Skip the pill and eat food!

Eating healthy is always on our mind, but are we getting all the nutrients our bodies need? A study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis found that about 30 percent of the calories that Americans consume daily come from sweets, desserts, sodas, alcohol, and salty snacks—not exactly pro longevity. Our bodies lack the essential nutrients needed to prevent chronic disease and illness.

The good news is that you can easily get the required nutrients without having 20 bottles of vitamins on your counter!

Vitamin D for bone health and metabolism: herring, salmon, halibut, cod liver oil, oyster, shrimp, eggs, shitake mushrooms

Omega 3 for cardiovascular health: fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel, walnuts, flaxseeds, hempseeds, wild rice. You will also find these in omega 3 fortified dairy products and omega 3 enriched eggs

Vitamin E for cell protection: sunflower seeds, wheat germ, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, olive oil, spinach, broccoli, kiwifruit, mango, and tomatoes

Calcium for bone and nerve function: dark leafy greens, oranges, sardines, broccoli, nuts, seeds, salmon, apricots, currants, tofu, figs, and low-fat dairy products.

Magnesium for bone, blood, and muscle health : nuts, Swiss chard, dark leafy greens, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate, squash, pumpkin, cucumbers, black beans, navy beans, cereals, and bran.

Vitamin C for immune system: broccoli, red bell peppers, cauliflower, parsley, lemon juice, strawberries, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, kiwi, papaya, guava—just about all fruits and vegetables have some amount of vitamin C!