Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Vitamin A Each Day Is An Essential Part Of Reaching Your Health Goals

Recent government surveys have found that most people do not consume enough Vitamin A in their daily diets. This is unfortunate, because Vitamin A is essential to good health. In fact, serious health problems can result from long-term, serious Vitamin A deficiencies.

Vitamin A is important from the very beginning of life. Pregnant women must be sure to consume sufficient amounts of Vitamin A, which will be more than they needed before pregnancy, because Vitamin A plays a great role in the proper physical development of a baby. It helps to promote proper cell differentiation, which is the specialization of cells upon division to take over certain tasks, meaning that cells for the heart take on their characteristics, those for the liver take on theirs, those for the brain take on their own characteristics and functions, and so on.

Vitamin A also serves in bone growth and development, as well as in the general growth and development of the body.

Vitamin A has a significant part in the quality and functioning of the body’s immune system. One facet of this functioning has to do with the skin and body’s mucus membranes. The skin and mucus membranes serve a very practical purpose for the body.

These operate as barriers against bacteria and viruses, protecting against infection and disease. Vitamin A helps to keep the skin and mucus membranes healthy and able to serve their primary purpose.

As we’ve all heard through the years, carrots are good for the eyes. That is because they are a good source of Vitamin A, which is essential to vision. In fact, a serious deficiency in Vitamin A can result in blindness. Many children living in poverty in developing nations throughout the world have become blind simply because of the lack of Vitamin A in their diets.

Vitamin A also serves to keep the surface linings of the intestinal, urinary and respiratory tracts healthy. This offers protection from bacteria, as well has promotes proper functioning.

One of the more common units of measure for Vitamin A found on packaging labels of food and dietary supplements is the International Unit, or IU. Adult and teenaged males should be sure to consume at total of 3,000 IU of Vitamin A per day.

Adult women and teenaged females should have 2,310 IU per day, 2,565 IU per day if pregnant and 4,300 IU per day if breastfeeding. For children ages 9 through 13, 2,000 IU is the recommended daily intake, with 1,320 IU being sufficient for those aged 4 through 8. From the first year through age 3, 1,000 IU is recommended.

Using dietary supplements to complete a healthy diet can ensure that the body receives the nutrients it needs for optimum performance. However, it is important to heed label and doctor recommendations for the best amount to be taken for your dietary needs.

Proper nutrition is essential to achieving and maintaining health. It is much better to avoid sickness than to recover from it. Taking steps to ensure that you are getting enough Vitamin A each day is an essential part of reaching your health goals.

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Monday, June 19, 2006

Vitamin D Is A Nutrient That Is Essential To Bone Strength And Health

Vitamin D is a nutrient that works in partnership with several other vitamins and minerals to keep the body health and strong. However, it should be noted that of the essential vitamins, Vitamin D is among the most difficult to obtain the daily requirement through naturally occurring sources.

Most of those concerned with making sure that they consume enough Vitamin D rely upon Vitamin D fortified foods and dietary supplements to achieve sufficient daily intake.

Especially important in bone heath and strength, Vitamin D helps to ensure calcium absorption. It can increase calcium absorption by 30% to 80%. Rickets and other diseases that cause the bones to be weak, misshapen or brittle are a great risk for those who consistently do not meet the daily intake requirements of Vitamin D.

Recent scientific research has found that Vitamin D, in addition to being beneficial to the immune system, plays a significant role in cell growth and differentiation, meaning the cells take on the specialized characteristics necessary to perform tasks in specific parts of the body.

In order to have a sufficient intake of Vitamin D, adults older than 70 should have 600 International Units, or IU, per day and those from 51 years of age to 70 should have 400 IU each day. People from 14 years of age through to 50 years should have 200 IU daily, and children should also have a daily Vitamin D intake of 200 IU.

Sunlight plays a role in making Vitamin D useful for the body, and is one the more important natural ways of helping to obtain the daily intake requirement of this important nutrient. As lifestyles have changed through the years, people are not getting the same degree of sun exposure today as they have in the past. In addition, in certain geographic regions, sun exposure is reduced for a good part of the year due to winter weather conditions.

That means that there is a significant portion of the population that is at risk of failing to meet the daily requirement levels of Vitamin D. For example, those who live in the northeast, those who work inside, and those who may be older and have health problems that keep them inside more than they were when more active may suffer deficiencies.

People who have a high melanin level, those with darker skin tones, may also not be getting enough Vitamin D, for the melanin that offers certain protections also interferes with Vitamin D production. For these groups especially, Vitamin D supplements should be seriously considered. Simple and safe, it is a good option.

Breastfed babies also may suffer from Vitamin D deficiency. However, with the nearly immeasurable benefits of breastfeeding, a simple oral supplement prescribed by a health care professional is the very best option.

Vitamin D is a nutrient that is essential to bone strength and health. Changing lifestyles and geographic location, in addition to other natural factors, can make it difficult to obtain the most effective daily intake requirements for many people. Using a safe and simple dietary supplement containing Vitamin D can be an important part of maintaining your health.

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Friday, June 09, 2006

Vitamin E Has An Important Role

Vitamin E has long been known to have an important role in the all over health of the body. Some studies have associated sufficient intake levels with the prevention of many serious health problems, and research still continues to delve into the many effects of this important nutrient.

One thing that researchers do know for sure, according to recent studies published by the United States Department of Agriculture, most people do not consume the daily requirement of this important vitamin.

Vitamin E protects Vitamin A in the body, allowing it to perform its essential functions. Furthermore, Vitamin E is also one of the anti-oxidants that serve to protect the cells of the body from the damaging free radicals, which are waste products from the making of energy.

Uncontrolled free radicals are thought to contribute to a variety of serious diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Vitamin E is also thought to have a role in DNA repair and in the body’s natural immune system.

It is important to note here that vitamins, minerals and other nutrients play important roles in the body at the correct levels of intake, meaning that more is not always better. Mega-dosing is something that should always be discussed with a physician, not a salesperson.

Supplements can play a vital role in making sure that the body receives the nutrients it needs to be healthy and strong, as well as in the protection of the body from the numerous diseases and health problems associated with the failure to consume the proper daily intake levels of important vitamins and minerals. But, like any other medicine, using supplements inappropriately can be dangerous.

As many people pay attention to reducing fats in their diets, they may unwittingly be reducing their daily intake of Vitamin E, as Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils and nuts, as it is in dark, leafy green vegetables. Maintaining optimum levels of health means that we must be honest with ourselves.

We know that there are certain foods we should eat – such as fresh vegetables and fruits. But, often we do not, pressed by time or simple through a lack of desire, many of us simply do not consume near enough of these important foods. In these circumstances, supplements may be the best choice to ensure that the body gets what it needs to be strong and healthy.

There are many types of supplements on the market. Understanding what you are looking for will help you to make the best decision about which supplement is best for your individual dietary needs.

Vitamin E supplements primarily come in two general types, natural and pharmaceutical. The natural is usually listed on the label as alpha-tocopheryl acetate D-form, while the man-made type is listed as D,L. The man-made version is half as effective as the natural compound.

Dietary supplements are powerful agents, valuable tools in guarding the health of the body and can offer significant protection against illness and disease. These powerful tools should be used with care and attention. Supplementing the diet with Vitamin E can play an important role in your daily health routine, when used correctly, at the levels most suited to your individual dietary and health needs.

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Monday, June 05, 2006

Why Vitamin C Is Important

There’s been a great deal of research concerning the many ways in which Vitamin C is beneficial to health. Also known as ascorbic acid, this nutrient serves the body in a variety of ways. In addition to the long established means of helping to maintain health, there’s a great deal of research indicating its value in helping the body overcome serious illness and disease. Some studies indicate a good potential for the possibility that Vitamin C can even help prevent some diseases.

What we definitely know about vitamin C is that it is an essential part of the creation of collagen in the body. Collagen is particularly import to the connective tissues of the body and is the scar of healed wounds is made of.

We also know that it helps to keep the gums healthy and the teeth tight. It also promotes healthy cell growth and development, as well as helps the body to use the iron and calcium it takes in. Vitamin C plays an important role in the healing of wounds and the rebuilding of tissues, helps to keep tiny capillaries functioning the way that they should, and also serves to prevent dangerous blood clots.

From the many scientific studies through the years, Vitamin C has come to be associated with many other health benefits. These include such things as strengthening the body’s immune system, helping to fight infection, playing a role in the reduction of cholesterol and high blood pressure, and having a part in the prevention of arteriosclerosis.

Furthermore, Vitamin C has been associated with helping to prevent cataracts, cardiovascular diseases and even certain types of cancer. Research continues into these intriguing areas of study.

A lack of Vitamin C has been known for many years to be the cause of the disease scurvy. Early signs of scurvy include red bumps around hair follicles, easy bruising, joint pain and a general feeling of weakness and fatigue. As the disease progresses, small open sores begin to appear on the body and in the mouth. The teeth loosen and gum tissue bleeds. Other ways in which a deficiency of Vitamin C can affect the health of the body include poor digestion, water retention, frequent colds, and low energy levels.

While the minimum standard of Vitamin C daily intake is 60 micrograms or mg, most recommend consuming significantly more than that. The minimum requirement offers protection against the worst symptoms of Vitamin C deficiency, with most of the positive effects coming from intake levels of 200 to 500 mgs daily. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and thus, passes out of the body with urine. That means it must be replaced daily.

Many people find that using Vitamin C supplements is a safe and convenient means of making sure that the daily Vitamin C intake goals are met. Your desired daily intake of Vitamin C will depend of what you are hoping to achieve with your intake, i.e. helping to reduce cholesterol or high blood pressure, helping in collagen production, or building up your immune system. Seeing your health care professional is a good way to determine the best and most beneficial daily intake level for you.

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