Vitamin A for Better Vision

The ancient Egyptians had a cure for "night blindness".  They fed the patient lots and lots of liver.  Perhaps they thought they were appeasing the Gods of sight.  In 1930, the first fat-soluble vitamin was discovered; Vitamin A, which, it turns out, does indeed appease the Gods of sight.

Vitamin A is best known for improving eyesight, particularly at night.  But the eyes are not the only part of your body grateful for your generous consumption of Vitamin A.  Your skin also benefits as well as your hair, mucous membranes and nails.  

Your immune system benefits too, giving you added resources to ward off infections.  Bones and teeth are strengthened with proper amounts of Vitamin A, and even the risk of some cancers can be reduced with Vitamin A.

Vitamin A can be found in the bright orange colored foods we enjoy.  Like pumpkins of course, carrots, squash, peaches, apricots, cantaloupe, mangoes and yams. But again, Vitamin A is much more than meets the eye, because it is not actually Vitamin A that turns the fruit and vegetables orange, but a precursor to Vitamin A called beta carotene.  Beta carotene does not become Vitamin A until your body processes it.  

And Vitamin A is just as likely, if not more so, to come from protein sources such as dairy products, egg yolks and some fish.  And the queen of all Vitamin A sources is liver, that ancient Egyptian God of sight.  The Vitamin A in protein sources is real Vitamin A, no processing required.

Other great sources of Vitamin A are dark green vegetables, such as Swiss chard, broccoli, spinach and beet greens.

As important as vitamin A is to over all health, an overdose can be harmful to bones and skin, causing weakness and brittleness, even leading to fatigue and vomiting.  In most cases, it is better to take a liquid multivitamin as there is very little chance of getting an overdose that way.  

Also, increase your intake of beta carotene sources to avoid an overdose.  Whereas your body absorbs all the Vitamin A it takes in directly, it converts only the beta carotene it needs to get the vitamin A you need.