Vitamin A is well-known for helping to improve your eyesight but that’s not all it does.
Vitamin A helps our brain convert the light that hits our eye into a signal that is sent to the brain. One of the first symptoms of low levels of Vitamin A is night blindness.
People with night blindness can see normally during the day but struggle to pick up the light signals at night.
Vitamin A is a major compound of the pigment rhodopsin, which is found in the retina and extremely sensitive to light.
How Vitamin A Helps Fight Cancer
There’s a reason why there’s a rise in naturopathic medicine use. People are finding that alternative cancer treatments, such as ozone therapy and iv vitamin therapy, are more effective and safer than using chemotherapy and radiation.
Scientists once believed that vitamin A actually caused cancer as a beta carotene supplement was linked to an increased risk of lung cancer in smokers.
However a recent study has shown that Vitamin A can inhibit skin cancer, especially cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
Researchers have also discovered a biological way to block cancer cell production in the colon due to a possible connection between retinoic acid (a compound that your body produces from vitamin A) to prevent colon cancer.
Scientists have known for some time now that retinoic acid was essential for reducing intestinal inflammation, but they wanted to learn how it also related to cancer development.
Initially, the studies that were published showed that increasing retinoic acid inside of mice with colon cancer helped to slow down the progression of the disease.
This is known as retinoid differentation therapy, which ‘could be significantly effective against colon cancer, not only for treatment of existing disease but also as a preventive measure in high-risk patients.’
Vitamin A Antioxidant
Vitamin A is an antioxidant, which means it can help fight inflammation, eliminate free radicals and slow down the process of aging.
There are a number of other benefits associated with this vitamin as well, which include the following:
- Cell differentiation
- Immune system function
- Gene regulation
- Strong bones
- Healthy vision
- Healthy skin
- Neurological function
Where to Get Vitamin A
There are a variety of foods you can add to your diet to help increase your intake of vitamin A. Some of the foods you should consider include:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Sweet potatoes
- Mustard and collard greens
- Carrots
- Romaine lettuce
- Wild-caught Alaskan salmon
Nutrition is one of the best ways to stave off disease and old age. The benefits of Vitamin A are many so it is one of the nutrients you should increase in your daily diet. You can talk with a doctor of naturopathic medicine to learn more about improving your diet.
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