Today’s lifestyle calls for a stronger immune system. Reporting for work, taking care of the family, doing sports activities and even spending time alone requires high levels of energy. While we strive hard to maintain a healthy diet, we often neglect to provide our body with the right amount of nutrients to support various physical activities that we do on a daily basis.
Keeping yourself healthy need not break the bank nor should it cost you your favorite snack. With the right food, you can always get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals needed to keep you in tip top shape at a cheap cost. One of the most important nutrients that you should not forget is Vitamin B1. Also known as Thiamine, this vitamin helps supply your body with the essential energy to keep it going. It helps boost your immune system to ward off diseases ranging from a minor flu to even cancer.
There are a lot of food which are good sources of Vitamin B1. It is found in most vegetables, meats and fruits. Asparagus, lettuce, tomato and spinach are just some of the veggies that you shouldn’t skip on. It is important to get your daily dose because Vitamin B1 is water soluble and is even lost when food is cooked. Your body does not have the natural ability to retain it in the system for a long time. You have to constantly supply it with Thiamine. This means that you should learn how to adjust yourself and your family to eating those greens regularly.
Boosting your immune system is just one of the reasons why you should keep your Vitamin B1 level in check. A thiamine deficiency in the body can cause several diseases which could be debilitating if left untreated. The deficiency can manifest itself through your skin or inside your body. Beriberi, for example, is characterized by the swelling of the hands and feet. This is the foremost manifestation that your body lacks the needed amounts of Vitamin B1.
Aside from the swelling of your extremities, this disease can cause you to have difficulty in breathing. This can lead to heart failure, another major disease that has claimed millions of lives. With Vitamin B1 in your diet, you can avoid these serious health consequences. It is as simple as eating at least 200 grams of vegetables, about 150 grams of meat or 30 grams of cereal all of which are rich in Thiamine.
Cataracts and Alzheimer’s disease can also be prevented if getting enough Vitamin B1. These two health problems are prevalent among middle-aged people. However, this is not to say that these will not occur in younger men and women. Vitamin B1 basically helps your body turn food into energy. It breaks down the fats, carbohydrates and proteins and transforms them into usable energy which fuels your body to do different physical activities. With insufficient amounts, walking or even moving from one place to the nearest point will be strenuous.
Moreover, you can also suffer from tiredness, muscle fatigue, poor appetite and even depression. The latter is a result of your inability to do the things that you used to do and enjoy. It affects your emotional well-being and your psychological state as well. When this happens, it can get in the way of your life. You will seem less emotionally and socially attached. You become detached from the outside world, preferring to stay at home and just rest.
Like many other B vitamins, Thiamine may seem insignificant when compared with other nutrients in terms of its retention in our body. However, just a slight tilt on its amount can cause an imbalance that could get in the way of you living a healthy and normal life. When wanting to live healthy, think about the effects of each nutrient on your system and what your body needs in order to sustain it. This is your investment to a future free from serious medical conditions and even regrets.