Since February is American Heart Month, it seems fitting that the next month is National Nutrition Month. In order to keep that heart healthy, one must continue on eating foods that facilitate a healthy lifestyle and not inhibit one. That’s why you should spend March celebrating this important awareness month by watching what you eat! Below are some excellent tips for monitoring what goes into your stomach.

Calcium and Vitamin D

These two nutrients are very important for older adults. As we age, we’re more susceptible to osteoporosis, which is a condition that makes our bones more fragile and brittle. Since bones are living tissue and they are constantly being broken down and replaced, it’s important to have enough calcium so the tissue can be replaced faster than it is depleted.

This is where Vitamin D comes in handy! This nutrient helps us absorb more calcium in our system. Luckily, scientists have realized this and found ways to fortify calcium rich foods with Vitamin D. You can find certain dairy products such as milk and yogurt that have it integrated into the food or drink.

Vitamin B

Red blood cells are vital to your overall health. They help carry oxygen in the blood to all parts of your body, especially your brain. Therefore, if you don’t have enough you can receive really bad shortness of breath or severe fatigue. That’s why Vitamin B is so important in your diet. It helps provide healthy red blood cells for your body.

Without healthy red blood cells, it’s also difficult to get oxygen to your nerves. They can also malfunction due to lack of oxygen. This is called neuropathy, and it’s relatively common in older adults. Some of the symptoms included in this deficiency are numbness, tingling, poor balance, and trouble walking. If you happened to lose some of your mobility recently, check to make sure it’s not a Vitamin B deficiency.

Previously, the only way to obtain Vitamin B was through meat and dairy products, but now you can get this supplement in a multivitamin. As stated previously, if you’ve noticed a decrease in your mobility, perhaps you should pick some up! Of course, it’s always wise to speak to your doctor first.

Potassium

This nutrient is one that is important to your heart health. It helps keep your blood pressure low and regulates your heart rate. It also reduces the amount of sodium that is in your blood. Not to mention, it’s an electrolyte so it helps to conduct electricity in your body. That may sound dangerous, but in reality all of your neurological impulses are electric so it helps make sure all messages being relayed around your body are being sent and received properly. As a result, it’s very important when it comes to muscle function. As mentioned previously, this includes the heart. It’s a very important nutrient.

In order to obtain the proper amount of it, potassium can be found in bananas. There’s a lot of potassium in this delicious fruit, but it can also be found in sports drinks. They’re always good to have after exercising or finishing a workout. However, if you’re just sitting around, they’re not the best to sip on. They have plenty of sugar in them, which can wreak havoc on your blood pressure and even your oral health.

It Doesn’t Stop Here

Of course, these aren’t the only nutrients you should be worried about. There are a multitude of other vitamins and minerals your body needs in order to operate at full capacity. We urge you to do a little more research on your own, in order to find out how to be the healthiest you! It’s no secret that when you’re up and active, you’re a much happier person when compared to being sedentary and stationary. Make sure you’re celebrating National Nutrition Month this March!