Tag: Vitamin

Eating for Athletic Performance

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.Leave a comment

cyclistI had the opportunity to work at a cycling event recently. As many riders from the 80 mile mountainous ride were coming in, one serious cyclist came to our booth and said “I need calories, please anything”. Obviously, we hooked him up with a Vive!™ shake. He chugged it and then another half of one 10 minutes later. He explained that 15 miles back he had bonked (depleted glucose and glycogen stores causing extreme muscle weakness) coming up the last hill. Can bonking be prevented or delayed nutritionally? Yes absolutely!
Certainly training is essential for endurance particularly to push back the anaerobic threshold so you don’t bonk as easily, however the role of your nutritional intake is 3 to 4 times more important than any other part of your regimen. Many runners and cyclist will take glucose gels and electrolytes drinks during their event to replenish their lost blood sugar and electrolytes, which is necessary. Some will add supplements containing L-Tyrosine, L–arginine and Beta Alanine to aid performance and they can help. However, to turn glucose, fat and protein into readily available energy is a highly complex process that involves many metabolic actions requiring enzymes, and the cofactors and factors, vitamin and minerals. In the metabolic pathway many vitamins and minerals are necessary to convert the energy source (foods) into energy molecules such as Phosphocreatine, ADP and ATP. Additionally the antioxidants contained in vegetative foods is very important at protecting muscle cells from the heavy oxidative damaged caused by intense exercise. They help speed up recovery as well.

You cannot overcome a nutritionally poor diet with supplements. However you can supplement a nutritionally rich diet and increase performance potential. Refined and processed foods are nutrient thieves. They deplete your body of more nutrients than they provide.

Nutrients (factors and co-factors) and their effects on energy metabolism pathways.

Enzymes are required to make energy and cannot do their jobs without factors and cofactors! If you do not get the nutrients from your diet the body robs them from muscle and organs to produce the energy you demand.  Continued nutrient depletion leads to slower recover and less than optimal performance potential and eventually illness and disease.  Vive!™ provides an abundance of factors and co-factors!

Vitamins
Thiamine (B1)
B1 is an essential cofactor (required for enzymes to do their job) in the conversion of carbohydrates to energy. B1 is needed for normal muscle function.
Riboflavin (B2)
B2 is a cofactor and helps in the release of energy from fats and carbohydrates. B2 is part of the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) oxidation reaction in the cell to make energy. B2 is very important in the conversion of fat to energy.

Nician, Nicotinic acid, B3
B3 is a cofactor and is transformed into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and NADP, which play a key role in cellular energy production.

Pantothenic acid (B5)
B5 plays an essential role in the Krebs cycle (one of three energy major energy pathways) as a component of coenzyme A (a critical enzyme needed to make energy).
Pyridoxine B6
B6 helps in the release of energy from carbohydrates fats and proteins. B6 is used as a cofactor mainly in protein and amino acid metabolism and is involved in over 100 enzymatic reactions.

Biotin (B7)
B7 is a cofactor involved in metabolism of fatty acids, amino acids and utilization of B vitamins.

Folic acid, Folate (B9)
Folates function as a family of cofactors required for methylation reactions. Folate is essential for metabolic pathways involving cell growth and replication.

Vitamin B12
B12 is essential for metabolism of fats and carbohydrates and the synthesis of proteins. B12 is required for folic acid metabolism.


Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for synthesis of carnitine (carnitine transports long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria). Vitamin C increases can triple the absorption of non-heme (iron from plants) iron and the synthesis of cortisol.

Minerals
Calcium
Calcium is essential for the contraction of muscles and activation of nerves. Calcium activates a series of reactions including fatty acid oxidation for use in the mitochondria.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is a structural component of the nucleotide coenzymes creatine phosphate, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). All of which are required in the mitochondria for energy to be produced.
Magnesium
Magnesium is essential for the relaxation of muscles and nerves. Magnesium is used in over 300 enzyme reactions. Required by all enzymatic reactions involving the energy storage molecule ATP.
Trace minerals
Copper
Cooper is involved in the making of some enzymes. Copper is also involved in iron metabolism.
Chromium
Chromium promotes insulin action, thus promoting glucose (blood sugar) uptake by the cells.
Iron
Iron is essential in hemoglobin for transporting oxygen and for storing oxygen in the muscle and releasing it when needed during muscle contraction. Iron facilitates the transfer of electrons in the cell energy pathway and is important in ATP actions.
Manganese
Manganese is a cofactor of several enzymes involved in metabolism of carbohydrates and gluconeogenesis. Gluconeogenesis is the making of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. It involves the tearing down of muscle to turn certain amino acids and glycerin into glucose. This begins when you bonk as glucose and glycogen stores are depleted. This is very hard on the body and you want to avoid it.
Zinc
Zinc is an essential part of more than 100 enzymes, some of which are involved in the cell energy pathway.
If you want to optimize your performance, beginning today you need to ensure you are adding a bounty of nutrients to your nutritional stores daily. Ideally, you should be eating a minimum of 7 servings of vegetables, 3 servings of fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, and limited whole grains. Vive!™ boost your performance potential by giving you a bounty of energy producing and recovery enabling nutrients!

Additionally, if you are meat eaters include free range lean meats, wild caught fish, free-range organic poultry and eggs. Anytime you can make your food selections organic, wild caught and free range you reduce the risk of contamination from pathogens and potentially increase your nutritional intake.

This website can give you a great list of which foods are the best sources for which nutrients.  http://www.whfoods.com/nutrientstoc.php
Eat great to perform great.
Healthy Wishes,
Wally Bishop C.N.C.
WebND

Developer of Vive!™

Related articles

Have a Healthy Happy Valentine Heart!

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.4 Comments
Make Your Heart Healthy!

It’s Valentines Day so lets talk about heart health! The heart is an amazing organ that works non-stop every second of your life.  Without its complete function you will not live. Disease and illness of the heart and other related illnesses can cause compromised heart function allowing you to live however not the kind of lifestyle you may enjoy.

Many factors can affect our heart health. Our diet, stress, other lifestyle factors like smoking and the amount of physical activity we get play a huge role in heart health.

In less than a minute, your heart can pump blood to every cell in your body. In about a day your heart beats 100,000 times pumping around 2000 gallons of blood containing oxygen and nutrients to 100 trillion cells through 60 thousand miles of blood vessels.  That is a huge job that requires a special muscle.

The heart is an organ and also a muscle.  The heart requires a lot of energy and quality nutrition to keep it healthy.  The muscles in the heart are unique and do not fatigue. It only stops when oxygen is no longer available.  The demands put on the heart are so great; each cell in the heart muscle has many more mitochondria than other muscle cells have.  Mitochondria are the parts of the cell that make energy.

Exercise increases the hearts fitness so it can deliver more oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Develop a good exercise program!

Because of the great energy requirements put on the heart, nutrition is very important.  Vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, enzymes and antioxidants are super important for heart health.

  • Studies show that a plant-based diet can even reverse heart and cardiovascular disease.  Vegetative foods provide a bounty of nutrients the body needs for great heart health.
  • Studies show Nuts and seeds daily reduce the risk for heart disease. They are anti-inflammatory and a good source of Vitamin E, which, is very important for cell membrane health and is also an antioxidant.
  • Omega 3’s from Salmon, sardines, ground flax seed and walnuts reduce inflammation and keep blood platelets from sticking reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease
  • Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables reduce inflammation and protect the heart from free radical damage.  The greater the volume of oxygen is needed in a cell to make energy, the higher the potential for free radical damage.  The heart is a big air and fluid pump.  So antioxidants are even more important for the heart muscle.
  • Magnesium is very important for heart health because it helps blood vessels relax potentially reducing blood pressure which, if high can damage the heart.
  • B Vitamins are critical for preparing foods into energy.
  • B12, Folate and B6 are critical to reduce the protein homocysteine from our tissues. Homocysteine causes cellular damage to the heart and blood vessels and heavily related to heart disease.
  • Iron, B12, Vitamin C and Folate are important to make healthy red blood cells and blood vessels.

Some of the best foods for heart health are:

  • Nuts and seeds (walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans)
  • Avocado
  • Dark chocolate
  • Leafy greens (spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, turnip greens)
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Carrots
  • Bananas
  • Tomatoes
  • Beans (pinto, garbanzo, black)
  • Pomegranate
  • Blueberries
  • Goji Berries
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Salmon
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Oats
  • Quinoa
  • Wild rice

The better question might be what foods are bad for heart health. That is a simple answer.  Any foods that are not good providers of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, enzymes and antioxidants should be avoided.  This would mean any refined and processed foods.

Sugar is a poison that is the biggest cause of heart and cardiovascular disease.

The average American now consumes over 170 lbs. of sugar per year.  At the beginning of the 20th century, the average American consumed less than 10 pounds per year.  The rise in the intake of sugar over the past 20 years has created almost epidemic levels of diabetes, obesity and heart disease.  Unless we get the intake of sugar under control, the percentage of Americans suffering from lifestyle related disease and illness will continue to climb. Sugar is not the only food ingredient that is causing us problems; it is however close to being the worse, if not the worse.

A new study recently published in Journal of the American Medical Association concludes that sugar intake significantly contributes to illness and specifically increases cholesterol levels.

Researchers at Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta examined the added sugar intake and blood fat levels in more than 6,100 adults.

  • Study participants consumed an average of 21.4 teaspoons of added sugars a day, or more than 320 calories a day from these sources.
  • The study also revealed, that people with the higher intakes of added sugars were more likely to have lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and higher levels of triglycerides, which studies have shown to raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

The American Heart Association is recommending that women get no more than 6.5 teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar per day and men get no more than 9.5 teaspoons (38 grams) per day.

  • A Dairy Queen Blizzard has 26 teaspoons (124 grams) of sugar
  • A 20 oz. Pepsi has 17.5 teaspoons (70 grams) of sugar
  • A 1.7 ounce bag of M%M Peanuts has 8 teaspoons (32 grams) of sugar

How do we cut out the excess sugar?

The first step is to read the food labels on the foods we eat. Look at the Nutritional Label. Check the area under carbohydrates; you will see fiber then sugar. If the amount of sugar is more than 7 grams per serving I would read the ingredient section to see where the sugar was coming from.  If they were from added sugars I would seriously consider looking for a healthier choice with less sugar.

Some people may be addicted to sugar. Most doctors do know believe that sugar is addictive and it may not be, however the physiological response from a quick rise in blood sugar is a corresponding quick drop in blood sugar that creates a craving for sugars to get the blood sugar back to a healthy level again.  This is a vicious cycle that some people may find hard to break. It takes about a week of eliminating added sugars from the daily diet to break it. If you do try it cold turkey, expect a headache and fatigue for a couple of days. Now you are free of the sugar cycle!

Partial list of added sugars

  • Beet Sugar, Brown Sugar, Cane Sugar, Confectioner’s Sugar, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Demerera, Dextrose, Granulated Sugar, Grape Sugar, Molasses, Muscavado Sugar, Raw Sugar, Refined Sugar, Sucrose, Table Sugar, Turbinado Sugar, White Sugar, Maple Syrup

Honey and molasses are natural and a better choice however they still cause a quick rise in blood sugar.

In my opinion the best choices for home use are stevia, xylitol and d-ribose (a sugar that produces more energy with very little blood sugar impact)

When shopping for foods, absolutely avoid high fructose corn syrups and limit the amount of added sugars to no more than 7 grams per serving.

Summary

  • Avoid added sugars, the healthiest sweeteners are  Truvia and raw honey.
  • Make your diet mostly vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts and seeds.
  • Exercise daily
  • Reading food labels are an important habit you should develop. It is the first step in your road to wellness. If you do not know what you are eating how can you control it?
  • Reduce your salt intake to 1300 mgs per day to reduce blood pressure.
  • Drink plenty of clean water

Happy healthy eating!

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

Nutritionist

WebND

The contents of this blog is not and should not be  considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Related articles

Reducing Fibromyalgia Symptoms Through Diet and Lifestyle

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.7 Comments

Fibromyalgia is a multi-symptom condition that affects many times more women than men. Twenty years ago, you rarely heard of fibromyalgia. Doctors didn’t recognize the disorder and did not know how to treat it. Patients with fibromyalgia type symptoms were often lumped into other diagnosis and were even referred for psychiatric counseling, their doctors didn’t believe that they were having real physiological symptoms.

You may find fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) discussed in the same articles and discussion groups. Both share similar symptoms and the dietary and lifestyle changes for fibromyalgia can also work for chronic fatigue syndrome in some people.

Every fibromyalgia patient may have differing degrees of fatigue, muscle pain, fibro fog (short-term memory loss), Irritable Bowel Syndrome, depression, headaches and sleep disturbances. Fibromyalgia sufferers may have some of the symptoms but not necessarily all of them.  In the more severe cases the fibromyalgia sufferer may have all of the symptoms related to fibromyalgia.  The cases range from mild to severe and symptoms can come on like a lion and then diminish and leave for days or weeks.

Science does not fully understand fibromyalgia or it’s causes. It seems to be a modern syndrome brought on by our exposure to certain elements in the modern world.  Working with my clients that suffer from fibromyalgia, and from research that has been published, we can, with some amount of confidence, state that fibromyalgia may stem from physical and emotional stress, environmental and emotional toxicities, fungus and parasitic infections, sleep deprivation and physical trauma or a combination of these.

The exact mechanisms from these events that trigger fibromyalgia are not fully understood. However, current research does suggest that the added stresses brought about by the events or exposures interfere with the body’s natural intestinal balance creating a toxic bowel condition and leaky gut syndrome.

As a result of the stress overload in the digestive system, the mucosa lining and membranes of the large intestine become thin and are no longer able to adequately protect intestinal walls. The intestinal walls become weakened and thin and may begin to leak toxic materials and partially digested food particles into the blood stream potentially creating the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Since we now know this is a condition of toxicity, the diet must be changed to provide nutrients to bring health to the digestive system, in particular the intestines. Additionally, an overall approach to bring about body balance is important. We must remove antagonist foods and replace them with nutrient rich foods. If you have fibromyalgia, diet, gentle exercise and stress reduction are critical for health improvement.  I have worked with several people with fibromyalgia, and in all cases improvements have been made.  Fibromyalgia is not a condition that goes away quickly. You must be patient, correcting this condition takes time. It may take months for symptoms to begin to lessen. However, for some people, a reduction in some symptoms can be seen in a matter of a few weeks.

Corrective Action

  • Refined and processed foods must be eliminated as much as possible. This includes fast food and you must be careful when dinning out due to the use of preservatives and excessive sugar and salt.  Foods in boxes and packages, with the exception of vegetables and fruits, are usually body polluters.
  • If you smoke please quit. If you live with a smoker, get them to smoke outside. Second hand smoke can be as bad or even worse than smoking.
  • Eliminate alcohol and caffeine from your diet. They are irritants and may make your symptoms worse.
  • Get 8 or more hours of quality sleep per day.
  • Hydration is very important. You should consume at least ½ your weight in ounces of water per day.
  • With fibromyalgia the chance for a Candida overgrowth is likely.  Simple carbohydrates must be kept at a minimum and if possible eliminated completely. Foods that turn to blood sugar quickly (a high glycemic index or high glycemic load rating) will feed any fungus in your body.  This link provides great information to help you kill the Candida fungus and reestablish healthy gut flora.  All fruit juices, breads, beers and yeast products must be avoided.  Alcohol is a form of sugar.  Complex carbohydrates should come from vegetables, whole grains (oatmeal, oat bran, buckwheat, Bulgar wheat), and beans.
  • Even if you do not have Candida or other fungi, you should limit the intake of high glycemic foods.  Foods that turn to blood sugar quickly create a pro-inflammatory condition in the body that can over stimulate the immune system and create hormonal imbalances.
  • Once the fungus is controlled, your diet should consist primarily of vegetables, low sugar fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds and healthy oils and fats.  You need both raw and cooked vegetables.  At least 50% of your vegetables should be raw.
  • You should consume foods high fiber foods, and rich in the following nutrients; Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, zinc  and Omega 3 fatty acids. Foods with a high antioxidant value provide protection from free radical damage to cellular DNA and are anti-inflammatory. When using the antioxidant list, use the “mean column” and the “total ORAC” row. You might be surprised that some foods you think are very powerful antioxidants may not be. A few that might surprise you; pecans are a very high antioxidant food, as is cinnamon, cloves, oregano, rice bran, sumac bran, sorghum bran, unsweetened cocoa powder and elderberries.
  • You should take a very high quality nutritional compliment every day. The nutritional product should contain a broad spectrum of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, essential fatty acids, fiber, protein, prebiotics, probiotics and antioxidants.  This is very important because you must address total body health along with the rebuilding of the intestinal environment. Your odds of overcoming fibromyalgia are low without a strong nutritional approach.  Complements or supplements do not replace a healthy diet.  Eat healthy and complement the diet.
  • Additional Supplements: D-Ribose, Acytel-L Carnitine, L- Arginine, GLA (Borage Oil), Fish oil, 5-HTP (hydroxytryptophan), Iodine, probiotics, (consult with a health care provider for dosage instructions on supplements)
  • Stress management is critical. Exercise helps cut stress and moves toxins out of the body. Gentle exercises such as yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong and water aerobics have proven effective at helping to reduce the pain and fatigue symptoms of fibromyalgia.  Massage, sauna and a soaking bath in Epsom salt helps relax muscles and reduce pain.
  • It is important to work with a nutrition professional to insure you are addressing your particular nutritional needs. Taking the wrong combination of supplements could make your symptoms worse. This is not a health condition where you buy a bunch of supplements and expect to get results. It is a combination of diet, added nutrition, the elimination of potential toxins, exercise and stress management tailored for you, specifically.

In summary, remove bad foods, eat healthy nutrient dense foods, get added high quality nutrition ( needs may be different for each person), practice gentle exercising every day if possible,  cut the amount of stress in your life and reduce your risk of exposure to environmental chemicals and toxins and food born pathogens.  This may sound too simple but for most people it can have profound effects on fibromyalgia symptoms.  You will be amazed at what a difference changing your diet will do for your body.

These two web sites may be of value to you.

http://arthritis-symptom.com/Fibromyalgia-symptoms/fibromyalgia-support-groups.htm

http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer?pagename=community_supportGroupInformation

Great Food Does The Body Great!

If you would like specific guidance with fibromyalgia I would be honored to assist you.

Healthy Wishes

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

WebND

The contents of this blog is not and should not be  considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Are You Getting the Nutrients You Need for Good Health?

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.Leave a comment
Health Building Foods

Do you keep track of your intake of vital nutrients? I doubt seriously if you do, my guess is that at least 95% of the American public doesn’t. Most people just do not see it as important. We do know that only 12% to 15% eat the recommended minimum of 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits a day.  When you look at that those figures, it becomes easy to see why America’s health is spiraling downward, particularly for America’s children.  I want to convince you that keeping track of certain essential nutrients in your diet will foster good health and may even give protection against many adverse health conditions, illnesses and diseases.  This may take a little effort however in my opinion it is worth it.  Keeping a daily food journal for a while will give you an idea of the nutrients you are getting. For food journals I recommend two sites, this site is the most comprehensive and is free http://nutritiondata.self.com/ and secondarily this site is also free. http://www.fatsecret.com

Many health organizations report that nutrition and lifestyle factors contribute to more than 70% of chronic disease and illness. Unhealthy eating and inactivity contribute to 310,000 to 580,000 deaths each year according to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). That’s 13 times more than are killed by guns and 20 times more than by drug use.1

Leading Contributors to Premature Death

Diet and Physical Inactivity 310,000-580,000
Tobacco 260,000-470,000

Source: http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/nutrition_policy.html#eat

What adverse health conditions are you dealing with? No one is immune from negative health issues but we can swing the potential for good health in our favor by eating foods rich in health building nutrients.

It’s always best to get your nutrients from foods first and supplements secondarily. The body does not recognize isolated or synthetic nutrients the way it does food form nutrients. Therefore the absorption and use of the nutrients in the body can be much less effective than the nutrients you get from real foods. When I say real foods I am talking about unprocessed and unrefined foods. For example; Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, healthy oils, wild caught fish, free range chicken, free range turkey and organic eggs.

When I say nutrients, I am talking about essential nutrients meaning they must come from the foods we eat because our bodies can’t make them and they are important for good health.  Nutrients are the body’s building blocks of health.  A diet that is consistently deficient in these nutrients will over time reap the effects of a poor diet. This could be as simple as fatigue, anxiety, and body pain or more serious health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. All of these are most likely nutrient and lifestyle induced issues.

For the sake of clarity I will list the 6 essential nutrients; they are water, carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Within these 6 are subsets of other families. For example, carbohydrates are separated into two groups, starches and fiber.  There are many other families of nutrients in healthy foods however they are not considered essential. You may recognize some of them and you may have even thought they were essential. How about Antioxidants: they promote health by protecting cells and their genetic material from damage from free radical attacks. Phytosterols: a type of plant fat, they help reduce cholesterol helping to prevent or even reverse atherosclerosis and have shown properties that protect against colon cancer.

Essential Nutrients and Their Impact on Our Body

Vitamins and How They Impact Our Health

For more info about the content of nutrients in certain foods I recommend these sources. http://www.whfoods.com/nutrientstoc.php and http://nutritiondata.self.com/

Vitamin Health Impact Partial list Significant Food Sources (partial list)
B1 (thiamin) Supports energy, required to turn food into energy, metabolism and nerve function, reduces stress spinach, green peas, tomato juice, watermelon, sunflower seeds, lean ham, lean pork chops, soy milk
B2 (riboflavin) Supports energy,  required to turn food into energy, metabolism, normal vision and skin health, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, eggs, milk, liver, oysters, clams
B3 (niacin) Supports energy, required to turn food into energy,  metabolism, skin health, nervous system and digestive system spinach, potatoes, tomato juice, lean ground beef, chicken breast, tuna (canned in water), liver, shrimp
Biotin Energy metabolism, fat synthesis, amino acid metabolism, glycogen synthesis widespread in foods
Pantothenic Acid Supports energy metabolism widespread in foods
B6 (pyridoxine) Amino acid and fatty acid metabolism, red blood cell production, heart health bananas, watermelon, tomato juice, broccoli, spinach, acorn squash, potatoes, white rice, chicken breast
Folate Supports DNA synthesis and new cell formation, heart health, supports nerve health tomato juice, green beans, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, okra, black-eyed peas, lentils, navy, pinto and garbanzo beans
B12 Used in new cell synthesis, helps break down fatty acids and amino acids, supports nerve cell maintenance, heart health meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, milk, eggs
C (ascorbic acid) Collagen synthesis, amino acid metabolism, helps iron absorption, immunity, antioxidant, healthy bones and joints spinach, broccoli, red bell peppers, snow peas, tomato juice, kiwi, mango, orange, grapefruit juice, strawberries
A (retinol) Supports vision, skin, bone and tooth growth, immunity and reproduction, mango, broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, tomato juice, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, beef liver
D Promotes bone mineralization, required o build certain hormones self-synthesis via sunlight, fortified milk, egg yolk, liver, fatty fish, cod liver oil
E Antioxidant, regulation of oxidation reactions,  cellular membrane health, supports cell membrane stabilization polyunsaturated plant oils (soybean, corn and canola oils), wheat germ, sunflower seeds, tofu, avocado, sweet potatoes, shrimp, cod
K Synthesis of blood-clotting proteins, regulates blood calcium, bone health, immune function Brussels sprouts, leafy green vegetables, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, liver

Minerals and How They Impact Our Health

Mineral Health Impact Significant Food Sources
Sodium Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, supports muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmissions Processed foods, salt, soy sauce, bread, milk, meats
Chloride Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, aids in digestion Processed foods, salt, soy sauce, milk, eggs, meats
Potassium Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, cell integrity, muscle relaxation and nerve impulse transmission potatoes, acorn squash, artichoke, spinach, broccoli, carrots, green beans, cantaloupe, tomato juice, avocado, grapefruit juice, watermelon, banana, strawberries, cod, milk
Calcium Formation of bones and teeth, supports blood clotting, muscle contraction,  maintains pH balance milk, yogurt, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, tofu, sardines, green beans, spinach, broccoli, fortified foods
Phosphorus Formation of cells, bones and teeth, maintains pH balance all animal foods (meats, fish, poultry, eggs, milk)
Magnesium Used in over 300 metabolic functions, supports bone mineralization, protein building, muscular contraction, nerve impulse transmission, immune function, helps regulate blood pressure spinach, broccoli, artichokes, green beans, tomato juice, navy beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas,  sunflower seeds, tofu, cashews, halibut
Iron Part of the protein hemoglobin (carries oxygen throughout body’s cells) , necessary for healthy cellular function,  required for Neurotransmitters, dopamine, nor-epinephrine and serotonin artichoke, parsley, spinach, broccoli, green beans, tomato juice, tofu, lentils, beans, whole grains, clams, shrimp, beef liver;

iron in foods sources becomes more bio-available to the body when consumed with Vitamin c rich foods
Zinc A part of many enzymes, involved in production of genetic material and proteins, transports vitamin A, taste perception, wound healing, sperm production and the normal development of the fetus , immune function spinach, broccoli, green peas, green beans, tomato juice, lentils, oysters, shrimp, crab, turkey (dark meat), lean ham, lean ground beef, lean sirloin steak, plain yogurt, Swiss cheese, tofu, ricotta cheese

If taken as a supplement always take cooper with it. Cooper and zinc compete for space on the same enzyme and the intake of too much of one may cause a deficiency of the other.
Selenium Antioxidant.  Works with vitamin E to protect body from oxidation Brazil nuts, crimini mushrooms, barley, oats, seafood, meats and grains
Iodine Component of thyroid hormones that help regulate growth, development and metabolic rate salt, kelp, algae, seafood, bread, milk, cheese
Copper Necessary for the absorption and utilization of iron, supports formation of hemoglobin and several enzymes Calf’s liver, cashews, cooked soybeans, crimini mushrooms, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, coked barley, garbanzo beans, pinto beans

If taken as a supplement always take zinc with it. Cooper and zinc compete for space on the same enzyme and the intake of too much of one may cause a deficiency of the other.
Manganese Facilitates many cell processes widespread in foods
Fluoride Involved in the formation of bones and teeth, helps to make teeth resistant to decay fluoridated drinking water, tea, seafood
Chromium Associated with insulin and is required for the release of energy from glucose vegetable oils, liver, brewer’s yeast, whole grains, cheese, nuts
Molybdenum Facilitates many cell processes legumes, organ meats