As the seasons change, so too do the challenges that our bodies face. And this is especially the case as we enter not only the flu season but as we continue on in the throes of a global pandemic. There really hasn’t been a better time to level up our health & wellness with some essential vitamins and minerals.

Here at U Perform, we are committed to providing our U Perform family with not only amazing products but with information and education that you can trust.

We are passionate about nutrition and its proven ability to optimise our quality of life and we want to share our knowledge and expertise at every available opportunity.

This week we want to take some time to highlight the important role of just a handful of those all-important essential vitamins and minerals that are necessary for the proper function of our bodies and minds, no matter the season.

In no particular order, first up on our vitamins and minerals checklist is…

 

Vitamin A

Taking pride of place at the top of our checklist is Vitamin A. We all know just how important Vitamin D3 is for our immune health. In fact, both Public Health England and the NHS have Vitamin D on the list of recommended supplements all year round. But it is often overlooked just how important Vitamin A is for our immune system as well.

Some good sources of Vitamin A include: cheese, eggs, oily fish and some fortified foods. For those who can stomach it, liver and liver products such as pâté are also particularly rich in vitamin A.

Other sources of Vitamin A include foods containing beta-carotene, such as carrots, peppers and other colourful fruits and vegetables.

 

Vitamin C

Next up is Vitamin C!

Vitamin C is a powerful, natural antioxidant that helps to protect our cells and keep them healthy as well as helping to maintain healthy skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage, and helps with wound healing too!

For many years Vitamin C has been thought of as the number one at-home remedy for keeping dreaded colds at bay. However, research within the last decade has found that taking vitamin C everyday does not reduce a person’s risk of getting one in the first place. Instead it lessens the severity of the symptoms and can shorten the duration of the illness.

Therefore getting sufficient amounts of the vitamin is particularly important during winter when there is usually a spike in people suffering from colds, coughs and sneezes.

Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli, sprouts, potatoes, and red and green peppers.

But… it's important to note that vitamin C can't be stored in the body so it is an absolutely essential part of your daily diet.

 

Did you know…

Zinc also plays a really important role in reducing the duration AND intensity of cold-like symptoms just like Vitamin C! It also helps us to metabolise our food more efficiently so that we get the most out of what we eat!

Bonus fact for you…

Vitamin C is also proven to contribute to the normal formation of collagen, in particular in the cartilage in our joints and so goes hand in hand with collagen supplements like ours.

 

Vitamin ‘B Complex’

Next up is a big one…

The B vitamins are a group of 8 vitamins that play key roles all around our bodies. But they are especially effective in boosting our mood as well as being critical for a healthy nervous system.

Vitamin B12 in particular, can help us during the colder months as it has been shown to help those suffering from anxiety and depression. This is so important in winter when people are generally more at risk of depression, seasonal affective disorder or just the dreaded winter blues!

 

Vitamin B12 does this working hand in hand with Magnesium too. A mineral that can also help reduce tiredness and fatigue.

 

All 8 B Vitamins have a range of benefits for the human body:

• Vitamin B1 has been shown to aid the normal function of the heart.
• Vitamin B6 supports protein and glycogen metabolism.
• Vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12 can all help reduce tiredness and fatigue to support exercise and training intensity.

The only downside is that it is found almost exclusively in animal protein sources such as meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, and eggs - therefore vegans or those on a plant-based diet are at risk of deficiency as it's unlikely they will be able to obtain sufficient amounts through diet alone.

 

Magnesium

We touched on this earlier but we felt it was only right we shine more of a spotlight on this amazing mineral.

Along with supporting our brain and our mood, Magnesium is known to contribute to healthy bones and teeth and help with the functioning of the nervous system and protein synthesis.

Magnesium is also known to help with relaxation which makes it a very good supplement to take prior to going to bed if you are having trouble with sleep.

 

Vitamin D

And of course, last but by no means least it is Vitamin D. Perhaps one of the most talked about and researched vitamins out there right now.

We all know just how beneficial Vitamin D3 in particular is for our immune system. But at its core, Vitamin D3 simply helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to keep our bones, teeth and muscles healthy.

During the spring and summer, we usually get all the vitamin D we need from direct contact with sunlight. But if we are indoors a lot for work, or tend to wear long sleeves and full length trousers even during the warmer months you may find your body is struggling to get sufficient sun exposure for the production of vitamin D.

In the autumn and winter, this is definitely the case, so it’s important to get a sufficient amount through certain foods and supplements too.

Good sources of vitamin D include: oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks and some fortified foods.

Advice on vitamin D from Public Health England (PHE), says that adults and children over the age of one should have 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D every day, which equates to 400IU. Some studies suggest that a higher daily intake of up to 4000 IU or even 5000IU is needed to maintain optimal blood levels.

As these levels are incredibly difficult to achieve through diet alone, experts recommend that everyone consider vitamin D supplements like our U Perform active vitamin d3

 

Now you might be thinking…

“How do I get enough vitamins and minerals without eating an enormous amount of food or taking handfuls of individual supplements a day?”

 

Excellent question… and we are glad you asked.

As we have described already, limitations in our diet as well as significantly reduced exposure to sunlight during the autumn and winter months can lead to deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals. Which are more often than not, critical for the maintenance of normal function of not only our immune system, but also our metabolism, bones, muscles and our brains too!

And this is where supplements come in… But we would never suggest you supplement individually, every single essential vitamin and mineral. That would be a lot of tablets!

We are all therefore familiar with the ‘multivitamin’. The holy grail of health & wellness supplements. Now, we know there are a lot of ‘multivitamin’ products out there. But are they really ‘multi’ in the truest sense of the word? Or are they just ‘a few’?

But what if we said you could get all you need to optimise your winter wellness in just 2 easy to swallow tablets a day? Including each and everyone of the essential vitamins and minerals we've just talked about!

Would you believe us? You should…

 

Introducing, U Perform active balance

 U Perform active balance is:

1. A premium, complete multivitamin formulation with 71 vitamins, minerals, plant extracts and more!
2. Uniquely formulated to meet and exceed the nutritional demands of an active body!
3. All that in 2 daily tablets & with no added extras!

 

Active Balance is a powerful multivitamin, formulated to support your body, to restore and rebalance the body’s overall wellness; helping you to function normally, whilst providing nutrients and vitamins where you need it the most.

Active Balance multivitamin contains:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D3
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin B complex
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• And much more…

 

Active balance is formulated to nourish your body with Lipotropic Complex, Optimised Citrus Bioflavonoids, Optimised B Complex and a special Herbal Complex as well as many other natural ingredients. With a high level of antioxidant properties, active balance helps support your health and boost your immune system.

 

Contributes to the normal function of the immune system

Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Iron, Zinc.

Contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism

Thiamine (vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pantothenic acid (B5), Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Biotin, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese.

Contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue

Thiamine (vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pantothenic acid (B5), Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Biotin, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese.

Contributes to the normal function of the nervous system

Thiamine (vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Biotin, Magnesium.