Traditional herbal medicine, which is based on centuries of experience, is also known as "monastery medicine" because it used to be the monasteries that preserved and increased knowledge of herbal medicine. The most well-known representative of monastic medicine is Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), who is generally considered to have founded European naturopathy. In addition to herbal products, minerals, trace elements and essential fatty acids, vitamins are also among the so-called "micronutrients" that are vital for the body.
The term "vitamins" covers a wide range of organic compounds that are necessary for metabolism. Despite all their differences, vitamins have one thing in common: they do not produce energy, but serve very specific functions, such as acting as antioxidants to protect against free radicals. If vitamins are missing, you will become ill even if you consume enough energy-providing fats, proteins and carbohydrates. With the exception of vitamin D, which the body can produce itself with the help of sunlight, all other vitamins must be obtained through food. There are both fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins, although only fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) can be stored in the body (the exception is water-soluble vitamin B12).