If you're a woman over 40, this article is for you!! Hi, I'm Jen and I'm a registered dietitian with a focus on functional nutrition. I'm also a busy mom of 3 who never has enough time but wants the best for myself and my family.

As women age, we start to notice some gradual changes happening in our appearance; skin, weight, mood and energy all start to change. Women around the age of forty have either gone through perimenopause, are past it or have yet to get it. Perimenopause is usually diagnosed by a gynecologist through symptoms and blood tests. Even if perimenopause or menopause are not part of the health picture, getting older makes managing a family and taking care of oneself very important.

There are a few vitamins and minerals that are critical during this delicate time in aging. woman and the three that i would like to talk about are Vitamin D, Zinc and magnesium
Vitamin D plays a big role in maintaining calcium stores in our bones. Having at least 20 minutes of sunshine on the skin without sunscreen is a natural way to ensure you're getting adequate vitamin D exposure. However, that is not always possible. Taking a good quality vitamin D supplement daily, in the morning, as well as eating foods rich in vitamin D will ensure your immune system is working well, your bones stay strong, helps your body absorb calcium, your mood stays stable, increases insulin sensitivity and reduces insulin resistance. Some of the best food sources are fatty fish, fish oils, eggs, dairy products and mushrooms.  
Before taking a supplement of vitamin D, I urge you to get tested first. 25-hydroxy Vitamin D is the blood test name. It's possible for vitamin D to be toxic if not needed. If you do need to take vitamin D, choose D3 as it's the most absorbable form and it's from natural sources. Amount will depend on need and that is something your doctor will recommend. Your serum levels of vitamin D should be between 50-80 ng/ML. If they're lower than that, it's necessary to take a supplement but be sure to recheck in 3 months time. 

Zinc is a mineral that actually enhances vitamin D absorption. It is also very important as we age because it plays a big role in immunity and keeping the body's defense system strong. It's critical for preventing hair loss and that is something many women struggle with as we age. It's also important for insulin sensitivity and regulation. And since zinc is known to help with cell growth and wound healing, taking zinc supplements could be beneficial for skin appearance and quality. Taking a zinc supplement is especially recommended for vegetarians and vegans as zinc is more abundant in animal based sources but can be found in nuts and seeds, kale, quinoa and legumes as well. Soaking your legumes, nuts and seeds could help absorb zinc better as these foods contain high amounts of phytates which bind to zinc and render it less absorbable. The best time to take zinc is in the morning with vitamin D. 
If a zinc supplement is needed, 15-30 mg of zinc picolinate is recommended. 
 

Another reason to take note of vitamin D is that we need vitamin D to be able to absorb magnesium. Magnesium is a hot topic lately and for good reason. It plays a huge role in many bodily functions....over 300 of them and when magnesium is low or missing, it changes the way the body ultimately functions. For women, having adequate amounts of magnesium circulating are especially important for mood, muscle health including spasms, period pain and even headaches, maintaining concentration and heart health and a big one that is critical for overall well being is sleep!! Magnesium helps the body relax so taking it at night, before bed helps its precursor melatonin, do its job better. Having eye twitches, constipation, sensitivity to sounds and chocolate cravings could all be indications that there is a magnesium deficiency. Also leading a stressful life can deplete magnesium stores. Getting adequate magnesium daily can help with stress management. For women, 350 mg per day is the recommended amount. There are different forms of magnesium but the one I mostly recommend is bisglycinate. Citrate is also good for moving the bowels but oxide is not recommended. Check your supplement if you're taking a multivitamin to ensure that oxide is not the form in that multivitamin. Leafy greens, nuts and seeds and legumes are great sources of magnesium from our food.