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Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning it is best absorbed in the presence of some fat. It is beneficial for night vision, night blindness, aids in hormone production, and maintains the integrity of the mucous membranes, respiratory, urinary, and digestive tracts. It also aids in the growth of the skin, teeth, and bones, as well as improving immune system function. Vitamin A provides good support against colds and flus. It helps with age spots and can reduce fine lines when applied topically to the skin. Food sources of vitamin A include fish liver oil, animal liver, apricots, asparagus, beet greens, carrots, pumpkins, watermelon, cantaloupe, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, mangoes, and green leafy vegetables. The herbs alfalfa, borage, burdock root, cayenne, and chickweed contain vitamin A.
Very large doses (300,000 to 500,000 IU a day) have successfully been used to treat severe acne. But these are extremely high amounts and are very toxic to the body, and should only be done when supervised by a doctor. The toxicity comes from the fact that vitamin A is fat soluble, which means excess amounts are stored in the body, and not excreted like water soluble vitamins. Liver damage and nerve damage can occur when large amounts of vitamin A are taken for extended periods of time. Dr. Mercola at www.mercola.com says that people can treat severe acne, and avoid most of the side effets of Accutane, by taking up to 300,000 IU of non-synthetic (natural) vitamin A a day for a couple weeks and then 100,000 IU a day for a couple months. But he cautions to discontinue use if any symptons develop like headaches or nausea.
I tried taking 125,000 IU of natural vitamin A for one day and by the end of the day I had a persistent headache that lasted into the following day. I don't recommend using such large doses of vitamin A to treat acne. I would say if you want to try this keep it under 100,000 IU a day, make sure the bottle says it's natural vitamin A, and spread out the total amount taken. Don't take it all with one meal, but some with each meal. Also take the herb milk thistle, which protects the liver from any toxins or harmful side effects. Many acne drugs are derivatives of vitamin A, like Accutane (which can have many serious side efects), and Retin-A.
I take around 10,000 to 20,000 IU of vitamin A a day for general skin maintenance. By the way, beta-carotene is an antioxidant that is a precursor to vitamin A. It is the vegetable source of vitamin A. The body converts it to vitamin A only as needed. It is also fat soluble but nontoxic. You might try supplementing with higher amounts of beta-carotene to treat acne. I've never tried this myself, but I've heard of others who have had some luck with it. Beta-carotene in large amounts turns the skin an orange color, which is harmless and fades when you stop taking it. That's an interesting side effect, and would help you look appropriate around Halloween.
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Immediately take a deep breath and cough twice, as hard as you can. Wait a couple of seconds, take another deep breath, and again cough twice. This will contract your diaphragm, compressing the heart and causing it to pump. It's a simle form of self-CPR.
Keep repeating the process until your heart begins to beat normally (or until help arrives). Once your heart is stabilized, chew and swallow one asprin. Then take 2 cayenne pepper capsules or a tablespoon of Tabasco sauce. The asprin will thin your blood and prevent platelets from sticking...while the Tobasco or cayenne will dilate your blood vessels so that blood can flow freely.
This simple technique can dramatically increase your chances of survival. Please share it with your friends and loved ones. It can save their lives!
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