Your
skin & outer barrier is technically called “epithelial tissue," and this frontline/epithelial tissue is mostly made of fat. The
structure of Vitamin A causes it to be a fat-soluble vitamin that
benefits these fatty tissues. The frontline/epithelial tissues
include your skin, the outer layer of your eyes, mouth, nose, throat,
digestive tract and urinary tract. This frontline is your body’s
first line of defense against disease and infection.
Also,
Vitamin A helps to strengthen the mucous membranes of your body. And
the mucous membranes are another frontline defense for your body
against infection. Vitamin A is very important for keeping your
frontline barriers such as the skin, eyes, nose, throat, lungs,
digestive tract & urinary tract strong. This will help you fight
off and protect you against infection.
Vitamin
A plays a role in the development of lymphocytes. These are the cells of your immune system that fight off bacteria and
disease.
The
benefits of Vitamin A is good for your eyes in 3 major ways: helps
prevent night blindness, prevents cataracts, like Vitamin C, and helps to preserve eyesight. AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration) is one of the leading causes of
blindness in people older than 65, about 31% of Americans 75 and
older has it. One study suggests that eating just one serving of a
food high in Vitamin A or beta carotene a day can reduce the chances of AMD
by almost half. One major study involving female nurses shows the
ones who got their beta carotene from foods had about 20% fewer heart
attacks than those who didn’t. Vitamin A helps in the creation of
important proteins used throughout your body. This is important
because your muscles are made from proteins and proteins also affect
your genes.
Speaking
of proteins, Vitamin A benefits pregnant & nursing mothers in protein and growth hormone development for the developing
fetus. They also help in forming the heart, eyes, limbs and ears.
Excess vitamin A during pregnancy is a big no-no. Talk to your doctor
first before you decide on supplementing with Vitamin A. They also
aid in red blood cell formation and help to transport iron to your
blood cells. To
get the full benefits of Vitamin A, get
at least 10,000 to 15,000 IU per day.
And it’s good to get both the preformed version (which comes from
animal sources such as eggs, liver, poultry & dairy) and from
carotenes (these come from plant sources). 1 large egg has around 320
IU of preformed Vitamin A while 1 medium carrot has about 8,000 IU of
beta carotene.
Gram
for gram, beef liver contains more nutrients than any other food:
vitamin A, all of the B vitamins, particularly B12, folic acid,
copper, and much more. Kale: 162% of Vitamin A in one serving to recommended daily values (2,000 calorie diet) - AWESOME!
Kale
chips
1
red pepper
 |
| Kale on top of my counter with the sunshine making it extra beautiful! |
2
cloves garlic
1/2
onion
1
tsp. cayenne pepper
Add
a small amount of water if needed to make a nice "paste" or
"sauce."
Rinse
approximately 8 cups of fresh kale. Gently tear off kale from stems
and place in large bowl. Pour oil of choice (see below) into bowl and
toss until kale leaves are coated. Add salt to taste (I use approx. 1
t.). Mix. Add "paste"of peppers and onion and mix with hands. If using a
dehydrator, place kale on trays and dehydrate at 110 degrees for 4-12
hours. This can also be done in an oven at 225 degrees for 2 hours.
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