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Vitamins and Foods Cheat Sheet

Hello everyone!!! I hope you all are doing great. This week's Blog posting is a continuation from last week's Vitamin Blog post. I have created a table of all the vitamins that are essential for obtaining an optimal level of health and fitness.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to send me an email or leave a comment. I hope this helps you all in your Health and Fitness Expeditions.

Vitamin Facts

Vitamin	RDA/AI* Men+        Women+		Best Sources	Functions
A (carotene)	900µg	700µg	Yellow or orange fruits and vegetables, green leafy vegetables, fortified oatmeal, liver, dairy products	Formation and maintenance of skin, hair, and mucous membranes; helps people see in dim light; bone and tooth growth
B1 (thiamine)	1.2mg	1.1mg	Fortified cereals and oatmeal’s, meats, rice and pasta, whole grains, liver	Helps the body release energy from carbohydrates during metabolism; growth and muscle tone
B2 (riboflavin)	1.3mg	1.1mg	Whole grains, green leafy vegetables, organ meats, milk, eggs	Helps the body release energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates during metabolism
B6 (pyridoxine)	1.3mg	1.3mg	Fish, poultry, lean meats, bananas, prunes, dried beans, whole grains, avocados	Helps build body tissue and aids in metabolism of protein
B12 (cobalamin)	2.4µg	2.4µg	Meats, milk products, seafood	Aids cell development, functioning of the nervous system, and the metabolism of protein and fat
Biotin	30µg	30 µg	Cereal/grain products, yeast, legumes, liver	Involved in metabolism of protein, fats and carbohydrates
Choline	550mg	425mg	Milk, liver, eggs, peanuts	A precursor of acetylcholine; essential for liver function
Folate (folacin, folic acid)	400 µg	400 µg±	Green leafy vegetables, organ meats, dried peas, beans, lentils	Aids in genetic material development; involved in red blood cell production
Niacin	16mg	14mg	Meat, poultry, fish, enriched cereals, peanuts, potatoes, dairy products, eggs	Involved in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism
Pantothenic Acid	5mg	5mg	Lean meats, whole grains, legumes	Helps release energy from fats and vegetables
C (ascorbic acid)	90mg	75mg	Citrus fruits, berries, and vegetables-especially peppers	Essential for structure of bones, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels; helps maintain capillaries and gums and aids in absorption or iron
D	5 µg	5 µg	Fortified milk, sunlight, fish, eggs, butter, fortified margarine	Aids in bone and tooth formation; helps maintain heart action and nervous system function
E	15mg	15mg	Fortified and multigrain cereals, nuts, wheat germ, vegetable oils, green leafy vegetables	Protects blood cells, body tissue, and essential fatty acids from harmful destruction in the body
K	120 µg	90 µg	Green leafy vegetables, fruit, dairy, grain products	Essential for blood-clotting functions

* Recommended Dietary Allowances are presented in bold type: Adequate Intakes are presented in non-bolded type.

+ RDAs and AIs given are for men aged 31-50 and non-pregnant, non-breastfeeding women aged 31-50; mg = milligrams; µg= micrograms

± This is the amount women of childbearing age should obtain from supplements or fortified foods.

Source: ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant Manual: Second Edition

VITAMINS - What are They & How to Get them Through Foods?!?!?!

I think it is important that we all know how vitamin intake or lack thereof, really affects the function of the  human body.  I found the below excerpt in the ACE (American Council on Exercise) Lifestyle and Weight Management Manual.  This information goes hand-in-hand with any biology or medical textbook out in circulation today.

"Vitamins are organic (organic=compounds that contain carbon), noncaloric micronutrients that are essential for normal physiological function.  Vitamins must be consumed by foods, with only three exceptions:  vitamin K and biotin, which can be produced by normal intestinal flora (bacteria that live in the intestines and are critical for normal gastrointestinal function), and vitamin D, which can be self-produced with sun exposure.

No "perfect" food contains all the vitamins in just the right amount.  Instead, a variety of nutrient-dense foods must be consumed to ensure adequate vitamin intakes.  Many foods (such as breads and cereals) have been fortified with some nutrients to cut the risk of vitamin deficiency.  And some foods contain inactive vitamins, which are called provitamins.  Fortunately, the human body contains enzymes to convert these inactive vitamins into active vitamins.

Humans need 13 different vitamins, which are divided into two categories:  water-soluble vitamins (the B vitamins and vitamin C) and fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K).  Choline - is called a "quasi-vitamin" because it can be produced in the body, but also provides additional benefits through consumption of foods - plays a crucial role in neurotransmitter and platelet functions, and may help prevent Alzheimer's disease." (ACELWMC p.143)

Stay tuned this week to learn about the different types of vitamins that are essential for normal function of the human body and which foods contain the different vitamins for an optimal healthy lifestyle.

Is Living Healthy In Your New Years Resolution???

For anyone who has made a New Year's Resolution for 2012 to lose weight, get in shape, or anything relating to being healthy or increasing your physical performance, I just wanted to share a little about my story so you know that there are people around you that have been through it all and are here for your support during your amazing life changing decisions to live a healthy lifestyle.       

In July 2005, I was in a horrific car accident and I wrapped my car practically around a tree.  As a result of the accident I had major trauma to my descending aorta, rendering it severed, separated approximately 2 cm.  Along with the severed aorta, I also had eleven broken ribs.  Seven hours after the accident, I underwent open-heart surgery at Fairfax Inova Heart Center in Fairfax, VA.  After spending 10 days in the hospital after surgery, I spent about 6 months in recovery from the accident.       

During the time I had my accident, I was not living a very healthy lifestyle.  I was not eating well, I drank too much, and even though I was in the Marine Corps, it did not stop me from living a very destructive way of life.

It wasn't until January of 2008, that I decided to make a life changing decision, which included me losing all the weight that I had gained from making unhealthy lifestyle decisions over the years.       

Below you can see the pictures which were taken in year 2008 prior to me starting to care about myself and beginning the steps to transformation.  The heaviest I ever weighed was 272 lbs.  One day I literally woke up and looked at myself in the mirror and realized how over-weight I was.  Right then and there, I vowed to do whatever it took to lose my weight and live a healthier lifestyle, not only for me, but to also be an inspiration to my friends and family.         

Currently, I am weighing in at 166 lbs, which means I have lost 106 lbs to date.  I want emphasize the fact that I did this all naturally, without any special dietary supplements or special vitamins to assist me in this weight loss journey.  I took me 3 years to get to where I am today and it hasn't been easy.  Remember that its not about how fast you can make yourself look better, but about making healthy lifestyle decisions so that you live an overall healthy life.         

If you are one of the people out there that have decided that it's time to do something about making lifestyle changes, please drop me a line and find out how I can help and support you especially  if there is anything that you think will hinder you in this awesome journey.          Please enjoy my before and after pics from this awesome experience.  I wish you all good luck and hope that this is an inspiration for you all to move forward with your 2012 New Year's Resolutions.



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