A Worry-free Season With Three Essential Vitamins

(NC) Spring has sprung and it’s time to get outdoors. Before you rush to get some much-needed sunshine and fresh air, consider the obstacles that might be preventing you from having fun and staying safe this season. The Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA) has some tips to ensure you enjoy a worry-free spring, and it’s as simple as remembering your ABCs.

Continue to protect your skin with vitamin A.

It’s essential to ensure your skin is healthy year-round. So just because you’ve gotten through the dry winter air doesn’t mean that you can stop taking care of your skin. One way to keep your skin looking and feeling great is to make sure you’re getting enough vitamin A. Did you know that vitamin A is a vital nutrient which promotes skin repair and maintenance? In fact, people with vitamin A deficiencies are more prone to dry, flaky skin. Make sure you’re getting enough vitamin A in your diet from foods such as sweet potatoes, spinach and fish oils.

Stay active with vitamin B.

Spring is the time for adventures and exploring nature. But this means you’ll need enough energy to keep up. “B vitamins” is a term that actually includes eight different vitamins, some of which you may recognize, such as riboflavin and folic acid. They help your body convert the carbohydrates you eat into glucose, fuel for your body. They can be found in a variety of foods, such as almonds, pork, poultry and whole cereals, but because of the variety of different types of B vitamins, it may be difficult to get them all from a few sources. Try a B-complex vitamin to make sure you’re getting the support you need to stay active from sunrise to beyond sunset.

Keep allergy symptoms at bay with vitamin C.

Vitamin C should stand for vitamin “Classic” because every season, vitamin C proves to be a jack-of-all-trades nutrient. You’ve probably been taking it the past few months to lessen the severity of your cold symptoms, but vitamin C is also a natural antihistamine. Histamines are what our body creates when something triggers our allergies, an unfortunate side effect of spring. Vitamin C can decrease your allergy symptoms by minimizing the formation of histamines. Try adding some vitamin C-enriched foods to your picnic basket, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes and leafy greens.

When making changes to your diet, remember to keep track of your intake of calories, fats, sodium and other vitamins. If you’re struggling to find a balance, CHFA recommends consulting your health-care practitioner and visiting your local CHFA Member health food store to explore your options.