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What Vitamins Should Women Take

What Vitamins Should Women Take

Vitamins play so many various roles in our bodies. They are essential for growth, vitality and health. Vitamins are helpful in digestion, elimination and resistance to disease. Vitamin A is commonly called retinol adopted from the retina where it plays important functions with eyesight.

Vitamin A is absorbed primarily from the small intestine. This fat-soluble vitamin is reduced with alcohol use, with vitamin E deficiency, with cortisone medication, and with excessive iron intake or use of mineral oil, as well as with exercise.

Vitamin A can be stored in the body, primarily the liver (90%) as well as the kidneys, lungs, eyes and fat tissue and needs zinc to help release the storage.

Sources:

Egg Yolk Animal sources
Butter Brussels sprouts
Spinach Red Cabbage
Seaweed Cantaloupe
Carrots Pumpkin
Yams Winter squash
Parsley Kale
Papaya Lettuce
Peaches Asparagus
Mango Mustard seeds
Broccoli Sweet potatoes
Cherries Watermelon
Apricots
                  

Functions:

  • Eyesight
    helps maintain a healthy cornea. Deficiency may result in inability to see at night, inflammation and irritation.
  • Growth and tissue healing
    involved in new cell formation, including bone cells and healthy teeth. After tissue injury, vitamin A is needed for repair and helps to protect the tissues from infection.
  • Healthy skin
    stimulates growth of the base layer of the skin cells and gives them structural integrity. It does this for both external and internal skin cells and mucous membrane lining (nose, bladder, intestinal tract, respiratory lining, eyes). This helps propel secretions which helps to fight infectious agents and environmental pollutants.
  • Antioxidant
    helps protect the body from free radicals in the environment such as smoke and is helpful in preventing ulcers and atherosclerosis.
  • Lowers cancer risk and supports immune functions
    vitamin A has been shown to optimize function of white blood cells to enhance recognition of food antigens and blocks certain viruses.

Needed levels:

A 5000  to 10 000 IU/day should be the average adult intake and is a safe amount to consume. About 10 000 to 20 000 additional IU may be helpful to those with some level of anxiety and stress.

The average American diet consumes 3300 IU making vitamin A deficiencies very common. Deficiencies cause visual changes, dry skin and increased infections.  When our stress levels are high, with illness or trauma, if we smoke or live in polluted environments or if pregnant or nursing, our vitamin requirements are higher.

BOTTOM LINE, make sure you are eating your vegetables! Eight to ten servings a day is what I recommend in my nutrition plan. Supplementing with a multi-vitamin is beneficial if you cannot meet these requirements at all times.

I use a women’s multi-vitamin from Prograde Nutrition. This vitamin is perfect for me as it supports hormone balance, increases sleep quality, is composed of 25 whole vegetables plus much more.

–> Get Prograde Woman’s Multi-vitamins here

Here is an excellent greens product from Athletic Greens. This is one amazing product that has been researched by a close friend of mine and has all positive feedback. I love this product because it supports an active individual and is made up of high quality vegetables without any fillers.
Greens products are super handy when you are on the go or if you are feeling under the weather and need a little more nutrients.

–> Get Athletic Greens Here

Stay Healthy and Happy!

 

 


Join the discussion 15 Comments

  • Hi Flavia! I really appreciate all the motivation you give all of us out here! I especially LOVE this article. I’m so passionate about eating veggies. I usually never post…however, this one is close to my heart so I thought I would share. I made a shake today and it was very yummy (to me) : ) It was almond milk, my plant based protein, 4 cups of spinach, 2 cups collard greens, ginger root, a whole lemon, cinnamon, tart cherries and 1/2 cucumber. I blend it all in my blender and it was cold because my cherries were frozen. I’m thining that was about 7 servings of veggies in one setting. Plus plenty of protein because of the powder. I still consume a lot of veggies through out the day. There are times when I fall off this band wagon…and I can always tell. My skin gets dull…I’m tired, and I have more aches and pains from my workouts. It was great to see all the statistics that back up why I feel good when I’m eating the greens…thanks again.

  • Anna Smith says:

    Thanks for this article, very motivation to keep eating those veggies! I take athletic greens every day, and try my best to eat broccoli, asparagus, carrots, cucumbers, and spinach every day.

  • Debbies21 says:

    Well I’m a lucky mom because my kids not only eat there veggies, they fight over them. But I do supplement. I use prograde VGF 25+ women, I take kyo-green daily, if I make a shake with any berry in it I add greens + wild berry burst. Then I have a smoothie recipe that we all love

    1 1/2 c water
    1 head romaine chopped
    1/2 large bunch spinach
    3 – 4 stalks celery
    1 apple cored and chopped
    1 pear cored and chopped
    1 banana
    Juice 1/2 lemon
    Svs 2-4

    Jack LaLanne’s juicer is terrific and he has great recipes. Every one is a winner
    Rainbow surprise
    1 celery stalk
    4 carrots
    1 cucumber
    1 yellow squash
    1 zucchini
    1 sweet apple
    Put in mixer in order mix and serve over ice

    In addition to the juice recipes, he uses the pulp in baking muffins, sorbets, soups and how to make your own almond milk

    Just some of the things we do.

    But I do have a question does juicing provide the same benefit as eating say a bowl of string beans

    • Flavia says:

      Thanks so much! Yes juicing has the same effect as eating the veggies raw and it is better than cooking the veggies. Juice away!!

  • Madeline says:

    What are your thoughts on women taking glutamine post workout?

    • Jabeen says:

      hey madeline
      i just read the newest blog on here called sore v sorry where flavia recommends glutamine post workout to help soreness, so i think it’d be the best option for you as you wanna recover asap post workout
      hope i answered your question 🙂

  • Jennifer says:

    Hi Flavia, was just wondering about BCAAS? What do u think about them? Do u use the prograde BCAAS? I’m trying to look really tight, toned, with some muscle definition showing (not that much). But similar to how u look. Also how often do u workout to look the way u do? Thanks! 🙂

    • Anna says:

      Hi Jennifer,
      BCAAs are wonderful! Flavia highly recommends them. As long as the BCAAs have leucine, isoleucine, and valine your good. 🙂

      Flavia does 5 weight training sessions per week and 2 – 4 HIIT sessions per week, dependng on her goals. That may not be what you need to do. Everyone is different and your current training age has alot to do with it, you need to gradually work yourself up to that much.
      All the best!
      Anna, CPT, FF Specialist

  • Jabeen says:

    Hey Flavia,
    I have 2 questions:
    1) I was just wondering if I could add my vitamin/mineral tablets to my smoothies other than just to swallow them and still reap the benefits because i find it very difficult to swallow any tablet or capsule
    2) I was also wondering if there are any brands or websites that do all natural singular vitamin/minerals
    Thank you 🙂

  • Monica says:

    Hi Flavia,
    I just started using Your curvalicious program, am 49, looking for muscle definition and midsection fat loss. In your experience, do you think it possible for a woman my age to still see results and what supplement s should I take to achieve the best results?

    Thanks !,
    Monica

    • Flavia says:

      Yes of course Monica. You will absolutely see amazing results. My mother in law is 60 and using Curve 🙂 There is a supplement guide that comes with the program. I would still recommended being on those that are recommended! It is never to late to start and you have so many years ahead of you!

  • Stephanie says:

    Hello I wanted to ask what was your experience with prograde vitamins and we’re there any side effects ?

    • Anna says:

      Hi Stephanie,
      Prograde is a very good company and Flavia highly recommends their supplements. There should be no adverse side effects. 🙂
      All the best,
      Anna, CPT, FF Specialist

  • I like the efforts you have put in this, appreciate it for all the great articles.

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