NUTRIENTS A TO Z: VITAMIN E HOLISTIC HEALTH
PREVENTING OR TREATING FINE LINES AND WRINKLES – Forget the Botox, vitamin E oil may help the skin look more youthful and less wrinkled. However, this is not supported by scientific evidence, so we recommend the best strategy for preventing wrinkles is to avoid direct sunlight and to wear a quality sunscreen. SUNBURN PREVENTION – There has been limited research suggesting that vitamin E can prevent or reduce the formation of sunburns. Because vitamin E oil can moisturize and soothe dry, flaky skin, it may help to relieve the burning and itching that result from a sunburn. PROMOTING NAIL HEALTH - Research suggests that vitamin E supplementation can prevent yellow nail syndrome, which causes peeling, cracked, and yellowing nails. Plus, Vitamin E oil’s moisturizing benefits may also support nail health by preventing cracked cuticles and dry skin around the nail bed. VITAMIN E DEFICIENCY Vitamin E deficiency, which is exceedingly rare, but can occur in people with certain genetic disor - ders and in very low-weight premature infants. VITAMIN E DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:
by Janice Buckler
Naturally occurring vitamin E includes eight fat-soluble isoforms, but the body prefers the form called alpha-tocopherol. Furthermore, alpha-tocopherol is the only form of supple- mentation that can reverse vitamin E deficiency symptoms. Alpha-tocopherol functions as an antioxidant, preventing the propagation of free radicals and is involved in strengthening the immune system. Other antioxidants, like vitamin C, increase its potency due to synergy where the sum of the total is more than the sum of the parts.
• Muscularweakness, swellingorwasting • Poorco-ordination • Involuntarymovementof theeyes • Brittleandfallinghair
• Tendencytoformbloodclots • Fatmalabsorption
• Hemolyticanemia • Sicklecell anemia
• Celiacdisease • Cysticfibrosis
• Menstrualdiscomfort infemales • Lowsexdrive, impotenceinmales
Food sources include sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, olive and canola oils, tomato, avocado, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, wheat germ, soybeans, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, whole grain cereals, eggs, liver, and peanuts. BENEFITS OF VITAMIN E: Vitamin E may help people with higher environmental or lifestyle risk factors such as cigarette smoking, exposure to air pollution, high exposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight. Some purported benefits of vitamin E oil include: MOISTURIZING SKIN - Vitamin E is found in many moisturizers, and the oil may be used as a mois - turizer to prevent or treat dry, flaking skin. WOUND HEALING - Some research suggests that vitamin E supplements may promote wound healing. REDUCING SKIN ITCHING - Vitamin E may help to reduce itchy skin and ease eczema as it mois - turizes the skin. However, vitamin E cannot treat allergic reactions, infections, and other issues that cause skin itching. ECZEMA - Vitamin E may alleviate the dryness, itching, and flaking associated with eczema, or atopic dermatitis. PREVENTING OR MINIMIZING THE APPEARANCE OF SCARS - Folklore has long suggested that vitamin E, applied to the skin, taken as a supplement, or both, might treat scars, or prevent them from forming in the first place. However, this is folklore, but research does not support this claim and has found no association between vitamin E use and scar prevention.
An easy way to get enough vitamin E in your diet is to add a tablespoon of wheat germ oil to a recipe or toss in some sunflower seeds or broccoli into your next salad to get a crunchy boost of vitamin E. Getting creative will help you reap the many benefits of vitamin E in your diet.
While overdosing on food-based vitamin E is unlikely, taking high doses of this vitamin in supple- ment form can cause serious side effects, such as an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke. S u p p l e m e n t a r y range: 400 to 800 IU daily and should not exceed 1,000 inter - national units (IUs) per day if you are using synthetic sup- plements.
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JUNE 2020 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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