The Great Influence Of Vitamin B to the Nervous System

'The Great Influence Of Vitamin B to the Nervous System', 'In order for a person to actually have a healthy well-being, one must always remember to have an adequate daily intake of the prescribed vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that your body needs in order for it to stay healthy and fit.

Unfortunately, due to stress and the increasingly fast-paced environment that we''re often subjected to, it''s quite easy to neglect one''s body, most importantly one''s health. It is actually alarming how a lot of people just seem to not actually mind the damage that they''re bringing to their bodies. However, obesity and heart failure is starting to cause a big dent on the American population. It''s high time that we act on this problem right now.

Starting with the various vitamins and minerals that directly influence the nervous system''s proper functioning and health as well as to keep note of the importance of just taking it on moderate levels.

The Vitamin B complex is one of the most important vitamins that can have a great influence on a person''s health as well as on one''s physical and mental performance concerning the nervous system. It is a part of the group of nutrients which are responsible for the creation of some of the most basic structures in the nervous system. Vitamin B12, also referred to as cobalamin due to its cobalt content, has a highly significant role in both the formation of the nervous system as well as in the maintenance of its proper functions. It also helps in the formation of the nerve cells themselves, the most basic of the nervous system structures.

A person lacking in vitamin B12 can actually suffer from irreversible spinal cord degeneration when things get out of hand. Adults need 2.4 micrograms of Vitamin B12 daily - while pregnant and breastfeeding women should increase their intake to between 2.6 and 2.8 micrograms daily. Children, depending on their age and physical size, should have between .9 micrograms and 2.4 micrograms of Vitamin B12 per day.

The other B complex vitamins important to the nervous system include B9 also referred to as folate or folic acid which in addition to its role in the upkeep of the adult nervous system is also involved in the production of neurotransmitters. Adults are actually required to have 400 micrograms of folic acid daily while pregnant women should increase their daily intake to 600 micrograms however, breastfeeding women should only increase their daily intake to 500 micrograms. Depending on size and weight, children should take in between 150 micrograms and 300 micrograms of folic acid each day.

Among the minerals that serve to help enhance the functioning of the nervous system is calcium. In addition to its other equally important health benefits, calcium also has a role in keeping the nerves healthy as well as to ensure their ability to communicate effectively. While magnesium is the mineral which can help the body make use of calcium most efficiently, it has a very important role in the upkeep of the nervous system. The lack of magnesium in the body can actually contribute to nervousness and confusion, while a lack of potassium can lead to nervous disorders.

Proper nourishment greatly affects every aspect of the body''s efficiency and function and in turn, has a positive effect on the quality of one''s life. The body functions based on a delicate balance of system from chemical reactions. The nutrients that you put in your body actually make up a large part of these essential chemicals and it is highly important to have a conscious effort in trying to trying to maintain the proper amount of certain vitamins, minerals and nutrients in one''s body. Nutritional supplements are a good way to help ensure one''s healthy well being, however, one must never rely on these supplements to actually give you all the nutrients that your body needs.

A conscious effort to stay healthy is also being able to keep a healthy, well-balanced diet, a happy disposition and regular exercise. However, if unsure of the best dietary supplements for you or if you are somewhat overwhelmed by the countless dietary supplements that are available in the market today, a consultation with a licensed nutritionist can actually help you devise a personalized nutritional supplement plan that is best suited to your individual dietary needs and health goals.

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Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/', 190, 'The Great Influence Of Vitamin B to the Nervous System, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'The Great Influence Of Vitamin B to the Nervous System plus articles and information on Nutrition'

Eating to Health? Think Again!

'Eating to Health? Think Again!', 'So, what is new about this that you already don''t know? Think again. It is not what-you-are-aware that is important, but are-you -alert, that is. Keep your eyes and mind open to avoid upsets to your normal health. Well, take out your diet chart and critically examine it again. Are you eating the right food? And are you eating healthy?

At the onset, we will accept that eating healthy doesn''t just end at eating good food. The daily nutrients and calorie charts vary for each individual depending on her requirements. An athlete and a sedentary person have different requirements for their nutrients and calories as they burn up different amounts of them. It also depends on your age and body mass index.

The USDA has compiled required calories chart for Americans for 2005 which is here for you.

If you are consuming less than 1800 calories and you are a teen, you should think of raising it to at least 2000 counts a day. Now, where will you get these many calories from and how do you calculate the calorific values of the food you take? And what other nutrients you need?

I won''t go into boring details about a fantasy called food. In brief, the USDA has also drawn up a chart to suggest us all what to eat to get these many calories. And they call it the food guide pyramid. It is just that you have to do a bit of a calculation in order to balance your diet.

Up to 5 servings of vegetables

Up to four servings of fruits

Three servings of milk products

Up to 11 of pasta, cereals, and bread

Two to three servings of meat (both red and white), eggs, nuts and beans put together.

Very sparingly fats and sweets.

So, how much should you treat a serving to be? Let us see what USDA has to say on this. One serving of grains is a slice of bread, one ounce of cereal, ½ cups of cooked rice and vegetables each, one cup each of juice and milk and 2 -3 ounces of lean meat, one and a half cups of boiled beans (Omi? so much!!)

Additives or preservatives are regulated stringently by FDA for our benefits. The manufacturers establish to FDA, the proven benefits and whatsoever adverse effects of the new additives conclusively before approval. The major criteria for approval are that additives should not cause cancer or heart diseases.

SNAC - S T U D E N T N U T R I T I O N A W A R E N E S S C A M P A I G N, UCLA, has done some interesting findings. According to them, the additives constitute just about 1% of your total food supply. Of which 98% are sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, corn syrup, citric acid and baking soda. And preservatives such as calcium propionate are used to extend the shelf life of bread. But wait a minute! Beware of preservatives like saccharin, sodium nitrate, ace sulfame K, BHA, and BHT. They are known to cause cancer.

The controversies on additives need not worry you if you took some extra caution. This isn''t something none of the Americans do. A good way is to learn more about additives and resorting to more of the fresh or minimum processed foods. Also, keeping track of additives help minimize exposure to particular additives.

It makes sense to be a little careful while buying vegetables or fruits. It is better to buy fresh in season. Look for bruises and scratches or cuts on the vegetable skin. These cuts and bruises hold microbes that spoil the food very quickly. Buy when you want to instead of stuffing your refrigerator. Most fruits and vegetables have a shelf life of 4 -5 days.

Now where on earth this food poisoning came from? Or is it that some body intentionally ?? Well. Vegetables and fruits have high health protection values. Still they get contaminated unintentionally because of their handling at the farm or at the market and during transportation. The bacteria and virus come from the environment and soil. And then there are pesticide residues. You never know when you don''t get your health upset, because of any of these. Handle this issue carefully. You don''t need to use specialty cleaning agents for washing your food. For vegetables and fruits use 10% soap solution to soak before washing in running cold water. You know, washing in running water effectively removes up to 90% of bacteria. So, washing twice removes maximum contaminants and bacteria. Also you can use a mild scrub/brush with soap solution to clean. Take care not to damage the skin of your food. Some experts also recommend potassium permanganate to soap solution. But it leaves its characteristic odor.

Never forget to sanitize all surfaces you prepare your food on. Warm soap water or bleaching water (1 tea spoon bleach powder to a liter of water) kills most known kitchen bacteria. Wash your grill twice, before and after you use it. Dry it before you start using it. Don''t forget to wash your hands before you handle the now clean food and every time after you use toilet, sneeze or cough, clear a table et cetera. Use paper disposable towels to dry off hands rather than cloth. This ensures maximum safety by eliminating recontamination chances.

Finally, what chop board you use also determines how healthy you eat. If you are using a PVC, acrylic board, they will have smooth and non-porous surfaces when they are new. They do not have scratches or cuts. As you use them on, scratches appear on the surface and they can hold vegetable particles and microbes begin to develop. This can not be entirely washed away as the scratches are smaller than most of the brushes. Health experts recommend chop boards made of maple wood. Maple wood is less porous than most wood, very hard and is known to have anti bacterial qualities. Wash it with hot water with a tinge of bleach and prop dry it. It is a good idea to oil it twice a month (odorless vegetable oil or mineral oil).

The secret lies in not leaving anything to fate but keeping your eyes open to possible risks to your health. Alertness can only keep you fit, slim and more than anything else -healthy. Wish you ''Happy Eating''.

The author Rajgopal has been writing on technical matters and in this avtar he started healthcare writing. Rajgopal is a mechanical engineer and served the pharmaceutical industry. Oflate he has been putting his experience in to healthcare writing.', 190, 'Eating to Health? Think Again!, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'Eating to Health? Think Again! plus articles and information on Nutrition'

'Nutrient Requirements of Women in Sport'

'Nutrient Requirements of Women in Sport', 'Female and male athletes respond to training in a fairly comparable way. As volume and intensity of training increases, so does aerobic capacity and hence performance. Body composition tends to change, whether male or female, indicating that physiologically, we are all actually quite similar.

Nutritionally speaking, fuelling of training is similar too. Regardless of the sport in question, energy intake must match energy output in order to fuel training and recovery. For endurance athletes, carbohydrate intake needs to equate to approximately 7-10g per kg/bwt (or 4g per lb/bwt). If it doesn''t performance tends to suffer, and fatigue creeps in. It is important for any athlete, regardless of gender, to train and compete with optimum fuel reserves, and, of course be well hydrated.

Despite seemingly parallel training responses and "fuel" requirements between males and females, women engaged in regular exercise, and especially those with demanding training and competition schedules have quite unique nutritional needs.

These special needs often mirror a particular time in a female''s sexual development, or during one of the many hormonal changes, which govern a women''s life. Dramatic hormonal shifts initiate quite unique metabolic and chemical changes within the body that demand specific nutrients. Needs change as a female enters her pubertal years (onset of menarche), during her reproductive years and during pregnancy, and then at the stage that marks the end of reproduction (menopause). Disruption in a female''s normal menstrual functioning (e.g. amenorrhoea) may create increased requirements in macro and micronutrients (e.g. calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, protein and essential fatty acids). The BNF''s briefing paper, Nutrition and Sport, reports increased calcium requirements in amenorrhoeic women, and advises all female athletes to pay attention to energy, calcium and iron intakes (1). Vitamin K supplementation has been shown to improve markers of bone metabolism in a small group of amenorrhoeic female elite athletes (2). Vitamin K functions in the synthesis of calcium-binding proteins.

Iron and calcium requirements of the female athlete The two main nutrients that require most attention are the minerals iron and calcium.

Levels of iron in the body are particularly important given iron''s role in many enzyme functions and it''s fundamental role in the formation of haemoglobin (75% of total body iron is in this form) and as a constituent of myoglobin (the O2 carrying material that functions inside the cells). Iron performs the overwhelming activity of transporting oxygen from the lungs to the mitochondria within muscle cells ? vital for the athlete. Females have a higher rate of iron loss than men mainly via blood loss through menstruation, as well as during pregnancy and childbirth. This creates a higher iron requirement in women generally.

An athlete''s iron status (measured by levels of blood haemoglobin, haematocrit concentration and plasma ferritin levels) may further be compromised due to a number of factors directly related to training. These have been identified as bleeding within the digestive system, inadequate diet and poor iron absorption, loss of iron through heavy sweating, red blood cell breakdown due to trauma created by certain high-impact activities (e.g. long-distance running), and even over-frequent blood donation.

Iron-deficiency anaemia (haemoglobin levels below 12g/dl) has a major impact on performance and immune status. It decreases aerobic capacity and endurance, induces fatigue, and lowers resistance to infection. It has not yet been clearly established whether iron depletion (low ferritin concentrations and reduced bone marrow iron) negatively affects performance, but certainly low ferritin is not something to be ignored. Many however, suggest changes in plasma ferritin concentration are due to either heavy training, or as a response to inflammation, and low blood haemoglobin in some athletes is simply due to plasma volume expansion. Assessment of iron status in athletes is clearly not straightforward. Taking into account measured indices of iron status, individual dietary habits, digestive function, menstruating patterns and other significant factors should help determine the impact iron status may be having on a particular individual''s performance. It is fair to say that in some cases, borderline measurements or those at the lower end of "normal" are often clinically significant, and iron supplementation produces noticeable improvements in iron status and performance (3).

The use of iron supplements at this point may also prevent the development of full blown iron-deficiency anaemia in some female athletes, which is often when "re-pletion" is most difficult, especially via diet alone. Inorganic forms of iron (e.g. ferrous sulphate, ferrous gluconate) are notoriously poorly absorbed, and often cause gastrointestinal problems such as constipation. More importantly, they often fail to raise Hb levels. Where iron supplementation is deemed appropriate (i.e. anaemia), serious consideration should be given to using new "food-form" iron supplements. Food-form iron is a version of iron that has been grown into yeast cells, and the absorbability of yeast-based iron is much closer to haem-iron. It also produces little or no uncomfortable side effects.

Calcium

National surveys have consistently reported low calcium intake is young and adult females (4, 5, 6), as well as female athletes (2, 7). This is normally due to low energy intakes, fad diets, or poorly planned vegetarian and vegan diets. Inadequate calcium intake and consequently poor calcium status is compounded by diets that contain high phosphorous, high salt and high caffeine food and drink. These have a negative impact of calcium balance, due to an increase in urinary calcium excretion (8).

Calcium and bone health

About 60% of adult bone is laid down during adolescence (9), when calcium deposition is at it''s highest (10). This is due to increases in the hormones oestrogen, growth hormone and calcitriol. Mechanisms are put to work that lead to an overall stimulation of bone cell production and maturation. Bone resorption is out-weighed by bone deposition, leading to an increase in overall bone mineralisation. There seems to be a critical 4-year period during teenage years, from the ages of about 11-15 years, during which time most of the total gain in bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) is accumulated (9).

Peak bone mass is a major determinant of osteoporosis in later life, so building the largest bone mass possible is one of the most important strategies to protect against osteoporosis in later life (11). Females in the UK, aged 19-50 years, are thought to need at least 700mg calcium daily in order to meet the demands for calcium deposition in bone. Recommendations are lower than in most other industrialised countries and it has been suggested that 11-18 year olds require 1200-1500 mg/day to optimise peak bone mass (12).

Numerous well-controlled longitudinal studies have produced consistent positive effects of calcium supplementation on BMD in adolescent females (13, 14, 15), which suggests that our UK reference values are sub-optimal.

Female athletes are a different sub-class all together with regard to calcium needs. Up to 400mg of calcium has been shown to be lost (in males) via sweat alone, from a 2-hr training session (17), and although Ca losses in females are unlikely to be that high, any female athlete such as marathoners or triathletes training twice a day? could be at risk of not getting enough calcium in the diet to achieve a positive Ca balance. Dr Michael Colgan, renowned New Zealand research scientist believes athletes (both male and female, and especially females with amenorrhoea) need to supplement between 1000-2000mg Ca daily.

Supplementation needs should always be assessed in relation to what is actually being obtained from the diet. Dietary intake should therefore always be assessed, along with identifying factors that could potentially increase calcium excretion ? e.g. high sodium and phosphorous diets, high protein diets, and an overall high "acidic" load. Knowledge should also be sought as to the types of calcium available and their rates of absorption.

The female athlete triad

A major focus in recent years within nutrition and sport for women has been with respect to the "female athlete triad". Components of the triad are disordered eating, amenorrhoea (absence of periods), and osteopenia (as opposed to osteoporosis).

A review paper on BMD data in athletes found osteopenia (as defined as BMD scores between 1 and 2.5 SD below the mean of young adults) to be significantly prevalent in those at risk of the female athlete triad. Interestingly, osteoporosis (BMD above 2.5 SD below the mean) was relatively uncommon, even in this selected "athletic" population (16). This by no means relegates the problem as any less significant. A diagnosed case of osteopenia in a young female athlete may actually be a worse scenario in terms of long-term bone health, when compared to a diagnosed osteoporotic in her 60''s. An athlete with osteopenia is at greater risk of developing osteoporosis than is an athlete who has normal bone mass.

There is indeed much concern amongst sports dieticians and nutritionists, who are commonly faced with various subclinical eating disorders, or "disordered eating" (a significant risk factor for female athlete triad).

Disordered eating disrupts menstrual function, and together with intense training schedules, often leads to amenorrhoea, or cessation of periods. A lack of oestrogenic stimulation of bone cells leads to decreased calcium uptake, and over time, loss of bone mass.

Cases such as these do tend to be sport-specific, being confined to sports that either require a low body mass (martial arts, rowing), where a low body weight is thought to improve performance (long-distance running, triathlon) and in those sports that requests athletes to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye (ballet, figure skating, diving).

Of course, any female, athlete or non-athlete, under stress, or with low self-esteem, a tendency toward perfectionism, or family problems is at risk for "disordered" eating, and a down-regulation of sex hormone production, in favour of stress-hormone production.

Decreasing training intensity and optimising energy and nutrient intake must be the key strategies to dealing with any component of the female athlete triad.

Although calcium intake in the diet cannot make up for a lack of oestrogen due to menstrual irregularities, it should be optimised in the diet and by supplementation if necessary, especially if a contributory cause of osteopenia is lack of dietary calcium.

Practical suggestions to increase intake of calcium and iron

• Eat low-fat dairy foods such as skimmed milk and natural yogurt daily

• Add 100g of tofu and sunflower seeds to stir-frys and salads

• Add almonds, dried figs and seeds to breakfast cereals

• Add blanched spinach to scrambled or poached eggs

• Use Tahini (sesame seed spread) on bread and crackers or add a tsp to natural yogurt

• Eat plenty of dark green leaves and leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, watercress and spinach- always steam or lightly cook brocolli, kale, cabbage and spinach

• Try soft-bony fish (tinned salmon, sardines, pilchards) as a topping on baked potatoes or wholegrain toast

• Eat vitamin-C rich foods to enhance the absorption of iron (i.e. plenty of fresh fruit and colourful vegetables)

• Be aware of substances that interfere with iron absorption (e.g. phytates found in bran, and tannin in tea).

Try NOT to drink tea and coffee with food

References

1) Briefing Paper (2001) Nutrition and Sport. British Nutrition Foundation.

2) Craciun AM, Wolf J, Knapen MHJ, Brouns F, Vermeer C (1998) Improved bone metabolism in female elite athletes after vitamin K supplementation. International Journal of Sports Medicine 19, 479-484.

3) Matter M, Stiffal T, Graves J et al. (1987) The effect of iron and folate therapy on maximal exercise performance in female marathon runners with iron and folate deficiency. Clinical Science 72, 415-422.

4) Department of Health (1991) Dietary Reference Values for Food, Energy and Nutrients. Report on Health and Social Subjects 41. London: HMSO

5) MAFF, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1994) The Diet and Nutritional Survey of British Adults-further analysis. London: HMSO

6) HEA, Health Education Authority (1995) Diet and Health in School-age Children. London: HEA

7) Van Erp-Baart AMJ, Saris WHM, Binkhorst RA, Vos JA, Elvers JWH (1989) Nationwide survey on nutritional habits in elite athletes Part 2. Mineral and vitamin intake. International Journal of Sports Medicine 10, 11-16.

8) Matkovic V, Ilich JZ, Andon MB et al. (1995) Urinary calcium, sodium and bone mass of young females. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 62, 417-425.

9) Bonjour J, Theintz G, Bertrand B, Slosman D, Rizzoli R (1991). Critical years and stages of puberty for spinal and femoral bone mass accumulation during adolescence. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 73, 555-563.

10) Weaver CM, Martin BR, Plawecki KL, Peacock M, Wood OB, Smith DL, Wastney ME (1995) Differences in calcium metabolism between adolescent and adult females. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 61, 577-581

11) Christiansen C (1991) Consensus Development Conference on Osteoporosis. American Journal of Medicine 5B, 1S-68S.

12) National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Panel on Optimal Calcium intake (1994) Optimal Calcium intake. JAMA 272, 1942-1948.

13) Johnston CC, Miller JZ, Slemenda CW, Reister TK, Hui S, Christian JC, Peacock M (1992) Calcium supplementation and increases in bone mineral density in children. New England Journal of Medicine 327, 82-87.

14) Matkovic V, Fontana D, Tominac C, Goel P, Chestnut CH. Factors which influence peak bone mass formation: a study of calcium balance and the inheritance of bone mass in adolescent females (1990) American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 52, 878-888.

15) Lee WTK, Leung SSF, Wang S, Xu Y, Zeng W, Lau J, Oppenheimer SJ et al. (1994) Double-blind, controlled supplementation and bone mineral accretion in children accustomed to a low-calcium diet. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 60, 744-750.

16) Khan KM, Lui-Ambrose T, Sran MM, et al. (2002) New Criteria for female athlete triad syndrome? British Journal of Sports Medicine 36,10-13.

17) Kiesges, RC, et al. (1996) Changes in bone mineral content in male athletes. J Amer Med Assoc 276:226-230,

Lucy-Ann Prideaux has an MSc degree in Human Nutrition and Metabolism, and a BSc (Hons) degree in Sports Science. She is a registered Nutritionist with The Nutrition Society. Aside from her own private practise and consultancy work, she is the resident Nutritionist at the Sussex Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine with Dr Nick Webborn.', 190, 'Nutrient Requirements of Women in Sport, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'Nutrient Requirements of Women in Sport plus articles and information on Nutrition');

Eat after sun rise and before sun set

"Eating and health according to the teaching work of The Master Peter Deunov" . I''ve never red something so simple and so senseful about the man''s everyday healthy needs. Here are some of the most remarkable thoughts of The Master about the way you should eat . Some of these advises sound wired in nowadays, but I thing everyone could find something useful.

"Eat after sun rise and before sun set"

"Too hot and too cold foods are not healthy, especially if you eat them one after another. In that case you will spoil your stomach and your teeth."

"The hot food helps for the digestion, on the opposite - the cold food retards it."

"Immediately after eating you must wash your mouth."

"After you have finished eating you must not put anything in your mouth. Sudden adding of a new food brakes the chemical processes of the digestion."

"It is extremely dangerous to eat too much or to eat late in the evening, before going to bed. With such a dinner your sleep is not complete, because digestion process is in full speed and together with it work and the rest of your organs - heart, kidneys ?"

Who is Peter Deunov.

Peter Deunov (July 12, 1864 - December 27, 1944) also known as Beinsa Duono is the father of the Paneurhithmy.

Born near the Black Sea, he is the son of a Bulgarian Orthodox priest of singular devotion and vision. From 1888 to 1895 he studied medicine and theology in Boston, where he made a remarkable impression on those who knew him. Returning to his own country, he withdrew mainly into the mountains to prepare for his Divine Work.

In 1897 he began his teaching work and in 1898 issued a "Call to My People." In 1900 he established the "White Brotherhood", based on Divine Love, Wisdom, Truth, Justice, and Goodness. From then on he travelled throughout the country, teaching and healing, eventually establishing his base in Sofia, where a community gradually grew up around him and regular lectures were given. Annual congresses were held in August and continue to this day in the Rila mountains near the Seven Sacred Lakes.

PanEuRhithmy was gradually given to the hundreds of people who camped there with him, inspired by his teaching and presence.

He passed over on the 27th of December 1944 leaving a following of 40,000 people. Since then his teachings have continued to be practiced, most notably the PanEuRhythmy which was first performed in secret during the following forty-five years of oppression which he had predicted, and now openly and worldwide because of its remarkable life-enhancing qualities and evolutionary potential.

In my next article I will continue with more helpful tips and advises from that remarkable man.

Vanya Alex has been writing for http://www.mybestshop.co.uk - you can find her at: admin@mybestshop.co.uk', 190, 'Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Nutrition articles, Nutrition information, about Nutrition, what is Nutrition, Nutrition Information', 'Healthy Eating plus articles and information on Nutrition');