NO matter if you keep a healthy diet, exercise regularly, have complete hours of sleep,  enjoy your job and a happy home life but if you're always tired, with aches and pains as your constant companion, always catching colds and your digestive system never seems to work as it should, the nutrient robbers are at work.

Nicotine, excessive alcohol, too much coffee, too strong tea and endless cans of cola drinks can have a really bad influence on your vitamin and mineral levels. A couple of glasses of wine, three or four teas and coffees or the occasional cola are fine, but indulging too much is unhealthy.

All the foregoing including the lack of vitamin D can all increase the loss of calcium from your bones and slows down your body to absorb the nutrients from food.

Michael van Straten, UK’s popular osteopath, naturopath, acupuncturist and nutritional consultant identified what are these health robbers that you must take precaution:

* Every puff of cigarette. As you reduce the risk, increase the intake of calcium and vitamin-D rich foods. A daily half a pint of milk, a pot of yoghurt and a matchbox-size piece of cheese, plus three portions of oily fish a week will give you all you need.

Every puff of cigarette and the smoke it fills the atmosphere cause billions of cell-damaging free radical chemicals, which combined with the lower levels of protective vitamin C is a recipe for disaster. Aim for around 800g a day of vitamin C.

* Exercise without fuel. Regular exercise is considered a health mugger because exercising increases the body's oxygen consumption. It also increases the release of the damaging free radicals, which uses up the body's anti-oxidant vitamins, A, C and E. If you're a regular exerciser, you need fruit, vegetables, salads and juices for vitamin C, fresh, unsalted nuts, seeds and olive oil for vitamin E, meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dark green leafy vegetables for extra iron.

* Social and regular drinking. Even if it is occasional drink, too much alcohol robs the body of B vitamins, which aren't only essential for your nervous system, but are a vital link in the chemical chain that converts food into energy. A modest consumption of alcohol is good; it's pleasurable and extremely protective against heart disease, as long as you stick to a couple of glasses of wine, a pint of beer or two pub measures of spirits a day. More than that on a regular basis and the B vitamins will plummet. Top up the levels with extra lean meat, fish, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, eggs and beans.

* Medications. Prescribed or over-the-counter medicines, most of these can sap or interfere with the B vitamins, folic acid and the vitamin D the body needs. Ask your doctor what are the best supplements while you take your medications.