Are You Depressed, Anxious, or Tired? You Might Be Deficient in Vitamin B6

B6 or Pyridoxine is a powerhouse of a vitamin! According to Dr. Ellis from Mount Pleasant, TX, who studied vitamin B6 for more than 30 years, "Vitamin B6 is as important to your body as oxygen and water." Like many other B complex vitamins, Pyridoxine is very important in fat, protein, carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, and hence getting enough of it can help you to have enough energy. It also supports many aspects of nerve health, including nerve problems with those with epilepsy, carpal tunnel syndrome and psychiatric disorders.

B6 is also a major factor in helping red blood cells to regenerate, and seems to be a primary immune system stimulating factor, which has been shown in particular to help defend the body against liver cancer.

Vitamin B6 is vital in helping the body produce various neurotransmitters, and hence is important for memory. It also seems to help avoid or reduce glucose intolerance, which is when your blood sugar spikes abnormally high after eating. Dr. Ellis' research also shows that it may help reduce asthma attacks since it seems to lower the body' histamine levels. It also seems to help protect the body from artheriosclerosis because it reduces a chemical in the bloodstream that damages the walls of the arteries.

It can also help promote healthy skin, reduce acne and morning sickness. B6 inhibits histamine production, and hence may help with allergies and asthma. In addition it seems to be helpful in cases of PMS, acting as a natural diuretic.

Extra Vitamin B6 Requirements

B6 seems to be especially helpful for the elderly, and those with PMS, menopausal symptoms, and those with heart and blood sugar problems.* It also seems to be needed in higher amounts by smokers, those under a lot of stress, and those exposed to high levels of environmental chemicals (that would be most of us today!). This is one of those vitamins that we seem to need in higher levels in today's modern world, because of all the stress and pollution!

* This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Deficiency Symptoms of Pyridoxine

Depression and anxiety, as well as anemia and lethargy and have been linked to pyridoxine deficiency. Carpal tunnel syndrome and numbness and tingling in the knees, shoulders and hands can also be a sign of a deficiency of vitamin B6. Some additional symptoms include PMS, insomnia and kidney stones.

Food Sources & Supplementation of Vitamin B6

Nutritional yeast, whole grains like whole wheat and brown rice, bananas, eggs, poultry and organ meats, avocados, nuts and legumes like peanuts and walnuts. If you decide to supplement, we recommend only a food-based vitamin B complex, since taking the B vitamins separately has been shown to sometimes cause imbalances in the body that can actually have an adverse effect over the long term.

Note: An excessive intake of B6 has been noted to cause adverse symptoms such as numbness in the hands and feet and other symptoms of nerve damage. Always check with your doctor before taking high levels of B6 supplementation, and even better, in our humble non-medical opinion, don't take synthetic B6, only use natural source B supplementation.

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The Pill Vitamin Versus Liquid Vitamin

In recent years, a number of companies have introduced liquid vitamin supplements, some of them claiming that these products far outperform the traditional vitamin pill. While some companies took their claims too far (and were charged accordingly), the debate continues as to which type of vitamin is the most effective.

The main advantage of a liquid supplement is the speed and ease of absorption by the body. Since there is no need to break down a solid, the vitamins are absorbed immediately. Liquid fans also claim that the absorption rate is much higher, making the supplements more effective.

There are also those who hate swallowing big vitamin pills or simply can't swallow them due to a medical condition. For instance, people who have had gastric bypass surgery find it hard to keep a pill down. Throat surgery can also make swallowing solids painful. For people like this, liquid vitamins are the only viable option.

But liquid supplements have their drawbacks. One of the main problems is that the vitamins and minerals do not keep their potency as well in liquid form. That means that the liquids have a shorter shelf life than pills.

There are also enzymes contained in some vitamin tablets that aid in the absorption of the nutrients. These enzymes can't be included in liquid vitamins because they only last for a day or so in liquids. While with pills, the enzymes retain their effectiveness for the entire shelf life of the products.

The claim of faster and more complete absorption of liquids is also challenged by some experts. While it's true that we digest liquids more quickly than solids, this does not necessarily lead to a more effective product.

The most effective place for vitamin absorption is at the beginning of the small intestine. There are some claims that much of the contents of liquid vitamins is destroyed by stomach acids before it even gets this far. Pills, meanwhile, are coated to keep them from dissolving completely before they reach the small intestine.

While we live in a world where immediate effects are usually considered a good thing, their relevance for vitamins is questionable. After all, our bodies don't suddenly have vitamin emergencies. If one vitamin supplement is absorbed into our systems an hour sooner than another, it's unlikely to have any noticeable effect on our overall health.

When it comes to our health, nobody likes to guess what is best. But until enough time has passed to show for certain whether there is a difference between the effects of liquid and tablet vitamins, you'll simply have to go with the one that makes the most sense for you. As long as you are focused on a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition, the format of your vitamin supplement shouldn't be a critical decision.

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Calcium, What's The Big Deal?

The big question about Calcium, exactly what is Calcium and why is Calcium so important to you and I?

What is Calcium?

Calcium is one of the most abundant micro-nutrient found in our body. 99% of our body’s total calcium is stores in the bones and teeth. The remaining 1% of calcium is then found throughout our body in blood, muscles, and the fluid in between cells. Calcium is also needed for muscle contraction and the secretion of hormones and enzymes. There are much more usage of Calcium, but to put simply, Calcium is important for Bone repair/formations and the contraction of muscles. Calcium is also the answer to strong and dense bones.

Different Types of Calcium, Which is Best?

Calcium is an element and it comes in various forms. There’s Calcium citrate, Calcium phosphate, Calcium Gluconate, Calcium Carbonate, and e.t.c. The list can go on and on, but which is the most common one that is best absorbed by the body?

There is something called the elemental weight. Calcium phosphate has an elemental weight of 31-38% whilst Calcium carbonate has an elemental weight of 40%. Let’s use Calcium Carbonate (Most common form of Calcium found in the market) as an example, if you take 500mg of Calcium carbonate, only 200mg of elemental Calcium is available for absorption. I’ll make things simpler by giving you an analogy; let’s presume that you’re now going down to the fuel station to pump some petrol for your car. There are 2 types of Petrol and both are mixed with water. For every liter of petrol, Petrol X contains 20% petrol whilst Petrol Y contains 40% petrol. We do know that cars require petrol to move and not water. So the obvious choice will be Petrol Y. The same goes to us, our body can only utilize elemental Calcium, and therefore, Calcium Carbonate is one of the better choices of Calcium supplements to take.

Vitamin D & Calcium Absorption
Taking Calcium alone is not as effective taking calcium with a good dose of Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps improve Calcium absorption. To put things simply, let’s imagine things this way. Before calcium is absorbed by our body, it needs go through a door which is locked and requires a key to open it. Vitamin D is the key to opening this door to allow calcium into your body and from there allows the body to utilize the Calcium.

What NOT to Consume Calcium With
We should not be consuming Calcium with Zinc and Iron. This is so as our body prioritizes Calcium over the other two minerals. I advise you to take Zinc and Iron at a time when your body has little Calcium, preferably 30mins-60mins after drinking your milk. When purchasing multivitamins, do also look at the Nutrition fact sheet to see if any of this minerals are stashed together.

How much Calcium is Needed?
If you’re just an average adult, I would recommend taking anything from 800mg – 1200mg of Calcium a day. However, if you’re an athlete or bodybuilder, you should be taking up to 2000mg – 2300mg of Calcium a day. Good sources of protein include Milk, yoghurt, cheese. Taking more than 2500mg of Calcium may cause you to get wet stools.

Benefits
Calcium will help you maintain a healthy bone mass, delay the onset of osteoporosis and recent research articles have also shown that Calcium aids weight loss.

By Darcy Dal

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How To Know If You Need Vitamin Supplements

Taking vitamin and mineral supplements is perhaps one of the most controversial issues regarding healthy living. The lack of vitamins in your diet can be unhealthy, but too many vitamins can also put your health in danger. So, how do you know if taking vitamin and mineral supplements is necessary for you? Ask yourself the following questions in order to determine if you may need vitamin supplementation for a healthier lifestyle:

Am I Stressed? If you are constantly stressed-out due to work, relationships, family or any other situation, your adrenal glands may be working overtime. This can potentially cause fatigue and headaches.

Treatment: Vitamin B Complex, Vitamin E and Vitamin C supplements can help with this problem.

Is My Immune System Up to Par? Do you constantly find yourself catching colds and the flu more frequently than others? You may need to boost your immune system with vitamins and minerals which provide the nutrients needed to fight these viruses.

Treatment: Vitamin C supplement, Zinc and Manganese will do the trick.

Do I smoke? I’m sure you’re aware that this habit is unhealthy but smoking uses up vitamin C and puts you at higher risk of osteoporosis.

Treatment: Vitamin C supplements and calcium supplements will help reduce your chances of osteoporosis and provide you with the adequate amount of vitamin C.

Am I Pregnant? Pregnant and hormonal women often lack in vitamin B-6. If you do not receive enough of this vitamin it can be harmful to you and your baby.

Treatment: Take a vitamin B-6 supplement, but make sure not to take doses of more than 500mg per day without a Doctor’s recommendation.

Am I on a Diet? If you are on a low-carb, low-fat or any form of diet you are probably not receiving the vitamins necessary for healthy living. Individuals on diets very rarely eat foods from all the major food groups and if they do, they usually do not eat the required amounts.

Treatment: Depending on the type of diet and the foods you eat, you may require a multi-vitamin supplement or specific supplements of Vitamin A, B, C, D, E or K.

Answering yes to any of the questions above does not necessarily mean that vitamin or mineral supplements are crucial to healthy living. The situations listed above are merely a guideline to help individuals who already feel as though they are lacking the vitamins and minerals in their diets. It is important to remember that vitamin supplements are meant to accompany food and are in no way meant as a replacement for a healthy diet.

Health-related information changes frequently, and while every attempt has been made to ensure the content in this article is up to date and accurate, you should always check with a doctor or nutritional expert before undertaking any substantial change in diet or lifestyle.


By: Jeff Matson

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Vitamins And Minerals Are Health Magnets For Our Body's Circulatory System

Our body’s circulatory system is made up of the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries. This circulatory system transports oxygen, nutrients, water and blood throughout our bodies as well as assists in the removal of waste products. Obviously keeping this system in tip top shape is essential to its efficiency and to our health.

One of the things we can do to help keep our circulatory system healthy is to make sure that we are properly nourishing it with healthy diet filled with vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin C is responsible for strengthening the walls of the blood vessels throughout the body. This has to do with its role in the production of collagen, which is an essential connective tissue. Copper is a mineral that is necessary for the process of making the body’s connective tissue. Biotin is critical to the health of the circulatory system, as well as to the circulatory system’s performance, as it has a function in a number of essential enzyme processes.

Vitamin E helps to promote the healthy functioning of the circulatory system in a couple of ways. It helps to dilate the veins and it has a role in the controlling of blood clotting. Another important aspect of Vitamin E is its antioxidant properties, something that it shares with Vitamin C. These vitamins, with the help of other antioxidants, serve in the essential capacity of bringing free radicals, which if left unchecked can damage body tissue, under control.

Potassium, long known as being beneficial to the heart also serves other parts of the circulatory system. One important function of potassium is to control blood pressure and fluid stability in the circulatory system. Sodium shares in these important functions of maintaining the blood’s balance and pressure. We hear so much about the negatives of sodium that it’s easy to forget that sodium is, in reality, a mineral that is essential to the body’s functioning, particularly in the circulatory system. The key to sodium is moderation, a little is necessary but too much could be dangerous.

It’s apparent that the circulatory system is essential to a healthy body. It makes sense to support its functions with a diet that meets the recommended daily levels of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Because the proper balance of nutrients is so vital to the functioning of our bodies and its supporting systems, choose your nutritional supplements carefully. Choosing top quality ingredients will insure that you are doing your body good and not spending money unwisely. Make your circulatory system happy, feed it!

By: Holly Dodd

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Simple Sources of Natural Vitamins

Both foodies and farmers know that vitamins don't only come in bottles. Our modern marketing and consumerism machines try to get us to believe that vitamin supplement pills are the only answer, but we all know the truth: natural sources are better.

Many people do not have enough natural vitamin sources in their diet and therefore often suffer from a deficiency of one or more needed vitamins. You've heard this before: the key to gaining the correct amount of vitamins from natural vitamin sources is to eat a healthy and balanced diet.

For those on special diets, it may be true that supplements are the best option, as some diets make it difficult to get the right nutrients in the right amounts all the time. It might be too cumbersome for those people to cook in such a way as to get all they need from food alone. Nevertheless, for most people, it is very easy to get all the nutrition we need from ordinary everyday foods.

It is important to be knowledgeable about the different types of vitamins and their best natural vitamin sources so that you can incorporate as many of these as possible into your regular diet. Water soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body and therefore need to be replenished on a daily basis. Thus it is natural vitamin sources for these vitamins that are the most essential to learn. Many of these natural sources are already in your kitchen pantry, so it may not be hard for you to get started! Here are some common food sources for vitamins:

* Natural vitamin B8 sources can include molasses, vegetables, meat, whole grains, nuts, milk, brewer’s yeast, citrus fruits

* Natural vitamin B1 sources can include brewer’s yeast, brown rice, whole grains, organ meats, egg yolk, blackstrap molasses

* Natural vitamin B3 sources can include potatoes, peanuts, brewer’s yeast, poultry & fish, lean meats, milk, rice bran

* Natural vitamin B15 sources include brewer’s yeast, brown rice, rare steaks, sunflower, pumpkin & sesame seeds

* Natural vitamin B2 sources can include organ meats, brewer’s yeast, whole grains, legumes, nuts, blackstrap molasses

* Natural vitamin B15 sources can include pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds, rare steaks, brown rice, brewer’s yeast

* Natural vitamin B9 sources include dark-green leafy vegetables, root vegetables, organ meats, salmon, oysters, milk

* Natural vitamin B13 sources can include liquid whey, and root vegetables

* Natural vitamin B4 sources can include brewer’s yeast, egg yolks, organ meats, legumes, wheat germ, fish, soybeans

* Natural vitamin B15 sources can include brown rice, brewer’s yeast, rare steaks, pumpkin, sunflower, & sesame seeds

* Natural vitamin B17 sources can include peaches, whole kernels of apricots, cherries, apples, plums

* Natural vitamin B9 sources can include root vegetables, dark-green leafy vegetables, organ meats, oysters, salmon, milk

* Natural vitamin B5 sources include salmon, organ meats, egg yolks, legumes, wheat germ, brewer’s yeast, whole grains

* Natural vitamin B7 sources can include liver, legumes, unpolished rice, whole grains, sardines, brewer’s yeast, egg yolks

So you can see there are a variety of ways to get what your body needs. Pill form supplements are not bad; it is simply that natural source vitamins are so much better. You can explore new foods and ways of cooking, and your body will love you for it.

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Vitamins Are The Spice Of Life

Many people have busy schedules and do not have the time to eat properly. Their diet does not contain the right ingredients to provide vitamins and nutrients that the body needs to function. To fill this need, there are vitamins available for people to take to supplement the lack of vitamins in their diet.

These vitamins are supplied in pill form, liquid elixirs, liquid vitamin supplements, and powder form. Some of these vitamins are sold in a multi-vitamin tablet form and contain all of the necessary supplements that a body will need to function properly. These multi-vitamins are sold by many manufacturers and in many doses, but the most popular dosage is 500 mg tablets.

There are commercial advertisements that ponder whether you have enough milk in your diet. Vitamin D is found in milk products and is said to help prevent people from getting diseases like multiple sclerosis. Calcium vitamins are sold in two varieties, calcium citrate and calcium carbonate. For calcium carbonate to be effective it must be taken with meals. These vitamins can be taken at any time of the day.

Many people wonder what the benefits are in taking vitamins and herbal supplements. They think their diet is sufficient in vitamins and nutrients and can not justify spending more money on something that they have plenty of in their bodies. The fact is that our bodies do not get enough vitamins, even if we eat a well-balanced diet.

People take vitamins because they help prevent many diseases and help slow the effects of aging too. Some vitamins are not manufactured properly and may lose their potency if they are exposed to heat and light. Vitamins that are found in meat, vegetables and other food groups loose their effectiveness when exposed to heat when they are cooked on a stove.

Vitamins are virtually useless to drug abusers because vitamins can not be absorbed into the body properly. Cigarette smoking affects the way a body absorbs vitamins into the body. Many junk foods contain no nutritional value at all. Fast food restaurants serve food that is high in fat content and low in vitamins. Without the proper amount of vitamins in their diet, children do not grow to their full potential.

Some vitamins will affect how the body absorbs iron into the body. Milk is one of the food sources that hinder iron absorption. If people plan to take iron pills, then they will have to take them when milk is not being ingested. A two to three hour wait is sufficient between dosages.

People rely heavily on the US RDA requirements that are placed on many food packages to determine whether their dietary intake is sufficient to have a healthy life. People do not understand that US RDA requirements might be well below what your body actually needs to live and function properly. The scale that is listed on the food product packets and boxes might be for just one day of nourishment, not a yearly consumption level, or might not consider the total nourishment level different age groups might need to live a healthy life.

By: Linda Polansky -

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