Vegan Vitamins to Support Health and Wellness

Everyone knows that as the cold months drag on, our immune systems can use all the help they can get. Constantly moving from freezing temps to overly dry, heated homes can really strain our systems. 

While others around you may be sniffling their noses off (hopefully while practicing social distancing), there are a few simple ways to keep your health in tip-top shape. Making time for delicious yet nutritious meals will nourish you on many levels while ensuring nutrient absorption as well as better digestion. Consuming a varied plant-based diet rich in fresh fruits and veggies will provide you with greater energy and well-being in the short-term, as well as help to protect you against chronic health problems in the long-term. 

While a balanced vegan diet is important for year-round vitality, relying solely on what you eat can leave your nutrient levels slightly lacking. Even with the very best intentions, you still may not get all the yummy nutrients your body needs from food alone. Once you factor in processed foods, stress, eating on-the-go, and icky environmental pollutants, supplementing with high-quality vitamins can do a lot to help fill nutritional gaps in any diet. 

When it comes to supplements, if you can simply remember your ABC’s, there’s a pretty good chance you will be able to keep your immune system happy and healthy!

Vitamin A 

Vitamin A is crucial to support proper immune function. It stimulates many of our immune processes, enhancing white blood cell function and increasing antibody response. 

In addition, this super vitamin is essential for your peepers. In fact, one of the first symptoms of a vitamin A deficiency can be night blindness, known as nyctalopia.  

Vitamin B12 

Vitamin B12, whether in supplements, animal products, or fortified foods, comes from microorganisms. Most vegans tend to consume enough B12 to avoid anemia and nervous system damage, but many don’t get enough to minimize the potential risk of heart disease or pregnancy complications -- hence why it’s such a crucial vitamin to supplement! 

Vitamin C 

Ah, good ol’ vitamin C. This powerful vitamin helps fight nasty germs, as well as stimulates the white blood cells to combat stress. Needless to say, vitamin C is pretty important! And according to experts, all you need is one to three grams daily to achieve immune enhancement. 

But it doesn’t stop there -- vitamin C is also essential for glowing skin. To keep your skin healthy, Good to Glow by Love Wellness is a powerful supplement that contains vitamin C for a stunningly clear, radiant complexion.  

Vitamin D 

Protecting yourself with a healthy dose of vitamin D helps to maintain a constant T-cell population as part of your front-line immune defense system. 

Not getting enough of this crucial nutrient has been shown to depress immune response. Not to mention, low levels of vitamin D have also been linked to muscle pain, fatigue, and depression. 

Vitamin E 

Vitamin E has an extremely powerful effect on our immune health -- and believe it or not, diet alone rarely provides enough. This essential vitamin also aids in the removal of harmful toxins from the blood and may increase your resistance to infection. 

Iron 

Iron plays a pretty big key role in the production of red blood cells. These essential cells help carry oxygen throughout your body. 

As little as a ten percent decrease in your diet may result in a depressed immune system. To help your body best absorb iron, it’s best to take this supplement in conjunction with vitamin C. 

Melatonin 

Did you know that a lack of sleep can immensely affect your immune system? 

Studies show that people who don’t get a good quality snooze are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus -- such as the common cold, influenza, or worse. Lack of sleep can also affect how fast you recover if you do get sick, which is why beauty rest is crucial!

However, with the stress that comes from our everyday lives, sometimes falling asleep is a lot easier said than done. Enter: Melatonin. 

To help your racing mind quiet down, take a supplement like Sleeping Beauty, which contains melatonin to improve sleep quality by promoting restful sleep. Also made with magnesium and organic valerian root, Sleeping Beauty is all about that oh-so-relaxed feeling!

Selenium

Selenium stimulates your white blood cells and thymus function, while low selenium levels result in depressed immunity. Experts suggest we need to supplement above normal dietary intake to get selenium’s immune-enhancing effects. 

Zinc 

Similar to vitamin C, zinc has amazing immune-supporting properties. When your zinc levels are low, the number of T-cells decreases, thymic hormone levels take a dip, and white blood cell activities become less efficient. This can lead to many things like developmental problems, diarrhea, hair loss, and delayed wound healing, just to name a few. The good news, however, is that this is easily fixed once you get enough zinc in your diet!

A Final Word 

As a happy vegan, you likely have a lifetime ahead of amazing health. However, this requires you to make balanced choices. 

Try not to indulge in junk foods and stick with fresh fruits and veggies with the nutrients your body needs. Keep an eye out for signs of nutritional problems like changes in your skin, hair, nails, or weight, as this good be a sign that you’re missing out on an essential vitamin.   

Love Wellness has your back here, from balanced, complete women’s multivitamins to feminine health-centric probiotics and everything in between -- Love Wellness is your go-to source to help keep your amazing body in tip-top shape!

Sources:

https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/138/10/1835/4669996

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15050-vitamin-d--vitamin-d-deficiency#:~:text=Getting%20enough%2C%20but%20not%20too,%2C%20pain%2C%20fatigue%20and%20depression.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-sleep/faq-20057757#:~:text=Yes%2C%20lack%20of%20sleep%20can,if%20you%20do%20get%20sick.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18561722/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19523795/

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/what-is-melatonin

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14505813/