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Show Natural Health Insurance Health Preservation 1 3 The Vitamin Handbook Guide To Better Health A VITAMIN Vitamin A is necessary for normal bone growth, for vision in dim light, and for healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes. It is found naturally in liver and dairy products, as well as in yellow, orange, and dark green vegetables. Vitamin A is stored in the body and thus does not necessarily have to be consumed each day. If massive doses are taken over long periods, a variety of symptoms, including headaches, hair loss, and blurred vision, can occur. B VITAMINS THE The group includes eight vitamins that perform a variety of important functions. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is necessary for proper functioning of the nervous system and for releasing energy from carbohydrates. A deficiency of B1 may cause muscle weakness, numbness, and loss of appetite. Best natural sources are pork, liver, enriched cereals, and whole-grai- n breads. Like all B vitamins, thiamine must be consumed daily. Any excess will be excreted. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) does most of its work at the cell level and is essential for healthy skin and eyes. An absence of B2 in the diet (the most common deficiency in the U.S.) is often revealed by scaly or cracked skin, particularly near the mouth, and by an extreme sensitivity to light. Significant amounts can be obtained from milk, eggs, dark green vegetables, liver, meat, and whole-grai- n breads and cereals. Vitamin B3 (niacin), necessary for metabolism of carbohydrates in cells, also promotes proper functioning of the nervous system, brain, and blood circulation. Best natural sources include liver, beef, milk, eggs and dried yeast. The body can manufacture some of its own B3 with the help of a natural amino acid called tryptophan (present in milk and doses other protein foods). Too-hig- h of niacin can cause flushing and itching of the skin and a feeling of intense heat. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) aids in metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, because it fortifies white and is often prescribed by blood cells physicians to promote the healing of wounds. Despite assertions that high B5 dosages can prevent graying of hair, no evidence exists to substantiate such claims. Good sources: whole-grai- n cereals, chicken, pork, liver, and kidneys. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) functions primarily in the metabolism of proteins and fats, also assists in manufacture of hemoglobin and certain hormones, and is important for healthy teeth and gums. Liver and other meats, bananas, lima beans, potatoes, and whole-grai- n cereals supply this vitamin. Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) is particularly essential for the formation of red blood cells and aids functioning of the nervous and digestive systems. It is also useful in preventing and curing pernicious anemia. Only animal products, especially eggs, liver, kidneys, beef, and milk, can supply B12. Strict vegetarians may risk a deficiency resulting in anemia, loss of balance, pain and weakness in arms and leg. Biotin is necessary for the and metabolism Adequate intake of vitamins is obviously essential to good health but can any alphabetical arrangement actually cure specific problems? Dedicated researchers are at work in the laboratories of universities, medical centers, and private industry, and the barrage of data that results may direct scientists to innovative new therapies for a plague of old diseases. Meanwhile, if you choose to supplement your diet with vitamins, youd be wise to do so with your physicians knowledge. Therese Mondeika, dietician with the American Medical Association, doesnt recommend that you search all over town for natural (obtained from plant or animal tissue), as opposed to synthetic (chemically created), tablets. A vitamin is a vitamin, she says, whether its naturally THE g of helps maintain the sweat glands, blood cells, and skin. Obtain it from liver, kidneys, egg yolk, green vegetables, and milk. A true biotin deficiency is rare. Folic acid, sometimes called folacin, helps keep the small intestinal tract functioning properly. It also aids the metabolism of protein and can be found in such foods as dark green vegetables, organ meats, wheat germ, and dried peas and beans. In Nutrition Against Disease, biochemist Roger J. Williams links some mental disorders with a folic-aci- d deficiency. well-bein- ' i Other scientists studies indicate that vitamin C is ineffective in preventing colds, but Paulings findings have been corroborated by a growing body of research, including a study at a Navajo Indian boarding school, where vitamin C reduced colds by 28 to 34 percent. In other investigations by Terence Anderson, M.D., at the University of Toronto, when test subjects consumed one gram of vitamin C daily, the incidence of colds dropped 9 percent. Those who increased their vitamin C dosage to four grams at the first sign of a cold experienced 30 percent fewer days of disability than a control group not given the vitamin. C h I STRESS I vi I ACNE a study conducted by Gary L. Peck, M.D., of the National Cancer In supplements. D er E VITAMIN Vitamin E functions as an antioxidant within the bodys cells and tissues, protecting essential fatty acids and oxygen-sensitiv- e compounds such as vitamin A. You can obtain E in meat, eggs, whole-grai- n cereals, corn, soybeans, and leafy vegetables. Women with fibrocystic breast disease have noticed a reduction in size of lumps after maintaining a regimen that includes taking a vitamin E supplement and eliminating caffeine from their diet. . K VITAMIN Vitamin K is necessary for proper clotting of blood and to maintain normal bone metabolism. With inclusion of leafy greens, cabbage, cauliflower, peas, and cereals in your diet, intestinal bacteria can normally manufacture an adequate supply of this nutrient. Supplements of K may be needed by people undergoing prolonged treatment with antibiotics. chills, coughing youd think that an illness so prevalent and universal would have attracted a cure by now, but no one has discovered the magic potion to make the cold passe. At present, vitamin C may be the most potent tool in our medicine cabinets. Linus Pauling recommends that we consume from one to five grams of the nutrient daily. At the first sign of a cold, Pauling suggests taking a half to one gram of C every hour until symptoms disappear. 1 VITAMIN Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is the most publicized and controversial of all vitamins. Nobel Prizewinning chemist Linus Pauling believes that more than 90 percent of the worlds population is deficient in this nutrient, which is needed to maintain healthy teeth, gums, and bones, repair cells, and help protect against unwanted oxidation of other vitamins. Because excess is excreted several hours after intake, vitamin C must be consumed daily. It is found in VITAMIN Vitamin D is necessary for bone and tooth formation. Without it, your system would be unable to absorb calcium. Milk fortified with vitamin D is the major contributor of this nutrient to the American diet. Certain fish (sardines, salmon, oil, and egg tuna), liver, cod-livsources. other are yolk The body manufactures its own vitamin D when a substance in the skin called ergosterol is acted on by the suns ultraviolet rays. Supplements are therefore generally needed only by people living in cold climates and shut-ins- .' COMMON COLD Stuffy nose, sneezing, sniffling, v citrus fruits, strawberries, green peppers, dark green vegetables, and potatoes. Supplements of C are particularly important during stressful periods or when foreign substances (drugs, viruses, air pollution) infiltrate the bloodstream. According to Jane Brodys Nutrition Book, Surgery increases the need for vitamin C, and there is some evidence that wound healing is enhanced by C occurring or synthetically prepared. The body doesnt differentiate between them. It uses both kinds in exactly the same way. You should, if possible, divide the dosage and take vitamins at intervals throughout the day to enhance preferably after meals proper absorption. While a substantial number of studies indicate that dosages higher than the RDAs can be helpful, your own , a acid Institute, cleared derivative of vitamin A up severe acne in all patients being treated. Furthermore, they remained free of acne in a follow-u- p examination four and a half years later. Vitamin B6 capsules may also be effective in caring for skin blemishes. Not long ago, teen-ag- e girls whose acne typically flared up just before menstrual periods, were given 50 mg. of vitamin B6 before AGING Biochemist Roger J. Williams, who discovered vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), has written: If human beings were to have their diets supplemented with extra pantothenic acid and other including, of promising nutrients C vitamin course, average life and health spans would be spans extended by at least 10 years. Linus Pauling suggests that for individuals who take generous amounts of vitamin C, the chance of illness or death is about the usual risk at any given age. Stiffening of the joints, a common sign of aging, may be hastened by the bodys decreasing production of collagen (contained in connective tissues and bones). Since vitamin C aids in the creation of healthy collagen, Pauling and other researchers also believe that generous supplies of this vitamin may help retard premature deterioration. E is another vitamin that may eventually be confirmed as an age one-four- th Vitamins may someday replace tranquilizers as the most common means of and certainly safest and during menstruation by an Erie, Pennsylvania, dermatologist. After three months, 72 percent reported that their complexions had significantly improved. PAIN An increasing body of evidence suggest that vitamins C and D may ease chronic pain. James Greenwood, M.D., a Houston neurosurgeon, finds that most patients with back pain experience an easing of their discomfort after taking from two to six grams of vitamin C per day. Other retardant. Because it is an antioxidant, some scientists hypothesize that it could prevent the oxygen-relate- d deterioration of vital cells that occurs with age. HEART DISEASE Here again, vitamin C is the center of attention. In 1980, the medical journal Atherosclerosis reported on a study done in India. When patients with a history of heart disease were given two grams of C daily, cholesterol levels in their blood dropped 12 percent. Other positive signs included an increase in the bloods lipoproteins (which seem to offer protection against heart disease). Animal studies indicate that B6 may also help keep arteries free of cholesterol build-uIf research on human subjects verifies this finding, B6 may become one of your best hedges against heart ailments. Vitamin E is under investigation, too. There is evidence that it can help prevent blood clots and thus aid in the maintenance of proper coronary functioning. high-densi- ty p. of may be the best gauge. No tablet can substitute for meals, but nutritious, vitamins turn may supplementary out to be excellent insurance against the common ills of the 20th century. Here are the facts about current progress in fighting off some common physical and psychological complaints with vitamins. Take a look into the future! sense well-bein- g coping with stress and anxiety. Some health practitioners now recommend that patients take a with C two to three times manufacturers have Some daily. already packaged multivitamins like Stresscaps or Stresstabs. These typically contain Bl, B2, B3, B6, B12, and C along with calcium pantothenate. PREGNANCY PROBLEMS Researchers now believe that extremely high doses of vitamins could harm a fetus and, in rare cases, even produce a child with a vitamin dependency. For example, while your need for vitamin C will most likely increase during pregnancy, overdoing the dosage might so accustom your baby to such high levels of this nutrient that after hes born he may develop scurvy because hes no longer consuming a comparable amount. Most likely, your obstetrician will prescribe a multivitamin that is rich (but not excessive) in A, B6, B12, C, and folic acid. A study in Innsbruck, Austria, indicates that the nausea and vomiting that often accompany pregnancy are frequently caused by a B6 deficiency. Another study, conducted in Canada revealed that the restless-leg- s syndrome that sometimes afflicts pregnant women could be caused by a shortage of folic acid and tends to occur less frequently in women who consume a multivitamin supplement containing folic acid. researchers report that when vitamin D is taken in conjunction with calcium, the bodys sensitivity to pain, including menstrual cramps, decreases. Earl Mindells Vitamin Bible suggests a vitamin-minercombination that he calls surprisingly effective for such ailments as headaches: 100 mg. of vitamin B3 (niacin) three times daily plus 100 mg. of twice daily plus a supplement containing twice as much calcium as magnesium. time-releas- m |