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HALIBUT LIVER OIL ...
An excellent source of preformed vitamins A and D. It is especially useful
for individuals with digestive problems since they may have difficulty
converting beta carotene into vitamin A. A fat soluble vitamin, vitamin A
promotes healing and helps to boost the immune system. It benefits the eyes
as well as soft tissue.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that it is
transported into the body by tagging along with a fat molecule. The major
body storage area is the liver, where several months’ supply is held.
Vitamin A has many functions in the body. It prevents night blindness by
helping the recycling of pigments in the eye’s rod cells. It heals all
mucus membranes and the skin, making it helpful for acne, wrinkles, cervical
dysplasia and gastrointestinal ulcers.
Vitamin A is found naturally in two forms, retinol and provitamin A.
Retinol is from animal sources. Provitamin A, or carotene is found in
animal and plant foods. For supplementation it is measured in international
units or IU. Supplemental vitamin A is available as a derivative of fish
oil (fat soluble) or as a water-soluble form. The water-soluble form is
recommended for those who cannot tolerate oil, such as acne sufferers. A
form of vitamin A, called emulsified, is less toxic to the liver and easier
to absorb.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is also fat
soluble and acts as a hormone to assist the body's absorption and
utilization of calcium. It helps bones and teeth, stabilizes the nervous
system and helps the blood and cardiac system, muscles and many body
systems.
Eye Health
The
eye is a small sphere with a diameter of about 1 inch. Only one sixth of
the eye is visible, the rest is protected in the orbital socket. There are
many accessory structures of the eye including the eyebrows, eyelids,
conjunctiva, lacrimal apparatus and eye muscles. Only a small part of the
eye is dedicated to photoreception. This area is on the posterior wall on
the inside the eyeball and is called the retina. It contains rods, for dim
light and peripheral vision, and cones, for bright light and colour vision.
The lens is situated at the front of the eyeball and its job is to focus
light on the retina. Glasses are used to help focus light through the lens
when the accommodation of the lens is inadequate or overcompensating. As we
age, the muscles that move the lens decrease functioning making the use of
glasses or contacts more common among older individuals.
There two main causes of degenerative eye conditions: free radical damage
and decreased blood flow to the eye. Free radicals are unstable molecules
that in their bid to become more stable must bump into healthy cells and
cause damage. This can cause cell death, alterations in genetic material
and autoimmune reactions to damaged cells. Food, water and ultraviolet
radiation from the sun are the major contributors of free radicals that
build up in the eye. The eyes reflect the overall health of the body. The
vessels on the back of the eyeball are very small and fragile. Changes in
them are often the first sign of cardiovascular diseases such as
hypertension and atherosclerosis. These conditions lead to decreased blood
flow to the retina. Lack of oxygen and an accumulation of waste products
eventually compromises vision. Poor diet, environmental toxins, medications
and stress all decrease the body’s ability to neutralize free radicals and
maintain healthy vessels.
Bone Health
Most people do not
think about bone health until they are in their later years. This is a
mistake because significant increases in bone density can only be made in
childhood or early adulthood (up to age 30). For the remainder of our lives
the goal is to maintain our bones.
Osteoporosis
is a loss of bone density. The bony matrix is of normal composition but
decreased amounts because more bone is being broken down than is being
produced. Testosterone and estrogen maintain bone density by promoting bone
building and slowing bone removal. This is one reason why bone density
decreases as we age
Stay active to
increase your bone health. Immobility and insufficient weight bearing
exercise cause bone loss. Gravity puts a stress on the bone and the body
responds by increasing the density of the bone. Exercising in youth actually
increases bone density above normal and exercise throughout life protects
against bone loss. Maintain appropriate weight because people that are
underweight also are at a greater risk for osteoporosis. Their bones are
not stressed as much as the bones of people who are of normal weight.
A healthy diet, with sufficient protein intake, is one protective factor
against bone loss. Dietary deficiencies of protein cause bone loss because
the bone is constantly remodelling itself. Up to 7% of our bone mass is
turned over every week. Choose lean meats, fermented dairy products and
legumes to fill your daily protein requirements. Supplement with protein
powder or amino acid complex if you cannot consume enough protein.
There are a multitude of minerals that form the matrix of the bone.
Deficiency in any one of these nutrients can lead to bone loss. Minerals
can be lost in the cooking process so eat your vegetables and fruits raw or
lightly steamed. Drink filtered or spring water. If you drink reverse
osmosis or distilled water replace the missing minerals with a supplement.
Vitamin D helps bring calcium into the bone. It is one of the fat-soluble
vitamins that are poorly absorbed through the digestive process as we age.
In areas away from the equator, skin production of vitamin D is limited
during certain times of the year. Eating vitamin D rich foods like fish and
egg yolks, and taking vitamin D supplements, will maintain your bone
density.
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