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How Does Vitamin B12 Help You to Lose Weight?

Before getting into its role in helping one to lose weight, for starters, let us first understand what Vitamin B12 is. A water-soluble complex Vitamin (Actually one of the 8 types of Vitamin B), this is often found in Poultry, different dairy products, Meat, Fish, Eggs etc. Vitamin B12 is often termed as Cobalamin (Due to the fact that one of the primary elements of this Vitamin is Cobalt) and it helps human body to function properly. Some of the basic functionalists of Vitamin B12 include:

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Vitamin D: The Only Thing That Could Be Missing From Your Paleo Diet

The importance of vitamin D in a well-designed paleo meal plan cannot be overstated. Within paleo diet circles, you’ll frequently hear discussions about the significance of incorporating vitamin D, and for good reason. Is Vitamin D Missing From Your Paleo Diet?

Now, you might wonder why this nutrient is emphasized. Well, the primary reason lies in what serves as the primary source of vitamin D—sunlight. Individuals who have limited exposure to sunlight often find themselves deficient in this essential nutrient, which is integral to our overall health.

Missing from you Paleo Diet

The process of vitamin D production occurs when UVB rays interact with the cholesterol in your skin. Yes, cholesterol plays a vital role in maintaining good health, and interestingly, efforts to lower cholesterol levels can inadvertently lead to vitamin D deficiency.

When you apply sunscreen, you impede the absorption of vitamin D into your skin. Thus, it becomes important to find a balance and spend some time in the sun without sunscreen.

Of course, it’s essential to exercise caution and avoid excessive sun exposure that may result in sunburn, as that is detrimental to your health. Rest assured, our bodies possess a natural defense mechanism called a natural tan, which helps protect us from excessive sunlight.

Here’s how the natural tan process works:

Vitamin D and vitamin B9 (folate) are in constant competition within our bodies, both being crucial for our well-being. When you expose yourself to sunlight, your skin darkens, reducing the absorption of vitamin D to prevent folate deficiency.

Remember to retreat from the sun once your skin gains a slight coloration.

The other natural way to obtain vitamin D is through the consumption of fatty fish since the vitamin is stored in the fat.

The significance of vitamin D lies in its role in maintaining bone health, regulating calcium and phosphate levels, minimizing inflammation, and controlling cell production and turnover.

While some recommend a daily dose of at least 200 IU (international units) for individuals aged 13 to 50, and 400 IU for older individuals, it is important to note that these doses are quite low.

Research suggests that those residing in the US and Canada should aim for 2,000 IU, and even higher doses such as 10,000 IU are considered safe. In sunny regions, individuals can naturally obtain as much as 12,000 IU daily. Rest assured, our bodies have inherent protective mechanisms to shield us from excessive sun exposure.

For those who do not experience year-round sunny weather, it is advisable to consider a vitamin D3 supplement, ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 IU, preferably in gel capsule form as fat is required for optimal absorption.

However, the ideal approach to ensuring adequate vitamin D levels is to bask in the sun daily and regularly include wild salmon or other fatty fish in your diet.

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Q&A – Vitamin B12 Benefits and Painful Injections

Q: What are the vitamin B12 benefits and side effects? I have heard there are quite a few benefits and that this vitamin has a great vital role in our body, but I never heard of any side effects whatsoever.

A: You are correct. B12 vitamin injections have a lot of benefits, and here are the main ones. First, it helps our body to replicate DNA, which is an important functioning of any living creature’s body. Secondly, it helps our body to grow tissues and form red blood cells. Also, vitamin B12 is responsible for the formation of Myelin, a fatty protective substance that is formed around our brain nerve cells, in order to protect any signal from the brain to the rest of our body.

Vitamin B12 also helps our body to lower the levels of Homo cysteine in our blood, an amino acid which has been linked more than once to a greater risk of developing a lot of our modern world’s diseases, such as heart attack, cancer, Alzheimer, and many more. Finally, vitamin B12 boosts up our metabolism, which helps keeping us more likely to get active, and thus lose some weight over the long term. There are absolutely no side effects for vitamin B12. This vitamin is water soluble and easily washes away with our urine.

Q: What about vitamin B12 injections? Do they have any side effects?

A: Vitamin B12 injections side effects are a different story. The major side effect of these shots are the pain involved with them. The only group of people who I would recommend taking these injections are people having difficulties absorbing vitamin B12 into their blood stream. For any other person, I would recommend going for the common and effective sub lingual tablets, intra nasal gel and sprays, or simply consuming larger amounts of vitamin B12 rich foods in your diet.

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Which Vitamins Should You Take in Autumn and Winter

With the coming of autumn, the risk of flu and colds is increased. During this period, our body needs vitamins in order to handle the attacks from various viruses and other pathogenic agents. Better results can be mobilized with the food, but because of the daily “fast” food with poor active ingredients, it is beneficial for your health to take a multivitamin supplement. This is recommended especially for children and elderly people, smokers, people under stress and increased risk of infections. Vitamins recommended in autumn and winter:

Vitamin A

Sources – yolk, liver, butter, carrots, spinach, apricots, tomatoes. The intake of vitamin A should not be too much. The daily dose for adults is 1 mg per day. It is working in the delicate cellular tissues that make up the mucosa and organs of the human body. Taking vitamin A strengthens the immune system and protects against attacks from viruses and bacteria.

Vitamin E

Sources – oil, hazelnuts, almonds, unrefined cereals, milk, butter, eggs, chocolate and wholemeal bread. The daily dose for adults is from 12 to 15 mg per day. Vitamin E increases the ability of the immune system to overcome infectious diseases. The most important thing about it is that it neutralizes the free radicals. The free radicals occur in molecules that are not stable and that damage molecule that are healthy by stealing electrons.

Vitamin B5

Sources – dry yeast, wheat germ, soybeans, liver, kidney, meat, fish, and paddy rice, dried vegetables, wholemeal bread. The daily dose for adults is from 6 to 10 mg per day. Vitamin B5 resists infection by forming antibodies.

Vitamin B1

Sources – dry yeast, wheat germ, pork, fish, unrefined cereals, full-grained bread. The daily dose for adults is 1.5 mg per day. Vitamin B1 strengthens the nervous system and helps restoring mental equilibrium. Its shortage has a greater opportunity to infectious diseases.

Vitamin C

Resources – ripe hips, currants, parsley, kiwi fruit, green vegetables, broccoli, citrus fruits, liver, and kidney. The daily dose for adults is 100 mg per day. Vitamin C takes part in many security functions. Accelerates the growth of white blood cells and stimulates the immune system.

Vitamin D

Resources – Liver, tuna, sardines, egg yolk, mushrooms, butter, cheese and the the sun (this is the only vitamin that can be absorbed from the sunshine). The daily dose for adults is about 5mg per day, people over 65 can reach 105mg per day. Vitamin D is responsible for the delivery of calcium and phosphorus. It contributes to the proper utilization of calcium and phosphorus. It is needed for the bones and the teeth. In combination with vitamins A and C it may help in the prevention of colds.

Remember that it is always a good idea to consume foods containing those vitamins than to get them from the pharmacy. If for some reason, you decide to take the vitamins in tablets, make sure you discuss it with your physician to understand what the possible consequences for your health are.

 

It is important to note that if you consume too much of any of those vitamins, you risk to suffer from serious health disorders. I am refering mainly to vitamin D, so make sure you keep up with your recommended daily dosage (interesting to know is that the Danish term is D vitaminer anbefalet daglig dosis)

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Healthy foods to keep you fighting fit in 2011

After the excess many of us enjoyed over the Christmas and New Year celebrations, there will have been plenty of resolutions made to make 2011 a year of moderation and healthy eating. A great way to kick start your campaign towards healthier eating is to discover the benefits of Nature’s ‘superfoods’.

There is a common misconception that these ‘superfoods’ are expensive and hard to come by, however, this simply isn’t the case. You can actually grow a number of superfoods yourself at home, and if not then they will be easy to find in your local grocer or supermarket; and won’t end up costing you an arm and a leg either. Below is a list of just a few, as well as some of the benefits they are purported to offer.

Watercress – Aside from the many health benefits it has to offer – what’s so great about watercress is that it’s so easy and fast to grow yourself. It is a great source of vitamins A and C, and also has a high iron, calcium and folic acid content.

Apples – Apples are not only an excellent source of antioxidants, especially vitamin C, but they contain a fibre called pectin that’ll help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels too. Taking an apple to work each day is therefore a great way to keep your skin, gums and digestive system healthy.

Beans – Whether they’re of the baked variety, or green beans out of the garden, beans are high in fiber, iron and calcium, which all go a long way to help keep your intestines in good working order.

Parsley – Like many herbs, parsley can be grown quite easily in a pot outside the home and is a great accompaniment to lots of meal types. It has the highest concentration of vitamin C than any other vegetable, and is full of iron and potassium, and is great for your skin, gums, eyesight and general metabolism.

Broccoli – As well as containing many of the antioxidants of Nature’s other superfoods, broccoli is high in folic acid, thought to be a go a long way in the prevention of heart disease; antioxidants including vitamin C, and a phytochemical said to have specific anti-cancer properties too.

Ginger – As one of the most widely used herbs in medicine for centuries, Ginger has a number of health benefits. Some of which include relief for colds, migraines and heartburn. It is also an anti-inflammatory, and is considered to help reduce the chances of several forms of cancer.

Tea – The nation’s favorite drink is known for its great social benefits and caffeine properties, however, it’s also a rich source of catechins – antioxidants that are said to help protect the heart from disease and blood clots.

This post was brought to you by Snugg Nightwear – an online boutique specialising in children’s nightwear and bedtime accessories.

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The Sublingual Advantage

Coping with the stress and pressures of our daily tasks can take its toll on our body, we can easily feel run down or overly exhausted at the end of a long day. If you belong in this population, then you better start thinking about increasing your doses of vitamin b12 as your regular coffee is clearly not enough to sustain your energy throughout the day. Unknowingly, fatigue, petulance and depression are already tell tale signs that your body is lacking in this essential nutrient. As such, you need to start considering taking vitamin b12 as part of your diet to ensure that you can always be at the top of your game. In choosing the type of b12 supplement to take, you can ask your doctor about the the sublingual form as they can readily boost your energy and significantly improve your mood. In addition, their effects lasts longer and are easily absorbed by the body as opposed to the oral tablet types.

Sublingual vitamins are tiny lozenges placed under the tongue, similar to the liquid vitamin b guide, they are easily ingested by the body but instead of going through the digestive tracts, the nutrients pass directly through the bloodstream. It is recommended that you take them before you start your stressful day so you can easily control and calm your mood swings while at the same time spike up your energy in anticipation for your work load.

In addition, this vitamin can also help individuals cope with depressive symptoms as they provide your brain with key nutrients to help it function properly. The many benefits of vitamin b12, b complex supplement and the efficacy of sublingual vitamins have long been recognized by medical experts, psychiatrists and therapists as potent stress aggressors and mood enhancers. They are the best way to fend off fatigue and keep you on your toes all day, everyday.