Magnesium is a chemical element, essential for life. It is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body, mostly in the bones, heart, muscles, and liver. Certain medications such as antibiotics, allergy medicine, and diuretics interfere with magnesium absorption. People deficient in magnesium can suffer from hypertension, osteoporosis, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, or even alcoholism.

Vitamin A (retinol) is essential for good eyesight and extremely helpful in preserving our skin, joints, eyes and internal organs. If there really was a Fountain of Youth, retinol would be one of the key ingredients and it would probably be reddish-orange due to the beta-Carotene. The body converts the red-orange pigment into Vitamin A. It also supports the immune system, bone metabolism, and development of embryos in reproduction. It is an antioxidant vitamin, which destroys free radicals in our body. Free radicals are produced by the body when we smoke, don’t eat a proper diet, or are exposed to stress or pollution. They are also suspected of contributing to cancer and cardiovascular disease. Pregnant women who are deficient in Vitamin A are more likely to have premature birth or very low birth weight. Women who have high levels of Vitamin A have a lower risk for breast cancer.

Vitamin A is made by your body when you eat carrots and other yellow and orange fruits and vegetables which contain beta-carotene, such as sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cantaloupe, papaya, peas, butternut squash, mango, and dried apricots. It is also found in spinach, kale, collard greens, broccoli, tomato juice, peppers, watercress and full fat dairy products (butter, milk, eggs, cheddar cheese). Interestingly enough, these are ready to eat raw and cooking them causes the loss of some of the vitamins. Liver, beef, chicken, turkey, and fish are also high in Vitamin A content.