Have they jaded with time?
How can you know if you have a Vitamin E Deficiency ?
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| source – giphy.com |
There are certain symptoms which develop gradually and are often overlooked and attributed to weakness and overwork .Look out if you feel any of these persistently .
1. Breathlessness
2. Irritability
3. Reduced Stamina for physical exertion
4. Sudden rhythmic movements of the eyeballs
5. Night Blindness or reduced vision in the dark,limitation in upward gaze
6. Loss of voluntary control of the movements of limbs causing a changed gait or in-coordination in movements
7.Loss of ability to sense vibrations or sense the position of the limbs
8. Dementia – a progressive inability to think in an organised manner and remember things
9. Palpitations – increased awareness and rate of heart beat
10. Infertility in both sexes
How do you diagnose a Vitamin E Deficiency ?
Who are at risk ?
Some people are more prone to developing a vitamin E deficiency than the normal population and by knowing if you or a family member is at risk you can prevent the complications from developing.
The proper absorption of vitamin E from the gastrointestinal tract needs some dietary fat because it is a fat soluble vitamin. Individuals who have had part or all of their gut removed or/and individuals with may not absorb fat are more predisposed to a deficiency .
The most common predisposing factors are :
While frying in a Vitamin E rich oil like Safflower /Sunflower or Olive Oil may increase the nutritive content of the food being fried.
Oxidation of the food during frying causes loss of vitamin E and repeated use of the same oil will further diminish the vitamin content, which will ultimately affect the net value of vitamin E from fried foods. Frying also degrades the oil by loss of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are sources of essential fatty acids in your diet.
So the best practice is to use cold compressed oils , nuts either raw or lightly cooked .
Individuals with ‘Isolated Vitamin E deficiency ‘have a very poor capacity to absorb vitamin E and hence develop the neurological complications of vitamin E deficiency that are fortunately reversed by administration of high doses of vitamin E.
If you have been diagnosed with Cystic fibrosis – Cystic Fibrosis affects the lungs and pancreas and causes the body to produce thick and sticky mucus that can clog the lungs and obstruct the pancreas. It causes recurrent respiratory infections and steatorrhoea – frothy ,sticky stools .
According to studies ,Vitamin E has had some role in preventing or altering the progress of certain diseases .
Studies have shown that a high dietary intake of vitamin E is associated with high serum concentrations of alpha tocopherol and that in turn is associated with lower rates of ischemic heart disease.
Topical Use ( application on the skin and scalp) – Vitamin E has done far more for the Beauty and Cosmetics industry than what it does for you and me !
Evion capsules have been crushed and used onto the hair and skin to make it smoother.Vitamin E is also added to moisturizers to treat or prevent dry, rough, scaly, itchy skin and minor skin irritations (e.g., diaper rash, skin burns and burns from radiation therapy).
It makes the skin softer and smoother giving a youthful appearance.Effects are temporary and being a doctor myself , I recommend taking Vitamin E orally in the form of natural food than relying only on skin products .
HOW MUCH VITAMIN E DO YOU NEED DAILY ?
One milligram is equivalent to 1.5 international units (IU). This table below will help you in finding out your daily requirement .
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S.No.
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Age
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Male
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Female
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Pregnancy
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Lactation
|
|
1
|
0-6 months
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4mg ( 6 IU)
|
4mg ( 6 IU)
|
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|
2
|
7-12 months
|
5 mg (7.5 IU)
|
5 mg (7.5 IU)
|
||
|
3
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1 ā 3 years
|
6 mg ( 9 IU)
|
6 mg ( 9 IU)
|
||
|
4
|
4 ā 8 years
|
7 mg (10.4 IU)
|
7 mg (10.4 IU)
|
||
|
5
|
9 ā 14 years
|
11mg (16.4 IU)
|
11mg (16.4 IU)
|
||
|
6
|
14 + years
|
15mg(22.4 IU)
|
15mg(22.4 IU)
|
15mg(22.4 IU)
|
19 mg (28.4 IU)
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Foods providing 20% or more of the DV (Daily Value ) are considered to be high sources of a nutrient, but foods providing lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet .In this table you will get an idea of the amount of Vitamin E that your daily food will provide .
Here is a list of various foods along with the percentage DV that one serving provides
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S. No.
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Food Item
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mg of Vitamin E from single serving
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Percent DV
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|
1
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Wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon
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20.3
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100
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2
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Sunflower seeds, dry roasted, 1 ounce
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7.4
|
37
|
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3
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Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce
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6.8
|
34
|
|
4
|
Sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon
|
5.6
|
28
|
|
5
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Safflower oil, 1 tablespoon
|
4.6
|
25
|
|
6
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Hazelnuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce
|
4.3
|
22
|
|
7
|
Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons
|
2.9
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15
|
|
8
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Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce
|
2.2
|
11
|
|
9
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Corn oil, 1 tablespoon
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1.9
|
10
|
|
10
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Spinach, boiled, Ā½ cup
|
1.9
|
10
|
|
11
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Broccoli, chopped, boiled, Ā½ cup
|
1.2
|
6
|
|
12
|
Soybean oil, 1 tablespoon
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1.1
|
6
|
|
13
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Kiwifruit, 1 medium
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1.1
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6
|
|
14
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Mango, sliced, Ā½ cup
|
0.7
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4
|
|
15
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Tomato, raw, 1 medium
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0.6
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4
|
|
16
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Spinach, raw, 1 cup
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0.6
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3
|
|
17
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Hard Boiled Egg , one 50 g egg
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0.87
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6
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| Avocado ,Salmon and Egg Salad – http://www.amodernrose.com |
Just toss toasted Almonds, Lettuce/ Micro greens, Bell Peppers, sliced boiled eggs ,Walnuts,sliced red onions and sliced tomatoes into a salad . I liberally drizzle it with Extra Virgin Cold pressed Olive Oil and some lemon juice. Sprinkle some seasoning and you are ready to have it .
A cheat way of getting your daily dose of Vitamin E will be to munch on assorted nuts like Pine nuts, Almonds and Walnuts or pop a Vitamin E supplement like “Evion Supplements”on days when you are too pressed for time to make a salad or when you are travelling .
Do what works for you but make sure that you do get your daily dose of this essential Vitamin .
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