Going vegan can be a great health choice. However, it can also make it difficult to get the right level of nutrients. Our bodies are designed to take in vitamins and minerals from a wide variety of food sources. So, when you cut any of these food sources out, it’s going to leave a nutritional gap.

Here, you’ll discover some of the main supplements you may need if you are following a vegan diet.

Vitamin B12

Arguably the most important vitamin supplement vegans should take is vitamin B12. Studies have shown that vegans and vegetarians have the biggest risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency. This can lead to anemia, infertility and nervous system damage.

In order to top up their levels, vegans are advised to consume foods with added B12. Supplements can also work well; just be sure to pay attention to the strength before trying them.

Omega 3s

Another thing that vegans are often lacking in is omega 3s. These essential fatty acids are required by the body to keep the brain and eyes healthy. They are largely found in foods such as oily fish, which is why vegans often don’t get enough.

You can try to boost your intake naturally by consuming flax seeds, soybeans and walnuts. However, supplements are usually required to keep levels adequate....

Know When to Call for Help If the Weather Conditions Have Overpowered You

One of the biggest mistakes people make in emergency weather situations is not calling for help soon enough. For some reason, many people like to try to stick it out, even when they start to suffer because of it.

Some people don’t want to cause a fuss. Others want to appear tough, but regardless, when the weather starts to overpower you, you need to be able to stop and call for help. For example, in a 2021 record-low cold snap in Texas, many people were left without power in very low temperatures.

As the temperatures fell inside their houses, many people whose cars could handle the frozen roads wisely threw in the towel and made their way to heating centers, which were large building that still had electricity where families could keep warm.

Others were staying with neighbors or friends who had electricity, and were also calling each other frequently to check in on one another. However, some who remained isolated had to be hospitalized for hypothermia, with temperatures in their houses hovering around 45° F or lower.

Had these people contacted emergency services, friends and family, or attempted to move to a warming center, that could have been prevented. In simpler cases, if there’s a massive heat wave coming through and your house doesn’t have air conditioning, try to see if someone you know has a pool or an air conditioned house you can hang out at.

Massive heat isn’t too dangerous for those inside, but it can become wildly uncomfortable. For those with small children, it can actually start to become dangerous if they begin to suffer from heat exhaustion.

This can also apply to severe weather such as storms, especially those that are capable of developing tornados. Tornados are certainly nothing to toy around with, so if you don’t have a good shelter in your house, you might want to consider waiting the storm out at an acquaintance’s home that does have one.

There’s nothing you can do to stop a tornado from damaging your home, whether you’re there or not, so you might as well avoid injury at the same time. Even if you can’t go stay with someone else at their house, they might be able to bring you some much needed supplies, such as a box fan for a heat wave or a space heater for a cold snap.

Don’t hesitate to rely on the generosity of others a little bit, especially in a dire situation. You want to educate yourself about off-the-grid living in case it takes days to regain your electricity. 

Tips for Achieving More Weight Loss with IF

When you practice intermittent fasting, you’re most likely going to lose weight. But you can rev up the amount of weight you lose by combining your fasting with other methods.

For example, one of these methods that’s successful with fasting is the keto diet.

The keto diet means eating little carbs, but consuming foods that are higher in fat and protein. This diet works to make the body burn fat and go into what’s called ketosis. When you mix it with intermittent fasting, you get quicker results.

You may find that the keto way of eating is easier when it’s combined with fasting. You can also use popular weight loss programs with intermittent fasting. You can use Weight Watchers on your diet.

This program allows users to eat the foods they want to eat, just like on any of the intermittent fasting diets. While you can eat whatever you want, there is a focus on choosing foods that are healthier and lower in calories and carbs.

Not everyone likes using this diet because there can be some point counting involved. You can use intermittent fasting with the Mediterranean Diet, too. This diet is based on foods such as fruits and vegetables, but dairy and seafood are also part of it.....

While vitamin and mineral supplements are often taken to generally improve the health, there are times when they are medically needed. Certain medical conditions can affect the way that vitamins and minerals are absorbed in the body. This can lead to a deficiency without adequate supplementation.

Here, we’ll look at some of the medical conditions that may require supplements. Just remember that before trying any supplement to aid a medical condition, it is important to seek advice from your doctor.

Iron Deficiency Anemia

One of the most common vitamin and mineral deficiencies is iron. This condition leads to anemia, causing you to feel constantly fatigued. Those who are suffering from iron deficiency anemia are often prescribed with iron supplements.

Supplements help to replenish the red blood cells in the body. However, you’ll typically need prescribed iron tablets which are stronger than the supplements sold in stores.

Skin Conditions

If you suffer with various skin conditions, supplements can also prove useful. Dry skin for example, could be down to a lack of omega 3s in the diet. Omega 3 supplements are great for the skin, helping to keep it looking healthy and youthful.

Vitamin B5 can also work wonders for skin complaints. Your doctor will be able to assess your condition to see whether supplements would prove effective, or whether medication is the best course of treatment....

Intermittent Fasting for Beginners

There are many diets that help users focus on what to eat. Intermittent fasting isn’t one of them. Instead, this plan helps users understand why the time that you eat is just as important as what you eat.

Studies have shown that using this type of fasting can help you to lose weight. Plus, it offers a lot of health benefits. There are different ways to integrate intermittent fasting into your schedule – you just have to pick whichever way works best for you.

The Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

The health benefits associated with intermittent fasting are numerous. When you follow this type of eating plan, you’ll lose weight. It’s a scientific fact that being overweight is the number one risk factor for many diseases.

For example, people who are overweight tend to carry more fat around their abdomen. When there’s abdominal fat, it’s known as visceral fat. This is a factor in health issues such as uterine and ovarian cancer for women.

In men, carrying more weight around the abdomen has been linked to prostate cancer. Visceral fat is also linked to liver inflammation. But fasting can lower the amount of visceral fat you carry in just a matter of weeks.

Your heart health can also be helped when you practice intermittent fasting. Being overweight can cause a lot of issues for your heart because it makes it work harder than it should, even when you’re not exercising or doing anything that causes exertion.....

When you’re researching into the different vitamin and mineral supplements, it won’t take long to come across a few common myths. Finding reliable information can be tricky, which can make it dangerous if you follow the wrong advice.

To ensure you don’t fall victim to incorrect advice, here we’ll look at some of the most common myths about vitamin and mineral supplements.

Everyone Needs to Take a Daily Multivitamin

There is a myth circulating that everyone needs to take a multivitamin to stay healthy. This isn’t true at all. In fact, some experts suggest taking multivitamins when you are fit and healthy can be more harmful.

The truth is, if you take too many vitamins and minerals, it can have a negative impact on your health. So, you should only take one if you aren’t getting enough nutrients from a balanced diet.

Supplements Are Safe because They Are Natural

Perhaps the most dangerous myth surrounding supplements is that they are fully safe because they are natural. While it’s true that when taken correctly, vitamin and mineral supplements can enhance your health, if you take them incorrectly, they can cause a range of health issues.

There is also the fact that not all supplements are made equal. As the industry isn’t well regulated, you could be buying something where you have no idea what ingredients are in it. This can obviously be dangerous to your health as you don’t know what you are taking. So, you need to be very careful about where you buy the supplements....

Topping up your vitamin and mineral levels may seem like a great idea. However, did you know it’s possible to consume too many of them? Like anything you have in excess, too many vitamins and minerals in the body can cause potentially serious complications.

Here, we’ll look at some vitamins and minerals that are dangerous to consume in excess.

Iron

People with excessive levels of iron can develop a range of unpleasant symptoms. It can cause blood in your stools, nausea, dizziness and diarrhea. In severe cases it can even lead to fluid build-up in the lungs, which can prove deadly if not treated quickly enough.

The amount of iron you need will depend upon your sex and age. Men over the age of 18 need 8.7mg iron each day. Women aged 19-50 need 14.8mg per day, while women over 50 need 8.7mg, the same as men.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A delivers a lot of benefits to the body. It can boost the immune system, improve the skin and lower the risk of cancers. However, when taken in excess it can cause a range of problems.

Just some of the effects of overdosing on vitamin A include liver damage, hair loss, bone pain, extreme headaches, dry skin and blurred vision. Men need approximately 900mcg each day, while women need 700mcg daily....

With so many different vitamins and minerals required by the body, a balanced diet is key for ensuring you get a healthy supply. However, even with a strict diet, it’s still possible to become deficient in certain types of nutrients.

Here, you’ll discover some of the most common vitamin and mineral deficiencies you need to be aware of.

Iron

Iron is found in every cell within the body, making it crucial for our health. However, it’s also one of the easiest minerals to be deficient in. It is particularly common in women who haven’t yet experienced the menopause, alongside pregnant women and young children.

When you have an iron deficiency, it can lead to anemia. This is where there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells in the body. As a result, you’ll feel constantly tired, have brittle nails and pale skin.

Vitamin D

As we get most of our vitamin D levels from natural sunlight, it’s easy to not get enough of a daily dose. Those who work indoors and spend very little time outdoors are most at risk of a deficiency.

It can be difficult to get a decent level of vitamin D from your diet alone, so supplements are often required for those who are deficient in the vitamin.

Iodine

The thyroid hormone is reliant upon iodine during its production. The hormone is crucial for regulating the heartbeat, calorie burn and skin turnover. Like vitamin D, the body isn’t able to create its own Iodine supply. Instead, it can only be consumed via foods or supplements.

Those who live in an area where the soil is iodine deficient are most likely to not get enough in their diet. These include river valleys and mountainous areas....

It is estimated that more than half of Americans take vitamin and mineral supplements. While vitamins and minerals are crucial for the body, supplements aren’t always as healthy as you may think they are.

Like everything in life, there are pros and cons of taking vitamin and mineral supplements. Here, we’ll look at some factors that you need to be aware of.

The Pros of Taking Supplements

Vitamin and mineral supplements can deliver a lot of benefits in the right circumstances. For those who are deficient in certain types of vitamins, alongside pregnant women, supplements can prove invaluable at boosting the health.

There are some types of minerals and vitamins that are more difficult to consume in healthy amounts naturally. Vitamin D is a great example as we get most of it from the sun’s rays. If you don’t spend a lot of time in the sun (say if you work from home, for example), you might not be getting the proper level of vitamin D that you need. So, taking a supplement would help to top up your levels, preventing you from developing a vitamin deficiency.

Supplements can also potentially help kids get the nutrients they need. A lot of children can be very fussy eaters. This can mean they simply don’t get the right level of nutrients they should. So, kids’ supplements can help parents ensure their children are getting a healthy dose of vitamins to aid their development.

These are some of the benefits you can experience when taking the right supplements....