:-) Vitamins.....

There are water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins, which are all complex qualities in the food that we eat.  These vitamins are essential to human life.  The water-soluble vitamins are B-complex which encompasses all the B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12). These water-soluble vitamin are not stored in the body, therefore the human body requires a replenishing of them daily.  The fat-soluble vitamins are vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K.  The human body can store these vitamin in the adipose tissue (mainly around the liver and abdominal area) just in case the daily recommended nutrients are not being supplied.

I find the topic of vitamins is so exciting!  It's like a blueprint or mapping to help the necessary vitamins do their job of keeping us healthy.  I have found that as I gravitate to certain foods, (the ones that taste best to me or come natural as a creature of habit) I am receiving an abundance of a particular group of vitamins.  While my body may be lacking a few major vitamins that are essential for my health.  This nutrition class has really opened my mind to more vitamin possibilities.  I find myself checking for foods that have more of the vitamins that I feel my body is telling me it needs according the symptoms that can lead to deficiency.

In looking over my food diary, making note of the number of times I am eating certain foods, I can look at the vitamins that I am blessing my body with and see where I am lacking.  There is no doubt that I am receiving more vitamins then before this class started.  My refrigerator is cleaner, not as cluttered and smells better.  I am going to the store more offend because I want to make sure I am getting fresh items as I need or want them.  I am also driving a little further to find the best quality that I can in my area.  My bowel pattern was not an issue before, however I feel that I am going less because I am eating less.  My mood seems lighter, body is thanking me and I sleep well.  Many times I fall asleep thinking of food and what I'm going to cook next.  I have been sharing what I am learning with my daughter, she's a senior in college and is absorbing it all in.  She sends me pictures of what she is cooking in her dorm.  Also, my sister and a friend are planning to take this class online.  Wow! Who knew vitamins would excite me :-)

Patricia Couser