Have You Been Starving Your Body of Nutrients?

Although it may seem difficult to wrap your brain around it, yo-yo dieting - whether restricting food intake or using any number of diet pills, drinks or bars - leaves your body deficient in a large number of vital minerals and vitamins. If you have been depriving yourself for a long period of time, you may want to find out what you are deficient in and then supplement your diet in order to bring your body back into balance.

Fixing The Problem

One of the first additions to make when you begin replenishing your body is a good quality multivitamin and mineral compound. This forms the foundation of your supplementation program and ensures you are at least getting a bit of everything initially. Once you've begun the process, you could add other nutrients in slightly higher amounts. These nutrients are well known to be helpful in weight reduction programs.

The Role of B Vitamins

B Vitamins are important in terms of weight loss. Often referred to as "stress vitamins" they are helpful in maintaining balanced emotions as well as facilitating weight reduction. Vitamins B3 and B6 help to fuel cells which burn energy. When coupled with zinc, Vitamin B6 works to produce pancreatic enzymes that help with digestion of food. Good digestion means efficient use of energy, limiting fat storage.

Normal thyroid hormone function depends upon an adequate supply of Vitamins B2, B3 and B6. B3 is also related to glucose tolerance and figures in whenever blood sugar levels rise. Energy production and the control of fat metabolism are linked to Vitamin B5. The B Group of vitamins is perhaps the most important vitamin group connected with weight loss. The best way to ensure an adequate intake is to take a good B-complex Vitamin and enhance it as necessary if there is a shortage in your body of one of the main B vitamins.

Chromium and Zinc - Two Essential Minerals

The mineral chromium is required for the metabolism of sugar, regulating of insulin, and controlling blood sugar levels. It is the most widely researched mineral relative to weight loss. Also, it helps to control levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood. Zinc is important to appetite control and a deficiency of this mineral can cause a loss of taste and smell. That translates into a need for stronger tasting foods (sweeter, saltier and more fattening). Thyroid hormones are manufactured from the function of zinc with Vitamins A and E.

Enzymes for Health and Weight Loss

Co-enzyme Q10 is found in all of the tissues and organs in the body. It is necessary for energy production and a deficiency of this enzyme affects weight loss. A deficiency of this enzyme is also linked to heart problems, high blood pressure, gum disease and immune deficiencies.

By ensuring you are taking in enough vitamins and minerals every day, you help your body deal with excess weight as it heals, restores, and replenishes itself.