Eating Well - Beaming with Health

158 The Commonsense Gtlide to Eating Well
cells, those that cover the body (skin) and line the hollow
structures of the body like the bowel and lungs.
Some of the signs that B2 is low include redness and soreness
at the corner of the mouth, or a red and swollen tongue.
Other signs affecting the skin include eczema, particularly of
the eyelids and along the line from the edges of the nose to
the mouth. An itchiness of the conjunctiva of the eyes may
also be telling.
Conditions that might benefit from extra BZ
Eye irritations, dermatitis, ulcers of the digestive tract, including
mouth ulcers and stomach ulcers. As the oral contraceptive
pill interferes with B2 absorption, it would be a good
policy to take a B complex if you are on the pill.
Food sources of BZ
Milk, yoghurt, ricotta, brewer's and torula yeast, chicken,
almonds, wheatgerm, mushrooms and millet.
Vitamin B3 - niacin
Pellagra is the disease indicating the diet is severely lacking
B3. Symptoms of pellagra are well known by medical students
as there is a cute way of remembering them called the
four Ds; that is, dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia and death.
While most people do not progress to the extremes of the
latter two Ds, B3 can be of benefit to several health problems.
Another piece of evidence that our body's biochemistry is
remarkable is that the amino acid tryptophan can be converted
into B3, with the help of B2 and B6. It takes 60 milligrams
of tryptophan to make l milligram of niacin, so it is
not an economical way of procuring B3.
Vitamin B3 is a member of the distinguished team of vitamins
that allow us to obtain energy from glucose, fat and