Vitamin E – Just the Facts, Ma’amWritten by Laura Gray
It is important to understand that we are ultimately responsible for our own well-being and should do whatever is necessary to maintain our health and assist our bodies in resisting and fighting disease. Since health practitioners agree that vitamins are essential for life and health, we must ensure that we receive adequate amounts for our bodies to function properly and to protect us from illnesses. Vitamin E is one of vitamins to which we should pay particular attention. A vitamin is an organic substance essential for life that regulates metabolism and assists processes that release energy from digested food. Vitamin E, discovered in mid-twentieth century, assists in strengthening our immune systems and helps protect us from a variety of problems as well as several serious illnesses. This vitamin can be obtained from food or supplements. There are two kinds of vitamins and both are needed by body. Vitamin E, like vitamins A, D, and K, is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be stored within body in fatty tissue. Vitamin B complex and vitamin C are water-soluble vitamins that cannot be stored and excess amounts are excreted in urine. Fat-soluble vitamins – with exception of vitamin A – are measured in international units (IUs), and studies by U.S. government’s National Institute on Aging have shown that at least 200 IUs daily of vitamin E are needed to garner any significant benefits from taking this vitamin. How Does It Help? • Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects tissue against free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that usually contain oxygen and can interaction with DNA and other molecules leading to an impaired cell function. Vitamin E, one of chemical compounds that prevents oxygen from reacting with other compounds, neutralizes free radicals, and is, therefore, one of body’s natural defenses against cancer and cardiovascular disease. • Vitamin E is also important in formation of red blood cells and helps body use vitamin K. Vitamin E improves circulation, is necessary in repair of tissue, promotes normal blood clotting and healing, and can reduce scarring, too. • Women find it useful in treatment of premenstrual syndrome and fibrocystic disease of breast. • Older adults take it to help reduce blood pressure, relax leg cramps, help prevent cataracts, and, perhaps, to assist in reducing age spots. • Vitamin E also helps prevent anemia, maintains healthy nerves and muscles, and promotes healthy skin and hair. Where Do We Find It? Food sources of vitamin E are nuts (e.g., almonds), sunflower seeds, cold pressed vegetable oils, whole grains (e.g., wheat germ), olives, legumes, and dark and leafy vegetable (e.g., asparagus and spinach). There are also significant quantities of this vitamin in such foods as brown rice, cornmeal, eggs, kelp, milk, and organ meats. Some herb vitamin E sources are alfalfa, bladderwrack, dandelion, flax, nettle, and rose hips. Vitamin E, like all other vitamins, is not only available from food sources, but also as a supplement. It can be purchased in form of a tablet, a capsule, or a liquid, and as a powder that can be mixed with water or juice or added to gels or bars. It can also be administered by injection. Read labels carefully so that you purchase only those supplements that have been extracted from a natural food source and have no harmful additives included. A proper balance of vitamins are needed in body because they work in synergy, or cooperative action, and high doses of one vitamin can induce a depletion of another. You can take vitamin E safely in a one a day multivitamin, or as single vitamin supplement if you wish to take an amount higher than is included in a multivitamin. Visit a vitamin store and watch for opportunity to purchase your vitamins at a discount. How Much Do We Need?
| | Skin-tastic facts!Written by Audrey King
Skin-tastic facts! ©Audrey King http://www.linksformoms.com http://www.ourperfectscents.com/audreykOne of hardest hygienic chores is to generate and keep healthy skin. It takes work but it's not unattainable. A daily routine is all you need and must have while drinking plenty of water each and every day. But first, let's get to know skin your in. ~Facts~ Skin is largest organ of body made up of two layers. The top layer is epidermis which protects us against infections and dehydration. The second layer is called dermis and it's job is to keep it's elasticity needed for body movement. Morbidly thinking, if skin were removed, it would weigh about nine pounds and stretch out to approximately 20 square feet. Each tiny square inch is full of 100 oil glands with 15 feet of blood vessels and two kinds of sweat glands. (Do you think this is why we must keep maintaining it right way? Um... Yeah, I'd say so.) ~Seek and you shall find~ Finding right skin care products is like finding perfect mate. What works for one person may not be best for another. Either way, it's a “must do” to protect and help keep skin healthy at all times and sometimes at any cost. Now, that's not saying that you must buy expensive products and laser surgeries once a year. Although, a dermatologist should be seen as any other yearly examination or check up. It's best to shop around and use by trial and error to see which products work personally. (All better, if you find that your “perfect mate product” can be found at dollar store!) ~A cleaner you, is a healthier you~ Make sure you have a cleanser that cleans thoroughly, for one. Every once in awhile, soap up with a soft wash cloth or invest in an exfoiliating towel. (Yes, I said towel. And use it with soap.)
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