Vitamins & Minerals & What they Do

Hippocrates said “Let food be your medicine, let medicine be your Food”

Vitamins & Minerals are necessary for health and normal metabolism. They are not manufactured in the human body so it must be obtained from the food we eat. Unfortunately, a lot of food has been processed to the point of not having much of its vitamins left.

The choice is either to eat whole organic foods to get these vitamins or to supplement. A lot of people supplement. We advise whole food vitamin supplements.

When you put vitamins manufactured in a lab into the body, your body doesn’t recognize it as food – this is why some people take 1000s of mg of a supplement. We recommend the type of vitamins that are combined and made of food nutrients so that the body recognizes it and absorbs what is there. One brand of vitamins that does this is made by Real Health Products®. You can find the products they sell here.

Another brand is Standard Process. They use the chemical vitamins but combine it with whole, real food so the body can absorb it better. These vitamins are not for sale except through Health Professionals (not our idea, but the company insists that you can only buy from a professional. For a list of Health Professionals, go here.

When insufficient amounts of any vitamin are present in the body, deficiency symptoms appear.

The solution is to provide the vitamins that are missing.

We do not claim that vitamins can cure anything, but with the proper nutrition – what the body needs – you build good health, and when you build good health, disease tends to disappear.

FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS |

The Benefits and the Foods

Is more Effective when taken with …
Deficiency Symptoms
Will be Depleted by
VITAMIN A and
BETA CAROTENE Growth, vision, healthy tissue, skin, hair, resistance to infection. Milk, butter, eggs, liver, leafy greens, and yellow vegetables.
Niacin, C, D, E. Pantothenic acid, zinc. Night blindness, itching, dry skin, loss of sense of taste.
Alcohol, coffee, cortisone, mineral oil, nitrates.
VIT D
Bones, teeth, optimum calcium-phosphorus metabolism. Milk, cod liver oil, tuna, salmon oil, eggs. Vitamin A, C., calcium, phosphorus. Soft bones & teeth, spontaneous fractures, bone curvature. Mineral oil.
VITAMIN E
Antioxidant.Protects cell membrane & tissues. Maintains the circulatory system. Vegetable oil, grains, wheat germ, lettuce. Vitamin C, B12, manganese, selenium. Poor muscular &circulatory performance. Air pollution, mineral oil, birth control pills.
VITAMIN F
(Unsaturated Fatty Acids) Influences skin, blood coagulation, Cholesterol, and glandular activity. Vegetable oils, sunflower seeds. Phosphorus, A, C, D, E: Acne, allergies, dry skin, brittle hair, eczema, brittle nails. Radiation, X-ray therapy.
VITAMIN K
(Menadione) Blood clotting (coagulation). Green leafy vegetables, molasses, yogurt, and alfalfa. Unknown. Diarrhea, increased tendency to hemorrhage. Aspirin, antibiotics, mineral oil, rancid fat, X-ray therapy.

Water Soluble VITAMINS Their Benefits and the Foods
It is more effective when taken with. . .
Deficiency Symptoms
Will be depleted by..
VITAMIN B1
(Thiamin) Heart and cardiovascular system, growth, nervous system, energy production, and digestion. Cereals, fish, lean meat, liver, poultry, milk, and pork. B-complex, B12, C. Fatigue, poor appetite, pins and needles in legs, depression.
But you need to take Vitamin C with B1, or your teeth can loosen. Alcohol, coffee, excessive sugar, and smoking. Physical & mental stress depletes this nutrient.
VITAMIN B2
(Riboflavin) Healthy skin. Tissue repair. Antibody and red blood cell formation. Cereals, yeast, milk, eggs, leafy green vegetables, lean meat. Vitamin A, niacin, B-complex, B1. Cracks at the mouth corners, a sore tongue, and light sensitivity to the eyes. Alcohol, coffee, sugar, and smoking. Physical & mental stress depletes this nutrient.
NIACIN
(not Niacinamide) Healthy skin, nervous system, and cell metabolism. Converts food to energy. Cereals, yeast, lean meat, liver, eggs. B-complex, B1, B2, B6, tryptophan. Weaknesses include skin rash, memory loss, irritability, and insomnia. Alcohol, coffee, sugar, and smoking. Physical & mental stress depletes this nutrient.
VITAMIN B6
(Pyridoxine)
B Complex Factor: Healthy red blood cells, gums, teeth, blood vessels, and nervous system. Cereals, wheat germ, yeast, meat, bananas, and vegetables. Vitamin C, biotin, Pantothenic acid, niacin, and magnesium. Fatigue, anemia, nerve dysfunction, irritability. Alcohol, coffee, sugar, and smoking. Physical & mental stress depletes this nutrient.
VITAMIN B12
(Cyanocobalamin) Development of red blood cells, growth, and nervous system maintenance. Fish, lean meat, liver, milk. A, B1, B6, niacin, biotin, and Pantothenic acid. Anemia, weakness, fatigue, red sore tongue, and nerve degeneration. Alcohol, coffee, smoking, and calcium deficiency.
BIOTIN Skin, circulatory system. Metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Egg yolk, green leafy vegetables, milk. liver, kidneys. Vitamin A, B2, B6, niacin. Non-specific skin rash. Alcohol, coffee, raw egg white, and antibiotics.
VITAMIN C
(real vitamin C, not ascorbic acid) Wound healing, immune system. Maintenance of healthy gums, skin, and blood. Citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, berries, cabbage, vegetables, and tomatoes. Vitamin A, B6, Pantothenic acid, and zinc. Bruise easily, wound healing, tooth/gum defects, aching joints. Antibiotics, aspirin, stress(mental and physical), and cortisone.
FOLATE  (B9)
(was called Folacin) Production of red blood cells and tissue cells. Normal growth. Healthy intestinal tract. Yeast, leafy green vegetables, and meats. Vitamin C, B6, B12, niacin. Anemia, intestinal problems, pale tongue. Alcohol, oral contraceptives, smoking, and sulfa drugs. stress
PANTOTHENIC ACID helps convert proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into energy. Immune system, Most plant & animal food. Folic acid, biotin, B-complex. Weakness, depression, decreased resistance to infection, Alcohol, coffee, stress
CHOLINE Nerve transmission. Regulates the liver & gallbladder. Cell membrane structure. Yeast, eggs, fish, lecithin, wheat germ, organ meats, soy. Vitamin A, B-complex, Inositol, folic acid. Growth problems, impaired liver & kidney function. Alcohol, coffee, sugar
INOSITOL Fat & Cholesterol metabolism. Nerve function. Molasses, yeast, lecithin, fruits, meat, milk, nuts. Choline, B-complex, B12. Hair loss, constipation, eye abnormalities, and high Cholesterol. Alcohol, coffee
VITAMIN P
(Bioflavonoids) Blood vessel wall maintenance, healthy capillaries, and veins. Skin and pulp of fruits, especially citrus fruits. Vitamin C: Bleeding gums, colds, eczema. Antibiotics, aspirin, smoking, cortisone, and certain drugs.
PARA-
AMINOBENZOIC
ACID
(PABA) Blood cell formation, pigmentation of skin, and may help restore color to gray hair. Molasses, eggs, liver, milk, rice, yeast, wheat germ, bran B complex, folic acid C. Constipation, depression, fatigue, headaches, irritability. Alcohol, coffee, sulfa drugs.

FOR A WHOLE FOOD SOURCE OF VITAMINS & MINERALS

MINERALS

Minerals are inorganic substances that are necessary for growth, development, and health.
You need small but constant supplies. Minerals ensure that the body functions properly. The minerals are responsible for the body structure – i.e., bones are composed of calcium, phosphorus, and fluorine.

As with vitamins, minerals are not provided in most of the food we buy due to the depleted soil
Because minerals are water-soluble and are flushed out of the body, it is common to have a mineral deficiency and deficiency symptoms..

MINERALS
Benefits
Foods
Is more effective when taken with. . . Deficiency Symptoms
Will be depleted by…
CALCIUM Bone & tooth development & maintenance. Muscle contraction, nerve transmission. Milk, cheese, and green vegetables. Vitamin A, C, D, and phosphorus. Heart palpitations, muscle cramps, and tooth/bone weakening. Excess saturated fat in the diet.
CHROMIUM Carbohydrate metabolism, energy production, and optimum utilization of glucose. Yeast, whole grains, and vegetable oils. Unknown. Poor glucose tolerance. Low blood sugar levels. Excess iron.
COPPER Enzyme function. Hemoglobin production. Nuts, seeds, organ meats, raisins. Iron, zinc, cobalt. Anemia, fatigue, weakness, and bone fragility. Exhaust fumes, cadmium.
IODINE Production of thyroid hormone. Regulates metabolism. Seafood, kelp, iodized salt. Unknown. Enlarged thyroid gland in the neck,
IRON Transport of oxygen to tissues. Enzyme functions. Whole grain cereals, nuts, and green vegetables. B6, C, B12, folic acid. Fiber increases absorption. Fatigue, weakness from anemia, and brittle fingernails. Excess saturated fat in the diet, and excess protein.
MAGNESIUM Enzyme activity. Health of heart arteries. Protein production. Nerve function. Need for Magnesium in the Summer: Whole grains, seafood, green vegetables. B6, C, calcium, phosphorus. Growth failure, leg cramps, nervousness, confusion, and being easily angered. Excess iron.
MANGANESE Enzyme activity in reproduction, growth, and fat metabolism. Whole grains, eggs, nuts, and green vegetables. Not determined. Poor growth, reproductive, and coordination abnormalities. Alcohol, coffee, cortisone, diuretics, and excess sugar.
PHOSPHORUS Bone/tooth formation, muscle contraction. kidney function, nerve & muscle activity. Eggs, fish, meat, poultry, grains, cheese. Calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, vitamins A & D. Continuous thirst, dry skin, general weakness, weak reflexes. Alcohol, phytic acid, and oral contraceptives.
POTASSIUM pH balance of blood, body-water balance, nerve and muscle function. Dates, raisins, figs, peaches, and sunflower seeds. Sodium. Irregular heartbeat) muscular weakness. Build-up of lactic acid. Mercury, cadmium.
SELENIUM Antioxidant (with vit. E). Protects the cell membrane and internal structures. Whole grains, seafood, eggs, meat, and brown rice. Vitamin E. Anemia, heart muscle enlargement, irregular beat. Coffee, excess zinc, or copper.
ZINC Wound healing,
“nature’s penicillin”- its what’s in chicken soup) reproductive organ development & growth. Male hormone production. Yeast, whole grains, liver, sunflower seeds.Chicken Soup Calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, C, Vitamin D increases absorption. Loss of sense of taste, poor growth and wound healing.
FOR A WHOLE FOOD SOURCE OF VITAMINS & MINERALS

For information on health problems and what can be done, see the MCVitamins Index. You can also email us and get help.