| For vitamin a, reductions in the counts of CD3 + T-cells (P=0.012) and CD4 + T-cells (P=0.0129) were reported (Fortes et al, 1998).
The rate of infection was significantly reduced by zinc and selenium supplementation in a 2-year randomized, placebo-controlled study of 81 institutionalized elderly patients. |
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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 Large doses of some supplements such as vitamin a, vitamin B6 and vitamin E may even be harmful. If you are concerned about a particular nutrient or supplement, in addition to discussing it with your health-care provider, peruse the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements website for data on a wide range of dietary supplements and their risks and safety (www.ods.od.nih.gov). You can also download the USDA's free nutrient database software (go to www.ars.usda. |
| For example, one highly controversial study suggested that people who consume high amounts of vitamin a may face an increased risk of certain illnesses. Vitamin E has also been the source of recent controversy. Figuring out what is salient and solid research is not easy—which is why it's so important to work with a health-care professional who stays completely up to date on the latest data on food and supplements as medicine.
ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS. There are two families of essential fatty acids, or EFAs: omega-3 and omega-6. |
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
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 True vitamin a is never found in soybeans (or any other plant food) and infants cannot easily convert its precursor beta-carotene into the true vitamin a it needs for metabolism and growth.
Calcium presented another difficulty. Soybeans do not naturally contain much calcium, but do contain phytates, a type of antinutrient that interferes with calcium absorption. (See Chapter 17.) Early researchers struggled mightily to find the best form of supplemental calcium and the right ratio of calcium and phosphorous. |
Dr. Steve Blake
See book keywords and concepts |
 Vitamin E can be reactivated by:
(a) Vitamin C.
(b) vitamin a.
(c) B vitamins.
(d) Vitamin D.
4. Vitamin E helps circulation by:
(a) Protecting LDL from oxidation.
(b) Increasing capillary flexibility.
(c) Decreasing blood coagulation.
(d) All of the above.
5. Vitamin E supplements, to be effective, should be:
(a) Taken between meals.
(b) Taken with meals.
(c) Taken one half-hour before meals.
(d) Taken before bedtime.
6. Good food sources of vitamin E are:
(a) Cold-pressed oils.
(b) Fruit.
(c) Enriched flour products.
(d) French fries.
7. |
Andreas Moritz
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 It is especially rich in vitamin a. It also contains plenty of B vitamins, especially niacin, folic acid, calcium, iron, 9 essential amino acids, and a mountain of potassium.
The avocado has shown to benefit circulation, lower cholesterol, and dilate blood vessels. It's true, avocados are high in fat—one reason they've earned the nickname "butter pear." But it's primary fat, monounsaturated oleic acid (also concentrated in olive oil), acts as an antioxidant to block LDL cholesterol. |
Marshall Editions
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 Take 200,000 IU of beta carotene a day to help increase the strength of the immune system. vitamin a also stimulates the immune system; take 50,000 IU a day for one week, but do not take this if you are pregnant. Zinc increases immunity. Adults can take 30 mg a day, and children should take 10-15 mg a day.
Herbs: Goldenseal contains an ingredient called berberine that has antibiotic properties against different stains of streptococcus bacteria. Take 350-500 mg a day or 3 tsp of a tincture a day. Echinacea can be taken at 150-300 mg a day to boost immune activity. |
Andreas Moritz
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| It is a rich source of vitamin a and B complex. It has a high content of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, manganese and copper. It is best to buy the liquid Yucca extract, without alcohol, from "Herb Farm" or other sources found on the Internet. Yucca capsules are being absorbed poorly by the body.
Slippery Elm Bark
Slippery elm inner bark is very rich in mucilage, a complex mixture of polysaccharides that form a soothing gelatinous fiber when water is added. Slippery elm is also considered a wholesome nutritional food, similar in texture to oatmeal and can be prepared as porridge. |
| A Banana a Day May Keep the Doctor Away
When you compare it to an apple, the banana has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin a and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. Bananas contain three natural sugars—sucrose, fructose and glucose—combined with fiber. In this form a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy (otherwise, the sugar could be harmful). |
| Greens beans are also a rich source of the equally important vitamin a (notably through their concentration of carotenoids, including beta-carotene). And, as you may know, when you chew on green beans they contain loads of useful fiber, which helps prevent colon cancer. In addition, green beans are packed with vitamin C, riboflavin, potassium, iron, manganese, folate, magnesium, and thiamin. Plus, they are a good source of thiamin, phosphorous, calcium, niacin, vitamin B6, copper, protein and zinc. |
| In addition, a cup of Brussels sprouts contains a whopping 1122 IU of vitamin a, plus 669 IU of beta-carotene, both of which are important for defending the body against infection and promoting supple, glowing skin.
Artichoke—For Good Digestion
The artichoke {Cynara scolymus) has been known for centuries for its beneficial effects on digestion. Its most noted effect is increased bile production. Because the body uses cholesterol to make bile acids, increasing bile acid production may balance blood cholesterol. |
Dr. Steve Blake
See book keywords and concepts |
| Without vitamin a, certain cells in the mucous membranes, goblet cells, become fewer in number. Goblet cells are needed to produce mucus, which is necessary for all of the mucous membranes. Mucus forms a chemical barrier to gastric acid in the stomach. Mucus also helps eliminate contaminants in the lungs. Mucus forms an important first barrier to invasive microorganisms. With fewer goblet cells, less mucus is produced, as seen in Figure 3-4. |
| When vitamin E becomes oxidized, it can be reactivated by:
(a) The ascorbate form of vitamin C.
(b) vitamin a.
(c) The kidneys.
(d) Vitamin D.
42. Vitamin E:
(a) Thins blood by reducing platelet clumping.
(b) Makes arteries more flexible.
(c) Reduces oxidation of LDL.
(d) All of the above.
43. The average American diet provides:
(a) An abundance of vitamin E.
(b) Just enough vitamin E to prevent heart disease.
(c) Less than optimal amounts of vitamin E.
(d) Plenty of vitamin E if enough fruits and vegetables are eaten.
44. Natural vitamin E is:
(a) dl-alpha-tocopherol. |
| To sum it up, bone growth and regulation is assisted by vitamin a, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and magnesium.
Appendix G: Quick Summaries
Summary for Thiamin—Vitamin Bj
Main function: energy metabolism.
RDA: men, 1.2 mg; women, 1.1 mg.
No toxicity reported, no upper intake level set.
Deficiency disease: beriberi.
Healthy food sources: whole grains, and found in most raw or lightly cooked foods. Degradation: easily destroyed by heat.
Coenzyme forms: thiaminpyrophosphate (TPP), thiamin triphosphate (TTP). |
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
See book keywords and concepts |
| True vitamin a is never found in soybeans (or any other plant food) and infants cannot easily convert its precursor beta-carotene into the true vitamin a it needs for metabolism and growth.
Calcium presented another difficulty. Soybeans do not naturally contain much calcium, but do contain phytates, a type of antinutrient that interferes with calcium absorption. (See Chapter 17.) Early researchers struggled mightily to find the best form of supplemental calcium and the right ratio of calcium and phosphorous. |
Gary Null and Amy McDonald
See book keywords and concepts |
 Other antioxidants prescribed are vitamin C (3000-6000 milligrams per day) and vitamin a (25,000 IU a day). Selenium and zinc are included in the multivitamin/mineral tablet. Additional program supplements include three newer neuroactive compounds: phosphatidyl serine (PS), 300 milligrams per day; coenzyme Q10, 1000 milligrams per day; and acetyl L carnitine, 2000 milligrams to 1500 milligrams per day."
Dr. Khalsa provides more information about these newer compounds. "PS is a negatively charged phospholipid, almost exclusively located in cell membranes. |
Joe Graedon, M.S. and Teresa Graedon, Ph.D.
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 These days you can obtain pharmaceutical-grade fish oil that does not have the excessive levels of vitamin a you often find in cod liver oil. Too much vitamin a is bad for your bones.
St. John's Wort
The medical community has had a very hard time grappling with research suggesting that an herb might be as good as an antidepressant like fluoxetine (Prozac) for relieving depression. Nevertheless, there have been dozens of clinical trials demonstrating that St. John's wort can be effective in treating mild to moderate depression.200 In some studies, St. |
Gary Null and Amy McDonald
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| However, studies have shown that nutrients that are especially low in patients with Candida are vitamin a, B6, zinc, lignum, magnesium, essential fatty acids, folic acid and iron. Of course, a high potency multi-vitamin should be added to the supplements."
If a person is taking medications that compromise the immune system, Dr. Korins says, "Treatments are not going to work because you are going to be continually perpetuating Candida overgrowth. |
Hyla Cass
See book keywords and concepts |
 Carotenes are powerful antioxidants, and many can be transformed into vitamin a in the body as needed.
Vitamin B| (thiamine)
25 mg
Essential for many biochemical
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) Vitamin B3 (niacin/niacinamide) Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
25 mg 50 mg 50 mg 50 mg processes in the body such as nervous system function and cellular energy production. Controls levels of homocysteine, implicated in heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. |
| Needed supplements: Take vitamin a (20,000 IU), vitamin E (100 milligrams [mg] in tocotrienol form, see below for more information), vitamin D (400-2,000 IU), folic acid (400 micrograms [meg]), vitamin K (80 meg), calcium (1,000 mg), iron (15 mg, if you're premenopausal), magnesium (400-600 mg), vitamin B12 (200 meg), and zinc (25 mg), and omega-3 fatty acids (1,000-3,000 mg). |
James Dowd and Diane Stafford
See book keywords and concepts |
 Colored veggies are loaded with potassium, magnesium, calcium, vitamin K, vitamin a, folic acid, and a number of other trace elements. Let's look at some of these critical nutrients.
Folic Acid
You can eat fruits and vegetables for your folic acid fix, but to be sure, take a daily multivitamin that has 400 micrograms of folic acid.
Folic acid is important in fighting cardiovascular disease and reducing levels of homocysteine, an amino acid responsible for inflaming and damaging blood vessels and associated with osteoporosis. |
Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph. D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
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 Juvenal, ancient Roman poet ically as madarosis—can also be an early warning sign of hyperthyroidism (see Prematurely Gray Hair, above) or a tip-off that you're consuming too much vitamin a. And if it's just the hairs of your outer eyebrows that fall out, it may mean that you have Hashimoto's syndrome, a chronic form of hypothyroidism. (See Chapter 6.)
MOVIN'ON DOWN
LOSING CHEST AND BODY HAIR
To the ancient Greeks and Romans, a hairless chest on a man was the aesthetic ideal, possibly because it represented youth. |
Gabriel Cousens
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 One hundred grams of alaria and nori have approximately 8487 and 4266 IU of vitamin a. One hundred grams of most of the sea vegetables have about one-third the RDA of the B vitamins, one-tenth the RDA of vitamin C, and about one-third the RDA of vitamin E. As pointed out earlier, these sea vegetables also contain chelating agents that are effective for protection against the absorption of radioactive particles.
KELP
Kelp absorbs from seawater almost all the nutrients, minerals, and trace elements that are essential to life. |
Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph. D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
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| Researchers today have found that vitamin a slows the progression of retinitis pigmentosa.
COLOR-VISION CHANGES
Among "acid freaks" and others who use hallucinogens, seeing things morph into weird colors is a fairly common, not to mention much sought-after, experience. But if you're not into drugs, seeing abnormally colored objects—medically known as chromatopsia—can be an early warning sign of diabetic eye disease. Even slight fluctuations in blood sugar levels can very quickly produce these vision changes. |
H. Winter Griffith, M.D.
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 Vitamin A
Recommended dose of vitamin E—
Increased benefit and decreased toxicity of vitamin a.
Excess dose of vitamin E—Vitamin A depletion.
POSSIBLE INTERACTION WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES
INTERACTS WITH COMBINED EFFECT
Alcohol:
None expected.
Beverages:
None expected.
Cocaine:
None expected.
Foods:
None expected.
Marijuana:
None expected.
Tobacco:
None expected.
GENERIC AND BRAND NAMES
MENADIOL Synkayvite
PHYTON ADION E Mephyton
BASIC INFORMATION
Habit forming? No Prescription needed? No Available as generic? Yes Drug class: Vitamin supplement
• Dietary supplement. |
Ann N. Martin
See book keywords and concepts |
 Grains will not provide the cat with sufficient amounts of taurine, arachidonic acid, vitamin a or vitamin B-12.
Toxic Substances in Grain
The contamination of grains used in pet food, particularly mycotoxins, can be deadly. Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by fungi in moldy grains and they are found in rye, corn, barley, oats, wheat, peanuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, and walnuts. More than three hundred types of mycotoxins exist worldwide.
The most common mycotoxins, anatoxins Bl, are known carcinogens in laboratory animals and presumably in our pets. |
Elaine Magee
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 The survey showed that almost a third of us get too little vitamin C, almost half get too little vitamin a, more than half get too little magnesium, and 92 to 97 percent get too little fiber and potassium. I'm doing the math here, and that means only 8 percent of us are getting enough fiber and potassium! According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, these particular nutrients are important because they help lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
What's the easiest way to correct this nutrient shortage? Two words: whole foods. |
| Dairy products sport a team of players that are all important for healthy bones (calcium, vitamin D, protein, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin a, vitamin B6, and trace elements like zinc). This is our first clue that there's synergy in dairy. Our second clue comes with research showing weight loss and maintenance benefits, too. Most of the health benefits described below suggest there is some synergy involved. It's not just about calcium anymore.
Consider the calcium and protein dynamic. Most dairy foods have pretty impressive levels of two nutritional components many of us are lacking? |
James Dowd and Diane Stafford
See book keywords and concepts |
| Stay away from too much vitamin a when you are supplementing with vitamin D.
43
GEORGIA'S STORY
The way the Vitamin D Cure solves problems is abundantly clear in many people, and one great example that comes to mind is Georgia, a fifty-seven-year-old woman I first saw five years ago in my office at the Arthritis Institute of Michigan. At the time she was suffering from numerous health problems, including a history of migraine headaches, which had backed off somewhat since she'd gone through menopause. |
Dan Buettner
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 The Blue Zone's rocky,
GOAT'S MILK
When compared to cows milk goats milk delivers a powerful nutritional pun ch: One glass contains 13 percent more calcium, 25 percent more vitamin B6, 47 percent more vitamin a, 134 percent more potassium, and 3 times more niacin. Results of a 2007 University of Granada study found that it may also be better at preventing iron deficiencies and mineral losses in bones. sun-beaten terrain, cut by deep valleys, was not suited for large-scale farming. So over the centuries, shepherding offered the best profession. |
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