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Vitamin Dictionary

Vitamin A and Beta Carotene (Retinol, Carotene)

What it is:
Vitamin A is the anti-infection vitamin. Fat soluble, this first of the vitamin alphabet is a product of plant and animal life. It needs fats and minerals to be adequately absorbed into the body.

Where to find it:
Apricots, cantaloupes, broccoli, carrots, eggs, fish-liver oil, sweet potatoes, dark green vegetables, yellow squash, mi1k, butter, cheese, and yogurt contain substantial quantities of vitamin A.

What it does for you:

• It is crucial for the proper utilization of protein.
• Stored in the liver, it helps purify the bloodstream.
• It helps maintain healthy skin and is used in the treatment of acne.
• It prevents night blindness and is prescribed for eye disorders.
• It protects the body from bacterial and viral infections.
• It keeps skin and tissues healthy.
• It is thought to be of value in retarding cancer growth.
• It helps to maintain healthy thyroid balance.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With):
Niacin, C, D, E, pantothenic acid, zinc

Negative Interactions:
Alcohol, coffee, cortisone, mineral oil, nitrates 

Results of Deficiencies:
Eye problems; night blindness; chronic infections.

• Builds strong bones and teeth.

• Protects against virus infections such as the common cold.

• May be stored in the liver and skin.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With):
Vitamin A, C, calcium, phosphorus

Negative Interactions:
Mineral oil  

Results of Deficiencies:
Skeletal malformations; retarded growth in children; softening of bones and teeth in adults.

• Enhances muscle functioning.

• Improves circulation.

• Guards against clotting.

• Heightens sexual activity.

• Lessens fatigue.

• Guards against heart attack.

• Beneficial effects in the premature newborn infant.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With):
Vitamin C, B12, manganese, selenium

Negative Interactions:
Air pollution, mineral oil, birth control pills

Results of Deficiencies:
Coronary thrombosis; fatigue; blood clotting; oxygen-starved cells with a propensity toward cancer.

Negative Interactions:
Aspirin, antibiotics, mineral oil, rancid fat, X ray therapy

What it is:
Thiamin was the first B vitamin to be discovered. It is found mostly in plant life and is water soluble.

Where to find it:
Whole-grain cereals and breads, wheat germ, dried yeast, milk, oatmeal, fresh pork, vegetables, soybeans, and peanuts all are rich sources of B1.

What It does for you:

• Promotes a healthy nervous system.
• Fosters a healthy mental outlook.
• Retards motion sickness.
• Can improve learning.
• Necessary for growth and appetite.
• Aids in the functioning of the digestive tract.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With):
B-complex, B12, and C

Negative Interactions:
Alcohol, coffee, excessive sugar, tobacco. Physical and mental stress depletes this nutrient

Result of Deficiencies:
Stunted growth; nervousness

What it is:
Riboflavin provides biochemical reactions necessary for the cells to live. It is water soluble and must be ingested daily.

Where to find it:
Brewer's yeast, chicken liver, fish, mi1k, cheese, eggs, beans, nuts, green leafy vegetables, plums, and prunes offer the body riboflavin.

What it does for you:

• Helps to convert protein into energy.
• With vitamin A, it maintains mucous membranes lining the respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and excretory tracts.
• Fosters health in the nervous system, skin and eyes.
• Helps to control the development of the fetus.
• Can be stored in the heart, kidney, and liver tissues.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With): 
Vitamin A, niacin, B-complex, B1.

Negative Interactions:
Alcohol, coffee, sugar, tobacco. Physical and mental stress depletes this nutrient.

Results of Deficiencies:
Can lead to personality disorders; fatigue, loss of appetite, upset stomach, anxiety, hypertension, and lesions of the lips, mouth, eyes, skin, and genitals.

• Assists in the digestion of fats and the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients.
• Can reduce levels of cholesterol and triglycerides associated with heart and circulatory diseases.
• Help to prevent senility.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With):
B-complex, B1, B2 B6, tryptophan.

Negative Interactions:
Alcohol, coffee, sugar, antibiotics. Physical and mental stress depletes this nutrient.

Results of Deficiencies:
Pellagra, a depletion disease resulting in a skin rash, dementia, and severe diarrhea; irritability, headaches, loss of memory, appetite suppression; observed frequently among alcoholics, diabetics, cancer victims, and sufferers from chronic diarrhea.

Negative Interactions:
Alcohol, coffee. Physical and mental stress depletes this nutrient.

• Necessary for the metabolism of proteins and fats.

• Governs the formation and function of niacin, red blood cells, bile salts, and numerous hormones, including those involved with growth, human sexuality, and skeletal structure.

• Helps to prevent dental decay by maintaining teeth and facial bones.

• Maintains the chemical balance of body fluids and regulates excretion of water, energy production, and resistance to stress.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With):
Vitamin C, biotin, pantothenic acid niacin, magnesium.

Negative Interactions:
Alcohol, coffee, tobacco, birth control pills. Physical and mental stress depletes this nutrient.

Results of Deficiencies:
Sores of the skin, lips, and tongue; anemia, convulsions, white blood-cell dysfunctions and hypertensive symptoms; blood disorders and mental retardation commonly occur as effects of prenatal deprivation.

• It regulates the formation of red blood cells and genetic materials.

• Maintains the health of nerve-cell membranes, tissue membranes, the intestinal tract, bone marrow, and growth hormones.

• Is entirely excreted from the body within six days.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With):
Folic acid, a, B1 B6, niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid.

Negative Interactions:
Alcohol, coffee, tobacco, calcium deficiency.  

Results of Deficiencies:
Pernicious anemia, blood weakness, paralysis, and blindness; vegetarians who eat no meat, milk, or eggs are especially vulnerable to this anemia; degeneration of the nerves and spinal cord; memory loss, paranoia and fluctuations in mood.

• Maintains the nervous system, intestinal tract, sex organs, white blood cells, and normal patterns of growth.

• A natural analgesic or painkiller.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With):
Vitamin C, B6, B12, niacin

Negative Interactions:
Alcohol, oral contraceptives, tobacco, sulfa drugs. Physical and mental stress depletes this nutrient.  

Results of Deficiencies:
Pernicious anemia; disruption of cell and tissue functions; the use of oral contraceptives increase the need for the vitamin.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With):
Vitamin A, B-complex, inositol, folic acid.

Negative Interactions:
Alcohol, coffee, sugar.

Negative Interactions:
Alcohol, coffee  

What it is:
Vitamin C strengthens blood vessels and helps hold the body's cells together.

Where to find it:
Cantaloupes, cherries, citrus fruits (whole are best,) tomatoes, parsley, green peppers, cabbage, guava, broccoli, brussel sprouts, strawberries, and potatoes are the chief sources of vitamin C.

What it does for you:

• Protects other vitamins and body tissues from injury caused by poisons and pollution.

• Promotes healing of surgical wounds and helps to alleviate surgical shock.

• Helps the body to absorb iron.

• Helps the body to form bones, teeth, and cartilage.

• Assists the adrenal glands and ovaries to produce various hormones.

• Regulates normal body growth, heals wounds, and eases bodily stress.

• Stimulates the production of infection-fighting white blood cells.

• There is growing evidence that C may help to prevent stomach cancer.

• Increases resistance to viral and bacterial infections as well as to other infectious diseases.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With):
Vitamin A, B6, pantothenic acid, zinc.

Negative Interactions:
Antibiotics, aspirin, stress cortisone. Physical and mental stress depletes this nutrient. 

Results of Deficiencies:
Easy bruising, hemorrhaging, and tissue swelling (edema). Such enervation undermines dental strength and invites bacterial infection; lethargy and general malaise; frequent virus infections with complications following even the common cold.

Synergistic Nutrients (Works With):
Vitamin A, B2, B6, niacin

Negative Interactions:
Alcohol, coffee, raw egg white, antibiotics.

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