Although the point of ana is to push yourself to survive on the least nutrients as possible and laugh at those who delude themselves into thinking they need food to live, you don't want to be malnourished, have brittle bones and dull skin. What point is there being incredibly skinny when you've ceeded all your beauty to the pursuit of bones?

Note: This page currently under construction

Depending on the topic of my site, I could include historical information about my subject. For example, if my site is about my business, I could discuss how my business got started. If my site is about a sports team, music group, movie star, or my family, I could chronologically list or summarize major events important to my topic.

You *need* all of the following to be healthy, and the happy thing is, you can get these from daily multivitamins- no calories involved! You could even get Flintstones vitamins or something fun like that and fulfill your vitamin and mineral needs. Stay healthy, girls! :)

Vitamin A: Beta Carotene

Growth and repair of body tissue, maintenance of skin, protection of mucous membranes

Deficiency symptoms include night blindness, infection susceptibility, dry skin, fatigue

Vitamin B-1: Thiamin

Digestion of carbohydrates, functioning of nervous system, muscles and heart, growth and muscle tone

Deficiency symptoms include loss of appetite, weakness, insomnia, depression, constipation  

Vitamin B-2: Riboflavin

Carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, formation of antibodies and red blood cells

Deficiency symptoms include itching/burning eyes, dry mouth and lips, digestion problems, fatigue

Vitamin B-3: Niacin

Improves circulation, reduces high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, increases energy

Deficiency symptoms include gastrointestinal problems, headache, fatigue, depression, irritability, loss of appetite, weakness and halitosis

Vitamin B-6: Pyridoxine

Synthesis and breakdown of amino acids, formation of antibodies, maintains central nervous system

Deficiency symptoms include nervousness, insomnia, anemia, water retention

Vitamin B-12: Cobalamin

Formation of red blood cells, prevention of anemia, growth, increases energy

Deficiency symptoms include anemia, loss of appetite, stunted growth, brain damage, depression

Vitamin C: Ascorbic Acid

Healthy teeth, gums and bone formation, wound healing, infection resistance, antioxidant

Deficiency symptoms include bleeding gums, swollen joints, weakness, anemia

Vitamin D

Absorption of calcium and phosphorus, maintains nervous system

Deficiency symptoms include softening of bones, weakness

Vitamin E

Antioxidant, supplies oxygen to blood, dissolution of clots

Deficiency symptoms include red blood cell rupture, loss of libido, degeneration of muscles, dry skin

Pantothenic Acid

Utilization of vitamins, development of central nervous system, fights infection

Deficiency symptoms include skin abnormalities, retarded growth, vomiting, and dizzy spells

Biotin

Utilization of protein, healthy hair

Deficiency symptoms include exhaustion, loss of appetite, depression, grayish skin color

Folic Acid

Growth and reproduction of cells

Deficiency symptoms include gastrointestinal problems and anemia

Inositol

Formation of lecithin, breakdown of fats, prevents thinning hair

Deficiency symptoms include high blood cholesterol, constipation, eczema and hair loss

Choline

Controls fat and cholesterol buildup in body, prevents fat accumulation in liver, memory

Deficiency symptoms include cirrhosis of the liver, hardened arteries, high blood pressure, heart problems

PABA: Para Amino Benzoic Acid

Produces folic acid, red blood cells

Deficiency symptoms include fatigue, eczema, irritability, depression, constipation, headaches

Calcium

Builds and maintains bones and teeth, regulates passage of nutrients through cell wall, blood clotting

Deficiency symptoms include muscle spasms, softening of bones, tooth decay, osteoporosis

Chromium

Metabolizes sugar, cleans arteries, controls appetite

Deficiency symptoms include glucose intolerance, obesity and fatigue

Copper

Absorption and utilization of iron, formation of red blood cells

Deficiency symptoms include weakness, impaired respiration and skin sores

Iodine

Functioning of thyroid gland, regulates energy production, stimulates metabolic rate

Deficiency symptoms include enlarged thyroid, slow mental reaction, weight gain

Iron

Hemoglobin formation, myoglobin formation, prevention of fatigue

Deficiency symptoms include anemia, behavior changes and weakness

Magnesium

Maintains heart rhythm, converts blood sugar into energy

Deficiency symptoms include hypertension, arrhythmia and personality changes

Zinc

Antioxidant, protein synthesis, wound healing, muscle contraction

Deficiency symptoms include prolonged wound healing, retarded growth, stretch marks, fatigue, susceptibility to infection

Manganese

Antioxidant, breakdown of amino acids, produce energy, maintains sex hormone production

Deficiency symptoms include paralysis, convulsions, dizziness, loss of hearing and blindness

Molybdenum

Metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and iron

Deficiency symptoms include irritability and irregular heart beat

Phosphorus

Essential for healthy bones

• Phosphorus

  Functions of Phosphorus

  • Is essential for bones.
  • Is important for energy production.
  • Is essential for proper absorption of B-complex vitamins.
  • Increases energy & endurance levels.
  • Makes us feel good.

  Deficiency of Phosphorus

  • General weakness.
  • Bone pain.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Irritability.
  • Low resistance to infection.

  Recommended dietary allowance for Phosphorus

  See Recommended dietary allowances for minerals.

  Food Sources of Phosphorus

  Any foods rich in Calcium like milk, cheddar cheese and sardines, plus Brewer's yeast and wheat germ. The relative contributions of food groups to phosphorus intake are: 60% from milk, meat, poultry, fish, and eggs; 20% from cereals and legumes; 10% from fruits and fruit juices; 4% from alcoholic beverages; and 3% from soft drinks and other beverages.

  Toxicity of Phosphorus

  A diet containing a 2:1 dietary ratio of phosphorus to calcium can cause low blood calcium (hypocalcemia) and secondary hyperparathyroidism with excess bone resorption and bone loss in animals. Human breast milk, with a lower phosphorus content than cow milk, is considered better suited to the needs of the infant.

• Potassium

  Functions of Potassium

  • Works with sodium to regulate the body's waste balance and normalize heart rhythms.
  • Aids in clear thinking by sending oxygen to the brain.
  • Preserves proper alkalinity of body fluids.
  • Stimulates the kidneys to eliminate poisonous body wastes.
  • Assists in reducing high blood pressure.
  • Promotes healthy skin.

  Deficiency of Potassium

  In healthy individuals, potassium deficiency is not a result of insufficient dietary intake but the outcome of another primary disease or drugs as the use of diuretic agents to treat hypertension, these conditions requires dietary supplementation. Manifestations of potassium deficiency include poor reflexes, nervous disorders, respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, muscle damage.

  Recommended dietary allowance for Potassium

  See Recommended dietary allowances for minerals.

  For hypertension patients using diuretic medications, it is recommended often to supplement their diet with orange juice, bananas and vegetables, which contain high amounts of potassium. Increased potassium intake helps maintain normal plasma levels.

  Food sources of Potassium

  The best food sources are fruits, vegetables and juices; potassium also is present in meats and cereals. There is no known food supplement which would directly increase total body potassium by compensating for a dietary potassium deficiency.

  Toxicity of Potassium

  Potassium accumulation in the body does not usually occur by oral therapy in the absence of a predisposing disease as renal failure.

• Selenium

  Functions of Selenium

  • Is a major antioxidant nutrient, protects cell membranes and prevents free radical generation thereby decreasing the risk of cancer and disease of the heart and blood vessels.
  • Medical surveys show that increased selenium intake decreases the risk of breast, colon, lung and prostate cancer.
  • Selenium also preserves tissue elasticity; slows down the aging and hardening of tissues through oxidation; helps in the treatment and prevention of dandruff.

  Deficiency Selenium

  Premature aging, heart disease, dandruff, loose skin. Very low selenium status is a factor in the etiologies of a juvenile cardiomyopathy (Keshan Disease) and a chondrodystrophy (Kashin-Beck Disease) that occur in selenium-deficient regions of China.

  Recommended dietary allowance for Selenium

  See Recommended dietary allowances for minerals.

  Food sources of Selenium

  Brazil nuts, kidney, liver, wholemeal bread, mackerel, wheatgerm, bran, tuna fish, onions, tomatoes, broccoli.

  Toxicity of Selenium

  Selenium toxicity is usually caused by industrial or accidental exposures to selenium-compounds in very high amounts (several milligrams per day) and is characterized by dermatologic lesions; brittle hair and nails/hooves. These manifestations are reversible upon resuming regular selenium intakes.