What you should know about Vitamins

Vitamins B and C: are considered to be the most important vitamins in the battle against stress. A diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, junk foods, and carbonated drinks may cause a deficiency of vitamin B, which can upset the nervous system, causing symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, agitation, nightmares, fatigue, night sweats, poor appetite, bowel problems, depression, and recurrent infections.

Vitamin B3: may be deficient in people with a low protein diet particularly if they have a high alcohol intake. It can cause irritability, fatigue, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, poor memory, emotional instability, and skin problems. There may be diarrhea and a sore tongue in some extreme cases.

Vitamin B6: deficiency can cause anxiety, depression and personality changes - often experienced before a period as premenstrual syndrome. It can be a result either of poor diet or of taking the contraceptive pill.

Vitamin B12: deficiency can give rise to depression, fatigue, nervousness, and anxiety. It may arise during stressful periods because gastric acidity, necessary for proper B12 absorption, is reduced in some people with emotional problems.

Vitamin C: (ascorbic acid) has been researched widely for its ability to enhance resistance to stress and its use as a treatment for nervous and psychiatric problems. It has been found for example that schizophrenics can require 70,000 mg of vitamin C before their body reaches saturation, while others may only need 4,000 mg. Emotional stress and strain causes the body to use much more ascorbic acid.

Vitamins A-K

Vitamin A (fat soluble): fish oils, milk produce, (organic) liver, egg yolk, carrots.

Carotene is a source of vitamin A, found in green, yellow and orange vegetables, orange and yellow fruits, dandelion leaves, parsley and watercress

Vitamin B1 (thiamin, water soluble): whole grains, oatmeal, (organic) liver, legumes, yeast, milk, nuts, lentils, seeds, eggs.

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt, cereals, meat, brewer's yeast, green leaf vegetables, peas, beans, eggs, wheatgerm.

Vitamin B3 (nicotinic acid/niacin): whole grains, milk, milk products, meat, fish, brewer's yeast, green vegetables, nuts, eggs.

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): cow's milk, breastmilk, eggs, cereals, meat, brewer's yeast, green vegetables, mushrooms.

Viatmin B6 (pyridoxine): fish, meat, egg yolk, whole grains, nuts, seeds, green vegetables, brewer's yeast, bananas, avocados, molasses, mushrooms.

Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin): meat, liver, kidneys, fish, eggs, milk, milk products, beansprouts. Also manufactured by intestinal bacteria.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid): fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, potatoes, leafy herbs, berries.

Vitamin D: milk, milk products, eggs, fatty fish, fish oil. Sunlight triggers its synthesis in the skin.

Vitamin E: nuts, seeds, eggs, milk, milk products, whole grains, wheatgerm, unrefined oils, leafy vegetables, avocados, seaweeds, soy beans, breastmilk.

Vitamin K: green vegetables, milk, milk products, molasses, apricots, whole grains, cod liver oil, sunflower oil. Synthesized in the intestines.