Guide to Vitamins, Part 3

VITAMIN	PRIMARY	FOOD	DEFICIENCY
	FUNCTION	SOURCES	SYMPTOMS
C
(Ascorbic Acid)	Forms collagen to hold	brussels sprouts,	weakness, fatigue,
	body cells together.	strawberries,	loss of appetite,
	Helps maintain bones	oranges, broccoli,	weight loss, irrita-
	& teeth, heal wounds,	green peppers,	bility, slow growth,
	absorb iron and aids	grapefruit, collard	increased risk of
	resistance to infection.	greens, cauliflower	infection, swollen,
	Prevents destruction	cantaloupe,	inflamed & bleeding
	on B vitamins through	tangerines,	gums, swollen &
	oxidation.	tomatoes,	aching joints, easy
		asparagus, cabbage	bruising, nosebleeds,
			delayed wound
			healing
D	Increases absorption	fortified mlk, egg	poor bone & tooth
	of calcium and	yolks, organ meats,	formation, bowed
	phosphorus. Assists	fortified breakfast	legs, stunted
	in several phases of	cereals. Sunlight	growth, muscle
	calcium & phosphorus		weakness, softening
	metabolism, aiding in		of bones, pain in
	bone & tooth develop-		pelvis, back, legs;
	ment.		easily broken bones,
			muscle twitching &
			spasms
E	Protects essential fatty	plant oils (used in	red blood cell
	acids & vitamin A from	margarine & salad	breakage & muscle
	oxidation. Protects cell	dressings), wheat	weakness.
	membranes. Protects	germ, green leafy
	red blood cells. Helps	vegetables, nuts,
	cells use oxygen to	whole grains, liver,
	yield energy	egg yolks, legumes,
		fruits, other
		vegetables
K	Aids in formation of	green leafy	tendency to
	blood clotting proteins.	vegetables,	hemmorhage,
	Aids in regulation of	cabbage-family	delayed blood
	blood calcium	vegetables, liver,	clotting
		egg yolks, milk

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com

Guide to Vitamins, Part 2

VITAMIN	PRIMARY	FOOD	DEFICIENCY
	FUNCTIONS	SOURCES	SYMPTOMS
B6	Aids in metabolism of	nuts, legumes, whole	dermatitis, cracks at
(Pyridoxine)	protein and carbohydrates.	grains, fish, poultry,	corners of mouth,
	Assists in formation of red	corn, bananas, lean	smooth tongue, irri-
	blood cells and antibodies.	meat, liver	tability, depression,
	Involved in sodium		convulsions, anemia,
	potassium balance.		dizziness
B12	Aids in formation of red	dairy products, fish,	anemia, numbness
(Cyano-	blood cells. Maintains	shellfish, egg yolks,	and tingling in fingers,
cobalamin)	healthy nervous system.	lean meats	degeneration of
	Aids metabolism of protein		peripheral nerves,
	fat, and carbohydrates.		brain, and spinal cord,
	Essential for normal growth		fatigue, poor growth
	and development.
Foilc Acid	Aids in formation of	dark, green leafy	anemia, red, swollen
(Folacin,	hemoglobin in red blood	vegetables, lima	smooth tongue;
Folate)	cells. Assists in formation	beans, asparagus	diarrhea; poor
	of enzymes and other	while grains, nuts,	growth
	body cells.	legumes, liver
Pantothenic	Helps in the metabolism	all plant and animal	fatigue, tingling in
Acid	of protein, fat, and	foods but best are	hands and feet,
	carbohydrates.  Involved	whole grains, fresh	severe abdominal
	In formation of hormones	vegetables, egg	cramps, nausea,
	and nerve-regulating	yolks	difficulty sleeping.
	substances.

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com

Guide to Vitamins, Part 1

In this week’s topic and the next few ones, we will enumerate different vitamins needed by our bodies, functions, sources, and deficiency symptoms.

VITAMIN	PRIMARY	FOOD	DEFICIENCY
	FUNCTION	SOURCES	SYMPTOMS
A	for healthy skin, hair	dark green vegetables,	night blindness
	and mucous membrane,	deep yellow fruits such	dry, rough skin;
	normal vision, proper	as apricots, peaches,	susceptibility to
	tooth and bone	cantaloupe, carrots,	infection; dry
	development and	sweet potatoes, pumpkin	eyes; stunted
	resistance to infection	squash, liver, eggs, dairy	bone growth;
			poor tooth enamel
B1	release of energy from	green peas, legumes	loss of appetite
(Thiamine)	food, appetite regulation,	collard greens, oranges	fatigue, mental
	growth & muscle tone,	asparagus, whole grains,	confusion,
	proper function of heart	lean meat, oysters	moodiness,
	& nervous system		irritability,
			forgetfulness,
			muscle weakness,
			leg cramps,
			enlarged heart
B2	helps cells use oxygen,	milk & dairy products	skin disorders, esp.
(Riboflavin)	important in metabolism	dark green vegetables	cracks at corners
	of protein, fat, &	whole grains, legumes	of mouth; dermatitis
	carbohydrates, helps	sardines, eggs, tuna	hypersentivity to
	keep skin, & mucous	oysters, lean meat,	light, reddening of
	membranes healthy	chicken	cornea; digestive
			disturbances
B3	participates in metabolism	nuts, legumes, dark green	skin disorders, esp.
(Niacin)	of protein, fat and	vegetables, whole grains,	on parts exposed to
	carbohydrates; helps cells	lean meat, fish, poultry	sun; red, swollen
	use oxygen; promotes		tongue; indigestion,
	healthy skin, nerves, and		diarrhea, mental
	digestive tract		disorders, depression
			anxiety, confusion

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease, also known as the shaking palsy, is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system.  This disease results from the death of the dopamine-generating cells of the mid-brain.

Symptoms include:

• slow or stiff movement
• stooped posture
• shuffling or dragging the feet
• monotone voice
• blinking less frequently than normal
• lack of spontaneity in facial expression
• difficulty in adjusting positions
• dementia (in advanced stages)

Medications to increase the dopamine level are usually prescribed by doctors.  Other treatments include warm bath and massages. Here are some other helpful hints:

• Take care to maintain a safe home environment. 
• Simplify tasks.
• Include high-fiber foods in the diet (to add bulk) and drink lots of fluids, to prevent constipation.
• Get expert physical therapy.
• Remain as active as possible.
• Get professional help to relieve depression, if necessary.

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com