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The roles different vitamins play Tuesday, January 19,2021 ®jjt Tberalb <©a?Ettf 9A Did you know? A nutritious diet is a vital component of a healthy lifestyle. When it’s part of a health regi men that includes routine exercise, a healthy diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables can help people reduce their risk for various illnesses, in cluding chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Many adults have known about the value of fruits and vegetables since they were young sters and their parents repeatedly told them how important it was to eat healthy foods. De spite those early lessons, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that less than 10 percent of adults and adolescents eat enough fruits and vegetables. That’s unfortunate, as fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins that benefit the body in myriad ways. The U.S. National Li brary of Medicine notes that vitamin deficiency occurs when people do not get enough of certain vitamins. Recognizing the many functions vita mins serve may compel adults and adolescents to include more fruits and vegetables in their diets. • Vitamin A: The USN- LM notes that vitamin A helps form and maintain healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucous mem branes, and skin. Accord ing to the World Health Organization, vitamin A deficiency is the lead ing cause of preventable blindness in children and increases the risk of disease and death from severe infections. • Vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 helps form red blood cells and maintain brain function. Though the Na tional Institutes of Health notes that isolated vitamin B6 deficiency is uncommon, a deficiency has been associated with various conditions, including a weakened im mune system and derma titis cheilitis, a condition marked by scaling on the lips and cracks at the corners of the mouth. • Vitamin C: Vitamin C is an antioxidant that promotes healthy teeth and gums, helps the body absorb iron and maintains healthy tissue. In addition, vitamin C plays an integral role in helping wounds heal. Vitamin C deficiency impairs bone function, and Merck notes that in children that impairment can cause bone lesions and contribute to poor bone growth. • Vitamin D: The USNLM notes that 10 to 15 minutes of sunshine three times per week is enough to produce the body’s vitamin D require ment for people at most latitudes. It’s hard to rely on food to supply ample vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium that is necessary for the development and main tenance of healthy teeth and bones. • Vitamin E: Vitamin E helps the body form red blood cells and utilize vitamin K. Green, leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli are good sources of vitamin E. The Office of Dietary Supplements notes that a vitamin E deficiency can cause nerve and muscle damage, potentially lead ing to muscle weakness and vision problems. • Vitamin K: Vitamin K helps to make certain proteins that are needed for blood clotting and the building of bones. The T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard notes that the main type of vitamin K is found in green leafy vegetables like collard greens, kale and spinach. Vitamin K deficiency is rare, but it can lead to bleeding, hemorrhaging or osteo porosis. Vitamins are crucial to human beings’ over all health. Eating ample amounts of fruits and vegetables is a great and delicious way to avoid vitamin deficiency. According to the World Health Organiza tion, an estimated 250 million preschool chil dren are vitamin A defi cient. That’s a significant concern, as children who are not getting enough vitamin A are at greater risk for severe visual im pairment and blindness. Vitamin A deficiency also increases a child’s risk of severe illness, and even death, from com mon childhood infec tions, including diarrheal disease and measles. The WHO notes that breast milk is a natural source of vitamin A and urges mothers of infants to breastfeed to ensure chil dren get ample amounts of vitamin A. Parents of older children can look to various healthy foods to make sure young sters are getting enough vitamin A. The National Institutes of Health notes that foods such as sweet potatoes, carrots and fortified cereals typi cally contain substantial amounts of vitamin A. The U.S. National Library of Medicine reports that various animal products, including meat, fish, poultry, and dairy prod ucts, also contain signifi cant amounts of vitamin A. Parents can speak with their children’s pediatricians to deter mine the healthiest, most effective ways to ensure their youngsters are get ting enough vitamin A. Herbs and spices that can promote healthy hearts Georgia Department of Public Health District 4 Public Health LAMAR COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT 100 Academy Drive Barneville, GA 30204 Phone (770)358-1483 A nutritious diet is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. When paired with regular physi cal activity, a nutritious diet can help people dramatically reduce their risk for various diseases, including heart disease. According to the World Health Organiza tion, ischaemic heart disease and stroke claim more lives each year than any other disease, annually accounting for roughly 15 percent of all deaths across the globe. Many deaths caused by heart disease can be prevented, and eating a healthy diet is a great preventive measure that anyone can take. Though some people may associate healthy diets with bland foods that lack flavor, people can incorporate various heart-healthy herbs and spices into their favorite dishes to make them more nutritious and flavorful. • Garlic: Garlic has long since earned its place on the kitchen spice rack. However, bo- tanically, garlic is neither an herb or a spice but a vegetable. Regardless of how it’s classified, garlic is loaded with flavor and can be used to improve just about any recipe, all the while benefitting heart health. The United States-based health services provider Mercy Health notes that garlic can help lower blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol levels. • Cayenne pepper: Few ingredients may change a recipe as quickly as cayenne pepper. The ad dition of cayenne pepper can instantly make dish es more spicy. But cay enne pepper brings more than a little extra kick to the dinner table. Health line notes that various studies have shown that capsaicin, the active in gredient in cayenne pep per, can provide a host of health benefits. One such study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that add ing capsaicin to a high- carbohydrate breakfast significantly reduced hunger and the desire to eat before lunch. Eat ing less can help people more effectively control their body weight, which in turn reduces their risk for heart disease. • Turmeric: Garlic and even cayenne pepper may already be staples in many people’s kitchens, but that’s not necessar ily so with turmeric. A yellow spice often used when preparing Indian foods, turmeric has anti inflammatory properties thanks to curcumin, the part of turmeric responsi ble for giving it its yellow color. Experts acknowl edge that turmeric needs to be studied more to definitively conclude its effects on heart health, but WebMD notes that one small study indicated that turmeric can help ward off heart attacks in people who have had bypass surgery. • Coriander: A popu lar herb used across the globe, coriander is sometimes mistaken for cilantro. Though the two come from the same plant, cilantro refers to the leaves and stems of the coriander plant, while the coriander in recipes typically refers to the seeds of that plant. Mercy Health notes that coriander seeds may help reduce bad cho Our staff is"A"mazing! We're proud to announce we scored an A for our Leapfrog Safety Score. At Upson, our patients'safety is always a critical component in everything we do. This dedication to keeping our patients safe has just been recognized with a Leapfrog Score of"A"for safety. Patient safety and our resulting A Score means protecting our patients from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. And to that end, two major accomplishments we've attained are: No Ventilator Associated Events or Hospital Acquired C. Diff cases. Receiving such a high score makes us proud. Keeping you safe also makes us very happy. I HOSPITAL SAFETY FALL 2020 QRADE lesterol and high blood pressure, both of which are significant risk fac tors for heart disease. Make your appointment today! Clinic: 1(800)847-4262 /(706)845-4035 WIC: 1(866)636-7942 / (706)298-6080 Heart-healthy herbs and spices can be added to various recipes, prov ing that nutritious meals need not be void of flavor. Hours Monday - Friday 8:00a.m.- 5:00p.m. www.district4health.org 0j£f:0 ft District4Health (*) D4publichealth Serving: Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, PrOtCCt Lives. Heard, Henry, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup and Upson Counties. UPSON Regional Medical Center f Not an actual patient* SHEPHERDCARE ^1 HOSPICE "CARE" it's not just our name, it's our lifestyle! GRIFFIN OFFICE: 1501B Kalamazoo Dr., Griffin, GA 30224 THOM ASTON OFFICE: 201 N. Church St., Thomaston, GA 30286 We service all surrounding counties to each office. www.ShepherdCareGA.com Contact: Meredith Smith Director of Marketing 678-603-1321 Pill Reminders User Profiles ► GET IT ON Google Play Our friendly staff look forward to seeing you inside or if you prefer, continue to use our convenient drive-thru! Flu Shots Available Here! Hours: Monday - Friday 9am - 6p m • Saturday 9am -1 p m Hines Prescription Shop 302 College Dr. • Barnesville 770-358-2266 www.hinesrxshop.com