Lets start with Diet

     You can take dietary supplements but they don't absorb as well as the nutrients the body absorbs naturally from the food and drinks you ingest.  Also your probably not going to have to worry about having too much of a particular vitamin in your system or medication or pregnancy complications. The best way to be healthy is to make every thing you eat and drink count towards a healthy living.  Yes you can have treats, but that's what they are meant to be, "Treats" not meals and an every day lifestyle way of eating and drinking. Now I'm going to make a long list of Vitamins and what foods you can find them in and what they help with and can you skim through.  I know some of us can't seem to get enough of the vitamins we need through our diet so we still need supplements so I'll talk about vitamin supplements in my next post.

Vitamin A

Helps build healthy eyes, required for growth and bone development. Beta Carotene is a good antioxidant. Helps healing of infections.

You'll find it in
Carrots, yams, pumpkins, yellow or orange fruits, beets, greens, fish, eggs, tuna

Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
Vitamin A deficiency symptoms may include :: faulty teeth and slow bone formation; night blindness (see poorly in dim light); prolonged deficiency can cause xerophthalmia (dry eyes) which can ultimately lead to blindness; rough dry scaly skin; bumpy skin; increased susceptibility to colds and viral infections; sinusitis (chronic inflammation of the sinuses); frequent infections of the bladder or urinary tract; tendency to abcesses in the ears; rapid weight loss; loss of smell, taste or appetite. 

Vitamin B1 Thiamine

Helps in carbohydrate metabolism and energy production. Required for normal nerve function.

You'll find it in
Whole grains, rice, bran, lean meats, fresh peas, beans, wheat germ, oranges, poultry, fish, enriched pastas


Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
Vitamin B1 deficiency leads to beriberi, a condition characterized by :: excessive fatigue or muscular weakness; loss of appetite; vague aches and pains or tingling sensations; loss of sensation (numbness) in hands and legs; severe deficiency can cause nerve damage, leading to paralysis of the leg; heart abnormalities such as palpitations or enlarged heart; lung congestion and difficulty in breathing; gastrointestinal disorders such as indigestion or constipation; Crohn's disease; recurrent canker sores (aphthous or oral ulcers); stunted growth; forgetfulness or mental confusion; nervous irritability or mental depression; vague fears or feelings of persecution; severe deficiency can lead to brain damage and a form of dementia (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome). 

Vitamin B2 Riboflavin

Helps in production of energy from foods and the formation of red blood cells.

You'll find it in
Fortified grains & cereals, leafy green vegetables, poultry, fish, yogurt, milk, cheese

Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
Vitamin B2 deficiency symptoms may include :: dermatitis; peeling of skin around the nose; cracks or sores at corners of mouth or on lips; swollen or sore throat; shiny red-purple or inflamed or sore tongue; loss of sense of taste; loss of appetite; damage to the fetus during pregnancy; anemia / anaemia; nervousness or irritability or depression due to nerve damage; eyes that burn or itch or are bloodshot, or sensitive to bright light. 

Vitamin B3 Niacin (It's rare to be deficient in vitamin B3)

Assists in release of energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins; helps promote healthy skin

You'll find it in
Fortified breads and cereals, brewer's yeast, broccoli, carrots, cheese, dandelion greens, dates, eggs, fish, milk peanuts, potatoes, tomatoes, tuna, veal, beef liver, chicken breast

Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
Niacin deficiency symptoms may include :: most common symptoms are dry, cracked and scaly skin; pellagra, a condition characterized by dermatitis, diarrhea and dementia; feeling of lassitude or weariness; muscular weakness; loss of appetite; indigestion or gastrointestinal disturbances; depression, irritability, anxiety or confusion; severe deficiency can cause dementia. 

Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid

Helps release energy from foods; required for synthesis of many substances. B5, also known as pantothenic acid, is essential to every living thing. It is found in every living cell in the form coenzyme A (CoA), a vital participant in countless chemical reactions that sustain life. The value of the B5 vitamin in daily living, however, is clearest under conditions of stress, whether stress is caused by pain or pleasure.
Vitamin B5 is part of the enzyme that burns fat. B5 is essential to the making of melatonin, the hormone regulating sleep. It helps cells signal to each other when it's necessary to release hormones to keep physiological functions in balance. And it helps the brain use essential fatty acids to make the myelin sheath that insulates nerve cells and allows neurons in the brain to communicate with each other.

You'll find it in
Broccoli, egg yolks, kidney, liver, yeast, Avocados, chicken, fish, legumes, mushrooms, shellfish, and sweet potatoes

Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
Vitamin B5 deficiency symptoms may include :: numbness and shooting or burning pains in the feet; chronic fatigue; depression or irritability or listlessness; rheumatoid arthritis; headaches; nausea; insomnia; abdominal cramps; increased susceptibility to colds or infections. 

Vitamin B6

Helps release energy from foods; required for synthesis of many substances. Depression - It's possible that vitamin B6 might help relieve depression.

You'll find it in
Whole grain breads and cereals, fish, chicken, bananas

Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
Vitamin B6 deficiency symptoms may include :: skin disorders such as eczema or dermatitis ; cracks or sores on lips or mouth; inflammation of mucous membranes of the mouth or tongue; nerve related problems including convulsions and seizures; arm and leg cramps or numbness of hands and feet; irritability or mood abnormalities; depression; nausea or dizziness; migraine headaches; anemia / anaemia; chronic fatigue or muscle weakness; increased susceptibility to infections; asthma. 

Vitamin B9 Folic Acid

Essential for red blood cell formation and synthesis of DNA and protein

You'll find it in
Fortified cereals, pinto beans, navy beans, green leafy vegetables, beef, brown rice, bran, cheese, lamb, liver, milk, mushrooms, oranges, split peas, pork, tuna, whole grains


Vitamin B12 Cyanocobalamin

Helps maintain healthy nervous system, required for normal growth and for production of red blood cells. Helps breakdown fatty acids.Boosts immune function Protects against senile dementia Regenerates cells throughout the body and Works with folic acid and vitamin B6 to protect the heart. The organ most dependent on vitamin B12 for normal functioning is the brain.

You'll find it in
Ham, clams, cooked oysters, king crab, herring, salmon, tuna, lean beef, liver, low fat diary products

Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
Vitamin B12 deficiency might lead to pernicious anemia, a condition characterized by :: pernicious anemia characterized by fatigue, weakness, diarrhea, weight loss, pale skin, sore red tongue or mouth; hypotension (low blood pressure); loss of appetite; nerve damage symptomized by tingling and numbness in the hands and feet, loss of balance, unsteady movement; heart palpitations; confusion, disorientation or hallucinations; irritability, depression, or other mood disturbances; memory loss or dementia; associated with Alzheimer's disease; dandruff; vision problems; higher blood levels of homocysteine which increases risk of heart attacks and strokes; associated with breast cancer; retarded growth, movement disorders and anemia in infants. 

Vitamin C

Required for formation of connective tissue, bones and teeth; assists in utilization of other vitamins, acts as an antioxidant. Its antioxidant power makes it a key player in regulating the immune system, fighting off infections, possibly preventing cancer, and even relieving the aches and pains of tired muscles.

You'll find it in
Citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, melons, peppers, collards, dandelion greens, onions, radishes, watercress

Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
Vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen. Shortage of vitamin C leads to scurvy, where the body stops making collagen and so falls apart – joints fail due to breakdown of cartilage and tendons, blood vessels break open, gums ulcerate and teeth fall out, the immune system deteriorates, and the person dies. Other vitamin deficiency symptoms may include :: easy bruising and small spots of bleeding under the skin (which appear as pink spots on the skin); swollen or painful joints or bones; slow-healing wounds and fractures; nosebleeds; spongy, swollen, bleeding gums and loose teeth; teeth decay easily; dry brittle hair; dry rough scaly skin; anemia; fatigue or lethargy or muscle weakness; loss of appetite; recurrent colds and infections; atherosclerosis; possible weight gain due to slower metabolism. 


Vitamin D

Aides in normal bone growth and tooth function; facilitates calcium and phosphorus absorption. Your body makes vitamin D when sunlight hits your skin. Actually, vitamin D is both a vitamin and a hormone. Vitamin D is a vitamin because bones can't use calcium without it. Vitamin D is a hormone because the skin makes it in response to sunlight.

You'll find it in 
Sun exposure(we all know too much sun is bad), sardines, salmon, fortified milk, fortified cereals, herring, liver, tuna, margarine, cod liver oil

Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to impair proper function of insulin- producing cells possibly leading to type 2 diabetes. Studies also suggest a link between lack of vitamin D in early life with later onset of type 1 diabetes. Other vitamin deficiency symptoms may include :: rickets which causes soft bones, skeletal deformities or retarded growth in children; osteomalacia resulting in muscular weakness and soft bones; muscle or bone pain (including low back pain); frequent bone fractures; osteoporosis; higher risk of periodontal disease in adults over 50 years old; rheumatoid arthritis; increased risk of diabetes due to insufficient insulin produced; increased risk of high blood pressure; hypocalcemia (low blood calcium level) characterized by muscle cramps, twitching nerves or muscles, numbness and tingling of fingers and toes, irregular heart contractions, and irritability. 

Vitamin E

As an antioxidant it protects body cells and helps maintain normal red blood cells. It is a powerful antioxidant that studies show can aid in the prevention of degenerative diseases (i.e cancer & cardio vascular disease).

You'll find it in
Whole grains, wheat germ, nuts, spinach, sunflower seeds

Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
Severe vitamin E deficiency is rare. Vitamin deficiency symptoms may include :: loss of appetite; nausea; anemia due to loss of red blood cells; weak immune system; eye problems such as cataracts or degeneration of the retina; angina (severe chest pains) in males; weakness in muscles and limbs, and sometimes muscle cramps, stiffness or spasms; damage to nerves characterized by numbness and tingling or burning sensations in the arms, legs, hands or feet; lack of coordination of muscle movements characterized by jerkiness, clumsiness or instability; digestive tract problems such as liver or gallbladder disorders that result in poor absorption of food; miscarriages, uterine or testicular deterioration, decreased fertility.


Vitamin H Biotin

Assists in metabolism of carbohydrates and synthesis of fats and proteins.

You'll find it in
Legumes, nuts


Vitamin K

Essential in the blood clotting process.

You'll find it in
Green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower

Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
Vitamin K deficiency symptoms may include :: bruise or bleed easily, such as from a wound, the nose or stomach or intestine, causing blood to be vomited or appear in the stool or urine; blood takes longer to clot than normal; osteoporosis or low bone mineral density; bones fracture easily.