Our bodies are remarkably complex.

Every day, countless processes take place without us even thinking about them. Nutrition, movement, sleep and lifestyle all contribute to providing the conditions our bodies need for normal function.

There is no single food, supplement or daily routine that creates good health. Instead, it is the small things we do consistently that matter.

A varied diet. Regular movement. Good sleep. Time outdoors. Rest. And making sure we obtain the nutrients our bodies need.

Here are seven areas worth paying attention to.

1. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is probably one of the best known vitamins and it performs a number of recognised functions in the human body.

Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. It also contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, bones, cartilage and blood vessels, and contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.¹

Humans cannot produce vitamin C, so it needs to come from our diet.

Peppers, kiwi, berries, citrus fruits, broccoli and many other fruits and vegetables are natural sources of vitamin C.

A varied and balanced diet should always come first. Supplements can complement the diet when appropriate.

At Sunflower Liposomes, vitamin C has been part of our formulations from the very beginning.

Sometimes the nutrients we know best are worth remembering precisely because they perform so many normal functions within the body.

2. Vitamin D

Vitamin D deserves particular attention, especially for those of us living in Ireland.

Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system. It also contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth and normal muscle function.¹

Our bodies can produce vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight. In Ireland, however, sunlight is not strong enough for the skin to produce vitamin D between October and early March.²

There are relatively few natural dietary sources. They include oily fish, egg yolks and some fortified foods.²

Current HSE guidance recommends vitamin D supplementation for people living in Ireland, with recommendations varying according to age, skin tone, sun exposure and other circumstances.²

It is a good reminder that our nutritional needs do not exist separately from where and how we live.

3. Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that the body requires in relatively small amounts.

It contributes to the normal function of the immune system and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Zinc also contributes to normal cognitive function, normal fertility and reproduction, and the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails.¹

Dietary sources include meat, shellfish, dairy products, bread and cereal products.³

As with all nutrients, more does not necessarily mean better.

Nutrition is about providing appropriate amounts of the nutrients our bodies require, not simply consuming the largest possible quantities.

4. Curcumin

Turmeric has been used as a food and spice for centuries.

Its characteristic golden colour comes from naturally occurring compounds called curcuminoids. The best known of these is curcumin.

Curcumin has become the subject of considerable scientific research, which is one reason it has also become a popular ingredient in food supplements.

One interesting characteristic of curcumin is its relatively low oral bioavailability in its unformulated form.⁴

This has encouraged researchers and manufacturers to investigate different formulation approaches.

For us, it illustrates a broader point about supplementation.

The quantity of an ingredient on a label is only one part of understanding a formulation.

The quality of the raw material, the ingredients used alongside it and the way the final product is formulated all matter.

5. Glutathione

Glutathione also known as Mother of all antioxidants is a naturally occurring substance found within the human body.

It is composed of three amino acids, cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid, and is synthesised naturally by the body.⁵

It has also become an important area of scientific research and a familiar ingredient within the nutritional supplement industry.

From a nutritional perspective, glutathione provides an interesting reminder of just how sophisticated the human body is.

Rather than thinking about nutrition as a way of forcing the body to behave in a particular way, we prefer to think about providing the nutritional building blocks required for normal physiological processes.

A varied diet containing adequate protein and a broad range of plant foods remains an important foundation of everyday nutrition.

6. Look After Your Gut

Our digestive system is home to an enormous and diverse community of microorganisms, collectively known as the gut microbiota.

Research into the relationship between diet, the microbiome and human health has expanded enormously in recent years.⁶

For everyday nutrition, however, the practical message can remain refreshingly simple.

Eat variety.

Vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds can all contribute fibre and diversity to the diet.

Fermented foods can also form part of a varied diet.

Natural yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and other traditionally fermented foods are examples.

You do not need to eat every fashionable food or follow a complicated protocol.

Simply increasing the variety of whole foods in your diet is a very good place to begin.

7. Make Sleep and Recovery a Priority

Nutrition is only one part of our everyday wellbeing.

Sleep is a fundamental biological process and research has demonstrated important relationships between sleep and normal physiological function.⁷

Yet it is often one of the first things we sacrifice when life gets busy.

Good sleep does not necessarily require an elaborate routine.

Consistent sleeping and waking times can help.

Natural daylight during the day can help maintain our normal sleep wake cycle.

Regular physical activity is another important part of a healthy lifestyle.

And sometimes we simply need to give ourselves enough time to rest.

Health is not about doing everything perfectly.

It is about what we do consistently.

There Is No Magic Ingredient

Perhaps this is the most important point.

Good health is not built around one miracle vitamin, supplement, superfood or wellness trend.

It is the bigger picture.

A varied and balanced diet.

Movement.

Sleep.

Time outdoors.

Rest.

And obtaining the nutrients our bodies need.

Food supplements can complement a healthy lifestyle, but they should never be considered a replacement for one.

This philosophy is also reflected in the way we make Sunflower Liposomes.

We carefully select our ingredients and use sunflower lecithin as a natural source of phospholipids in our liposomal formulations.

But we also believe supplementation should be simple and thoughtfully formulated.

That is why many of our products bring complementary nutrients together in one bottle, in carefully considered amounts. Rather than asking you to build a complicated collection of individual supplements, we have done much of that thinking for you.

For example, our formulations combine Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2 MK7, while Vitamin C forms the foundation of our liposomal range. Depending on the formulation, we also bring together nutrients such as zinc, magnesium and other carefully selected ingredients.

It means fewer separate products, a simpler daily routine and formulations designed with the bigger nutritional picture in mind.

And because quality matters just as much as what goes into the bottle, we choose premium ingredients wherever possible and make our liposomes fresh in small batches here in Ireland.

No artificial colours.

No artificial flavours.

No gums or thickeners.

Thoughtfully combined. Simply formulated. Made for everyday life.

Your body is remarkably capable.

Nourish it.
Move it.
Let it rest.
Give it the nutrients it needs.

And give it the conditions it needs to do what it already knows how to do. ?

References

1. European Commission. EU Register of Nutrition and Health Claims Made on Foods. Authorised health claims relating to vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc.
2. Health Service Executive. Vitamin D: Vitamins and Minerals. HSE Ireland. Guidance on vitamin D, dietary sources, sunlight and supplementation in Ireland.
3. Health Service Executive. Other Vitamins and Minerals: Zinc. HSE Ireland. Dietary sources, requirements and supplementation guidance.
4. Hewlings SJ, Kalman DS. Curcumin: A Review of Its Effects on Human Health. Foods. 2017;6(10):92.
5. Forman HJ, Zhang H, Rinna A. Glutathione: Overview of its protective roles, measurement, and biosynthesis. Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 2009;30(1 to 2):1 to 12.
6. Valdes AM, Walter J, Segal E, Spector TD. Role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health. BMJ. 2018;361:k2179.
7. Besedovsky L, Lange T, Haack M. The Sleep Immune Crosstalk in Health and Disease. Physiological Reviews. 2019;99(3):1325 to 1380.

Important Information

Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Individual nutritional requirements vary. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult an appropriate healthcare professional before using food supplements.