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Janet Starr Hull PhD, CN

Alternative Health and Holistic Nutrition

Cook Up The Nutrients That Can’t Be Made By Your Body

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a cook holding a pan with vitamin labels steaming out of the pan.
Cook up the essential vitamins that your body can’t produce.

Essential nutrients are mandatory for our survival, and the big deal about essential nutrients is that your body is unable to make them on its own.

Fresh foods are our ONLY natural source of the essential nutrients our bodies need to maintain health.

So, WHICH nutrients do you need to supply your body?

Note: I wrote “cook your nutrients” in the title as a metaphor – remember when you “cook your food“, make sure to process it as little as possible to protect the essential nutrients naturally found in your food. Eating steamed and raw is always the best choice.

These Essential Nutrients

To maintain good health, you need to provide your body:

  1. the eight essential amino acids
  2. thirteen vitamins
  3. fifteen minerals
  4. fatty acids
  5. water
  6. complex carbohydrates

Having low levels of these essential nutrients has been linked to:

a sad woman holding her head in her hands
Low nutrients cause illness, like depression.

* heart disease
* high blood pressure
* cancer
* osteoporosis
* depression
* schizophrenia
* problems during menopause

These Alphabet Vitamins

Essential “vitamins” are broken up into two groups:

* Fat-soluble
* Water-soluble

The most essential fat-soluble vitamins include:

  1. Vitamin A
  2. Vitamin D
  3. Vitamin E
  4. Vitamin K

The most essential water-soluble vitamins are:

  1. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
  2. Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
  3. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
  4. Vitamin B3 (niacin)
  5. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
  6. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
  7. Vitamin B12
  8. Folic acid
  9. Biotin
a pile of apricot seeds
Eat foods rich in amino acids.

These Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and without amino acids, our brains would not function, our bodies would not grow, and our immune systems would shut down.

The most essential amino acids are:

  1. L-isoleucine
  2. L-leucine
  3. L-lysine
  4. L-methionine
  5. L-phenylalanine
  6. L-threonine
  7. L-tryptophan
  8. L-valine

The key to amino acids is ALWAYS consume them in a grouped minimum of 8 – it is unnatural to consume less than 8 together because they work together in your body to function properly.

Isolated amino acids (commonly found in manufactured food products and in medications) have just one or two amino acids that can do more harm than good because without a minimum of 8 to work in synchronicity, the function of isolated amino acids is unknown to your body, and then they can turn toxic and nutritionally worthless.

Just look at aspartame – it’s made of two amino acids bonded together by methanol.

These Essential Minerals

a scoop of salt in a wooden scooper
Pure sea salt is a great source of natural minerals.

Essential minerals are part of the necessary function for your body’s:

* tissues
* fluids
* assimilation of other nutrients
* regulatory system

These Essential Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids are a family of important fats that you must obtain from your diet. Your body is capable of producing all the fatty acids it needs, except for:

* linoleic acid (LA) – an omega-6 fatty acid commonly found in vegetable and seed oils
* alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) – an omega-3 fatty acid commonly found in seafood 

Important fatty acids found in organic fats, oils, and nuts are:

* Oleic acid
* Arachidonic acid

The next time you are at the grocer, remember to buy the fresh foods that supply ALL these essential nutrients that your body cannot produce on its own.

Happy hunting.

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If you want to learn more about current health issues, contact me at janethull.com. Remember that you are never alone when you are looking for good health!

Gain access to all of my online programs, ongoing support, monthly Q&A, and more. I look forward to supporting you on your journey to alternative health and wellness.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only, and is educational in nature. The FDA may not have evaluated some of the statements.  This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding supplements or making any changes to your dietary program.

Before taking vitamins, consult your doctor; pre-existing medical conditions or medications you are taking can affect how your body responds to multivitamins.

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