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The need for a
properly balanced diet to main good health continues throughout your entire
life! A well-balanced diet includes foods that contain vitamins, which are
essential and vital for good health. However, many Americans just do not eat a
well-balanced diet. In addition, with today's fast foods and the processing of
them, you can be robbed of the vitamins you think you are getting from foods
you eat. If you're concerned about your diet and the healthful vitamins you
may not be getting, then you should consider vitamin supplements to safeguard
your health. Think of vitamin tablet or capsule as nutritional insurance to a
healthful life.
Vitamin A:
Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning that it requires fats or oils for
your body to absorb it. Excess amounts are usually stored in the liver.
Vitamin A is needed
for healthy hair, skin and bones. Vitamin A works together with vitamins D, B,
E, zinc, phosphorus and calcium. Vitamin A is an essential vitamin that the
body needs to stay healthy.
Vitamin B-1
(Thiamine): Vitamin B-1 is water soluble (needs water for absorption). It
turns carbohydrates into energy and is known to be beneficial to the nervous
system and positive mental attitude.B-1 aids digestion and promotes growth.
Cooking vegetables, drinking alcohol, in taking caffeine, and even antacids can
destroy this essential vitamin.
Vitamin B-2
(Riboflavin): This easily absorbed water soluble vitamin is needed for tissue
repair and healthy skin, and turns fats, proteins and carbohydrates into
usable energy. It also helps the body use oxygen and aids in the formation of
healthy antibodies and red blood cells. Also essential.
Nicain/Niacinamide:
Water soluble Niacin works to convert fats, proteins and carbohydrates into
energy. It's important to the brain's functions, and in promoting healthy
skin, nervous and digestive systems. Essential to human nutrition.
Vitamin
B-6: Also known as Pyridoxine, this water soluble vitamin is needed to
help keep teeth, gums, blood cells and our nervous stysem funtioning helthily.
B-6 plays an important role in converting fats, proteins and carbohydrates
into usable energy for your body. B-6 is an essential B-Vtiamin that the human
body needs to stay in a healthy state. It can help protect the body in helping
to form antibodies. B-6 also plays a role in the body's potassium and sodium
balance.
Biotin:
Water soluble Biotin helps keep your skin and circulatory system in a
healthful state. It is also needed to break down fats and proteins. Biotin
plays a role in maintaing healthy hair. It's essential to human nutrition and
helps other B-Vitamins work better. Your skin depends on Biotin to stay
healthy.
Vitamin B-12:
Vitamin B-12 also known as the "red vitamin", helps play a role in building
rich blood and in the development of your body's red blood cell growth. B-12
also helps your nervous system function properly. B-12 works to convert fat,
protein, and carbohydrates into energy. This essential vitamin to human
nutrition is said to play a role in concentration, balance and memory.
Vitamin C:
Vitamin C, "the protector vitamin" is essential in protecting cells and
fighting tissue damage. It is important in helping your body resist infection.
It also helps in healing, and is needed for healthy teeth and gums.
Vitamin D:
This fat soluble vitamin is also known as the "sunshine vitamin". It helps
maintain strong bones and teeth by increasing the absorption of calcium and
phosphorus. Vitamin D is actually acquired from the sun or through the diet.
This vitamin works as a partner with Vtiamin A. Vitamin D is needed for
healthy bones and teeth. Children need it for proper growth. It also works
with Vitamin C. The body's nervous system, heart and blood depend on the
"sunshine vitamin".
Vitamin E:
Vitamin E heps promote healthy circulation, promotes red blood cells and is
beleived to act as a protector against environmental pollutants. There are two
forms of vtiamin E known as Natural E (d-alpha) and man-made E (called
dl-alpha) Although man-made Vitamin E is less expensive to create, the natural
form of the vitamin appears to remain in the body longer. Vitamin E is a fat
soluble vitamin which means the body can store it. This vitamin is essential
to our health. It protects red blood cells and is important to the skin, our
reproductive organs and muscles. Birth control, mineral oil, alcohol, air
pollution and chlorinated drinking water can possibly deplete Vitamin E in the
body.
Folic Acid:
Folic acid is important in red blood cell formation and aids in the convertin
goproteins into energy. It is necessary for the growth and division of body
cells. It is considered essential.
Inositol:
Inositol is a B-Factor in the B-Vitamin family. Inositol aids in fat breakdown
and offers nourishment to brain cells and metabolizes fats and cholesterol.
Vitamin K:
This fat soluble vitamin is essential for the proper clotting of blood.
Vitmain K is found in yogurt, alfalfa, egg yolk and leafy green vegetables. It
is essential for the formation of the blood clotting substance in our blood so
internal bleeding and hemorrhages can be controlled naturally.
PABA (Para-Aminobenzoic
Acid): Water soluble PABA is important in the breakdwon of protein. It has
important sunscreening properties and helps keep the skin healthy and smooth.
PABA is a factor in helping to form folic acid. PABA is used in sun protection
lotions to help reduce and protect you from sunburn.
Pantothenic
Acid: This essential B-Vitamin converts fats, carbohydrates and
proteins into usable energy. Our body's adrenal glands and digestive system
depend on it. It also helps in cell building and maintaining normal growth. It
is believed to be a factor in helping the body fight physical stress.
MINERALS:
Did you know that just about all the minerals found in nature are found in our
bodies? That's why it's important to make sure we get a constant supply.
Minerals are vital to human life. Without them, the body could not function in
a healthful state. Minerals are inorganic substances that hte body cannot
make. Minerals often work in partnership with vitamins in helping vitamins get
to where they are needed faster. Vitamins also do the same for minerals. Even
though minerals make up a small part of the body's actual weight, they are
essential to life. Minerals are important for protecting our cells and in
helping to keep bones, teeth and skin in a healthy state. Minerals also play
important roles in blood pressure, heart regulation, wound health, and muscle
functions. Alcohol, smoking, the cooking of vegetables, meats, etc. and
processed food can rob the body of minerals...it then must get them from the
foods you eat or from mineral supplements.
Calcium:
This mineral is vital to our health as 99% of all calcium in our bodies is
found in our bones.
A lack of it can
lead to loss of height and teeth, back pain, and weak, porous bones that can
crack or break. The simple fact is that if the body does not get the calcium
it needs, it can begin to draw away vital calcium already stored in the bones.
The result can be that bones become brittle, weak and can break easily. As the
body matures, the demand for calcium increases...making calcium particularly
vital. It's not only important for bones to get proper amounts of calcium, but
all vital funtions depend
on it. Stress, lack
of exercise, antiobiotics, aspirin, mineral oil, excess intake of fats, and
other factors can leave you short on calcium.
Copper: An
important trace mineral that is stored in the liver, copper is a vital
component of enzymes needed to break down proteins for rebuilding body tissue.
It is required to convert the body's iron into hemoglobin and is essential for
the utilization of Vitamin C. Our brain nerves and connective tissues depend
on copper.
Chromium:
Chroimium plays a role in the break down of simple sugar in the body. Chromium
helps in the production of insulin, plus it can help to control blood sugar
levels and possibly cholesterol levels. Chromium is important to enzymes and
hormones in the body.
Iodine: Two
thirds of the body's iodine is in the thyroid gland. Since iodine influences
the thyroid and the thyroid controls metabolism, iodine plays an important
role in mental reaction, energy and weight gain.
Iron: Iron
is an essential mineral and is required for life. It is necessary for the
production of hemoglobin (red blood corpuscles), myoglobin (red pigment in
muscles) and certain enzymes. Only
8% of the iron that
is received by the body is absorbed and actually enters the bloodstream. Iron
helps in body growth, preventing fatigue and helps to safeguard the body from
disease. Iron is especially important to women, for in one month women lose
almost twice as much iron as men. Iron is one of the major dietary
deficiencies of American women today. Iron is a helper mineral...meang it
helps
B-Vitamins be
utilized better by the body.
Magnesium is
a mineral that has the ability to relax nerves and muscles. Known as the
"anti-stress" mineral, it also plays a role in helping to calm nerves.
Magnesium is important in converting blood sugar into energy. This vital
meinal is also necessary so our bodies can utilize Vitamin C, calicum,
phoshorus, sodium and potassium in a more effective manner. Magnisum helps to
keep teeth ehalthy and is a helper in bringing temporary relief from
indigestion.
Manganese:
Manganese helps to nourish the body's nervous systerm, brain and regulate
muscles in the body. It is found in virtually all body tissues. This mineral
works as an activator in helping to stimulate enzymes that can convert
protein, fats and carbohydrates into usable energy. Teamed with Vitamin B-1
and Choline it can help the body with digestion. It is important to both the
male and female reproductive systems.
Phosphorus:
Not only is phosphorus involved in virtually all physiological chemical
reactions, it is also present in every cell in the body. It is also necessary
for normal bone and tooth sturcture, important for heart regularity and
essential for normal kidney functions, Vitamin D and calcium are vital to
helping phosphorus work properly Without phosphorus, the vital B-Vitamins,
Niacin, cannot be absorbed.
Potassium:
It is a vital mineral, in that 98% of the potassium in the body is actually
found inside individual cell walls. Potassium, along with sodium, helps
regulate the water balance within the body and transporting nutrients in the
bloodstream into cells. Postassium also plays an important role in helping to
send messages through our nervous system. By sending oxygen to the brain, it
can also help in clear thinking. Everyday this mineral is flushed from the
body and must be replenished. Our heart and other muscles in the body depend
on psotassium to function in a healthful state. Excessive sugar, diuretics,
laxatives, execessive salt, alcohol and stress can deplete the body of this
vital mineral.
Selenium:
Selenium works closely with Vitamin E as an antioxidant or protector of body
cells. Selenium can help fight premature aging and hardening of the tissues
through oxidation. Selenium is important in helping to keep tissues flexible
with elasticity.
Sodium:
Sodium is vital to normal body growth. This mineral is important in helping
nerves and muscles function properly. It's main purpose it to help "pump"
fluids and nutrients in and out of the
cells and cell
membranes. Too much sodium can contribute to high blood pressure.
Sulfur:
Sulfur is vital for healthy hair, skin and nails. It also plays an important
role in helping to maintain a proper oxygen balance so the brain can function
properly. Sulfur acts as a helper to B-Vitamins and helps the liver in the
secretion of bile.
Zinc: This
essential mineral is needed by everyone. It acts like a vital spark in helping
to keep the body in a healthy state. This mineral performs many fucntions in
the body. It is important in RNA/DNA formation, in conveting proteins into
energy, to the male prostate gland and in working with calcium in bone
formation. Zinc is found in every cell in the body. It is believed to play an
important role in mental functions, the healing process, blood stability and
in keeping a proper alkaline balance in the body. Organs that depend on this
vital mineral are the heart, brain and the productive organs. Processed foods,
stress, diuretics, alcohol and other factors can deplete the body of Zinc.
Boron: Boron
is thought to be a factor in helping to keep calcium, magnesium and phosphorus
in our body and bones. Boron is a "helper" mineral that helps the body
maximize its use of these minerals.
Note: This
guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For
any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your physician.
Natural
Bodybuilding at its Finest - Lift for Life.com
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