Tag: Vitamin B12

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Amazing Effects of Bananas

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“NEVER PUT BANANA IN THE REFRIGERATOR“

Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose,fructose and glucose
combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant,
sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas
provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout.
No wonder banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.

But energy isn’t the only way a banana can
help us keep fit.
It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial
number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet..

Depression: According to a recent survey
undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain
tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin,known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you
feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills – eat a banana… The
vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate
the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is
extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure.
So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration
has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham
(Middlesex) school were
helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast,break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has
shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist
learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas
in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing
a hangover is to make a banana milkshake,sweetened with honey.The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect
in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between
meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect
bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swellingand irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that
help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute
of Psychology in Austria found pressure at wor k leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients,
researchers found the most obese were more
likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that,to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar
levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods
every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food
against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see
bananas as a’cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand ,for example,
pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby
is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can
help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also
help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as
the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which
helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water
balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic
rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help
of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New
England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk
of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear
that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place
with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the
carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five
times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say,
‘A banana a day keeps the doctor away!’

May I add one here; want a quick shine on our
shoes?? Take the INSIDE
of the banana skin, and rub directly on the
shoe…polish with dry cloth.
An Amazing fruit ! Is’nt it?

You may click to see:->Eat banana everyday
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Vegetarians Prone to Strokes

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Strokes are the second most common cause of deaths and the commonest cause of severe disability.
Now a study has shown that deficiency of Vitamin B12, usually seen in vegetarians, can predispose a person to strokes much more than the usual risk factors — diabetes and hypertension.

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“While 20% of Indians suffer from diabetes and high BP,” says Dr Arun Garg, consultant neurologist, Max Hospitals, “incidence of homocysteinemia (increased levels of homocysteine, an amino acid) caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, is 70%. This is seen more among vegetarians as this vitamin is mainly found in meat and milk, if it’s neither boiled nor pasteurised.” In fact, deficiency of vitamins B12, B6 and folate causes two-thirds of strokes.

This risk is four times higher in vegetarians. As folate is found in vegetables and fruits, its deficiency is rare among Indians, but that of vitamin B12 is common.

Normal levels of homocysteine are 5-15 micromol per litre. Increased levels heighten the chances of blood clotting, which can lead to decrease in blood supply to the brain, causing a stroke. Studies have found high levels of homocysteine in over 80% of stroke patients. Even a rise of five micromol increases the risk of stroke by two times.

The link between strokes and vegetarianism was confirmed in a five-year study by Garg and Dr A K Jain, neurologist, Jain Neuro Centre, in two Max hospitals and this Centre. From 2003, 4,680 OPD patients were screened for vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels. Those with a history of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, chronic renal, liver problems, alcoholics and those on vitamin supplements were excluded. Most had vague complaints — tingling, numbness, chronic headaches and depressive symptoms like sleeplessness and fatigue.

It was found that 60% patients had vitamin B12 levels below 400 pg/ml and 38.9% had less than 200 pg/ml. Homocysteine levels were high (over 15 micromol/l) in 36%. And out of these, over 80% were either strict vegetarians or took non-vegetarian food less than once a week. This showed the co-relation between vegetarians and strokes.

To confirm the study, 418 ischemic stroke patients between 30-85 years admitted during the same period were analysed. It was found that homocysteine levels were high (over 15 micromol/l) in 77.5% of the patients showing vitamin deficiency can result in strokes. The effects of a stroke are serious and sometimes fatal — paralysis, loss of speech and vision, unsteadiness, double vision or even unconsciousness.

Dr Vinay Goyal, associate professor, neurology, AIIMS, says, “It’s true that vegetarians have less vitamin B12 as compared to non-vegetarians. This has been proven in Indian Americans, Germans, and Chinese/Singaporeans.”

Prevention would cost less than Rs 10 per day, says Garg. All one has to do is take prescribed doses of vitamin B12 and B6 and folic acid. These are shown to reduce homocysteine level by 38% and the risk of stroke by 20-30%. Goyal says, “Vitamin B12 is also there in soyabean, legumes, dairy products, cottage cheese, etc.” Garg and Jain gave vegetarian patients in their study daily vitamin supplements.

Their symptoms disappeared completely after 3-6 months of therapy. Vegetarians with vitamin B12 deficiency need life-long treatment. A dose of 1-1.5 mg/day is required, says Garg. The government too should fortify food with it, much like iodized salt. Also, as India has a high proportion of vegetarians, screening should be done. So get going to quell that stroke of bad luck.

Sources: The Times Of India

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Vegan Diets

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Information on Vegetarian and Vegan Diets

A good place to begin is the Vegetarian Starter Kit
also available in Spanish-language Guía de Iniciación una Dieta Vegetariana

and our fact sheet Vegetarian Foods: Powerful for Health
also available in Spanish-language La Comida Vegetariana: Poderosa para la Salud

For additional information, check out
FAQs About Vegetarian Diets
Find answers about issues such as protein, milk, eggs, athletic performance, essential fatty acids, lactose intolerance, calcium absorption rates in foods, vitamin B12, vegetarian diets for correctional facilities, and incorporating vegetarian meals on college campuses.

FAQs About General Nutrition Issues

The New Four Food Groups

Information About Diabetes

If you’re pregnant, be sure to read
Vegetarian Diets For Pregnancy

To raise vegan children, read our fact sheets:
Vegetarian Diets for Children: Right from the Start
Vegetarian Diets: Advantages for Children
a comprehensive report by PCRM‘s Nutrition Panel

Healthy Snacks for Kids

Restaurant Vegetarian Starter Kit

Source:http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/index.html

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Healthy Tips

Eating Longhorn beef

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Eating longhorn beef is good because of these heart healthy facts… “Lean beef is good for you – and the key word is lean. A heart patient can eat steak every meal if it is in the right proportions. Longhorn meat on the average, contains 10 percent less saturated fat than that of other cattle. That puts lean Longhorn beef on par with skinned boneless white meat of chicken and that fact may come as a surprise to many dieticians.” -Dr. Joseph Graham, Cardiovascular Surgeon at St. John’s Medical Center in Joplin, Missouri, and a Longhorn breeder himself. “Red meat is really a treasure trove of nutrients, including protein, iron, vitamin B12, and more. One of the healthiest red meats is Longhorn beef, which is extremely low in fat.” -Cliff Sheats, certified clinical nutritionist, and nationally recognized author of Lean Bodies, Total Fitness. Beef is the number one source of protein, zinc and Vitamin B12, and the third best source of iron in the food supply. You’d have to eat almost 12 cans of tuna to get the equivalent amount of zinc in one 3 oz. serving of beef. It takes seven chicken breasts to equal the Vitamin B12 in one 3 oz. serving of beef. Beef is also a good source of selenium, providing 20-30% of the recommended daily allowance for men and women. Recent research has found that selenium may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer (such as prostate) as well as enhance the body’s ability to fight infections.

Source:/communitytalk.rd.com

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A Basic Formula for Optimal Health

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One of the principal benefits that vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients provide is to safeguard health on a long-term basis — by helping to protect the human body against chronic, debilitating diseases that pose the most serious threat to longevity. But what is the best way to obtain this key preventive benefit? The advisory board for this book, headed by Dr. David Edelberg, suggests that everyone will profit by taking a daily high-potency supplement that contains approximately the amounts of the nutrients listed in the chart below.

This basic supplement formula contains vitamins and minerals in higher potencies than those found in typical “one-a-day” type formulas, which generally supply no more than the Recommended Dietary Allowance, or RDA, for each nutrient. (Levels that meet the highest RDA values are indicated on supplement labels by “100%” under the heading “% Daily Value” or “% U.S. RDA.” Those with an asterisk * have no RDA.) Think of RDA levels as the nutritional counterpart of accommodations in a budget motel: They are sufficient to prevent vitamin-deficiency diseases (they provide basic shelter), but won’t necessarily help against other types of disease (they don’t offer cable TV).

Because a high-potency combination, by contrast, contains relatively high levels of nutrients — in particular the antioxidant nutrients — it’s thought to combat tissue damage at the cellular level. Studies indicate that such levels are associated with preventing cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and other chronic illnesses that can hamper, and shorten, your life.

Choosing a brand
If you’re accustomed to taking a “one-a-day” type of supplement, you may be surprised to learn that a high-potency formula (with vitamins and minerals at higher levels) may require taking more than one pill a day. In fact, with some brands, you’ll need to consume anywhere from two to six tablets or capsules daily. Be sure to read the ingredients and serving size on any label carefully to calculate how many tablets are necessary to obtain the nutrient levels that are right for you.

When you are evaluating different brands, don’t worry if you can’t find a supplement that exactly matches the amounts shown in the chart, which are indicated in ranges. Unlike drug dosages, where exactness can be crucial, vitamin and mineral intakes need not be precise, because nutrients work far more gradually than drugs do. Also, these supplemental nutrients are interacting with, and building upon, the nutrients you obtain from food. Simply try to choose a supplement with dosages close to those that the chart recommends.

One other point: Some high-potency vitamin and mineral formulas have herbs and other nutrients added as general preventive “tonics.” If you choose this type of supplement, check the entries on those ingredients under Supplements to be sure that the levels don’t exceed recommended ranges.

How much to take
Use the chart below with these guidelines in mind:
If your diet is nutritionally excellent, take the amounts recommended in column A. These levels are sufficient if you regularly eat foods low in fat, get five to six generous servings of fruit and vegetables every day, and have meat, chicken, or fish several times a week in small portions.
If your diet is basically sound, take the amounts recommended in column B. They are intended for someone who usually eats three meals a day, with at least one or two servings of fruits and vegetables, and who doesn’t gorge on fatty foods — but who skips a lunch or breakfast in an average week and may grab one or two “fast food” meals.
If your diet is poor, take the amounts recommended in column C. These levels are intended for someone who routinely skips meals, who skimps on fruits, vegetables, and grains (the foods that are considered the richest sources of vitamins and minerals), and who normally eats a slice of pizza or a deli sandwich and a diet cola for lunch.
Special considerations

Another reason to increase your supplement intake may be your personal health history. For example, taking folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 may help you prevent heart disease (see Heart Disease Prevention under Ailments).

Similarly, if you have a family history of high blood pressure, cancer, or another chronic ailment, additional supplements are recommended for preventive purposes (see the ailment entries for specifics). And while you may not be suffering from — or at risk for — a specific disorder, you may still have nutrient needs that can benefit from increased supplementation. If you fit into one of the categories listed on this and the opposite page, you should consider taking the suggested nutrient(s). The basic daily multivitamin and mineral formula you choose may supply part or even all of this additional supplementation. But in most cases, you will probably have to purchase individual supplements to take in addition to your basic daily formula.

If you are a woman
Beginning in their mid-20s, humans gradually lose bone mass — and in women, this process accelerates after menopause. If bone loss advances sufficiently, osteoporosis develops. To slow the loss of bone, adult women of all ages should include extra calcium in their daily supplement program.

Total daily calcium intake, from both diet and supplements, should total at least 1,200 mg and can safely be as high as 2,500 mg. (For additional recommendations on how to prevent osteoporosis, see Osteoporosis under Ailments.)

If you are a man over age 50
One condition common in older men is BPH, or benign prostatic hyperplasia, an enlargement of the prostate (a walnut-size gland just below the bladder that produces seminal fluid). If this occurs, it can interfere with urination. Consider adding      saw palmetto — 160 mg twice a day — for prostate health. This herb helps relieve inflammation and affects prostate-related hormone levels .

If you are a vegetarian
Strict vegetarians — those who avoid all animal foods, including dairy and egg products — can eat a balanced diet if they consume a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains. But one nutrient not supplied by these foods is vitamin B12, found in eggs, meats, poultry, fish, and dairy products. Over time, therefore, strict vegetarians can develop B12-deficiency anemia (see Vitamin B12 under Supplements). Be sure your basic daily formula supplement includes 100 mcg of vitamin B12.

If you exercise frequently
Regular exercise or athletic activity, especially if it is prolonged or intense, breaks down muscle fiber. This wear and tear, which can be accompanied by a loss of flexibility, gets worse as a person ages.

Consider adding creatine monohydrate –– 1 teaspoon (5 grams) a day — to help in muscle repair. Additional magnesium — 200 mg daily — is also helpful, because this mineral plays a key role in muscle contractions.

Other supplements that contribute to muscle endurance and energy are the amino acid-like substance carnitine (500 mg twice a day) and the nutritional supplement coenzyme Q10 (50 mg daily).

If you’re over age 50 and feeling a slow decline in energy levels despite exercising regularly, you can also add the herb Siberian ginseng (100 mg a day) or talk to your doctor about the hormone DHEA (25 mg daily). You’ll need to have your blood DHEA levels measured before taking the supplement.

If you are on a weight-loss diet
Dieting to lose weight can trigger hunger pangs and cause blood sugar levels to vacillate. Add chromium (200 mcg twice a day) to your basic formula; it can assist the body in using fat and prevent swings in blood sugar. The supplement 5-HTP (100 mg three times a day) can help stem urges to overeat (see Overweight, under Ailments).

If you smoke
Nutritional supplements will not appreciably reduce your risk of developing heart disease, lung disease, or cancer. But you may be able to combat some of the effects of smoking with extra antioxidants. Try taking grape seed extract (100 mg twice a day) or green tea extract (250 mg twice a day). See how to quit smoking.

If you consume alcohol
Drinking alcohol in moderation — no more than two drinks a day for men, one for women — can actually be good for you, because it helps lower the risk of heart disease. But drinking more heavily — three or more drinks a day for men, two or more for women — can deplete certain nutrients. Excess alcohol is also associated with an increased risk of liver disease, as well as other health problems.

Help protect your liver with milk thistle (150 mg twice a day). Extra vitamin C (1,000 mg a day) and extra B vitamins (a single B-50 complex capsule, plus an extra 100 mg of thiamin) can also be beneficial.

A basic daily multivitamin and mineral formula
This chart shows the nutrients that a daily multivitamin and mineral should contain, the RDA for each nutrient, and the optimal levels for obtaining preventive benefits, which depend on your diet. The more nutrients you get from foods, the fewer you need from a supplement (see “How Much to Take” below to help decide which column applies to you). Because supplements vary greatly, just try to stay within the flexible ranges given here for each nutrient.

VITANINS:-

A stands for Excellent Diet,B for Sound diet and C for Poor diet
B1(Thiamin)…RDA..1.2mg..A..1.5-30mg…B…30-60mg…C…60-100mg

B2(Riboflavin).RDA..1.3mg..A..1.7-30mg..B….30-60mg…C..60-100mg

B3(Niacin)……RDA..16mg…A..20-30mg…B…..30-50mg…C..50-100mg

B5(Pantothenic acid) * ……A..10-60mg…B……60-100mg..C..100-200mg

B6………….RDA…1.7mg….A..2-25mg….B…….25-60mg….C..60-100mg

B12………..RDA….2.4mcg. A..6-100…B100-400mcg…B..C..400-800mcg

Beta-carotene *………A..5000-10000IU…B..10000-15000IU…C..15000-25000IU

Biotin………….*………A…30-100mcg…B..100-400mcg….C…400-600mcg

Folic Acid…RDA…400mcg…A…400mcg..B..400-600mcg…C…600-900mcg

Vitamin A..RDA..5000IU…A..2,500IU….B..2,500IU………C…2,500IU

Vitamin C..RDA..60mg…..A..60-300mg..B..300-600…..C…600-900mg

Vitamin D..RDA..400IU….A..400IU…..B…400IU…..C…400IU

Vitamin E..RDA…15IU…..A..30-200IU..B..200-300IU…C..300-400IU

A stands for Excellent Diet,B for Sound diet and C for Poor diet

MINERALS:-

Boron…..*…….A..100mcg-1mg…B..1-1-2mg….C….2-4mg

Calcium…RDA..1,200mg…A..50-150mg…B…150-200mg…C..200-300mg

Chromium…*….A…50-65mg….B…65-100mg…C…100-200mg

Copper……*…..A…1…..B…..1-1.5mg ….C1.5-2mg

Iron…** …RDA…10mg..A… 5-10mg…B…10-18mg…C…18mg

Magnesium..RDA..350mg…A..100mg…B100-200mg…C…200-300mg

Manganese..RDA..5mg…A…3-5mg…B…5-10mg…C…10-20mg

Molybdenum…*…A…25-65mcg…B…65-100mcg…C…100-200mcg

Potassium…*…..30-80mg….B…80-100mg…C…100mg

Selenium..RDA..70mcg…A…20-100mcg…B…100-200mcg…C..200mcg

Vanadium…*…A…10-50mcg…B…50-100mcg…C…100mcg

Zinc…RDA…15mg….A…15….B..15-20mg…C..20-30mg

* No RDA is established for these nutrients
** Iron recommendations apply only to younger women; men and postmenopausal women should not choose a supplement containing iron.

From:   Your Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs (Reader’s Digest)

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