Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin & in its naturally occurring form it is known as retinol. Retinol is mainly found in animal products & it will be better metabolised by the body if taken with fat, oil or protein in the same meal. Vitamin A stores in your body can be depleted by infection so it is a good idea to boost your intake & assist your immune system during colds, flu & other viral or bacterial conditions.

Beta-carotene also called plant vitamin A (or provitamin A) is a carotenoid which is converted into vitamin A by our livers. Beta-carotene is found in all brightly coloured fruits & vegetables & is a particularly good ANTIOXIDANT.

What's good about vitamin A?

• Boosts immunity
• May help to prevent cancer
• Necessary for healthy eyesight, mucous membranes, synthesis of protein & tissue development

Deficiency symptoms:

Poor vision (night blindness), mouth ulcers, frequent infections, dandruff & acne.

Good sources:

1. Of retinol – liver, fish-liver oils, cheese, butter.
2. Of beta-carotene – carrots, apricots, cantaloupe melon, parsley, spinach, kale, sweet potatoes.

Easy healing food recipes to boost your immune system:

1. For immune booster: Blitz together quarter cup of oats, handful of blueberries & strawberries & small tub of natural yoghurt.
2. For colds: Blitz 2 onions, 1 red chilli, 4 handfuls watercress, quarter cup vegetable stock.
3. To soothe upset tummy: Mix 4 tinned prunes, 4 fine chopped brazil nuts, 1tbsp runny honey into a tub of probiotic yoghurt.
4. For energy: Mix a tin of sardines with 3 tbsp low fat cheese, squirt of lime juice & a pinch of pepper as pate with whole wheat crackers.
5. For aches & pains: Mix together chopped advocado, fine diced spring onions & handful of mushrooms, pinch of paprika & 2 tbsp pine nuts.

Try these recipes rich in vitamin A & beta-carotene from my Food blogs :

Liver & BeanCasserole

Roastedveg with rosemary
Turkish leeks withcarrots
Spaghetti Bolognese in rich tomatosauce

Essential Fatty Acids

Omega-3

Polyphenols & Flavinoids

Polyphenols & flavinoids are powerful antioxidants related to tannins. Red wine offers polyphenols (as does red grape juice & green tea), while flavinoids are found alongside vitamin C in fresh foods such as citrus fruits. These antioxidants strengthen capillary walls & may help in cases of heavy menstrual bleeding. Like other antioxidants they are good detoxifiers.

What's good about Polyphenols & Flavinoids?

• Reduces bruising in susceptible individuals
• Protect capillaries
• Protect against cerebral & other hemoraghing
• Reduce menstrual bleeding
• Have antioxidant properties & encourage Vitamin C's own antioxidant qualities
• Antiviral activity
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti allergy
• May help to cure colds

Best sources of polyphenols (also known as polyphenolic flavonoids) are green tea, red grapes in the form of red wine & grape juice.

Flavinoids are also known as bioflavonoids & flavones & were originally called vitamin P. They are antioxidants, found in the company of vitamin C in natural foods & are responsible for the colour in the leaves, flowers & stems of food plants. Best sources of flavinoids include citrus fruits, apricots, cherries, green bell peppers, broccolli & lemons.

Some herbs are also rich in polyphenols & flavinoids, including ginkgo biloba, hawthorn, milk thistle & bilberry.

Click links for more info:
Hot Spiced Pears is a healthy recipe full of antioxidants & flavinoids from my Just Puds blog

Vitamin C

ANTIOXIDANTS

Essential Fatty Acids

Omega-3

All about Antioxidants

Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit chemical reactions with oxygen in the body. Oxidation reactions may involve highly reactive molecules called free radicals; metals such a copper often change reactions with oxygen. Among those reactions are those that cause cell damage in the body.

Antioxidants inhibit these changes by reacting with the free radicals before they can cause any damage (free radical scavenging) or by reacting with the metals. Naturally occurring antioxidants may also work by interacting directly with oxygen.

Nutrients called antioxidants – VITAMIN C & E and beta-carotene & the minerals zinc & SELENIUM among others are now known to have an anti-ageing effect. Contained in fruits, nuts & most vegetables antioxidants are the body's defence against free radicals, which cause all types of cellular damage in the body.

Free radicals are implicated in the initiation of cancer, heart disease & even ageing itself – so much so that many experts believe that the ageing process is actually produced by the tiny degenerative effects that are caused by free radicals as they oxidise various cells over time.

Antioxidants provide the body with a natural defence against free radicals, which is why it is recommended eating foods rich in these nutrients.

Many flavinoids (info to be posted at a later date on why red wine is good for you in this respect) are also known as proanthocyanidins & also have antioxidant action. Skins of black cherries, blueberries & blackberries also contain proanthocyanidins. Extracts of bilberries contain flavinoids known as anthocyanosides which have a very powerful antioxidant activity. Other antioxidants include the flavinoid quercetin, the enzymes methione reductase & catalase, a substance found in in the liver known as lipoic acid & the substance COENZYME Q10 (also known as vitamin Q).

Essential Fatty Acids

Omega-3

Antioxidant rich blueberries - for a recipe from my Just Puds blog click title link:

Blueberry Fruit Loaf with Sauce

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 or cobalamin, is a member of the B complex family & is also known as the 'red vitamin'. It is water soluble & found only in animal foods including milk, & cheese. B12 needs calcium to be properly absorbed, & deficiency may give rise to anaemia, among other things. Vitamin B12 is the only vitamin that contains essential minerals although we need very little but our absorption is often inadequate & vegans in particular may need to take supplements. Like B1, B12 is known as a 'feel good' vitamin, as it helps insure the healthy functioning of the nervous system.

What's good about Vitamin B12?

• Forms & regenerates red blood cells
• Essential for a healthy nervous system
• Essential for growth & development
• Vitamin B12 is necessary to utilise fats, proteins & carbohydrates
• Improves concentration, memory & balance
• Detoxifies cyanide from foods & tobacco smoke

Deficiency symptoms:
Anaemia, fatigue, heart disease, brain & nerve damage, sore tongue & hallucination.

Good sources:

Liver, beef, cheese, milk, kidneys, yoghurt, eggs.

Special notes:

• many women find B12 useful for PMS symptoms & for pre-menstrual problems in general
• alcohol & sleeping pills act as 'enemies' towards B12
• symptoms of B12 deficiency can take more than 5 years to show up
• chronic diarrhoea, intestinal parasites & other digestive disorders can inhibit absorption of B12 & deficiency is particularly common in the elderly

Recipes from my Just Food blogs rich in B12:
Liver & Bean Casserole
Spaghetti Bolognese

Mexican Beef

Click title link if you would like to check out the health value of other B Complex family members:

Vitamin B6

Oregano

Oregano is the wild marjoram similar in taste & aroma, but more powerful.  It dries extremely well & is essential in Italien dishes especially Spaghetti BOLOGNESE & pizza dishes.  It is also used in commercial  chilli powders & is an excellent herb for flavouring stuffings & marinades.

If you'd like to try a recipe using oregano click on this link which is a recipe from my Just Quick Snacks blog:
Sundried Tomato Rice Salmon Finger layer

Selenium (trace element)

Selenium is one of the most talked about trace elements of the moment. It has been discovered to be an antioxidant and to provide protection against many cancers as well as age related conditions such as heart disease and arthritis. The body requires only small amounts each day but it is essential particularly for its role in protecting the cell membranes & improving their overall function.

What's good about selenium:

• Antioxidant
• Required for health immune system
• Improves liver function
• Maintains healthy eyes & eyesight
• Maintains healthy hair & skin
• Protects against heart & circulatory diseases
• May impede ageing process
• Can detoxify alcohol, many drugs, smoke & some fats
• Increases male potency drive

Good sources:

Wheatgerm, wheatbran, tuna fish, onions, whole wheat bread, tomatoes, brocolli.

By eating the following recipes from my Just Food blogs regularly you will have a healthy balance of selenium. (click titles to link).

Spaghetti Bolognese in rich tomatosauce
Sausage Apple Spaghetti snack

Low fat Tomato soup

Delicious salad

Pineapple Salsa with Finger SalmonFillet or tuna steak
Vegetable Bolognaise

These links describe the importance of other elements & vitamins with easy tasty recipes to try (click title to link)

Fenugreek
Dill
Bee products
Vitamin C
Chives
Vitamin Q

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6  is a member of the B Complex family.  Deficiency is most common in those of us who eat diets centred around "junk" or "convenience" food.  Food processing destroys up to 90% Vitamin B6 content of any food, which means that whole fresh foods are the key source.  Many menstrual problems, including PMS are also linked to small deficiences of  this Vitamin.

Vitamin B6 is another of  water water-soluble vitamins & any excess is excreted from the body about 8 hours after digestion.  Because food processing destroys 90%,  deficiency is quite common.  Women taking HRT or the contraceptive pill will have increased requirements.  So too will people having diets high in protein or with excessive alcohol consumption.

What's good about Vitamin B6?
Necessary for:

• production of  hydrocholoric acid & magnesium,
• absorption of Vitamin B12
• the production of antibodies & red blood cells

It's good for:

• metabolizing protein, carbohydrates & fats
• helping to metabolize & transport selenium
• a natural diuretic action
• helping the body to absorb zinc
• alleviating nausea
• synthesising nucleic acids

Deficiency symptoms:

• anemia
• insomnia
• kidney stones
• morning sickness
• PMS
• skin rashes
• dry skin
• nervousness

Goods sources of Vitamin B6 are:
Avocados, bananas, fish, wheat bran, liver, cantaloupe, cabbage, milk, eggs, seeds.

For recipes rich in Vitamin B6 click the title link:
Pineapple Dessert
Liver & Bean Casserole
Cod Parcels with Parma Ham & Pesto
Trout Fillets with Orange Butter Sauce

Click title link if you would like to check out the health value of other B Complex family members:
Vitamin B12