| The b vitamins are needed for healthy skin and proper circulation as well as for reproduction of cells. Recommendation: Take 50 to 100 mg of vitamin B complex 3 times daily with meals. Supplement with extra vitamin B at a dosage of 50 mg 3 times daily. People suffering from skin disorders are frequently deficient in this vitamin.
Essential Fatty Acids
• Oleic acid, a fat found in olive oil, has been shown to inhibit histamine release, which worsens the itching of the dermatitis. Recommendation: Use this oil where possible in cooking. |
| Although carnitine is actually related to the b vitamins, it has a chemical structure similar to that of amino acids and is usually considered together with them.
Your body can make carnitine by remodeling the amino acids (protein building blocks) lysine and methionine, and as long as your diet provides plenty of these amino acids, you will not become deficient.
Food Sources—-Milk products and meats.
Functions in the Body—The clearest role for carnitine in your body is in burning fat for energy. |
| It also acts as a cofactor for many enzyme systems (chemical reactions) and regulates the use of b vitamins. If you became deficient in critical minerals, you could become seriously ill. Profound deficiencies could even cause death. You must be certain your diet contains all the necessary minerals. Here's an easy device to help you remember at least the major elements (minerals) deemed necessary for human health by the USFDA, although it's not quite complete. |
Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 A thick mucous layer protects the stomach walls from harm as the acid kills bacteria and parasites and frees up minerals (such as magnesium and potassium) and the b vitamins folate and B12 so that they can be absorbed in the small intestine.
If sufficient stomach acid isn't produced, digestion suffers. The passage of food out of the stomach into the small intestine is delayed, which can lead to heartburn as the stomach pushes food mixed with acid back into the esophagus. |
Dr. Mary Dan Eades
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 Take a 50 to 100 mg dose of vitamin B-complex along with your folic acid. The b vitamins are a tight-knit group and work best together. Warning: Taking this level of folic acid daily could obscure a deficiency of vitamin B,2. If you supplement with folic acid, you should ask your personal physician to check the level of vitamin B]2 in your blood periodically and supplement extra vitamin B12 in shot form if your levels are low. |
John Heinerman
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 Goldenseal should not be used any longer than two months at any given time, as it can interfere with the colon's ability to manufacture b vitamins. And pregnant women should avoid taking it until they have delivered their newborns.
GOTH KOLA
(Centella asiatica, Hydrocotyle asiatica)
Brief Description
This slender perennial is found throughout tropical regions of the world. Its nearly smooth surface and kidney-shaped or heart-shaped leaves accompanied by dark-purple flower petals make for a somewhat exquisite plant. |
Gary Null
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 On the more positive side, unlike its overly refined counterparts, honey does have a full complement of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes, which allow it to be digested without robbing the body of b vitamins that are necessary for the digestion and absorption of other simple carbohydrate foods.
Also, honey has antibacterial and antiseptic qualities.
Saccharin
Saccharin is not a sugar and it is not a food. It is a nonnutritive, artificial sweetener made from coal tar. |
| Even so-called enriched loaves do not deliver all of the b vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and naturally occurring fiber that is found in the real thing. Your bread also should be free of the dangerous, unnecessary additives that adulterate white bread and combine to add an unpredictable health risk to your meal.
Carbohydrates: A Definition
Carbohydrates are not just those substances you worry about in a candy bar, a slice of bread, or a potato if you are on a diet. They are found in every food, and every living plant, animal, or person. |
| In their natural state, these vegetables provide b vitamins and lots of fiber to slow the process of absorption and aid in the metabolism of sucrose. Refined, however, it floods your body with immediate, large quantities of glucose and fructose. This can put quite a strain on your endocrine system as the body struggles to keep blood sugar levels normal. If your pancreas overshoots the mark and causes too great a drop in blood sugar, your energy level, thinking ability, and emotional stability can be affected. These are common symptoms of low blood sugar—hypoglycemia. |
| As you may have noticed on labels, "enrichment" usually means that only a few— not all—of the b vitamins have been returned to the food.27 Balance this against the large number removed by extensive refining, and you can see that the food—whether it is white rice, cornflakes, "enriched" flour, or a loaf of white or dyed-brown "whole wheat" bread made from mostly white flour—is still a deficient, unbalanced food.
Without this vitamin complex in its entirety, it is more difficult for your body to digest carbohydrates, to turn them into fuel. How much B complex do you need to accomplish this? |
| Enrich your entire being by giving yourself plenty of b vitamins for radiant good health, high energy levels, less wear-and-tear from stress, and an overall state of vitality that only a well-nourished body can have.
Vitamin C for Holistic Health
What Is Vitamin C?
The "C" of vitamin C represents well a number of its properties. Vitamin C is the center of controversy in the cold-preventive claims that scientists have made for it. |
Michael Lerner
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 As with other vitamins, the synergistic effects of specific b vitamins and other nutrients can be striking. In one study of mice with transplantable tumors, a combination of vitamins B12 and C inhibited the mitotic activity of the tumor cells and "produced a 100% survival rate, while neither vitamin alone at the same dosage had any effect." The effect was specific to ascites tumors.22
On the other hand, vitamin B12 can also serve as a powerful tumor promoter. |
| Vitamins A (with the retinoids and carotenoids), C, and E and several of the b vitamins have shown significant anticancer effects in experimental, epidemiological, and clinical studies. The most significant vitamins for general anticancer effect are the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E. The use of these vitamins should be considered in both prevention and treatment.
2. Vitamin C has been the subject of a great controversy: it is not yet clear whether, in pharmacological doses, it enhances survival, as Cameron and Pauling claim. |
Bill Gottlieb
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 And by that time, some letters were discarded, and others were filled in—one reason why there are eight b vitamins.
¦¦¦¦
Vitamins versus Minerals
There are at least 13 vitamins and 15 minerals considered essential for good health. (To find out which nutrients these are, see "Getting What You Need" on page 142.) Vitamins are organic compounds, meaning that they contain carbon, which is found only in living things. Minerals are simpler, nonorganic compounds and are usually found in smaller amounts in foods. |
Dr. Mary Dan Eades
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| In the Americas, pellagra occurred widely in the midwestera and southeastern portions of the United States and swept with a vengeance through the rural South following the Civil War, where impoverished populations subsisted on milled cornmeal, white flour, sweet potatoes, rice, and sugar: all foods with little usable niacin (or other b vitamins, for that matter). Although whole corn does contain niacin, humans cannot absorb the vitamin from corn. |
Michael Castleman
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 Deficiencies in the b vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and zinc can all contribute to sleep problems," Dr. Hauri says. Consider taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement that contains some of every essential vitamin and mineral.
Try tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid used to make serotonin, a chemical messenger in the brain. Among its many functions, serotonin helps induce sleep. "About 25 studies show that one to two grams of tryptophan help induce sleep in people with mild insomnia," Dr. Hauri says. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
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 PHARMACOKINETICS
See the various monographs on the b vitamins, as well as Selenium, Chromium, Yeast Beta-Glucan and Nucleic Acids and Derivatives, for pharmacokinetic information on these substances.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Claims that brewer's yeast is useful for diarrhea, acne, furunculosis, colds, coughs, dyspepsia, inflammatory conditions and various infections have little or no credible support. |
| Sponsored by the Panel on Folate and other b vitamins of the Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes, Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, Washington, D.C., March 3-4, 1997. Nutrition. 1999; 15:92-96.
Guenther BD, Sheppard CA, Tran P, et al. The structure and properties of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase from Escherichia coli suggest how folate ameliorates human hyperhomocysteinemia. Nature Struct Biol. 1999; 6:359-365.
Heimburger DC, Alexander CB. Birch R, et al. |
| ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
ACTIONS
Brewer's yeast is a delivery form of the b vitamins and other nutrients, such as selenium and chromium. It is also a delivery form for beta-glucans and RNA. High-selenium brewer's yeast may have anticarcinogenic activity. High-chromium brewer's yeast has putative antidiabetic activity.
MECHANISM OF ACTION
High-selenium brewer's yeast given to deliver a daily dose of 200 micrograms of selenium was found to reduce the incidences of lung, prostate and colorectal cancer in one study. The mechanism of the possible anticarcinogenic activity is unclear. |
Rebecca Wood
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 The pinon is richer in vitamin A and the b vitamins and minerals, and it contains 14 percent protein.
Use Whole pine nuts are eaten as a snack,
WASH UP WITH MAYONNAISE
Since childhood, pinon foraging has been one of my favorite fafl expeditions. Watch the pine jays—when they cluster in the pinon and start pecking at cones, don't delay. Wearing old clothes, shake pinon branches with a rake or long stick until the cones fall to the ground. Collect the cones in something disposable like burlap bags or boxes (plastic doesn't work because the gum tars it stuck). |
| They are high in the b vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin), vitamin E, and iron.
Use Unlike nuts and seeds, which may be eaten raw, peanuts—a legume—require cooking to be digestible. To roast peanuts, spread in a thin layer and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes for shelled peanuts, about 25 minutes for unshelled peanuts. Stir as necessary to assure even roasting. Or toast shelled nuts in a dry skillet over high heat, stirring constantly, until the peanuts start to brown. Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring until the peanuts are uniformly colored a shade darker. |
| It is also high in b vitamins and vitamins C and D, and it is a good source of calcium, iron, potassium, iodine, and many trace elements. Nori reduces vata.
Use Sheets of nori are used to wrap sushi and rice balls; they can be cut or torn and used as a garnish or in soups. Nori may be used as is or lightly toasted by slowly waving it over an open flame or the burner of an electric stove. It has a tasty, delicate, nutlike flavor. Nori flakes can be sprinkled over salads, popcorn, grains, and vegetable dishes.
Buying The price of nori varies greatly and directly reflects quality. |
| It is very rich in phosphorus and the b vitamins. It is glutenfree and due to its high alkaline ash content, the easiest grain to digest. This unusual makeup allows millet to be cooked without salt and yet be alkaline rather than acidic.
Use If millet is cooked with little liquid (1 cup millet to 2lA cups liquid), it makes a
STEAMED MILLET
Millet is quick, easy to prepare, and versatile. It can be served with any gravy, sauce, topping, or condiment as a grain entree or as a side dish or with honey and milk for breakfast. |
| Laver is an abundant source of vitamins, particularly A and all the b vitamins. It's high in chlorophyll, beta carotene, and enzymes. Laver contains more total dietary fiber and soluble fiber than oat bran. It's higher in protein than land vegetables, and it contains no fat. It reduces vata.
Use Before using laver, pick it over for occasional small shells or pebbles, which may be lodged in the fronds. Roasting tenderizes laver and enhances its nutty flavor. Spread the laver on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 8 minutes or toast in a skillet until crisp but not burned. |
Earl Mindell
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 Being synergistic, b vitamins are more potent together than when used separately. Bl, B2, and B6 should be equally balanced (i.e., 50 mg. of Bl, 50 mg. of B2, and 50 mg. of B6) to work effectively.
The RDI/RDA for adults is 1.0 to 1.5 mg. (During pregnancy and lactation 1.5 to 1.6 mg. is suggested.)
Need increases during illness, stress, and surgery.
Known as the "morale vitamin'' because of its beneficial effects on the nervous system and mental attitude.
Has a mild diuretic effect.
Promote growth.
Aid digestion, especially of carbohydrates. Improve your mental attitude. |
Michael Castleman
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| I take a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement containing 5,000 international units of vitamin A, 50,000 international units of beta-carotene, 50 milligrams of the b vitamins (except for 1,000 milligrams of niacin), 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C, 400 international units of vitamins D and E, 1,000 milligrams of calcium, 150 micrograms of iodine, 25 milligrams of iron, 500 milligrams of magnesium, 25 milligrams of manganese, 200 micrograms of selenium and 50 milligrams of zinc." diseases we're dying of today. The research is there, and it's compelling. |
Earl Mindell
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| Like the other b vitamins it is not stored and must be replaced regularly through whole foods or supplements.
Also known as vitamin G.
Measured in milligrams (mg.).
Unlike thiamine, riboflavin is not destroyed by heat, oxidation, or acid. But it is easily destroyed by light.
For normal adults, 1.2-1.7 mg. is the RDI/RDA. During pregnancy, 1.6 mg. is suggested. For nursing mothers, 1.8 mg. is recommended for the first six months and 1.7 mg. for the second six months.
Increased need in stress situations.
America's most common vitamin deficiency is riboflavin. |
Michael Castleman
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| Iron, the b vitamins and vitamins C and E were particularly protective.
These results were confirmed by another study. A researcher at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore analyzed diet and supplement diaries kept by 281 men who had tested positive for HIV. The diaries had been kept for up to almost seven years. Compared with men who had a low intake of vitamins A and C, thiamin (B,) and niacin, those with a moderate to large intake had 40 percent less risk of progressing to full-blown AIDS.
Allergies. |
| All beans are high in folic acid, one of the b vitamins. Research at the University of Alabama suggests a connection between folic acid deficiency and lung cancer. The researchers found high levels of the B vitamin in the lung tissue of healthy men, but much lower levels in cancerous lungs. Folic acid can also be found in abundance in green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli.
Paul Mills, Ph.D. |
Mark Stengler, N.D.
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 Interestingly, b vitamins and vitamin C are commonly recommended for the treatment of herpes as well.
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?
L-lysine is well tolerated. Studies have shown that people can take up to 8,000 milligrams without any problems. However, taking high doses of lysine for long periods of time may deplete the levels of the amino acid arginine.
Lysine should not be taken at the same time you're taking antibiotics.
L-LYSINE
Recommendations from the Natural Physician for .
Herpes
L-lysine is a common treatment for people suffering from herpes outbreaks. |
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