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Introduction to Vitamins
Vita – for live;
Amines – nutrient containing substances
Vitamins are organic food substances found only in living organisms. Our source of natural vitamins comes from the animals and plants we eat that produce them. There is only a few of the B vitamins that can be manufactured within the body, with the assistance of bacteria and biochemical conversion. Vitamins don’t provide us with any energy and are not building blocks of our body, so therefore we cannot live on them alone, and we cannot live without them. Eating food provides us not only with the vitamins we need and energy to function but also to help form the tissues of our bodies.
One of the main uses of vitamins is to function as co-enzymes, assisting metabolic processes to take place. Vitamins don’t function on their own as independent substances. They function in synergy with each other and with other minerals and enzymes. This is why it is so important to have a balanced supply.
Vitamins have many varied roles within our bodies. They are essential for growth and vitality, digestion and elimination and helping us to maintain our health and resist diseases of all types. When our diet is insufficient in certain vitamins, it can lead to disorder, which can range from mild to very serious. This depends, of course on how deficient the diet is and to which vitamin, or combinations are lacking. It was the observations of diseases and ill-health in general that lead to the discovery of vitamins.
There are two main categories the vitamins fall into; Water-soluble and Fat-soluble.
The water-soluble vitamins include many of the B Vitamins and Vitamin C. These vitamins are essential in the diet everyday, as they are not stored within the body. Excess of these is excreted fairly quickly. The best supply of these vitamins will come from raw foods, as they are easily destroyed by cooking. These are found mostly in vegetables.
The Fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K. They can be sourced from both animal and plant sources. These vitamins can be stored by the body, so generally speaking it will be longer before we notice a sufficiency. On the other side, because they can be stored within the body, there is a risk of toxicity if an over-consumption occurs.
The best sources of vitamins, is and always will be, within the food source. Once it is isolated from the food, its synergy is gone. It is no-longer in its natural balance. Without all the other nutrients it is naturally found with, its efficiency will be greatly diminished. One thing does not work without another. As you will find as you further study nutrients, each vitamin, each nutrient, needs a series of others to work at optimum.
On the other hand, our foods now lack a lot of the nutrients that they once contained. This occurs because of the depletion of soils from more “efficient” and modern farming techniques and over-processing of our food. Even though we may believe that the diet we have chosen is generally accepted as healthy, it may in fact, fall short of supplying us with the full component of nutrients we need to function optimally. To overcome this, the best choice in foods will always be as natural as possible. Choose organic, where possible. If you have the time and the space, grow a few veggies. It will also help to connect you with the earth.
There are many other factors in your life which will affect the amount of vitamins you require. Stress is a large factor in our lives these days, and whether it is mental, emotional or physical, it will largely impact your vitamin requirements. Other factors which will impact your vitamin requirement include smoking, alcohol, medications and environmental pollutants, just to name a few.
About the Author
Andrea Putting N.D., Naturopath, Writer and creator/owner of several health sites including, http://www.naturopathsresourcefile.info, Explore the world of Natural Medicine, take your health into your own hands. Know how to be healthy and stay healthy. Covered in detail are nutrients, herbs, flower essences, homoeopathy and aromatherapy. Visit Andrea’s other sites. http://www.puttingitright.com.au, http://www.naturalhealth4cats.info