A healthy diet ensures the proper functioning of vital organs and systems. It also provides us with energy to complete daily tasks and live life to the fullest. However, due to poor food choices and processed food, we find ourselves at risk of vitamin or mineral deficiency. Learn how you can use CareClinic as a vitamin tracker below; or you can download the app instantly by clicking on the Apple Store or Google Play buttons on the right.
Keeping track of vitamins can help us correct our nutritional deficiencies and improve our overall health & wellness.
Using a Vitamin & Mineral Tracker App to Optimize Wellness
Vitamins and minerals are essential micronutrients our bodies require in order to stay healthy. The CareClinic app can keep track of your vitamin and mineral intake, improving your diet-related decisions. You will see whether there are any nutritional deficiencies and, thus, be able to concentrate on eating more nutrient-rich foods.
The application functions as an excellent nutrient log tracker, allowing you to track not only vitamins and minerals, but also macronutrients (proteins, carbs, fats), omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and various phytonutrients. Based on the reports generated by CareClinic, you can improve your diet and customize nutrient targets at the same time.
Setting Personalized Nutrient Targets
Each person has different requirements when it comes to the intake of nutrients. By using the CareClinic health app, whether on Android or iOS (iPhone), you can create a personalized nutrient target and adapt your diet accordingly. For example, did you know that women require a double intake of iron, in comparison to men? Moreover, the necessary amount triples when it comes to pregnancy.
CareClinic can be your go-to vitamin app, creating a minimum or maximum target to be respected or achieved. When it comes to vitamins, you want to make sure that you are sticking to the daily recommended intake.
You can also set additional health goals, such as: Consuming a reduced quantity of carbs (good for weight loss) or add more proteins in the diet (muscle development).
The application is great for tracking nutrients, vitamins and minerals, in accordance to each person’s needs. It will show deficiencies in accordance to the recommended daily intake. When setting nutrient targets, you should consider not only your age (adults and children, for example, have different nutritional needs) but also your gender (men need a higher intake of nutrients than women). Special nutritional requirements also come into effect when it comes to pregnancy and breastfeeding. (R)
Keeping your sodium levels in check
Even though salt is a necessary addition to our diet, due to the high content of salt in processed and junk foods, we end up suffering from excess consumption. Salt also draws water, causing us to feel bloated. Moreover, the increased intake of salt puts extra pressure on the kidneys, which in turn will affect the entire circulatory system and the heart.
CareClinic’s vitamin app can be used, among other things, as a sodium tracker as well as a personal vitamin tracker. Enter the foods you consume daily, record sodium intake, and set a maximum limit. If concerned about salt consumption, consult the application for your daily total. You can also set a lower sodium goal.
Vegetarians can benefit from tracking vitamins as well
If you have decided to follow a specific diet, such as a vegetarian one. You can benefit from tracking your daily intake of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. In this way, you can make sure that you are getting enough of each nutrient, avoiding nutritional gaps.
You may wish to track of protein, carb and fat intake. As well as pay attention to daily percentages of iron, calcium and zinc contained in your foods. Keep tabs on your intake of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids, as these are quite important to your health as well.
The same benefits apply to other dietary approaches, such as fruitarians, pescetarians, and vegans. You can trust that CareClinic will deliver a simple approach to keeping track of your nutrient intake.
Losing weight & staying healthy with micronutrient tracking
If you have decided to lose weight, a good way to do that is to reduce your overall intake of calories. However, a calorie-reduced diet can present a number of health risks, especially with regard to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. In order to stay healthy, you must keep track of your nutrient intake and the foods consumed in your diet.
The moment you begin to restrict the intake of calories, open the CareClinic vitamin tracker and record your meals. Add not only the caloric content but also the intake of vitamins and minerals, so that you are absolutely sure your diet is not hurting your health.
In the situation that you are noticing any deficiencies, you can adjust the diet accordingly. Keep in mind that both vitamins and minerals are necessary for the healthy functioning of various metabolic processes. Use the pill reminder functionality in the app to remember to take your pills on time, every time or learn more about medication compliance here.
Tracking nutrients, in general, ensures better health
CareClinic acquired TrackMyStack to provide advanced supplement tracking capabilities. The CareClinic App is more than a vitamin tracker app or vitamin counter, as it can reveal essential information on your health (beyond the daily intake of vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients). It offers a clear perspective on your diet and the choices you are making about your meals, and health in general.
Record all sorts of modalities in the app including fitness, medication, therapies, and health measurements. All of this data can help you truly understand how your body functions as a whole rather than in parts. You may use the reports section to find charts, logs (journal entries) or the correlations section to understand your progress better.
If you are not eating healthy, the application will show you where the deficiency is. The app makes the whole process of improving your diet simple by helping you set daily targets.
Which vitamins should I track with the Vitamin Tracker?
In using CareClinic’s health app as a vitamin log, you can start with vitamin D. According to the recommendations of health organizations, we should consume at least 2000 IU per day. There is also a maximum recommended amount, which is of 4000 IU per day.
Vitamin D ensures our bones and teeth stay healthy; it regulates the functioning of the immune system and prevents diabetes, keeping insulin levels stable. It is synthesized by the body upon being exposed to the sun. Food sources of vitamin D include salmon, herring and sardines, cod liver oil, oysters, egg yolks and mushrooms. (R)
Vitamin C offers excellent antioxidant protection, the recommended daily intake being of 90 mg/day in case of men and 75 mg/day for women. This vitamin can protect against chronic conditions, reducing the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Sources of vitamin C include cherries, citrus fruits, chili peppers, yellow peppers, blackcurrants, thyme and parsley.
Apart from these, you might also want to consider tracking the levels of other vitamins:
- Vitamin A – good for eyesight & found in orange-colored foods (carrots)
- Vitamin E – keeps the skin healthy & found in vegetable oils, seeds
- B Vitamins – numerous health benefits & found in cereals, meats
- Vitamin K – ensures blood coagulation & found in leafy green veggies
Folic acid, one of the most important B vitamins to track
Folic acid is actually a B vitamin that serves a number of important functions, including contributing to the production of red blood cells, DNA repair, cell division and growth, brain health support and prevention of hearing loss.
If you are pregnant, then folic acid gains even more importance. Folic acid facilitates the development and growth of the baby (and particularly the brain and the nervous system). Throughout the entire pregnancy, most doctors recommend you to take folate supplements to avoid deficiency. (R)
With the help of our vitamin app and mineral tracker, you can easily track of your folic acid intake. If pregnant, you can set the daily limit to be reached and make sure that you stay on the right path. You can also opt for more foods that are rich in folic acid, such as legumes, asparagus, eggs, leafy greens, and beets.
Special attention to the diet & nutrient intake should always be paid during pregnancy and the breastfeeding period. Women must consume a higher quantity of calories, making sure that their diets contain enough proteins, folic acid, calcium, vitamin D. A healthy diet ensures a thriving baby, with a reduced risk of illness into childhood.
Which minerals can a vitamin and mineral tracker help me track?
Minerals are just as essential as vitamins for our health. The body requires a number of minerals in order to thrive, with some of the most important including calcium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus and sodium (which was already discussed).
Calcium is a mineral that contributes to the health of our bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Sources of calcium include dairy products but also nuts, leafy greens and calcium-fortified foods.
People with lactose intolerance are at risk of calcium deficiency. They need to make sure that they get enough calcium from other food sources. The CareClinic vitamin and mineral tracker app can be used to monitor calcium levels regularly. (R)
These are the other minerals worth tracking:
- Potassium
- Supports the healthy functioning of the nervous system and muscle contractions; found in bananas, potatoes, legumes, meat, nuts and milk
- Chloride
- Fluid balance within the body (together with sodium) & is found in tomatoes, and celery (no supplements required – low risk of deficiency)
- Magnesium
- Blood pressure regulation, health functioning of the muscles and nerves & sources: whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dark green veggies
- Phosphorus
- Supports healthy bone growth & cell functioning; sources include seeds and nuts, legumes, and meat.
CareClinic Vitamin App for Tracking Vitamins & Managing Minerals Intake
An interesting feature of CareClinic is the health diary, which allows you to record a wealth of information on your well-being. You can make separate entries for your vitamin and mineral intake, discovering a simple way to track each and every nutrient in your diet.
CareClinic allows you to see quantifiable results so that you can opt for the necessary changes in your meals.
As you will go through the monthly report, you will immediately see if your diet is healthy and balanced. The good news is that you can also share this information with your physician. There are conditions that can favor nutritional deficiencies and your observations might contribute to an accurate diagnosis, as well as the subsequent treatment.
To get started tracking your vitamin and mineral intake click here.