Scurvy

Cause

Vitamin C deficiency:Ascorbic acid protects DNA, proteins, and vessel walls from free radicals and more importantly enables the enzymes that synthesize collagen to react multiple times.

The Latin name for Scurvy is Scorbutus

Initial Symptoms:

Fatigue

A general sense of irritability and misery that I’m sure has nothing to do with poor economic conditions or isolation on a ship for months with pilgrims or pirates

Pain in limbs, mostly legs.

The symptoms of scurvy start to appear after a person has been without a sufficient source of Ascorbic acid for three months.

Post-Initial Symptoms:

Corkscrew Hairs

Brittle hair that grows all screwy and has tiny bruises or even sometimes bleeding at the base

EcchymosesThese tiny bruises group together in patches or can come together and form large blotches

Gross GumsGums can swell and bleed, loosen, and no longer be able to hold teeth in. Fortunately Ascorbic acid comes in lots of non-chewable forms.

Day 2 of scurvy. Just kidding. This dude has a lot of

scurvy days behind him.

Or lady, I can’t tell

Severe Joint Pain

Bleeding inside of joints can cause pain so severe that an individual may not be able to walk.

Vision Problems

Blurred vision and light sensitivity are caused by bleeding inside your eyes

Extreme close up of Blackbeard during a poetry reading aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge.

Injuries

Wounds will not Heal

Scars from previous wounds may re-open

Especially emotional ones

Heart and Lung Problems

Shortness of breath, low, blood pressure,

and chest pain leading to shock and death.

Modern Groups at Risk: People that eat less than 2 servings of fruits and vegetables a day-Elderly-Children-Alcoholics-Bachelors or Widowers-People on weird diets that they may have seen on TV-people with psychiatric aversions to 2 servings of fruits and vegetables a day

People with medical conditions that prevent the intake and absorption of Ascorbic acid

-Dialysis patients-People with Crohns Disease-People with malabsorption disorders

Treatment

Oral Ascorbic Acid

Spontaneous bleeding stops within a day

Bleeding and sore gums heal in 2-3 days

Ecchymoses heal within 12 days

Muscle and Bone pain quickly dissappear

B-Fast PlanWaffles With Blueberries

7 Waffles with Strawberries

85 Waffles with melonand pinapple

75

12oz Orange Juice 186 12oz Orange Juice 186 12oz Orange Juice 186

Bacon Ham Sausage links

Potatoes and red peppers

141 Yogurt with oranges 35 Yogurt with papaya 117

TOTALS 334 306 378

Lunch PlanChicken wrap with red peppers and broccoli slaw

68 Turkey sandwich with kale tomato and hummus

22 Taco salad with tomatoes, chilis and red peppers

74

Strawberry c monster 900 Grapefuit juice 94 Citrus C monster 900

Orange 70 Kiwi 164 cantaloupe 202

TOTALS 1038 280 1176

Dinner PlanStuffed Pepper 71 Pasta Primavera 139 Delicious Steak

Tomato Juice 67 Milk Milk

Cantaloupe 202 Fruit Salad with papaya

138 Fresh Broccoli 63

TOTALS 340 277 63

DAILY TOTAL 1712 863 1567

QUESTIONS:

Vitamin C is identified as what acid?Ascorbic

What is the Latin name for the disease associated with ascorbic acid deficiency?Scorbutus

After switching to a diet devoid of vitamin C (ascorbic acid ), how much time will normally pass before initial symptoms of Scorbutus (Scurvy) develop?About three months

Sources:

• http://productnutrition.thecoca-colacompany.com/welcome• http://fnicsearch.nal.usda.gov• Disguised As the Devil: How Lyme Disease Created Witches and Changed

History By M. M. Drymon• http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/125350-overview• http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Scurvy/Pages/Symptoms.aspx• “Scurvy Is Still Present in Developed Countries” Journal of General and

Internal Medicine Bertha Velandia, MD, Robert M. Centor, MD, Vicky McConnell, MD and Mobin Shah, MD

• http://dermnetnz.org/systemic/scurvy.html• http://bio200-nutrition.wikispaces.com/