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About Nutrient Basics |
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Benefits of Vitamin C |
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Vitamin C prevents many a debilitating diseases and increases the body immunity. This vitamin can be taken with or without food. Other than through medical supplements, some of the excellent sources of vitamin C include parsley, broccoli, bell pepper, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, and brussels sprouts. Scientific researches have shown that there are no known advantages in consuming excessive amounts of vitamin C. Some of the more common signs of mild vitamin C deficiency include weakness, lassitude, swollen gums, nosebleeds and scurvy. Possible reasons which can result in this deficiency include inadequate diet, alcoholism and... |
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Vitamin K, An Arthritis Preventative Home Remedy |
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Most all of us will have to deal with arthritis joint pain - joint inflammation and deterioration of cartilage - at some time. Arthritis occurs in the knees, elbow, fingers, and any where there is a bone joint. Where it occurs in your body will be determined by genetics, diet, and repetitive use of the joint. As with most illness or body conditions there is always a home remedy that can help reduce, eliminate or even cure the condition. There are many natural cures for arthritis and many home remedies. Here is one natural substance that reduces the severity of arthritis and provides a more natural balance and function of bone and chemicals at the bone joint - vitamin k. Vitamin k also... |
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Vitamins And Smoking Cessation |
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If you have recently quit smoking, or if you are getting ready to embark on a smoking cessation program – congratulations! You have taken the first steps to improved health and a longer, happier life. Years of smoking can take quite a toll on your physiology and appearance. Among other things, excessive smoking causes the production of harmful free radicals in the body. But it is possible to reverse some of this damage, and vitamins play a big part in the healing process. Antioxidants found in many vitamin compounds can eliminate free radical activity and restore your body to a healthy state. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that everyone needs to stay healthy, but smokers have a special need... |
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Vitamins for Smokers
Author:
Yogi Rele
Numerous studies and surveys have consistently shown that a majority of adults frequently eat foods that contain too little vitamin B-6 and vitamin E. We consume far too many calories, and too much total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Women frequently eat too little folic acid, iron, calcium, and zinc. This is why it is so important to take a multi-vitamin daily. The basic nutritional needs of men and women who smoke are similar to those who don’t use tobacco. However, conclusive evidence exists that smokers need much more antioxidant nutrients than non-smokers. Essentially, smokers need antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid), and vitamin E. It was once believed that beta-carotene was an attribute for non-smokers, but recent clinical studies have found that beta-carotene can actually be harmful to smokers’ health. Beta-carotene can be found in most multi-vitamins and an excess of beta-carotene is risky for good nutritional health. If you are a smoker and going to take a multi-vitamin, be sure it doesn’t list beta-carotene as one of the ingredients. Too many smokers have inadequate intakes of antioxidants. Smokers are reported to consume lower quantities of antioxidant nutrients than nonsmokers. Antioxidant nutrients have protective roles with regard to cancer, heart disease, cataract formation, cognitive (mind) dysfunction, and other diseases. Researches believe there is a balance between antioxidant protectors and components that promote oxidation in the body. This balance seems to be related to health or disease. Some components of cigarette smoke promote oxidation that provides high levels of oxidant stress. Free radicals, which also promote oxidation, are derived from tobacco. Cigarette smoke has been estimated to contain 1,000,000,000,000,000 free radicals per inhalation. These free radicals can oxidize the fat components of the body and this is quite harmful. For instance, cigarette smokers have lower vitamin C (natural antioxidant) intakes and plasma vitamin C levels than nonsmokers. The incidence of cancer, heart disease, and cataracts is lower in populations that have high intakes of fruits or leafy green vegetables, all replete with vitamin C. Smokers who ate foods containing more than 200 mg vitamin C daily had serum vitamin C levels equivalent to those of nonsmokers who consumed 60 mg or more of the vitamin, according to a recent national survey. The most recent edition of the Recommended Dietary Allowances recommends that regular cigarette smokers take in at least 100 mg of vitamin C daily. Smokers have been found to have higher levels of vitamin C in the lung tissues than nonsmokers. This clearly reflects a positive defense mechanism against the free radical species from cigarette smoke. Studies have found that smokers have a 30 percent lower vitamin C level than nonsmokers. Researchers believe that nicotine may interfere with vitamin C absorption. Nicotine boosts metabolic rate, therefore increasing the rate that vitamin C is metabolized. Individuals who smoke need 100 milligrams of vitamin C (versus 60 milligrams for nonsmokers) every day. The body’s most effective antioxidant is vitamin E. Smokers have been found to have lower levels of plasma vitamin E than nonsmokers. Smokers seeking nutritional supplementation should look for a multi-vitamin that contains at least all of the following: Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Niacin, Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), Zinc Picolinate, Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), and the antioxidant Co-Q10. Some supplements add Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Powder, Inositol, Rutin, Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex, Choline Bitartrate and PABA. If you smoke, or live with someone who smokes, it is important that you make the right choices to safeguard you health against the risks associated with smoking. One of the most important decisions you can make is choosing the right multi-vitamin. It’s a fact that smoking depletes the body of important nutrients. It’s also a fact that one nutrient, beta-carotene, has been found in clinical studies to adversely effect smokers’ health. Beta-carotene, a form of Vitamin A, can be found in most multi-vitamins. Link to: Betacarotene info www.lungUSA.org Information on quitting Information on Quitting and Preventing Smoking from the National Cancer Institute Available Smoker's multi-vitamin products
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Nutrient Basics |
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A Quick Note
From The Publisher...
If you like the article above, you may be
interested in the following article which is also related to Nutrient Basics...
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Does Your Body Need Vitamins? |
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Why bother taking vitamins at all? Our forefathers survived just fine without multi vitamin packs, why can't we? The answer to that question is easy, go look in your cupboards. Our forefathers ate a lot better than we do. High processed, homogenized, pasteurized, canned and prepackaged fast food means less chance of natural occurring vitamins surviving for any length of time. While some of us pick our own fruit and grow our own vegetables, most of the country chooses to rely on packaged, store bought fruits and veggies. These aren't as healthy as they look, either. The longer the apples and tomatoes are off the vine, the faster they begin to lose their nutritional value, losing vitamins during processing and shipping. Your body needs vitamins to boost your immune system, ward off colds and other viruses, and even keep you even tempered, so to speak. Did you know with a vitamin deficiency that you are less likely to clot when you cut yourself? Vitamins play a much bigger part then we think, and the average diet does not include all the vitamins necessary to keep the body in top shape. A good multi-vitamin is your best choice, but here again you can be misled into believing that 100% of the USDA recommended dosage is good enough. They mean 100% total, not 100% of each vitamin necessary. Think about it, they can't possibly pack the right amount of every kind of vitamin that you need into one pill a day, and most multi vitamins sold in your local grocery store are cut with fillers and preservatives. Nope, you'll have to visit your local food co op and get some natural, all inclusive vitamin supplements. Along with eating well, these supplements contain everything you need for balanced vitamin intake, with none of the fillers and... |
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