This will be long but I thought some of you might find it interesting or helpful.
We all differ in our genetic makeup, hormone production, metabolic efficiency and nutritional requirements. Just because you may have discovered that a certain type of diet is best for you does not mean that this is the best type of diet for everyone. Some people are vitamin dependent. Their need for B vitamins, for example, may be 1,000 times the daily amount required by most people. If they do not receive this amount, they may develop symptoms of a vitamin-deficiency disease. Supernutrition emphasizes the supplying of optimum nutrition to each cell in the body for the best possible health and resistance to disease.
Too often, vitamins and minerals are lost in the process of food preperation. When you cut vegetables and fruits, they are exposed to air and begin losing nutrients. That is why preparing your foods as close as possible to the time when you eat is advisable. If you peel foods and discard the peeling, you lose valuable nutrients that way too. This is particularly true of soft-skinned foods like peaches, apples, potatoes, and so on. When you cook the food and it comes in contact with a combination of water, oxyhen, and heat, even more nutrients are lost. In fact, you could end up with just a lot of overseasoned, broken-down fiber instead of the nutritious food that you started out with. Avoid cooking on high heat, and steam foods instead of boiling them for a long time at high temperatures. Give your teeth something to chew! If we were meant to overcook everything until it fell apart and turned soft and mushy, we would only need gums! Most vitamins and minerals are stable during cooking at mild temperatures, but when the temperature is high--watch out.
Vitamin A is destroyed when over-oxygenated by frying in rancid oils or fats (vitamin A is fat soluble); however, it is fairly stable in mild cooking. Most vegetables and fruits contain vitamin A.
Vitamin C is lost at room temperature though oxidation, so foods containing it should be kept cool. Cook over very low heat without water, if possible.
Vitamin D is stable in cooking, storing, and oxidation.
Vitamin E can become rancid easily, but it is stable in cooking and with oxygenation.
Vitamin B complex varies in its stability depending on the individual vitamin. Thiamin (B1) is very susceptible to being destroyed by heat, oxygen, and alkaline substances like baking soda. (This is true of vitamin C as well). Toasting a piece of bread can destroy as much as 70% of the thiamin. Riboflavin (B2) is found in milk and is very sensitive to slight increases as the temperature rises. It is stable in heat, however. Niacin (B3) is water soluble but is generally the most stable of the B vitamins. Pyridoxine (B6) is sensitive to heat, light, and alkalinity in some foods, and it is usually lost in the refining process. Vitamin B12 can be destroyed in boiled milk, but it is stable under most conditions. The remainder of the B vitamin group is not affected by normal cooking; however, it is true that most of the B vitamins can be destroyed by alkaline conditions (using soda).
As many of your nutritional needs as possible should be met by the foods you eat; but since cooking destroys so many nutrients and eating the right foods isn't always possible, you may want to take vitamin, mineral, enzyme and/or
protein supplements.
Nutritional scientists have found special functions for Vitamin C and some of the B vitamins. Lack of thiamine (B1) can affect your memory, appetite, moods, and concentration. Niacin has been used for its fat-lowering properties because it can lower cholesterol levels in the blood. It is a strong vasodilator and when taken in higher amounts than you are used to will result in a flushing of the skin. In very high dosages, it is used by orthomolecular physicians to treat people with coronary disease, schizophrenia, allergies, senility, and arthritis. Vitamin B6 is needed by the body to make fifty different enzymes, must be present to metabolize all the amino acids and is necessary to maintain a stable immunologic system. In higher doses, it works with vitamin C as a diuretic, has been used to combat premenstrual tensions, and to relieve tingling and numbness in the hands, leg cramps, and arthritis. Vitamin B12 has been used to treat pernicious anemia, poor concentration, hallucinations, agitation, and depression. Pantothenic acid along with vitamin C works directly on the adrenal glands to relieve stress. Individual requirements vary greatly.
Calcium can be lost by high temperatures, water and by oxidation. Chlorine and fluorine are destroyed by high temperatures. Iron, which gives us pep by carrying oxygen through the blood, is destroyed by water and oxidation. Phosphorus and magnesium (a natural laxative) can both be destroyed by water and high heat. Potassium, manganese (works with your nervous system and helps improve your memory), silicon (a blood builder) and sodium (a blood purifier) are all destroyed or leached by water. Iodine and sulphur (needed by the nervous system, brain, skin, hair, and nails) are destroyed by oxidation and high temperatures.
We suggest that you take vitamins and minerals when you eat and take them slowly. Vitamins enclosed in gelatin capsules are rapidly dissolved in your stomach and consequently reach the blood stream quickly. Vitamins and minerals compressed into a pill and held together with bulky, inert materials or binders whould never be used. Unless a time-release vitamin is in a gelatin capsule, there is no guarantee that it will dissolve enough in your stomach to be absorbed. Be sure to hold gelatin capsules in your mouth 30 seconds before swallowing with a liquid, so your saliva softens the capsule. Never take vitamins containing sugar or preservatives.
If you want to build more solid muscle, you should consider taking a protein supplement. Our favorite is milk and egg protein. From our experience, liquid protein make from collagen, which is derived from connective tissue of cattle, is not as effective. Glandular protein powders are made from animal's internal organs (i.e., liver, heart, spleen); but they do not taste good and do not supply calcium, as a milk/egg protein does. Protein powders can be mixed with food, like yogurt or cottage cheese, or can be sipped in a drink mixture of milk or cream and water. Never gulp down protein drinks, sip them slowly.
Hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes are present in your stomach to break down protein into amino acids. Protein digestants are often used when a lot of protein is being consumed.
The papain in papaya and the bromeline in pineapple also work to aid protein digestion.
If you don't like the idea of opening ten or more vitamin bottles every day, you may want to take a muliple vitamin/mineral. We suggest you take on that has all the nutrients we described along with extra vitamin C and vitamin E. Natural foods, like dessicated liver, torula and brewers yeast, are good sources of B vitamins, iron and amino acids. Lecithin (the natural fat emulsifier found in eggs and soybeans) is a good natural source of phosphorous, choline and inositol and is good for the skin and hair.
Your way of eating should neither interfere with your enjoyment of dining out with friends nor make you feel self-conscious at the dinner table at home. Adding
nutritional supplements to your diet can be a way of taking the worry out of whether or not you are getting proper nutrition.
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