Vitamin Information Center

TRANS FATS
Trans fatty acids are naturally found in small amounts in animal products; however,
the majority of trans fats in our diet come from the artifi cial form. Trans fats are cre-
ated when oils undergo a chemical process called hydrogenation, which solidifi es
them. This is the process that makes vegetable oil into margarine. Trans fat is also
found in cookies, crackers, french fries, baked goods, and other snack foods.
When trans fats were fi rst introduced into our food supply, they were thought
to be a healthier alternative to saturated fats. Many years later this was found to be
false. Trans fats elevate cholesterol levels, increasing the risk for heart disease and
heart attack, and are also linked to cancer, particularly breast cancer. The Institute
of Medicine has stated that there is no safe limit for trans fats in the diet and that
we should reduce consumption of these dangerous fats. Food companies have been
making efforts in this area. You will now see many packaged foods labelled “trans
fat free.”

SATURATED FATS
Saturated fats are found in animal products such as meat, poultry, milk, cheese, but-
ter, and lard, as well as in tropical oils (such as palm, palm kernel, and coconut oil)
and foods made from these oils. These fats are high in cholesterol and linked to heart
disease, high cholesterol, obesity, and cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate.
Most people get 38 percent or more of the day’s calories from fat while health
authorities suggest no more than 20–35 percent of which less than 10 percent comes
from saturated fat. To cut your intake of saturated fat, trim fat and skin from meat,
choose lean poultry over red meat, and low-fat cheese and dairy (cottage cheese, feta,
and hard cheeses have less fat). Butter is fi ne in moderation (see sidebar)

Anthrax Infection
Synonyms
Infection with Bacillus anthracis
Definition
Anthrax is an infection with the spore- and toxin-building
Bacillus anthracis. The disease primarily occurs in
wild and domestic ruminants and is most frequent in
warm countries. Anthrax can be transmitted to humans
by direct contact with infected animals, breathing in
of spores or ingestion of contaminated animal products.
Incubation period ranges between a few hours
and a couple of days. Without therapy or if treatment
is induced too late, the course can be lethal within
2–3 days. Depending on the place of entrance, infection
leads to skin anthrax, lung anthrax or gastrointestinal
anthrax. Purulent vesicles develop on the skin
and bloody swellings (hemorrhagic edema) are found
in the inner organs. Surgical intervention is not allowed
in cases of skin anthrax as the risk of spreading the toxins
and causing sepsis increases. Lethality is assumed
to be 5–20% in skin anthrax, 25–60% in gastrointestinal
anthrax and > 90% in lung anthrax. Therapy should be
carried through with gyrase inhibitors (ciprofloxacin);
alternatives are penicillin G, tetracyclin, erythromycin
and chloramphenicol. Bacillus anthracis has been used
in biological warfare, for example, in 2001, letters
were sent in the United States, which contained a powder
contaminated with Bacillus anthracis. People who
opened the letters were put at risk of breathing in the
spores, being infected and dying of lung anthrax.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, like vitamin D, that the body needs in order to ensure that a variety of bodily functions are carried out optimally. The true form of vitamin A is only found in animal products; however, some fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids, a compound that can be converted to vitamin A once it is in the body. This means that if you are a vegetarian, it is still fully possible for you to meet your vitamin A requirements without having to rely on supplements. Now that we’ve given you a little background information, let’s get into the nuts and bolts of vitamin A 101.
Health benefits
Vitamin A is primarily known for its role in night vision. The retina contains four photopigments that store vitamin A compounds, and the rhodospin pigment (located in the rod cells of the retina) allow the rod cells to detect small traces of light.

When an individual has been deficient in vitamin A for an extended period of time, their rhodopsin production will be impaired and they may develop night blindness.

Vitamin A also plays an important role in the strength of your immune system and, thus, in your overall health. Vitamin A helps promote thymus gland growth, as well as increase the functioning ability of the white blood cells, which are responsible for producing antibodies that protect you against viruses.

Additionally, the body needs retinoic acid in order to effectively provide for the structure and function of the epithelial cells, the immune system’s defensive line, that are located in the lungs, trachea, skin, gastrointestinal tract, and oral cavity.

Vitamin A also helps the metabolism of normal bones, and thereby serves to prevent osteoporosis or stress fractures.

Finally, the body requires vitamin A for normal cell growth to occur.
What foods contain vitamin A?
The foods that are the richest sources of either vitamin A or carotenoids include:
Carrots
Spinach
Turnip greens
Kale
Parsley
Bell Peppers
Mustard greens
Romaine lettuce
Calf’s liver
Swish chard
Sweet potato
Chicken liver
Beef
Eggs
milk products
Recommended intakes for vitamin A
If getting your vitamin A through food proves to be difficult, you can take vitamin A in supplemental form, which is available as retinol or retinyl-palmitate. The Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin A is set at 3,000 international units (IU), or 900 mcg of retinal equivalents, for males aged 14 and older.

A very low-fat diet could cause a vitamin A deficiency since fat is needed to ensure proper absorption. Also, those who suffer from pancreatic enzyme deficiency, Crohn’s disease, celiac sprue, cystic fibrosis, gall bladder disease, or liver disease could also be at risk for deficiency due the ineffective absorption of vitamin A.

It should be noted that there are some nutrients that can interact with the vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is dependent upon several other binding proteins in order to be effectively used by the cells, therefore, a sufficient protein intake is required in order to form these binding proteins. Additionally, zinc helps the body to absorb and use the vitamin A that is taken in through the diet, so this is another nutrient that is essential for the body.

It’s important to note that vitamin A will interfere with the body’s absorption ability of vitamin K; you must balance out the two nutrients without getting too much of either one.

Aside from nutrient interactions with vitamin A, there are also some medications that can interact with this vitamin as well. Those who are taking any type of cholesterol-lowering medications may find that they have increased levels of vitamin A in their blood and are, therefore, required to ingest less through the diet.

Those who are taking bile acid sequestrants (also used to lower cholesterol) on the other hand, might find that they interfere with the absorption of vitamin A altogether. It is, therefore, very important to discuss with your doctor exactly what type of medication you are on and what corresponding action needs to be taken to ensure that it is not going to affect the status of vitamin A in the body.

Individuals who are taking Neomycin, which is an antibacterial drug, may also suffer from a decrease in the body’s ability to absorb vitamin A. If you are watching your vitamin A intake, you should be aware of this issue and speak to your doctor about it idea.

Finally, if you are taking Rin-A, Vitinoin or Vesanoid (often used to treat acne or skin cancer and have a very similar structure to that of vitamin A), you will need to ensure that you are not taking a large dosage of vitamin A through supplemental form (over 10,000 IU per day) in order to prevent symptoms of toxicity.
vit-a-vision
As you can see, vitamin A is essential to the quality of you night vision, something that every Predator or Alien combatant needs. Whether you an interplanetary warrior or just a guy looking for a bra strap in the dark, you’re body requires this basic and easy to consume vitamin. You do, however, need to be sure that you’re well-informed about your intake of this important vitamin and about all the interactions that could be at play.

Resources:
www.whfoods.com

I was listening to the radio the other day during my lunch break—something I do quite often—and the broadcast I was listening to had Dan Matthews, an advocate from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals as a guest. Matthews said individuals should eat a vegan diet. But, rather than saying people should eat a vegan diet because of choice, Matthews said individuals should eat a vegan diet for health reasons.I was listening to the radio the other day during my lunch break—something I do quite often—and the broadcast I was listening to had Dan Matthews, an advocate from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals as a guest. Matthews said individuals should eat a vegan diet. But, rather than saying people should eat a vegan diet because of choice, Matthews said individuals should eat a vegan diet for health reasons.

Now, for all you vegans out there reading this, I couldn’t care less what someone chooses or chooses not to eat. But to claim a vegan diet is, by any stretch of the imagination, healthier than a diet containing animal products is simply false. It appears Matthews has allowed his philosophical position to distort the cold, hard facts. And when someone starts to bend the truth in order to conform to a philosophy, that’s where I get off the bus.

I agree the average American consumes too much meat. However, there is no call for a complete abstention from eating animal products. In 2000, the average American ate approximately 195 pounds of meat for the year. That’s 57 pounds more per year than the average American ate in the 1950s and, according to the USDA, that’s three times the amount an American should be eating in one year. The daily recommended meat serving for an adult is 3-5 ounces. That’s about the size of a deck of poker cards.

I suppose American culture is partly to blame for our increased attraction to meat. After all, the ultimate “manly” meal is steak and potatoes, isn’t it? And how do they label steaks in restaurants? The small steak is the “petite cut,” the medium steak is the “queen cut,” and the big daddy is called the “king cut.” Oh, yeah! What man would be caught ordering that embarrassing petite or even queen cut when he could have the king cut steak? A full pound of meat or more is five to seven times the recommended daily allowance; that one steak will take care of your meat servings for the week!

While we should definitely eat less meat, we should certainly not completely eliminate it from our diet. This is because the human body requires the essential nutrient B12, a vitamin found only in animal products. B12, also known as cobalamin, is critical for good health. According to the National Institute for Health, B12 helps maintain nerve cells, red blood cells and is also needed to make DNA. Pregnant women and women who are breast feeding especially need B12 to ensure the health of their baby. B12 can be obtained from some cereals and breads, but those cereals and breads must first be fortified with B12 in order to provide it.

According to the National Institute for Health, a lack of vitamin B12 can cause anemia, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite and weight loss. B12 deficiency can also lead to neurological problems, depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory and an elevated risk for coronary disease. A B12 deficiency in an infant can cause failure to thrive, movement disorders, delayed development and megaloblastic anemia—an anemia characterized by dysfunctional red blood cells.

Now that we’ve gotten the facts out of the way, we can talk about philosophy. If you, or Matthews, choose to refrain from a carnivorous diet, that’s fine. It’s your body, do with it what you will. But to intentionally skew the facts in order to put forth some ideological agenda is pathetic. If you don’t want to eat animal products because you simply don’t want to, then that is fine with me. But let’s stick with the facts please. Humans require vitamin B12 to survive. Unless you are willing to take B12 supplements or you like eating lots and lots of fortified cereal, meat is essential to a healthy diet. Too much meat, however, isn’t such a good thing.

There are a many benefits of a whole foods diet that will positively impact your health. If you are considering making the shift to a whole foods diet, are curious about whole foods nutrition, or simply want to learn more about the whole foods benefits…this article will benefit you greatly. Continue Reading…