Dian Dincin Buchman, Ph.D.
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 Other invaluable nutritional supplements in addition to vitamin C and bioflavonoids are vitamin a, vitamin E, vitamin B complex (including vitamins B5 and B6), coenzyme Q10, proteolytic enzymes, zinc, calcium, magnesium, manganese, pycnogenol, and kelp. Avoid drinking alcohol during the pollen season as alcohol causes blood vessels in the nose to swell, creating congestion. Consider the advantages of acupuncture treatments: studies show that patients feel better, more energized, warmer, and more relaxed after such procedures. |
Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D.
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 Pregnant women who take more than 10,000 units daily of vitamin a increase the risk of serious birth defects by 240 percent and should always consult their obstetrician before taking any vitamin supplements or other concentrated nutrients.
All in all, though, there are very few risk factors associated with intake of high dosages of vitamins. Most of the risk factors that exist are theoretical rather than practical. |
Bill Gottlieb
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 Beta-carotene: This form of vitamin a may help protect the skin from bacteria, which contribute to acne. Take 15 milligrams daily.
• B-complex vitamins: These are thought to help you cope with stress, which can contribute to skin problem. Take a daily high-potency B-complex supplement that supplies 100 milligrams of most of the B vitamins.
PROFESSIONAL CARE
Acne can affect self-esteem, causing problems in many areas of life, but it is not a threat to physical health, says Esta Kronberg, M.D., a dermatologist in Houston. |
| Use the liquid "mycelized" form of vitamin a, which is maximally absorbable. She recommends taking 25,000 to 50,000 international units (IU) a day during the first 3 to 5 days of the illness, then tapering to 10,000 to 25,000 IU until your symptoms are gone, but only under the supervision of a health care practitioner.
VITAMINS C AND E: A Winning Combination
When your body fights infection, it produces free radicals, unstable molecules that can damage cells and make them more prone to bacterial invasion. Vitamin C helps stop free radicals, says Peter Holyk, M.D. |
| VITAMINS AND BIOFLAVONOIDS: Strengthen the Mucosal Surfaces
Vitamin C, vitamin a, and bioflavonoids strengthen the inner surface of the bladder, making it harder for the bacteria to stick, Dr. Bock says. To beat the infection, he recommends a daily dose of 1,000 to 4,000 milligrams of vitamin C, 300 to 600 milligrams of bioflavonoids, and 50,000
GUIDE TO
PROFESSIONAL CARE
You should see a doctor immediately if you have blood in your urine, a fever that doesn't go away, or a fever and pain near one or both kidneys (a possible sign of a kidney infection). |
Attaining Medical Self SufficiencyDuncan Long
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| Beta-carotene appears to give the benefits of vitamin a without the possibility of hypervitaminosis A; those who have large amounts of beta-carotene in their diet have been shown to have lower incidences of colon, stomach, lung, and cervical cancer as compared to those who have a diet poor in this nutrient. While mega-doses of beta-carotene supplements isn't recommended, the worst it will do is turn the skin yellow; I unlike vitamin-A supplements, beta-carotene has not been found to create life-threatening damage to the body. |
| The kinder and gentler way of doing this is to use a synthetic version of vitamin a known as "Retin A." Unlike the vitamin, this chemical can't be stored in dangerous levels in the body. This makes it possible to apply without dangerous side effects. When placed on the skin in the form of a cream, it causes the skin to slowly drop off, exposing the smoother skin beneath.
That new skin has fewer wrinkles. While it will generally cause some irritation and redness during the first few weeks of use, after that the positive results continue with the redness no longer being a problem. |
| The supplement provided vitamin a, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, and iodine in amounts determined by the Canadian government's recommended intakes; the supplements also contained 16 mg of beta-carotene and 44 mg of vitamin E, both amounts substantially higher than the current recommendations.
At the end of the tests, the group getting supplements showed improvement in their immune functions. |
Bill Gottlieb
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 Discontinue use after one week if your symptoms don't improve, he says, since vitamin a can cause nerve damage when taken for extended periods.
See also Calluses and Corns; Gout; Heel Spurs; Ingrown Toenails frostbite
When Jack Frost takes an innocent nip at our noses, we sing about it. But expect to cry the blues if those nips turn into big, sore frostbite on your fingers and toes, the result of spending time in the frigid outdoors.
Frostbite results when your body attempts to stay warm in the bitter cold. |
Attaining Medical Self SufficiencyDuncan Long
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| In 1968 in the 57th edition of Interactions of Nutrition and Infection (published by the World Health Organization), it was noted that "no nutritional deficiency is more consistently synergistic with infectious disease than that of vitamin a. |
Bill Gottlieb
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| She recommends eating plenty of sweet potatoes or drinking carrot juice, both of which supply beta-carotene, the most beneficial form of vitamin a.
B-COMPLEX VITAMINS: Maintain Estrogen Levels
Take 50 to 100 milligrams a day of B-complex vitamins, which can help stabilize estrogen levels, says Dr. Lark.
VITAMIN C WITH BIOFLAVONOIDS: Reduce Bleeding
Dozens of scientific studies show that these nutrients can reduce heavy bleeding, says Dr. Lark. She recommends 1,000 to 4,000 milligrams a day of vitamin C in combination with 500 to 2,000 milligrams of bioflavonoids. |
Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D.
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| It boosts immunity, promotes sexual function, and potentiates the actions of vitamin a.
A recommended dosage of zinc for brain longevity patients is approximately 30 to 50 mg daily.
Amino Acids
In addition to the above listed vitamins and minerals, some amino acids (or partial proteins) are also of special value.
Phenylalanine. The major nutritional precursor of the energizing neurotransmitter norepinephrine, phenylalanine helps brighten mood, stimulate energy, and improve memory. |
| Vitamin Bj and vitamin a are important in nerve transmission. Vitamin E and vitamin C help maintain proper levels of sex hormones. Vitamin B5 helps the adrenal glands to make steroid hormones. And vitamin B3, or niacin, helps dilate the blood vessels and capillaries, which is necessary for sexual arousal.
Of course, maintaining optimal blood circulation is also an important element in ensuring sexual vitality. Anything that interferes with circulation, such as a high cholesterol level, can dampen sexual ardor. |
| Extremely high amounts of vitamin a can be toxic (although I have never spoken to a physician who has actually seen this occur).
When you compare the safety of vitamins to the safety of pharmaceutical drugs, however, it's easy to see that drugs are far more dangerous. In one typical seven-year period, from 1983 to 1990, the federal Poison Control Centers reported that there were 2,556 fatalities directly caused by medically prescribed drugs—but no deaths from vitamins.
I am not claiming that no harm can ever come from vitamins, if they are taken in grossly excessive amounts. |
| Different patients take different nutrients, in varying dosages, but most use the following nutrients: vitamin a, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. Often these supplements are taken in addition to a multivitamin, which provides lesser amounts of a broad range of nutrients and micronu-trients. Some patients also take protein powder, or take the following amino acids: phenylalanine, glutamine, methionine, and arginine. |
| Many people, though, take multiple vitamins that contain 25,000 units of vitamin a, and 15 mg of beta carotene.
B Vitamins
Absolutely vital for neuronal growth and vitality. The four B vitamins that are most important for your brain are Bj2, B6, Bj, and folic acid.
B12- Almost 25 percent of all people age sixty to sixty-nine are deficient in B12, and up to 40 percent of all people over eighty, according to a major study. One primary reason for this is that the substance that breaks down B12 in your stomach—hydrochloric acid—declines as you age. |
Gabriel Cousens, M.D.
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 Yellow vegetables such as carrots are also great sources of vitamin a, as are tomatoes and green leafy vegetables. Spirulina is excellent too.
Vitamin C is found in high concentrations in fruits and some vegetables. Vitamin C is important for building the collagen in the connective tissue, for metabolizing the EFAs, for building the immune system, is one of the most important antioxidants, helps to strengthen the adrenals, generally stimulates all the endocrine glands including the sex glands, and is a first-class healer for almost every type of medical condition. |
Attaining Medical Self SufficiencyDuncan Long
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| Vitamin A." Nutritional Research 1:181-5, 1981.
The exact reason these elderly people weren't getting enough vitamins and minerals is unclear. It seems possible that the recommended daily doses are too low, possibly because the elderly do not absorb vitamins from their food as efficiently as they did when they were younger. It's also likely that they do not eat as healthy diet as they| might once have. But the bottom line is that at least the elderly do better taking supplements and many researchers feel the same is true of the general population as well. |
Bernie S. Siegel, M.D.
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 This automatically increases one's intake of the following five nutrients known to have a protective effect against cancer: beta carotene (a vegetable precursor of vitamin a), vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and dietary fiber.
3. Consume salt-cured and charcoal-broiled foods only in moderation (or not at all).
4. Drink alcoholic beverages only in moderation (or not at all).
In addition, the Pritikin-type regimen eliminates from the diet:
1. Nearly all salt except that found in food itself.
2. All stimulants like coffee and tea.
3. All refined sugar and flour.
4. Hydrogenated fats.
5. |
Gabriel Cousens, M.D.
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| Most fruits are rich in vitamin a and C and a varied assortment of essential minerals. They are the highest of all foods in boron, which is important in preventing osteoporosis. They are not only nutritive but good detox-ifiers and bowel cleaners. They contain a higher amount of structured water than any other food and are high in energetic radiations arising from the four elements of air, sun, earth, and water.
Legumes, such as soybeans, peanuts, and kidney beans, are powerful building foods that are high in protein. |
Grace Ross Lewis
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 Synonyms: vitamin a DERIVATIVE. ? /3-CAROTENE
BHA and BHT___
Products and Uses: Both are antioxidants commonly added in small amounts to food, particularly to oils and fats, as preservatives. Also used as preservative in rubber and plastics. Recent claims have been made that they inhibit cancers in lab animals, prevent herpes and other viruses, and increase life spans. There has been no scientific research to prove these theories.
Precautions: There has been some evidence that BHT could promote the growth of some cancers. There have also been allergic reactions reported by some. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D.
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 For example, vitamin a and the alkaloids of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), such as berberine, inhibit bacterial decarboxylase, the enzyme that converts the amino acids into polyamines.67 However, the best way to prevent the excessive formation of polyamines is to improve digestive function (see Digestion and Elimination). |
| Vitamins and Minerals
Zinc, vitamin E, and vitamin a function together in many body processes, including the manufacture of thyroid hormone. A deficiency of any of these nutrients would result in lower levels of active thyroid hormone being produced. Low zinc levels are common in the elderly, as is hypothyroidism.1' There may be a correlation.
Vitamin C and the B vitamins riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), and pyridoxine (B6) are also necessary for normal thyroid hormone manufacture. |
| Others key nutrients for sexual function include essential fatty acids, vitamin a, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. A high-potency multiple-vitamin-and-mineral formula insures adequate intake of these nutrients as well as others important in health and sexual function.
In addition to nutrition, the natural approach to erectile dysfunction utilizes exercise and herbal medicines.
Reversing Atherosclerosis
Since atherosclerosis is the primary cause of erectile dysfunction, it is especially important to follow the dietary recommendations in the chapter A Health-Promoting Diet. |
| Population studies and experimental data documenting the protective effect of carotenoids and vitamin a against oral cancers are overwhelming.910
QUICK REVIEW
• Leukoplakia is a precancerous lesion.
• Staying away from tobacco and increasing one's intake of antioxidant nutrients are the primary preventive measures.
• There have been seven clinical trials showing that beta-carotene produces regression of leukoplakia. |
Bill Gottlieb
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| Vitamin E: This nutrient can help the body assimilate vitamin a. Take 400 international units a day in a dry form, which is better absorbed, says Dr. Mindell.
• Zinc: This is believed to be one of the most important minerals for healthy skin. Take 15 milligrams daily. |
James S. Gordon, M.D.
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 One "normal" thirty-year-old man might require two or ten times as much vitamin a as another or twenty times as much zinc for ordinary functioning. Williams postulated that these differences might be the result of genetic variation or previous life experience and illnesses. These variations, in turn, might produce different kinds and amounts of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, different speeds of absorption into the bloodstream, and different metabolic rates and requirements.
Whatever the cause, the implications were great. |
Susun S. Weed
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 Women troubled with breast lumps also reported using supplements of calcium, selenium, vitamin a, vitamin C, and the B vitamin complex-especially Bg. (Food sources are listed on page 53.)
Step 5b. Use Drugs
• Some drugs can cause breast lumps: digitalis-derived drugs, Tagamet (cimetidine), Compazine (chlorpromazine), and high blood pressure medications, including beta-blockers.14 Supplemental estrogen can cause tender, tense, painful, and nodular breasts.
• Thyroid hormone supplements are reported to shrink cysts and eliminate breast pain.
• Wild yam-based progesterone creams (e.g. |
Bernie S. Siegel, M.D.
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| Cigarette smokers who are emotionally well adjusted or who eat a healthy diet high in vitamin a have less lung cancer than those who are depressed or eat poorly. To balance our research into cancer's molecular seeds, we need to learn about the state of mind and body that prevents the seeds from growing.
Moreover, patients often concentrate on the obvious external targets while more personal angers that are harder to acknowledge remain hidden and increase their susceptibility to illness. For those who already have cancer, the psychological aspects of the disease are the crucial ones. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D.
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| Since it appears that beta-carotene is as effective as vitamin a and is much safer, it is suggested that beta-carotene be the treatment of choice for this condition.1112 Most recent studies have focused on the use of beta-carotene in the treatment of leukoplakia. To date, there have been seven clinical trials showing that beta-carotene produces regression of leukoplakia.9 The results of these studies are given in Table 1.
Other Antioxidants
In addition to beta-carotene, other antioxidants may be helpful. |
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