People who take vitamin E supplements regularly for years—whether they are smokers or nonsmokers—may lower their risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the lung condition that is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
COPD includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis and is often, but not always, caused by smoking.
While the risk reduction is relatively small, 10%, COPD is a common and life-threatening condition in which a decline in lung function can be slowed down but not reversed. COPD symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, and fatigue.
“The effect appears to be modest. But for something for which there isn’t really any effective therapy and tends to be a degenerative condition, anything that would reduce the risk even somewhat is not an insubstantial benefit,” says Jeffrey B. Blumberg, PhD, a professor of nutrition at Tufts University in Boston who was not involved in the study.
Vitamins
Vitamins are found in the foods we eat. The body needs these vitamins for you to grow and develop. Each and every vitamin has its own roles to play.
There are 2 Types of Vitamins
1. Fat soluble 2. Water soluble
Fat soluble vitamins are stored in the body fat and stay in the body from 6 days to 6 months. Special carriers in the body take them to where they are needed when they are required by the body. Vitamin E, A, K and D are always fat soluble. Water soluble vitamins don’t get stored in the body. They get into the bloodstream or urinated. Vitamin C as well Vitamin B is always soluble to water.
Vitamin A: This is important for healthy eyes and the skin. It helps in identifying different colors. Vitamin A is found in liver, milk rich in Vitamin A, carrot and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin B: It is primarily needed for metabolism. It also helps in producing red blood corpuscles that help carry oxygen to different parts of the body. Vitamin B is found in wheat, oats, fish, eggs, leafy vegetables etc.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps you heal when you have a wound. Vitamin C is found in strawberries, tomatoes, cabbage orange and lime.
It is today a well known fact that most of us are deficient in some or the other nutrition. In America, it is believed that most of the people are ill due to either overeating or malnutrition. Consuming too much calories with just no trace of vitamins and mineral are proving dangerously risky these days leading to a lot of health issues. In America, it is believed that almost close to a million people die a year due to cardiovascular disease. That is one death in every thirty seconds.
The body needs to gets its balanced share of nutrients to function normally. Vitamins, minerals, amino acids all have its own roles to play in the human body and hence it becomes important for one to have these nutrients get into the body through a balanced diet. The child gets all its nutrients values in the mother’s womb initially. It is studied, for the well being of a child, the mother is supposed to have a completely balanced diet with all nutrient values. With adequate nutrients along with physical activities to stimulate metabolism, the body will stay healthy naturally. The need of the hour is to find the formula for a nutritious diet and cultivate good food habits.
