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Vitamins
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Getting The Right Amount Of Vitamins
Is Important For Health
Vitamins are special substances
which help speed up some chemical processes.
Food manufacturers are now
adding vitamins to flour, fruit juices, breakfast cereals, milk,
candy, and many other food
products.
Many people think that large
amount of vitamins will guarantee good health, unfortunately
that is not so. It is even
possible to take in too much of certain vitamins.
Vitamin A, D, E and K are
stored in the body until they are needed. Taking large amounts
of these vitamins can be
harmful to you.
Unneeded amounts are not
removed as waste in the urine as vitamins B and C.
You should know how much
vitamin intake your body needs and should eat to meet those needs.
| Vitamin
A
This is important for the health of the skin and eyes. Lack of it causes dryness and roughness of the skin and makes it hard to adjust the eyesight in dim light. Blindness may result from a serious lack of this vitamin. This vitamin also helps in the building and growth of body cells. Vitamin A is found in fish oils, egg yolks, liver, butter and cheese. Usually, Vitamin A is not destroyed by cooking. Too much of this vitamin can cause liver damage. |
| Vitamin
D
This is needed for building strong bones and teeth. Because bones develop before birth, it is important for pregnant women to have plenty of Calcium and vitamin D in their diets. A child who lacks vitamin D, may suffer from rickets, a condition where the bones are poorly formed. Bowed legs in children come from rickets. Vitamin D is found in egg yolks and butter and fish oils. Moderate sun bathing also supplies Vitamin D on certain oils of your skin. Milk has Vitamin D added to it. Too much vitamin D either from pills or food, causes deposits of calcium in various tissues of the body, and may lead to serious illness and death. It is safer to get vitamin D from food, rather than from pills. |
| Vitamin
E
Vitamin E is not a miracle pill. It cannot cure ulcers, arthritis, cancer, heart disease or warts. This vitamin prevents Vitamin A from being destroyed too quickly. It also strengthens the cell membranes of red blood cells. Vitamin E can be found in salad oils, margarine, whole-grain cereals, and most fresh green leafy vegetables. The body will store excess vitamin E in tissues under the skin and in the ovaries and testes. Too much vitamin E intake, however, can interfere with the work of the glands and tissues. |
| Vitamin
K
This vitamin plays an important role when you are bleeding from an injury. This vitamin helps produce a protein that is needed for blood clotting. Foods that are good sources of vitamin K are - cauliflower, spinach, cabbage and eggs. If you eat well balanced meals you will not have to worry about this vitamin. Your large intestine can also produce vitamin K. |
| Vitamin
B
Is actually a group of vitamins sometimes called the Vitamin B complex. The most important B vitamins are thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. The vitamin B complex is important for energy and growth. |
| Thiamin
Or Vitamin B , is needed by the nerves, muscles and digestive systems. without enough thiamin, nerve and muscle disorders can develop. A disease called beriberi, affecting the heart and the nervous system, can also develop. Pork, whole-grain cereals, lean meats, and nuts give the body thiamin. |
| Riboflavin
Or Vitamin B, and niacin are found in liver, cheese, leafy vegetables, beans, milk, eggs, and fish. Both vitamins are good for the skin, the digestion, and the nervous system. A lack of niacin causes dry and red patches to form on the skin. This is a disease called pellagra. |
| Vitamin
B 12
Prevents severe anemia, called pernicious anemia. This vitamin helps increase the number of red blood cells. It is found in liver, leafy vegetables, milk, eggs and cheese. |
| Vitamin
C
Also called ascorbic acid, is found in citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits. Tomatoes, potatoes and cabbage are also good sources. A person who tires easily, whose skin bruises easily, or whose gums bleed may need more vitamin C. Vitamin C will dissolve in water and is not stored in the body. But too much of it will turn the urine to acid and may cause many salts to be passed out through the kidneys. This can cause a strain on the kidneys. If you take large amounts of Vitamin C, then stop, the level in your body will drop and minor symptoms of scurry can result. |
Should Water Be Considered A Nutrient ?
 Without Water, nutrients
could not be carried from the intestine into the bloodstream. Waste products
could not be carried out of the body. And the body could not be kept at
an even temperature. Actually, next to air, Water is the most important
element needed for life. At least 60% of your body is water. You can live
off your body fat for weeks without eating, but you can live only a few
days without water. Water is found in every cell of your body. Nutrients
are dissolved in water to be absorbed through the intestinal wall and into
the bloodstream. Water also helps carry waste materials out of the body.
Perspiration through the skin and evaporation in the lungs are the body's
temperature control system. This system needs water to work properly. On
the average 2 to 3 liters of water can be lost through perspiration, urination,
bowel movements, and evaporation in the lungs. You must replace the fluid
as well as the sodium lost along with the fluid. If not, you could become
dehydrated. Dehydration can cause headaches, fatigue, and a general feeling
of warmth.
You should drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water or liquid daily. Most of the foods we eat are over 50% water. fruits and vegetables have at least 95% water. Even dry foods, such as bread, flour, and crackers contain from 5 to 30 % water. You can also drink soup, milk, juice, tea and other beverages to keep the balance in your body. Water intake must increase when you exercise, have a fever, or lose fluid by vomiting or diarrhea. If you lost too much fluid and salt, your blood pressure will drop and you will feel faint. In hot weather you could suffer from heatstroke. |
If Fibers Cannot Be Digested, Why Do We Need Them ?
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Fibers are fairly soft once they reach the intestines, yet this roughage helps to scrub out materials left after digestion and absorption has taken place. If the diet does not have enough fiber, the waste materials in the large intestine travel slowly, allowing more bacteria to multiply. Studies have shown that the longer the contact with bacteria the more chance of tumor and cancer of the colon. |