The importance of vitamins was recognized during ancient history. The Egyptians recognized that foods with Vitamin A could improve night blindness. Of course they didn’t know 3500 years ago that what they were missing in their body was Vitamin A! Each generation has recognized the importance of vitamins and then assumed they had learned all there was to know. That has been proven false over and over again. New discoveries were made and knowledge was changed as new discoveries caused old ways of thinking to be discarded. Continue reading »
Alcoholism in America is at epidemic proportions. For those who cannot control their drinking, abstinence is the best course of action. There are various supplements that can help an alcoholic kick the habit and help ease the craving during the withdrawal process. Continue reading »
While many search for beauty in a bottle of bleach or a manicure, one of the best things that you can do to maintain your natural beauty is to maintain a healthy vitamin regimen. There are many vitamins that play roles in how we look, and how well our body constructs new materials such as our skin, hair, and nails.
Vitamin A is a crucial compound when it comes to the growth and repair of our body’s tissues. It is truly a wonder-vitamin, helping our skin to stay smooth and healthy, as well as protecting our mucous membranes. The mouth, nose, throat and lungs all benefit from proper Vitamin A consumption. In addition, Vitamin A aids in the formation of our bones and teeth. Basically, it is a building block that our body needs to maintain a healthy appearance. Continue reading »
Allergies are a significant problem in today’s world. Smog, factory pollution, and the increase in grasses and plants contribute to many people suffering from allergy attacks. The most common forms of allergic reactions are hay fever, some forms of asthma and hives may be a common reaction to some very normal and usually harmless substances.
Grass and tree pollen, and house dust are common irritants to people with allergies.
Immunoglobulin E is an antibody produced when a person is exposed to an allergen. Scientists are not sure how it first developed but the theory is that it was the body’s defense to parasitic worms. There are different types of this antibody and each will react differently to individual allergens. When a person is first exposed to a potential allergen the body will make large amounts of the Immunoglobulin E antibody that releases powerful chemicals to activate blood platelets and attract secondary cells. These chemicals include histamine, and heparin. These can cause the symptoms of allergies including the sneezing, itching, runny eyes, and wheezing that comes with the allergy. This antibody can also help prevent anaphylactic shock which is a potentially life threatening allergic reaction. Continue reading »
All of the vitamins available that are labeled with a letter are important to the health of your body. In this article, we�ll cover some of the basics about vitamins A through K.
Vitamin A is a fat soluble compound which can be found in many of the different foods we eat. It is found in whole milk, eggs, carrots, peas, tomatoes, and a host of other vegetables. Beta-carotene is one of the most active Vitamin A compounds, meaning that is the most easily utilized by our body. When the body is deficient in this important nutrient, blindness can occur. This is not a problem commonly seen in industrialized nations, as our diets are fortified with Vitamin A. In addition to aiding eyesight, Vitamin A is also useful in the fact that it helps to create white blood cells, strengthening the human immune system. Continue reading »
The chemical compounds necessary for human life that we call vitamins have a very interesting past. Half of what we know was found through rigorous research; half simply by researching something else entirely. In this article, we�ll discuss some of the key periods of time in which our knowledge of vitamins grew.
-Early scientists discovered that certain foods could cure diseases which were caused by vitamin deficiencies. Ancient Egyptians cured night blindness (a symptom of a Vitamin A deficiency) by feeding those afflicted some liver. In the 1700s, scurvy (a symptom of a Vitamin C deficiency) was treated by a prescription of citrus fruits, which are some of the most Vitamin-C rich food on the planet. Continue reading »