Vitamin E, a valuable antioxidant, works to neutralize many of the toxins we encounter on a daily basis, before they can do damage to our bodies' cells. It can actually reverse the damage caused by some toxic chemicals. Research has now confirmed that vitamin E may prove beneficial in the prevention of heart disease, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and cancer.

Additionally, vitamin E can help prevent damage to your eyes caused by aging, too much sunlight and exposure to toxic chemicals. It also keeps your skin from being damaged by too much sunlight, and protects the digestive tract from cancer-causing agents.

Vitamin E deficiency can suppress the immune system and leave the body more susceptible to infection. Vitamin E is found in some fruits and vegetables, whole grains and unprocessed oils, but it is destroyed by cooking and storage, as well as exposure to light. This makes it difficult to get enough vitamin E in the diet without supplementation.

Your nutritional score may show a Vitamin E deficiency because it is difficult for most people to get enough vitamin E in the diet. There are so many pollutants in the environment which destroy vitamin E that many experts are advising daily supplements to prevent cell damage from toxins. Vitamin E is found in whole grains and seeds, raw sunflower seeds, raw almonds, raw hazelnuts, raw brazil nuts, dark green vegetables, sweet potatoes, asparagus, brown rice, avocados, egg yolks, salmon and tuna. Few foods contain large amounts of vitamin E and, unfortunately, the best sources are the fatty foods that we do not usually eat in large quantities. The cooking and salad oils that we buy from the supermarket are not good sources. Look for unrefined, cold-pressed oils sold in dark bottles. Usually they are found in your health food store. Wheat germ oil is one of the best dietary sources of vitamin E.

There are not many symptoms that are specific only to vitamin E deficiency. Anyone, especially a child, who eats a lot of white bread, white pasta, white sugar, baked goods, candy, soft drinks, french fries, potato chips and margarine is likely to be vitamin E deficient. Since most multivitamins don't contain very much vitamin E, you should consider a separate vitamin E capsule if you have a high score. Take 200-400 I.U.'s every day, with a meal containing fat.

Note: to surgical patients:

If you are preparing for, or recovering from surgery, etc. do not take vitamin E supplements without your doctor's permission.

Some doctors believe that large doses of vitamin E supplements reduce the blood's ability to clot. Check with your doctor first.

It is believed, however, that eating extra vitamin E-rich foods, does not affect blood clotting adversely.