin B12 from food.
This vitamin is usually present in fish, meat, eggs, clams, dairy products, and fortified soy milk. People aged 50 and up should talk to their doctor if they took vitamin B12 supplements: they might absorb a low amount from the food they eat.
Folate and Folic Acid
Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate. It is often used to fortify food. Vitamin B9, or folate, helps in red blood cell formation and function. Hence, pregnant women need this vitamin to prevent their newborns from having neural tube defects.
Leafy greens, citrus fruits, and legumes contain folate. Thus, you should include them in your diet for better health. There are also bread, cereals, cornmeal, flour, rice, pasta, and other grain products that are fortified with folic acid. You may opt to buy them, but remember to read the label to know which ones have vitamin B9.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. A person who is deficient in this vitamin is at risk of developing cancer and heart disease. Most people get their vitamin D from the sun, but you should also take note of the consequences of staying under the sun for too long.
Make sure to apply sunscreen to protect yourself from the damaging rays of the sun. Also, hydrate when you are out, especially during summer.
Vitamin D fortified foods are orange juice, milk, and breakfast cereals. Vitamin D is also found naturally in fatty fishes, whole eggs, and mushrooms.
