Best supplements to take in summer

The body's needs change with each season. This also applies to the wonderful time of summer when it is important to get all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins needed to be able to enjoy your holiday extra. This summer's nutritional supplements are about vitamins A, C, D and E.

Vitamin A
Vitamin A is important especially during the summer months. Glaring sun can damage the eyes and vitamin A provides extra protection. In fact, vitamin A is essential for all of our vision needs. It also helps protect the skin. Vitamin A is most easily available in the form of preformed vitamin A (egg yolks, many forms of liver, butter, fish, etc.) and provitamin A, also known as beta-carotene (sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, kale, spinach, peppers, etc. . etc.). You will find supplements that contain one or both of these sources.

Vitamin C and E
Vitamin C and vitamin E are vital during the summer months. Outdoor activities lead to more exposure to free radicals, including ultraviolet light and air pollution. Free radicals can damage the skin, cause premature aging and create inflammation. Vitamin C and vitamin E are powerful antioxidants that work to eliminate free radicals and toxins. These vitamins have a soothing effect on the skin. In addition , vitamin C gives the immune system a boost and helps counteract summer allergies and sinus infections.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D is produced when our skin is exposed to sunlight. It takes ten to fifteen minutes of sun exposure each day to achieve the levels of vitamin D our bodies need. In addition, the strength of the sun varies depending on geographical location, time of day and even pollution in the air.

There are two types of vitamin D: vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, which occurs in plants and vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, which occurs in animal sources. Aarja Health's Vitamin D3 is a chewable tablet that gets its good taste from Nordic lingonberries and xylitol. Just one a day is all you need.

Vitamin-rich foods
This summer, fill your plate with foods rich in vitamins, including A, C, E and D. Vitamin A occurs naturally in orange vegetables and fruits such as carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, papayas, melons, apricots and nectarines. You'll also find it in watermelon and pink or red grapefruits. Leafy greens such as Swiss chard, spinach and romaine lettuce are also excellent sources. As for meat, consider adding liver to your plate. As for fish, you can buy salmon, mackerel and tuna.

Start the day with a glass of vitamin C-rich freshly squeezed orange juice. Then include the day with colorful red peppers, tomatoes, strawberries and green produce such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and kiwi are all also rich sources of vitamin C.

Want to add more vitamin E to your diet? Nuts and seeds are full of vitamin E. Sunflower seeds are at the top with 35 mg of vitamin E per 100 grams. Almonds contain 26 mg, hazelnuts 15 mg and Brazil nuts 5.7 mg.

Salmon, both farmed and wild, is an excellent source of vitamin D3. Farmed salmon contains 526 IU per 100 grams, while wild salmon contains between 556-924 IU. Other animal sources of vitamin D are halibut, mackerel, herring, sardines, egg yolks and cod liver oil. Vitamin D2 occurs in wild mushrooms and some commercial mushrooms. However, most mushrooms you find in stores have been grown in the dark and therefore do not contain the vitamin source.

Enjoy the summer with the simple vitamin building blocks A, C, D and E.

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