This is NOT actually an article about covid-crap so much as it is about this AMAZING nutrient that protects our human lungs from ALL lung infections. If you want a properly functioning immune system, resilient lungs, great skin, strong eyes that aren't too dry ;-) kidneys that crush it, a digestive system worth bragging about, a reproductive system that doesn't drive you insane and a heart that doesn't quit... keep reading!
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor. I do not diagnose or prescribe. This article is for educational purposes only. I am a shamanic practitioner and I teach the historical and modern uses of plants. Adults get to make their own adult decisions for themselves and their children... your health sovereignty is 100% supported here.
Benefits & Deficiency
Vitamin A is fat-soluble and includes retinoids such as retinol, retinal, and retinyl esters and carotenoids which help us with cell communication and normal formation and maintenance of the
digestive system, heart, immune system, kidneys, lungs, reproduction, skin, and vision… basically all of our mucus membranes rely on foods high invitamin A.
Vitamin A deficiency may not be common in developed countries however, it does occur and makes humans of all ages more susceptible to infections, including respiratory infections and further complications as well as diarrhea. Deficiency of Vitamin A can cause dry skin or hair, fatigue, infertility and severe dryness of the eyes and even blindness, night blindness or irregular patches on the whites of the eyes and/or thyroid dysfunction (which also can effect fertility and moods/mental health and stability).
Thankfully, Vitamin A deficiency is easy to prevent and reverse!
However, some health conditions can cause malabsorption of Vitamin A even if the foods are being eaten… conditions such as Celiac, Crohn’s, Cirrhosis, Alcoholism, and Cystic Fibrosis.
These issues all have room for improvement and I, personally, would never close my heart or mind off to healing miracles either. I would strongly suggest practicing the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza along with shamanic body work, shamanic soul-purpose coaching & dreamtime work, & plant medicines. These conditions require a radical transformation of one’s self-image, lifestyle and an ever-deepening visceral relationship with Spirit (God, Universe, Spirit, Source, Creator, Angels, Elevated Ancestors, Nature Spirit Guides, etc…whatever terminology works best for you).
“Preformed” Vitamin A is found in animal products whereas “provitamin A” is found in plants.
“Preformed” Vitamin A is found in animal products whereas “provitamin A” is found in plants. Our bodies convert the plant-sourced provitamin A carotenoids into the active form of Vitamin A
within the digestive tract. Pretty amazing, right?!
IU? RDA? RAE? WTF???
I took nutrition in college in 1992...
And my love affair with shamanic herbalism and nutrition science has never lost it's shizzle! BUT... I have to admit... the switch from IU to RAE had me squishing my brain and popping out an explative for a hot minute... so here's the down-low from 2018:
“Vitamin A is currently listed on the Nutrition Facts label measured in international
units (IU). However, the Institute of Medicine lists the Recommended Dietary
Allowances (RDA) of vitamin A in micrograms (mcg) of retinol activity
equivalents (RAE) to account for different absorption rates of preformed vitamin
A and provitamin A carotenoids. Under the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA)
new food and dietary supplement labeling regulations, as of July 2018 large
companies will no longer list vitamin A as IU but as “mcg RAE.” [1] –Harvard
nutrition
Vitamin A (RAE)
o 0-6 months: 400 mcg
o 7-12 months: 500 mcg
o 1-3 years: 300 mcg
o 4-8 years: 400 mcg
o 9-13 years: 600 mcg
o 14 - adult male years: 900 mcg
o 14 - adult female years: 700 mcg
o Pregnancy: 750-770 mcg
o Breastfeeding mamas: 1,330 mcg
Toxicity & Dangers of Preformed Animal Sources of Preformed Vitamin A and Supplements
Vitamin A being a fat-soluble vitamin means that if the body doesn’t need it right away, the Vitamin A gets stored in fat cells and the liver. Too much storage of Vitamin A can become toxic and increase the risk of bone pain and bone loss, hip fracture, birth defects, decrease Vitamin D efficiency,
increased cancer risks, cause blurry sight, nausea and vomiting, dry skin, and sensitivity to bright light and sunlight. Some evidence shows that even 3,000mcg of preformed vitamin A can increase these toxicity health risks.
Vitamin A - Plant Food Sources - for Daily Nutrition (*highest micrograms on list)
o Apricots
o Broccoli & Black-eyed peas (cowpeas)
o *Butternut squash,cooked, ¼ cup 286 mcg
o Cantaloupe, 1/8 of medium melon 117 mcg
o *Carrots, cooked, ¼ cup 213mcg
o Dark green leafy vegetables
o *Kale, cooked, ¼ cup 222 mcg
o Mango, ¼ of fruit 45 mcg
o Pistachios
o *Pumpkin, cooked ¼ cup 477 mcg
o Red Bell Peppers
o *Spinach, cooked, ¼ cup 236mcg
o Summer Squashes
o *Sweet potato, baked in skin, ¼ cup 481 mcg
o Yams
During infancy, breast milk and formula provide enough Vitamin A for baby. Cow’s milk has significantly less Vitamin A than human breast milk. Cow’s milk (all dairy products) also damages our endothelium (the lining of our blood vessels and heart), interferes with our human Vitamin D hormone network and kidney function along with many other ill effects on our species. Leave the mama-cow’s milk to the baby cows and get your nutrition from organic plant sources.
You can increase the absorption of this fat-soluble Vitamin A by pairing it with healthy fats such as ground flax and chia seeds, avocado or olives. If you prefer to use oils in some recipes, I suggest flax oil for the omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation. Olive oil is my 2nd choice with those omega-9 fatty acids. Coconut oil is too high in saturated fats and damages our endothelial cells and increases inflammation. Increased absorption of Vitamin A from fruits and vegetables is best when fruits are ripe and vegetables ripe and cooked.
2.5-3 T of freshly ground flax seeds/day have been proven to reduce many symptoms of cardiovascular disease such as hypertension & cholesterol so adding this amount to kale smoothies or yam soup or my favorite oatmeal recipe will increase your health and resilience to viral infections.
Herbal Sources of Vitamin A (Retinol and Carotene)
o Alfalfa herb (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)
o Black Cohosh
o Burdock root (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)
o Cayenne
o Chickweed
o Comfrey leaf (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)
o Dandelion
o Echinacea
o Fennel seed
o Garlic
o Ginger
o Lobelia
o Mullein (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)
o Nettles (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)
o Peppermint
o Red Clover blossoms (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)
o Red Raspberry leaves (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)
o Rose Hips
o Watercress
o Yarrow
o Yellow Dock root
*Note: Nourishing Herbal Infusions are for daily, preventative, large-dose use of 1oz dried leaves, roots or blossoms steeped in 4C water for 4-12 hours, strained and sipped all day or added to smoothies. Props given to Susun Weed for her nourishing innovative contribution to living herbalism! <3
Studies have proven the safety and benefit of the following herbs even while pregnant and nursing:
Alfalfa, Burdock root, Calendula, Hawthorn, Hibiscus, Linden, Mullein, Nettle, Oatstraw, Plantain, Red Raspberry leaves, Violet (for some people too much Violet can cause nausea, vomiting or diarrhea).
*Some people have an allergic reaction to some members of the Asteraceae (Aster) family such as Chamomile, Calendula, and Burdock. Treat these with caution when sampling new-to-you herbs.
Vitamin A for The Measles and All Types of Coughs
*Vitamin A drops can be recommended and prescribed by a medical practitioner.
*Reminder! Too much Vitamin A can cause toxicity, so work with your medical professional.
The following Vitamin A treatment of Measles is recommended by Dr.Aviva Romm :
· Babies under 6 months old: 50,000 international units given once a day for 2 days.
· Babies 6-11 months old: 100,000 international units given once a day for 2 days.
· Children over 12 months: 200,000 international units once a day for 2 days.
Also, for ages 2-14, Dr. Romm suggests Vitamin A at the onset of Measles and to continue
for a few days after the symptoms have resolved. Take Vitamin A from beta carotenes: 1,000-5,000 mg daily.
*If there is any clarity needed around this, just work with your medical professional.
Please read Dr. Romm’s full article here:
“Should your child at any time exhibit symptoms such as painful cough with difficulty breathing (possibly pneumonia), severe headache or convulsions (possibly encephalitis), drooling or difficulty swallowing, hearing difficulty, or if there is any other indication that your child is seriously ill, SEEK MEDICAL CAREIMMEDIATELY.”
– Dr. Aviva Romm
I've written an e-book titled, "The Measles Kit" with thorough instructions & herbal recipes for each symptom of the measles.
After my kids got over what was likely Pertussis/Whooping Cough (that’s what the high school said was being passed around), they had a lingering dry cough. I did not know yet that they needed
demulcent herbs (like Mullein) and Vitamin A support. I took them to my ND and informed her of everything I was doing for them and the only thing she added to my protocol was a specific amount of Vitamin A drops for a very limited amount of time. My kids got rid of that lingering cough quickly after that.
A lot of people develop bronchitis or a lingering cough after the flu and other viral infections. If the cough is dry, then demulcent herbs plus anti-spasmodic herbs are super effective. If the cough is wet, then we also need to know if it’s stuck, or too thick to expell, or if the coughing action is productively expelling the mucus properly because these symptoms tell us which types of herbs we need. If you need help with this, please reach out to me. I have an entire course on colds, flus and covids aka viral infections.
Chamomile (as seen above) teas and tinctures are anti-spasmodic and anti-microbiral... one of the many herbal options safe for pregnancy, nursing, and children with a dry cough. Lemon Balm is another briliant choice that came to me in a dream to help me with a cough and simultaneous grief... another blog for another day ;-) ...
Coughs often come with many of the strains of the flu (influenza viruses) and the covid strains, not just the measles. Protecting ourselves ahead of time by ingesting plenty of vitamin A foods every day will help our lungs be more resilient to more complicated infections like pneumonia. Our cells are constantly making new cells before the old ones die, obviously ;-) but what I find SO amazing is that when we feed our bodies (our cells) the right amounts of the right plant foods (including herbs), our cells make better cells (and body parts) through each cycle. With vitmain A plant foods, we aren't just building better lungs day by day, we are improving our entire bodies as discovered in paragraph 1.
Coughs also come in "types" meaning: a dry cough, a wet and productive cough and a wet but not productive cough. Sometimes as the virus runs its course and our bodies work their magic through these phases of the disease, the type of cough can change... AND... we actually have a LOT of power here! Our power to CHOOSE the correct herbs for the type of cough and the most supportive foods and teas to support our healing process.
Some foods high in Vitamin A, such as brocoli & kale are also high in sulforophanes which further protect us in cases of viral infections that effect our lungs including the covid-crap as proven in these research findings by Johns Hopkins Medicine.
We can even make a tea or infusion with broccoli sprouts or seeds if we don't feel like eating when sick. However, it's important to remember that all your vitamin A foods are excellent for the recovery phase of illnesses!
[When one of my adult family members was recovering from the covid-crap, I made a delicous vegan yam soup that he loved! Nutritious, hydrating and delicious! While still in one of the beginning stages of this illness, he had severe diarrhea so I made a strong red reaspberry leaf infusion... known to help with fevers, diarrhea and a wonderful source of provitamin A].
Adults should ideally be eating a minimum of 3C of kale per day which is easily accomplished in a smoothie or salad, but also delicious cooked in a variety of meals.
Quick math: my 75 pound grandson would only need about 1.5C kale/day and my 25 pound granddaughter only needs 1/2C kale/day.
Adults need 1C of broccoli or other cruciferous vegetables/day in addition to the cruciferous kale, such as cabbages and Brussel sprouts.
Quick math: my 75 pound grandson only needs 1/2C/day and my 25 pound granddaughter needs 3T/day.
My granddaughter and I are OBSESSED with ALL the hummus variations, so this is the easiest, most delicious way we eat our broccoli! Just last week I steamed a bag of frozen broccoli and brought it to my daughter's house... my gandson ate at least 2C of broccoli, leaving his little sister with her 3T Haha! No hummus for him! Just straight up broccoli! Gotta love that kid ;D
If you enjoyed this article and found it useful... I created a *free downloadable PDF that includes all this amazing information, plus my favorite oatmeal recipe high in vitamin A, my vegan yam soup recipe even men like ;D, 2 super easy SLURPALICIOUS smoothie recipes my kids and grandkids love... PLUS a fun explanation of the difference between teas and Nourishing Herbal Infusions & a chart for choosing the best Nourishing Herbal Infusions for your specific body's needs with instructions on how to make them! Phew! Just click the link below and it's yours! In JOY!