Design Your Own Vitamin and Mineral Program

Lieberman, a dietician, and Bruning (Swimming for Total Fitness, etc.) present a comprehensive study of the functions, dangers of deficiency and potential health benefits of some 27 vitamins and minerals. The authors substantiate that these nutrients ""are essential to life'' by depicting their roles in nearly every bodily function, from maintaining healthy skin (vitamin B1) and improving resistance to infections (vitamin A) to prolonging the life of cells (vitamin E). They offer a well-balanced evaluation of scientific findings (``The studies of vitamin C for the treatment of cancer are, unfortunately, conflicting at this point''). The authors also present the results of vitamin and mineral deficiency (low magnesium is associated wth psychiatric problems, inadequate selenium with heart disease) and suggest particular food sources and portions that will provide the Optimum Daily Allowance of vitamins and minerals that are necessary to achieve a state of ``optimal health and disease prevention'' as opposed to the government's Recommended Daily Allowance, which the authors maintain is generally too low). (March 20)