The New Vitamin & Mineral Guide 1

[mysteriouza]

We sometimes overlook the importance of vitamins and minerals and assume that we are getting them in our daily diets, but unless you are a health conscious consumer, you would probably be surprised at the amount of vitamins that we are missing out on.
For instance, a severe lack in zinc can contribute to the deficiency of vitamin A and those of us that have a few drinks now and again will need to be aware of the side effects often associated i.e. night blindness and bad skin.


Vitamin A plays a vital role in many areas of growth for example, bone growth, reproduction, cell division and cell differentiation.
This is when the cell develops into muscles, brain, lungs or other specialized tissue.
By regulating our immune system it also helps ward off disease and infections, it does it by producing white blood cells that can destroy harmful viruses or bacteria.


Vitamin A is well known for the protection it provides to the surface linings, epithelium, in both the eyes, respiratory, urinary and intestinal tracts.
It is the functioning of these epithelial cells that is vitally important because these are what make up epithelium, the tissue that lines our skin and inside cavities.
Their functions include secretion, absorption, protection, sensation detection and transcellular transport in simple terms they make the lining strong and healthy.


It is also necessary for good vision as vitamin A maintains the cells that work with our nerve signals in the retina.
In fact it has been reported that by maintaining a healthy level of vitamin A it is possible to avoid cataracts and night blindness.
Without this vitamin we would not be able to produce rhodopsin which is the visual pigment used when we are in darker environments.