LpVitamins Wellness News

My last post discussed how intrinsic factor affects B12 absorption. This was an important discussion because many people believe they are getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet if they have not been diagnosed with pernicious anemia. The truth is that unless they have developed anemia, most people haven’t even thought about B12.

You need to know that problems associated with a B12 deficiency may occur long before a diagnosable case of pernicious anemia occurs. Pernicious anemia does not just affect the blood. The gastrointestinal tract and the peripheral and central nervous systems are affected as well. The first indications of anemia are a sore tongue and numbness and/or tingling or burning sensation in the hands or feet. Sufferers tend to be pale and white-lipped. A variety of abdominal difficulties include: gas, constipation or diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, pain, and poor appetite.

Other signs include ringing in the ears, spots before the eyes, chronic fatigue, drowsiness, and irritability.  Vital organs become starved for oxygen because not enough red blood cells are being formed. The liver and spleen often become enlarged, and neurological damage increases as the disease progresses.  Severe anemia may lead to heart failure.

Next time, we will discuss psychiatric abnormalities associated with B12 deficiency.

Several causes may lead to a B12 deficiency, but the usual reason one develops pernicious anemia is the inability to absorb the vitamin. The natural means of obtaining vitamin B12 is by way of the foods we eat, but B12 is not found in plants. You must eat protein foods such as liver, whole milk, eggs, oysters, pork or chicken, and its complex structure makes it much more difficult to absorb in comparison to other nutrients. In addition, the stomach secretes a substance known as “intrinsic factor” which binds to the B12 allowing it to be absorbed through the intestinal walls.

 An absence of vitamin B12 in the diet is seldom the cause of a vitamin B12 deficiency. It is much more common to find deficiencies in individuals who fail to absorb the vitamin from the intestine. This failure to absorb the vitamin results in pernicious anemia. The gastric parietal cells are responsible for the synthesis of a glycoprotein (a combination of carbohydrate and protein), called the “intrinsic factor”. When these cells are destroyed, the intrinsic factor is no longer produced and absorption of vitamin B12 is no longer possible.  Furthermore, as we reach the age of 50 and beyond, the stomach begins to produce less hydrochloric acid as well as less “intrinsic factor.” This is the condition that causes the elderly to have the inability to completely break down the protein in their diet, thus they are unable to free the protein-bound B12. This in turn creates the B12 deficiency.

 If an individual is missing or under producing “intrinsic factor,” it is not possible to absorb B12 regardless of how much one eats. The availability of “intrinsic factor” can also be affected by any type of stomach surgery, iron deficiency, pregnancy, aging, and intestinal disorders (like Crohn’s disease). Because of all these factors, many more people than generally recognized suffer from some level of B12 deficiency. 

 The “good news” to this is that when taking a sublingual B12 supplement, it does not matter whether or not you have any “intrinsic factor”, or even Crohn’s disease for that matter. The B12 will be absorbed directly into the bloodstream, thus by-passing any dependency on stomach hydrochloric acid or the production of the “intrinsic factor”.

 Next time, we’ll discuss how devastating a B12 deficiency can be.

I’m sometimes asked if vitamin B12 is really that important and if there is any difference between sublingual B12 and a regular B12 supplement. So, in the next few posts, we’ll look into these questions.

Not too long ago in the United States, a diagnosis of pernicious anemia was like a death sentence. Now, picture this, the first therapy for pernicious anemia was the eating of repulsive amounts of raw liver! Patients had to eat a half pound or more per day just to continue living. The thought of that makes me gag!  Fortunately, that is no longer required because in 1947 vitamin B12 was isolated from liver and found to be the factor that alleviated pernicious anemia.

The discovery of vitamin B12 led to the knowledge of both the cause of and the cure for pernicious anemia. This form of anemia develops due to a shortage or lack of B12 in the body. It will cause damage to both the blood-forming process and the nervous system.  As a result of the B12 deficiency, the bone marrow produces abnormally large red blood cells. The life span of these affected blood cells is only one-half that of normal cells.

 The bone marrow turns red and jelly-like. This results in a decrease of both the red and white blood cell count. The normal count for red blood cells is 5,000,000.  One suffering from pernicious anemia may experience a red blood cell count of only 1,000.  The white blood cell count may fall to 3,000 as compared to a normal range of 5,000 to 10,000.  Blood cells suffer from both arrested development and rapid destruction. These two factors prevent many blood cells from ever reaching the bloodstream.  Harm to the nervous system can range from a tingling sensation in the fingers to permanent impairment to the nerves; 40 to 95 percent of pernicious anemia victims suffer some degree of neurological damage.

Next time, we will look into “intrinsic factor”, another significant factor involved with B12 anemia.

So, you feel too tired to do much more than read this article; there’s no need to feel alone. Doctors tell us that up 85% of their patients who visit for any reason also complain of being chronically tired. It seems that we are in the middle of an energy crisis that has nothing to do with motor fuel!

When we talk about energy we are talking about the feeling of being energetic, not about survival. We want to have the energy to dream and then have the energy to live those dreams. We want to feel our best every day. Is that possible?

Energy comes from the way your body burns nutrients such as fats, protein and carbohydrates. These nutrients must be metabolized to produce any energy. Proper metabolism requires a balanced intake of these nutrients.

A balanced diet must include:

• 7 to 9 servings of fruit and vegetables (for adults)
• 30+ grams of high quality protein
• 20 to 35 grams of fiber

Sugars from the foods you eat provide ready energy, but it doesn’t last very long. Proteins are converted to energy at a much slower pace and provide a more stable supply of energy - five times more than sugar.

However, fat is the recognized champion when it comes to providing energy, and it provides us with stamina. Fat burns slowly and steadily up to eight times longer than sugar.  So for stamina that lasts all day and into the evening hours, you want to select foods high in “good” fats.

Many experts suggest getting as much as 30% of your total calories per day from fat. This may mean more than 70 grams of fat for a 2,200 calorie per day diet. That’s a lot of fat! But, I didn’t say French fries! You see, all foods contain fat. So, select “good” fats from foods that are known for high energy, such as:

1. Nuts
2. Seeds
3. Olives
4. Avocados (guacamole)
5. Fatty fish

All foods (including vegetables and legumes) contain some fat.

Fuel your metabolism by eating high-energy foods, and include at least 30 minutes of exercising most days of the week.  Start with a healthy breakfast and, above all, be crystal-clear about your reasons for wanting more energy. Follow these simple steps to feel your best every day!

Take Charge of Your Health

• Include these good fats in your diet:
  • Mono- and poly-unsaturated oils (e.g. olive and sesame)
  • Nuts - be sure they are not rancid (spoiled)
  • Fish - salmon, halibut, tuna and other cold-water fish
  • Olives - a whole-food source of olive oil and Vitamin E
  • Avocado - nutritious and filled with antioxidants
• Avoid the bad fats:
  • Trans fats
  • Hydrogenated fats
  • Saturated fats: a little is OK but never over 20% DV (Daily Value)
• Take your supplements:
  • A multiple vitamin/mineral
  • Sublingual B-12
  •    Vitamin C
  • Essential Fatty Acids

Our bodies make millions of new cells every day: heart cells, brain cells, bone and blood cells. Every time a cell dies it should be replaced. If you do not have the right amount of nutrients to construct a new cell you will either make an incomplete cell or none at all. The outcome is bad in either case, so we really need to keep all nutrients on board at all times. This is why we suggest a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement. This helps ensure we stay on top of our nutrient reserve.

Supplements
The word supplement means to add more – to make up for a deficiency. Vitamin and mineral supplements should be taken in addition to a healthy diet. They make up for the deficiency we face due to the poor nutrient density in our foods. Supplements also help make up the difference when our diet is less than perfect.

The simplest way to help support your nutrition is to take a general multi-vitamin and mineral supplement that provides a broad range of nutrients at standard nutritional levels. However, please remember the following points:

1. Some supplements contain very high doses of certain nutrients. When you take nutrients in extremely high doses, you are no longer in the world of nutritional supplementation and have passed into the riskier world of “megadose” treatment.
2. Calcium and magnesium are very bulky minerals, and few multi-vitamin/mineral supplements provide the daily requirement. These minerals generally must be taken in the form of additional pills. Note: It isn’t possible for your body to absorb a day’s worth of calcium in a single dose. At least two doses are necessary.

Common nutritional deficiencies:

Very few of us are so deficient in these nutrients as to show symptoms of obvious malnutrition. However, subtle deficiencies may increase the risk for a variety of conditions. For example, insufficient intake of calcium and Vitamin D may increase your chances of developing osteoporosis, and inadequate folate and Vitamin B-6 may speed the development of heart disease.

Besides vitamins and minerals, intake of essential omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is often inadequate.

A plan for everyone
Finally, keep in mind that food contains many substances other than vitamins and minerals that may enhance your health.

Supplements won’t overcome bad dietary choices. We simply must commit ourselves to eating more fruits and vegetables. However, the reality of life is that we don’t always attend to our diet perfectly. So, appropriate nutrient supplementation can help make up for the deficiency we face because of poor nutrient density in our foods and an imperfect diet.

Learn More…

• How to start eating more fruits and vegetables

 For as long as I can remember, cranberries have always been part of the Thanksgiving and Christmas festive celebrations.  I have fond memories of making cranberry “chains” to decorate our Christmas tree and of course there was always a bowl of cranberry sauce on the table for both the Thankgiving and Christmas feast. I especially liked the whole berry kind.  In more recent times, I’ve learned there is more to the cranberry story.

The Cranberry’s Healing Power

This wholesome fruit has a delicious taste and many important health benefits as well. The cranberry is very high in several important nutrients, in particular, a variety of important antioxidant vitamins. Nutritionists and other experts often talk about the many benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and cranberries are an excellent way to fit five or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables into even the busiest lifestyle.

Is The Cranberry Really Nutritious?

The cranberry has a role in optimizing overall health and fitness, but it is thought to play a role in reducing the occurrence of urinary tract infection. This effect is thought to be the result of the proanthocyanidins (PACs) contained in cranberries. These PACs have been shown to prevent certain types of bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract.

The PACs contained in the cranberry may also help prevent gum disease and stomach ulcers, using the same anti-adhesion mechanism.

The evidence continues to increase showing that the phytonutrients and antioxidants contained in the cranberry and other fruits help to protect against a variety of diseases, including such potentially life-threatening conditions like cancer and heart disease.

Antioxidants contribute their healing power through their ability to fight the harmful effects of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are part of the normal cellular processes of the body. They can also be the result of environmental pollution of our air, food and water, and they can be quite damaging to our health. Antioxidants work to mitigate the damage caused by free radicals. Therefore, they are believed to play an important role in the prevention of degenerative diseases and perhaps even retarding the aging process.

If you want to include more cranberry products in your diet, these products are plentiful, inexpensive and available all year long. Fresh cranberries are available in grocery stores and supermarkets for the majority of the year, and when they are not available, there are plenty of canned and frozen cranberry products to take their place.

In addition to fresh, canned and frozen cranberries, there are a number of excellent cranberry based products on the market. You’ll find the cranberry sauce that is part of every traditional Thanksgiving celebration, cranberry juice and even cranberry pudding. With all these choices, it’s not hard to fit more cranberries into just about any diet. And with all the health benefits cranberries contain, there is good reason to enjoy more of this tasty treat.

To further support your immune system, try TriVita’s Adaptogen 10 Pus^TM. It contains 10 plant and herbal extracts with adaptogenic qualities, each one chosen for its ability to help the body “adapt” to stress and stressful situations quickly and efficiently.

TriVita has launched on their corporate web-site several new product offers and packaging. These new products can be reviewed and purchased at Trivita.com.

NutraFruits™
NutraFruits is the quick and easy way to help you get the right amount of fruits and vegetables each day.

• An ORAC value of 4,954 per serving — it’s like having 8 servings of fruits and vegetables in every scoop
• A low calorie powdered drink, containing the vital
  nutrients from over 30 of the healthiest fruits and vegetables on the planet
• Supercharged with the antioxidant power of some of nature’s most exotic fruits, including Mangosteen, Goji Berries and Acai Berries
• Probiotic blend to support the health of the gastrointestinal system and help boost the immune system

The recommendation of the health community is that we should get 8 or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day. This seems like an interesting alternative to eating a basket full of produce every day; think of all the time and work involved.

I’d rather mix a tall glass of NutraFruits in mere seconds. It costs a lot less, too!

If you are thinking about purchasing a liquid vitamin supplement, you may be wondering why people prefer liquid vitamins over pills.

Three Reasons Liquid Vitamins Are Preferred:

Most reasons given for the preference of liquid vitamins over pills can be categorized in one of three reasons:

Convenience
Optimum health comes from having a balance of many different nutrients. A liquid formula allows you to take one single serving of one supplement per day instead of servings of multiple supplements. It takes less thought and less time to take your vitamins in liquid form.

Easy to take
Many people find it difficult to swallow pills or capsules. A liquid vitamin formula avoids this problem completely.

More for less money
The processed foods we eat these days means that many people are at risk for multiple nutritional deficiencies. Taking vitamin supplements is more or less considered a necessity by many health practitioners. Taking multiple supplements in pill or capsule form is expensive. The cost for getting all the anti-aging nutrients contained in a single liquid vitamin formula can cost more than $300 per month if purchased in pills or capsules.

You can purchase To Your Health Liquid Vitamins for less than $50 per month.

Besides the desire to lose weight, the number two quesiton I hear: “is there anything I can do got get more energy.”

One way you can increase energy is to consume about 50 to 65 grams of protein per day. Proteins donate five times more energy than sugar. but you need to be aware that you can only digest about 25 grams at at time. So, pass on those sixteen ounce steaks.

There is a dark side to protein metabolism found in a particular form of nitrogen: ammonia. Excess ammonia can be formed in your body and brain if you eat protein but lack enough nitrogen to complete the energy process. This is often seen in people who experience bloating or an uncomfortable fullness after a healthy, protein-rich meal. It may also be seen in those who experience excessive fatigue after a meal.

You need to replace your supply of nitrogen since processing protein uses up large amounts of available nitrogen. Nitrogen in its active form, nitric oxide, is perhaps the most important source of energy for the heart, vascular system and immune system.
Read more…