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.

Aloe vera juice has been used for a least four thousand years to treat successfully a multiplicity of human ailments. It contains over 200 ingredients that seem to affect thousands of biomedical actions in the body. Many researchers believe that Aloe vera is the single most important treatment one could use to fight disease.

We find in the Aloe vera plant at least six antiseptic agents: lupeol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamic acid, phenol, and sulphur.  These substances are all recognized antiseptics. Their presence explains why Aloe has the ability to eliminate many internal and external infections. Lupeol, salicylic aced and another ingredient, magnesium, are highly effective analgesics.  They make Aloe vera an effective pain killer.

Aloe vera contains at least three anti-inflammatory fatty acids (cholesterol, campesterol and B-sitosterol), making Aloe an effective treatment for burns, cuts, scrapes and abrasions, as well as for rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever and ulcers of all kinds, both internal and external. The presence of these fatty acids may explain why some experts feel Aloe is highly effective for many inflammatory conditions of the digestive system and other internal organs, including the stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, kidney and pancreas. The presence of these fatty acids, B-sitosterol in particular, could explain why Aloe vera juice is a treatment effective for allergic reactions and acid indigestion, and why it helps, in association with a low fat diet, to lower harmful cholesterol levels.

It’s this synergistic relationship between the elements found in the plant that explains why Aloe works, and why through the ages lay persons and physicians alike have proclaimed that Aloe vera has the ability to heal, alleviate, eliminate, or even cure, a monumental list of human diseases and disorders, and deserving the name “medicine plant.”

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

The winter months bring mood changes for some people. These people may seem sad because they have SAD, seasonal affective disorder. It is also referred to as seasonal depression which is often blamed on less exposure to sunlight during shorter colder days.

You may someone affected by SAD. The Psychiatric Association lists these symptoms:

• Excessive sleeping, overeating and weight gain during the fall/winter months
• Extreme fatigue or inability to keep up a normal schedule
• Feelings of sadness, loss of feelings, apathy and irritability.

The last item is especially interesting to medical professionals who pursue the connections between mood troubles and B vitamins. Many studies indicate that people with a B-12 deficiency can experience symptoms including mood swings, mental confusion, forgetfulness and even psychotic behavior, like seeing and/or hearing things.

For some time it was believed that it was primarily older adults who tended to have Vitamin B-12 deficiencies, but we now have more studies that show this is a larger problem for younger people than previously thought. One study showed that people as young as 26 may be just as lacking in B-12 as some people over 65! This study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, went on to say that regardless of age, those who didn’t supplement with Vitamin B-12 were twice as likely to be deficient as those who did.

At this time of year, I urge you to consider whether or not you’re getting enough Vitamin B-12. Since B-12 has such an impact on mental energy and mood, I often recommend B-12 supplementation with TriVita’s Sublingual Vitamin B-12.

 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.

Not all headaches are migraines, and all migraines are not severe. The simple definition of a migraine is a “one-sided” headache - a headache that affects only one side of the head or the top of the head.

Headaches that affect both temples or both the front and back of the head are more likely due to tension, sinus infection, TMJ disorder or other cause.

This is where it gets a little controversial: To many people, the term migraine usually means a very severe and painful headache. In reality, though, migraine actually refers to the location and possibly the type of headache, and has nothing to do with severity. Some people who have migraines experience absolutely no pain, just visual symptoms. In contrast, other people with severe tension headaches require hospitalization.

Learn more…

Are you searching for ways to keep your stress at a minimum while squeezing as much fun and quality time as possible into your children’s summer break? These simple tips can help keep your kids happy and occupied while they’re at home this summer.

1. Create a routine – Your children can easily become bored without a daily routine. Have your kids get out of bed the same time each morning, and give them a list of things to accomplish each day. Your children can participate in making ing the list. This list of goals will help your kids stay both academically and physically fit. Simple projects will help your child develop the healthy habit of setting and accomplishing goals.
2. Use a practical reward system for accomplishing goals and finishing chores. Provide healthy, enriching rewards, like trips to the local pool or zoo, or a sleepover with friends.
3. Read! Does your school offers a summer reading list for your child’s skill level? Studies show that reading enriches children’s imagination, and it boosts their language comprehension and writing skills, as well.
4. Schedule a trip to the library. Trips to the library provide something to look forward to each week, and they can provide free entertainment. Go there to load up on books, videos and music CDs – all for free! Many libraries also offer free or low-cost children’s programming.
5. Simplicity is the key. Consider skipping the big family vacation if saving up for it puts too much stress on your budget and your family. Most children love time alone with Mom or Dad. Try scheduling an afternoon off from all work. Turn off your cell phone and don’t check your emails. Just spend some time with the kids doing what they want to do. Kick a ball around the back yard. Go for a family bike ride. Visit the local museum, most importantly, make some memories.
6. Take care of yourself. Find ways to unwind. When you are relaxed and happy, your kids are more likely to be relaxed and happy. In the same way, if you’re edgy and irritable, your kids may be too. If you struggle with keeping your stress out of your home, try TriVita’s Adaptogens 10 Plus, a healthy way to achieve stress relief and stress reduction without any negative side affects. Taking Adaptogens 10 Plus can help you feel happier and calmer within minutes, keeping the anxiety and irritability at bay while you spend quality time with your family.