Getting enough vitamins

In addition to texting, making calls and surfing the Web, you may want to consider using your smartphone — yes, your dandy cellphone — to help manage your health.

For quick health advice in regard to vitamins and minerals consider an app such as Vitamins Minerals (free) for Android phones or Vitamins Minerals (free) for iPhone or iPad. The two apps offer users quick access to detailed information about vitamins and minerals. Key focus points include the particular functions of the vitamin or mineral being researched and the sources that the vitamin or mineral can be derived from.

As an example, the Vitamins Minerals app for iPhone indicates that the functions of vitamin A include vision development and proper cell growth and maintenance. According to the app, sources for vitamin A include organ meats such as liver and giblets; vegetables such as sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, spinach and turnip greens, and melons such as cantaloupe.

For even more detailed information that focuses on the nutritional value and calorie counts of particular food items, smartphone users can download apps such as Calorie Facts — Nutrition Lookup (free) for iPhone. This app provides information about several factors of particular food items including caloric ratio, complete list of vitamins and minerals, water content, caffeine content and alcohol content.

These apps can be useful for providing supplemental information, but that users should also contact health and nutrition professionals in regard to health-related advice and information.

Every person is different and not everyone will benefit from the same advice. People interested in information that is tailored specifically for them should contact a professional for advice and then use cellphone apps for follow-up information.