During the course of the year we find ourselves going to all kinds of events such as birthdays, office luncheons, annual holidays, parties, and special occasions where alcohol is being served. Oftentimes along with feasting we also consume too much alcohol. As a result, we wake up the next morning with a hangover, which we then nurse for the next day or two. So as we approach the end of 2012 and the next New Year's Eve party, I wanted to offer this short article for dealing with a hangover.
This is a quick guide to alleviating or completely avoiding hangover symptoms through an understanding of alcohol itself, physiological changes related to alcohol consumption, and a variety of suggested remedies for specific hangover symptoms.
[Warning: First and foremost let me at least mention that you should always try to drink responsibly and arrange having a designated driver if you will be using your personal vehicle for transportation.]
Classes of Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. Beer and wine are produced by fermentation of sugar- or starch-containing plant material. Beverages produced by fermentation followed by distillation have higher alcohol content and are known as liquor or spirits. The alcoholic strength of beer is usually 4% to 6% alcohol by volume (ABV), but it may be less than 2% or greater than 25%. Beers having an ABV of 60% (120 proof) have been produced by freezing brewed beer and removing water in the form of ice, a process referred to as "ice distilling". Beer is part of the drinking culture of various nations and has acquired social traditions such as beer festivals, pub games, and pub crawling (sometimes known as bar hopping).
Wine is produced from grapes, and from fruits such as plums, cherries, or apples. Wine involves a longer fermentation process than beer and also a long aging process (months or years), resulting in an alcohol content of 9%-16% ABV. Sparkling wine can be made by means of a secondary fermentation. Fortified wine is wine (such as port or sherry), to which a distilled beverage (usually brandy) has been added.
Unsweetened, distilled, alcoholic beverages that have an alcohol content of at least 20% ABV are called spirits. Spirits are produced by the distillation of a fermented base product. Distilling concentrates the alcohol. For the most common distilled beverages, such as whiskey and vodka, the alcohol content is around 40%. Spirits can be added to wines to create fortified wines, such as port and sherry.
A 2009 study provided evidence that darker-colored liquors, such as bourbon, cause worse hangovers than lighter-colored liquors, such as vodka. The higher amount of "congeners" found in darker liquors compared to lighter ones was indicated as the cause. Studies that attempt to compare hangover producing potential and hangover severity of different alcoholic drinks suggest the following ordering (starting with the least hangover-inducing):
Distilled ethanol diluted in fruit juice, beer, vodka, gin, white wine, whisky, rum, red wine, and brandy.
Alcohol and its Effects, the Basics
Now let's cover some basics about alcohol. What is alcohol? Alcohol is a distilled or fermented beverage that transforms a grain, fruit, vegetable, or wood into ethanol. Ethanol, glucose, and sucrose are all in the same group of alcohols. Ethanol is the most common form of alcohol one finds in alcoholic beverages.
Alcohol is a psychoactive drug that has a depressant effect. Alcohol also stimulates insulin production, which speeds up glucose metabolism and can result in low blood sugar, causing irritability and (for diabetics) possible death. Alcohol intoxication affects the brain and causing symptoms such as slurred speech, delayed reflexes, vomiting or unconsciousness. Alcohol also limits the production of vasopressin (ADH) from the hypothalamus and the secretion of this hormone from the posterior pituitary gland. This is what causes the intense thirst that goes along with a hangover.
Now when alcohol builds up in the bloodstream faster than it can be metabolized by the liver, we enter a physiological state known as drunkenness or inebriation. Alcohol is metabolized by a normal liver at the rate of about one ounce (one two-ounce shot of spirits, a normal beer, a regular sized glass of wine) every 90 minutes. An "abnormal" liver with conditions such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, gall bladder disease, and cancer will have a slower rate of metabolism.
Ethanol's acute effects are largely due to its nature as a central nervous system depressant, and are dependent on blood alcohol concentrations. Here's a breakdown of what effects one can expect to experience from alcohol consumption according to the quantity you consume:
20-99 mg/dL - Impaired coordination and euphoria
100-199 mg/dL - Ataxia, poor judgment, labile mood
200-299 mg/dL - Marked ataxia, slurred speech, poor judgment, labile mood, nausea and vomiting
300-399 mg/dL - Stage 1 anesthesia, memory lapse, labile mood
400+ mg/dL - Respiratory failure, coma
In addition to respiratory failure and accidents caused by effects on the central nervous system, alcohol causes significant metabolic derangements. Hypoglycemia occurs due to ethanol's inhibition of gluconeogenesis, especially in children, and may cause lactic acidosis, ketoacidosis and acute renal failure.
Some effects of alcohol intoxication are central to alcohol's desirability as a beverage. For example, some desirable effects from small quantities of alcohol consumption are euphoria and lowered social inhibitions. Other symptoms include slurred speech, impaired balance, loss of muscle coordination (ataxia), flushed face, dehydration, vomiting, reddened eyes, and erratic behavior. Other effects are unpleasant or dangerous because alcohol affects many different areas of the body at once.
This last point, the fact that alcohol affects many different areas of the body at once, is crucial to understanding the nature of a hangover. Why? Because everyone experiences different symptoms from their hangover, each hangover has to be dealt with individually. Here are 2 reasons underlying hangovers with completely different characteristics.
Many people from East Asian descent have a mutation in their genes that causes them to suffer from alcohol flush reaction, in which acetaldehyde accumulates after drinking, leading to immediate and severe hangover symptoms. Because for them a little alcohol goes a long way, they are also less likely to become alcoholics.
Older people report that their hangovers grow worse as they age. This is caused by declining supplies of alcohol dehydrogenase, the enzyme involved in metabolizing alcohol.
So what we've come to is the fact that there is currently no empirical proof for hangover prevention except reducing the amount of ethanol consumed or waiting for the body to metabolize the alcohol ingested. This only happens when the liver oxidizes the alcohol. So what this means is that the most effective way to avoid any of the symptoms of alcohol-induced hangover is to control or avoid drinking.
Thus, no two hangovers are the same.
The Physiology of a Hangover
Excessive consumption of alcohol causes a delayed effect called a hangover. The hangover starts after the euphoric effects of ethanol have subsided. Hypoglycemia, dehydration, acetaldehyde intoxication, and glutamine rebound are all theorized causes of hangover symptoms. Hangover symptoms may persist for several days after alcohol was last consumed. Some aspects of a hangover are even viewed as symptoms of acute ethanol withdrawal, similar to the longer-duration effects of withdrawal from alcoholism.
Because alcohol impairs the ability of the liver to compensate for a drop in blood glucose levels, especially for the brain, it can result in the depletion of the liver's supply of glutathione, a detoxification agent, reducing its ability to effectively remove alcohol and its byproducts from the bloodstream. Since glucose is the primary energy source of the brain, this lack of glucose (hypoglycemia) contributes to symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, mood disturbances, and decreased attention and concentration related to a hangover.
The human body is a system of systems so physiological changes in one system changes others. That's why the best approach is to try to handle several symptoms by resolving alcohol-related issues in multiple body systems simultaneously. For example, when you ingest alcohol, the salivary glands secrete enzymes to combine with the alcoholic beverage to make it more suitable for processing in the stomach and intestines. As the alcohol circulates throughout the digestive system and blood stream it moves from one system to another. Just one drink affects the central nervous system, the digestive system, the endocrine system, the muscular system, the immune system, and the respiratory system, so with each additional drink the effects compound and the potential dangers increase. Because the alcohol moves around in the body rather than remaining in an organ, region, or system, its produces a wide range of negative physiological effects.
The most commonly reported characteristics of a hangover include headache, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, lethargy, dehydration, fatigue, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, weakness, elevated body temperature and heart rate, hypersalivation, difficulty concentrating, sweating, anxiety, irritability, erratic motor functions (including tremor), trouble sleeping, severe hunger, halitosis, and lack of depth perception. Many people will also be repulsed by the thought, taste or smell of alcohol during a hangover. The symptoms vary significantly from person to person, and it is not clear whether hangovers directly affect cognitive abilities. The effects of a hangover subside over time.
Just as with lesser cases of low alcohol consumption, cases where excessive amounts of alcohol have been consumed such as with alcohol poisoning treatment strives to stabilize the patient and maintain a clear airway and respiration, while waiting for the alcohol to metabolize. In general, health care professionals will provide treatment for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) with 50ml of 50% dextrose solution and saline flush, administer the vitamin thiamine to prevent seizure, check electrolytes to guide fluid replacement, apply hemodialysis (blood transfusion)if the blood concentration is dangerously high, or provide oxygen therapy.
Ineffective or unproven remedies
Recommendations for foods, drinks and activities to relieve hangover symptoms abound, here are some that have been found to be ineffective or unproven.
The "Prairie Oyster" restorative, introduced at the 1878 Paris World Exposition, calls for raw egg yolk mixed with Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper.
And in 1938, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel provided a hangover remedy in the form of a mixture of cola and milk. By some accounts, cola beverages are believed to have been invented as a hangover remedy.
Alcoholic writer Ernest Hemingway relied on tomato juice and beer.
The "Black Velvet" consists of equal parts champagne and flat Guinness Stout.
A 1957 survey by a Wayne State University folklorist found widespread belief in the efficacy of heavy fried foods, tomato juice and sexual activity.
Activities said to be restorative include a shower-alternating very hot and very cold water, exercise, and steam bath or sauna (although medical opinion holds this to be very dangerous, as the combination of alcohol and hyperthermia increases the likelihood of dangerous cardiac arrhythmias).
A 1976 research came to the conclusion that "The results indicate that both fructose and glucose effectively inhibit the metabolic disturbances induced by ethanol but they do not affect the symptoms or signs of alcohol intoxication and hangover." Nevertheless, consumption of honey (a significant fructose and glucose source) is often suggested as a way to reduce some of the effects of hangover.
Food and Alcohol Metabolism
Studies have found that when food is eaten before drinking alcohol, alcohol absorption is reduced and the rate at which alcohol is eliminated from the blood is increased. The mechanism for the faster alcohol elimination appears to be unrelated to the type of food. The likely mechanism is food-induced increases in alcohol-metabolizing enzymes and liver blood flow. While this may not decrease your chances for getting a hangover, it's a good idea to eat before you drink, but know that doing so will eliminate the alcohol from your system faster than normal.
Scientifically Based Remedies
Earlier I said that because alcohol affects many different areas of the body at once, each hangover has to be dealt with individually. Why? Because everyone experiences different symptoms from their hangover, different from everyone else, and even from one state of drunkenness compared to another time of drunkenness. So the conclusion here is that there is currently no empirical proof for hangover prevention except reducing the amount of ethanol consumed or waiting for the body to metabolize the alcohol ingested. What this means is that the most effective way to avoid any of the symptoms of alcohol-induced hangover is to control or avoid drinking.
But what are we supposed to do if we get a hangover? Sometimes it's not possible to wait for the effects of the hangover to wear off, while coping with the symptoms. We need a way to effectively deal with this situation. You're right, we do. Here's the realization I've come to about how to handle the symptoms of a hangover.
The primary realization is that a hangover is not a thing, instead it's a series of symptoms related to excessive alcohol consumption. That's key.
The second important point is that in order to deal with any one hangover experience effectively you have to deal with the exact symptoms you're going through during a specific hangover. Although there are many common symptoms experienced by most people routinely, sometimes new symptoms appear that were never part of previous hangovers. This is why it's best to handle the symptoms vs. trying to recover from a "hangover."
So below is a list of practices, substances, and products that deal with specific symptoms that should help you fight the effects of hangover whenever they occur. You may also want to go back and re-read this article as there were remedies - such as eating before drinking, timing one's intake per ounce of ingestion, and preventing vomiting by abstinence in order to protect the stomach lining from erosion by alcohol - mentioned earlier that will not appear in this list.
Rehydration: Effective interventions include rehydration, prostaglandin inhibitors, and vitamin B6.
Milk thistle: A small dosage before and after alcohol consumption has been found to alleviate the some of the effects of a hangover such as headaches, sluggishness and nausea. Milk thistle works to regenerate liver cells and when combined with an excessive vitamin D intake from the sun, subjects have experienced rapidly decreasing hangover effects.
Tolfenamic acid is useful for nausea, vomiting, irritation, tremor, thirst, and dryness of mouth.
Vitamin B6 (pyritinol) can help to reduce some, but not all, of the symptoms of hangovers. For this Brewers' yeast or a B6 supplement are recommended.
Chlormethiazole was found to lower blood pressure and adrenaline output and, furthermore, to relieve unpleasant physical symptoms, but did not affect fatigue and drowsiness. Subjects with severe subjective hangover seemed to benefit more from the chlormethiazole treatment than subjects with a mild hangover.
Pedialyte may be an effective remedy for hangovers due to its replacement of lost electrolytes.
Candy or sugar: to raise lowered blood sugar levels caused by alcohol intake. Other options for sweeteners to use are honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar, and fructose.
Alcohol: There is a belief that consumption of additional alcohol in decreasing quantity over a period of hours after the onset of a hangover will relieve symptoms. This is based upon the theory that the hangover represents a form of withdrawal and that by satiating the body's need for alcohol the symptoms will be relieved. Certainly the additional alcohol has a sedating and anesthetic effect, which also helps with symptoms. The professional medical opinion holds that the practice merely postpones the symptoms, and courts alcohol dependence and addiction.
Medical marijuana: It is commonly believed that THC, the active chemical in marijuana, is an effective hangover remedy. THC may help ease the main symptoms of hangovers: nausea and headache. The advantage is two-fold; as once a sufferer's nausea has abated, and his appetite is stimulated, hypoglycemia becomes easier to resolve.
A traditional hangover remedy from India is to drink coconut water for the natural electrolytes which will assist in rehydration.
Acetyl-leucine sold under the brand name of Tanganil is believed to help pull you out of the "whirling pit" or spinning sensation felt by people under the influence of alcohol. This is caused by a dysfunction between the nerves which control the notion of balance in the ears and the brain. Tanganil is the standard remedy prescribed to people suffering from chronic vertigo.
Oxygen: There have been anecdotal reports from those with easy access to a breathing oxygen supply - medical staff, SCUBA divers and military pilots - that oxygen can also reduce the symptoms of hangovers caused by alcohol consumption. The theory is that the increased oxygen flow resulting from oxygen therapy improves the metabolic rate, and thus increases the speed at which toxins are broken down.
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Do you remember when food really did taste so good when we were cooking with pork fat and frying bacon for breakfast, frying eggs, making biscuits with fresh buttermilk, we did not know at the time that would be considered a eat healthy guide and we were all skinny as a rail. We lived on natural products. From what I have learned from my research, we would have to live on a farm, have a cow or two, our own beef and pork and most of all a big garden with fresh vegetables for freezing and canning. Our own well and lots of help to take care of all of the hard work. No more fast foods. Since so many of us live in big cities,fast foods is what we survive on!
We are so busy that grabbing a fast meal is the only option we have, running here and there that some times we forgot the taste of our last bite.
Low fat diets, low carbohydrates and exercise is the ticket to energy, health and and normal weight.
But does this theory work? It seems from my research that natural fats are the way to get your health back, along with organic vegetables! Listed below are some things we should incorporate into our diet t
to gain back out health and and energy
I have read some reports on results from using all natural fats and organic foods and the results have been all positive!
- Gluten Free
- Mostly Dairy Free
- Sugar Free
- Carbohydrate Controlled
Have you watched chef's on your favorite cook shows? How many of the Celebrity Chefs have normal weight! If you have watched them over the years, you have seen them start off looking much trimmer than they are today! They just seem to blossom more from day to day! Their fingers are so fat that it looks hard to make them work properly. They have no idea about healthy foods or nutrition.
We seem to be brain washed on how to be fashionable, gain weight and fat is beautiful! What if "almost everything you have been told about nutrition and weight loss is making us all fat, sick, depressed and diseased."
If you walk through the malls or the grocery stores, it is amazing how many people are obese and their children are on the same path., Obesity brings on high blood pressure, diabetics, high cholesterol and short life span.
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They say ignorance is bliss but there are times when ignorance of people makes me sad. One such instance is when people do not think breakfast is important and chose not to include it in their routine. It is said that one should eat like a king for breakfast, queen for lunch and popper for dinner.
Unfortunately for many people, for reasons of their own, dinner happens to be the biggest meal and breakfast is the first one to be skipped. I have always believed that to a large degree, you are what you eat so I think food plays an important part in one's life, especially the quality of life. That is one of the reasons why I take time and effort to not just prepare good food but also to write a lot about it so I spread some awareness in whatever little way I can. Reason I say it makes me sad is because the effects of skipping breakfast may not be seen immediately. But over time one will have to face the consequences. When some of my friends say they do not have breakfast I feel bad because they are not doing any good for their body. In this article I hope to summarise what I have read and understood about the importance of breakfast and also some simple yet quick breakfast ideas to make it easier for you.
Let us look at the impact of having or not having breakfast to better understand why bother with breakfast
1. Weight management - many believe that skipping breakfast so they reduce calories would help them lose weight. It cannot be farther from the truth. When we sleep during the night, our body slows down, so metabolism slows down. When we have something to eat in the morning, we are effectively giving the signal to the body that the day has begun and metabolism should increase. However, people who skip breakfast deny their body of this signal so they feel sluggish as they continue until lunch with slow metabolism. When one feels sluggish and tired, one tends to work less, physically and in turn burns fewer calories. Also, when the body is deprived of food for a long while, cravings begin, especially sugar cravings. This is when we feel like snacking on a chocolate bar or a big fat muffin or cakes etc. This effectively increases the calorie consumption. In summary, a slow metabolism, tired body burning lesser calories and high calorie/fat snacks effectively contribute to weight gain and not weight loss. We all keep hearing about the numerous health problems that can come with being overweight, especially risk of heart diseases and skipping breakfast can potentially lead to being overweight.
2. Lowered cognition - studies have said to have shown that children who have breakfast fare better in problem solving than children who skip breakfast.
Remember that it is not just the rest of the body that gets energy from digested food but also the brain. When the brain is low on energy, one cannot expect it to function effectively. Some studies also show that children who skip breakfast are more likely to have problems concentrating and also have problems with memory when compared with children who have breakfast.
3. Type 2 diabetes - skipping breakfast is said to increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If one is already diabetic, it is all the more important to keep sugar fluctuations low which means the body has to be fed at regular intervals. Diabetes is a state of the body that is not particularly easy to manage as the complications of diabetes can be very serious from losing eye sight, heart attacks, having to be amputated. If one is already overweight, the complications get even worse. The effect of diabetes may not be known immediately but the body will be deteriorating gradually. Keeping the blood sugar under control is absolutely important while living with diabetes and skipping meals, that too breakfast will be highly counter-productive for diabetes management.
4. Menstrual irregularities - some studies are said to have shown that girls/women who skip breakfast are likely to have irregular periods.
5. Poor mood - low glucose is said to be responsible for irritability fatigue and tiredness. Some studies show that people who skip breakfast snap at others more easily.
To me the risk of weight gain (and all associated health risks due to being overweight) and risk of diabetes alone are enough to make me run for my breakfast. When it comes to children, it is very important to set up healthy eating habit at an early stage and for that, having breakfast is important. With children getting less and less playtime and exercise these days it is all the more important for them to eat healthy. There is no point in sending them to school to learn stuff if they cannot concentrate and as parents, we need to give them adequate support to enable them to learn. Hopefully, by now you are at least thinking about having breakfast.
I come from a tamil Brahmin family and Brahmin meal plan is quite well known because most of them have a big mid morning meal, later in the afternoon a tiffin or lighter meal is consumed while dinner sometimes is liquid intake or fruits or some cereals, if not curd rice. Reason I mention that is that although some people criticise them for having a heavy meal that early, what modern day dieticians are advising is pretty much similar - have a big breakfast. The meal would normally consist of rice (carbohydrates), dal (protein), vegetables (vitamins and minerals) and ghee (fat) and unless I got it all wrong, this is what constitutes a balanced meal. At this day and age, we barely have the time to make all these before we walk out of the doors to work and neither would our working hours allow such a schedule. So, what are some quick breakfast solutions you could try.
1. Oats porridge - boil a couple of tablespoon of oats in water until it is done (regular oats is better than quick cooking and honestly does not take much time to cook anyway). If you like it sweet, add some milk, sugar or honey or any other sensible sweetener of choice. If you like savory, then add some buttermilk and little salt and consume. Either way, have a banana or any other fruit of choice.
2. Breakfast shake - milk shake or smoothies make great breakfast. Blend a banana sweetened with date syrup or any other natural sweetener (avoid synthetic sweetners or refined sugar) along with some milk. Top with crushed nuts and drink. Adding oat milk instead of cow's milk can help reduce calories and fat and also lend to fibre intake. You could try the same with apple too. You could also use a spoon of wheat germ as topping.
3. Muffin - having a low sugar, bran loaded muffin is a great way to fill you up for the morning. Top a healthy muffin with berries and eat along with a glass of juice. Plenty of healthy muffin recipes are available, try making enough over the weekend itself. I would say it probably takes about 10 minutes to make the muffin batter and about 20 minutes baking time and that would be your breakfast sorted for a week!
4. Breakfast sandwich - you could make these with leftovers too. You could use chapattis or pita breads or wholemeal breads and stuff them with left over sabjis or any vegetable of choice. Over the weekends I tend to quickly sauté grated courgette, spice it with cumin, chilly and coriander powder and make a grilled wholemeal sandwich. This helps me get one of my five a day vegetables as well. You can try the same with paneer or grated cauliflower, cabbage etc. Peanut butter sandwich is a good option as well.
5. Toast and beans - beans also contribute to one of five a day. This option is okay if you have the time to sit down and have your breakfast.
6. Low fat flapjacks - I make my own flapjack which is a bit more chewy than regular ones. I use very little brown sugar but add dry fruits and dates syrup to sweeten instead. Believe it or not small portions of these oats rich almost no added fat flapjacks are a great start to the day.
7. Multi grain porridge - back home it is common practice for moms to make a multi grain powder. It usually consists or wheat, barley, finger millet, sago, almonds and cardamom for flavouring. One can add couple of heaped spoons of this to water, bring to boil while stirring, add jaggery or sugar and milk.
8. Healthy pancakes - make your own pancake mix by adding either the above mentioned porridge powder or wholewheat powder along with some millet powder. Add mashed banana or pureed apple or blueberries, if you want it sweeter, add syrup like dates syrup to make a batter. I tend to skip the baking powder or soda bicarb as it inhibits nutrition absorption. You could add little all purpose flour to ease flipping the pancake. Pour the batter on hot tava and drizzle oil/butter/ghee. Cook both sides, eat.
9. Bread omelet - beat an egg and add salt and required vegetables like tomato, onion, mushroom etc. and make an omelet. Grab couple of toasts and a glass of juice. Having protein earlier in the day is said to be better than later.
10. Museli - combine wheat flakes, oat flakes, rye flakes, barley flakes with some dry fruits like raisins, currants, seeds like pumpkin seed. Serve with seasonal fruits and milk.
11. Quick French toast - cut couple of bread slices into four triangles each. Dip them in beaten egg (season it as needed) and cook on hot tava. Drizzle some oil or butter while cooking. Cook both sides and that's a good breakfast on the go.
12. Millet gruel - Millet is usually considered poor man's food but truth is many people who work hard physically have ragi gruel often for breakfast. It keeps them full for long although they are involved in intense work. One way of preparing is similar to multi grain porridge mentioned previously. Another method is to mix it with some buttermilk and let it sit overnight. Next morning add little water if needed and cook while stirring, until it is shiny. Season with salt and drink. Millets are low fat protein sources.
I hope at least one or two of the above options suit your taste and timing. On weekends one can indulge a bit more by making cooked breakfast and a number of such recipes are available on my blog as well.
Make healthy choices for your life, remember, prevention is better than cure. One can skip any meal, but not breakfast regardless of whether one is hungry or not. For the other meals you can go as per your body, eat when hungry but breakfast is an exception. Do not wait for the 'right' day to start having breakfast, there is no bad time to do the right thing. Live long, live happy, live healthy!
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Keep them healthy! Providing a healthy life-style for your children is easier than you might think! With 3 simple steps we can achieve the "healthy family" status!
Step One: Fruits and vegetables
I know how hard it can be trying to convince your 7-year-old that spinach is better than crisps, or that fish doesn't taste like cardboard... But it can be done! Nowadays, you can find numerous recipes for "picky eaters" on the internet. If you don't feel like looking for new recipes, do something different! Put some carrot sticks out when they are hungry and dinner is not ready, or use balsamic/rice vinegar on steamed broccoli... Be creative!
Step Two: Cut Sugar
Children don't need sugar on top of their already sweetened cereal, do they? Sugar is okay in moderation, but as we all know we tend to consume a lot more than the recommended daily amount. Research shows that children who consume too much sugar have a higher chance of developing paediatric obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Tip: Try giving them low-sugar drinks, and watch out for the amount of sugar in cereals. The ideal cereal would have less than 10 grams of sugar per serving.
Step Three: Get Active
Now, that you have managed to sneak some vegetables into their diets and have cut down on sugar, all we need to do is move! Most children love playing outside and being active. But as all children are individuals, we also have those who would spend all day in front of the telly, if given a chance. To get children active we usually have to be creative and get involved! They love it when grown-ups "come down to their level" and act silly.
Some great ways of getting him/her to move:
- Improvise a treasure hunt
- Charades
- Dress up relay
- Long jump
- Dance
- Talent show
- A walk in the park
Get creative! Get moving!
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A completely natural sweetener, it dates back more than hundreds of years, yet the health benefits of honey are still not widely known even today. Healthier and more pure than artificial sweeteners or sugar, honey provides more than a taste for the sweet tooth; honey benefits your health and your body inside and out.
History of Honey
Records can not definitively state how long honey has existed. Some believe honey dates back farther than 20 millions years, but honey bee fossils cause reason to believe that date could extend to over 150 millions years. Cave paintings in Spain suggest that beekeeping began approximately around 7000 B.C. and Egyptian records from 2400 B.C. provide evidence of their culture keeping bees in hives.
The Egyptians used honey in more ways than one. As well as its common use as a sweetener, Egyptians gave honey as a gift to their gods and used it as a component of their embalming fluid. The Romans also gave honey to their gods and were known to cover physical wounds in honey to cure and promote natural healing. The Romans and Greeks both utilized honey as a form of cooking but around the turn of the seventeenth century, honey became primarily used as a sweetener.
Honey Production
So, how do bees produce honey? The process begins at the flower as the bee gathers the flower's nectar. The majority of nectar is water and a minority is complex sugars. Bees need to store and make the sugar usable, so the bees alter the nectar changing it into honey. To complete this task, a worker bee that has a full stomach of nectar flies to the hive to regurgitate the modified nectar for a hive bee. Then, the hive bee ingests the nectar to break down the sugars. Once the hive bee has completed that task, he regurgitates the nectar into a cell of the comb. The hive bees are responsible for beating their wings in order to evaporate any remaining water; once complete, the sugar converts to honey. In a lifetime, a worker bee produces 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey, but when bees in a colony work together, more than 200 pounds of honey are produced within one year.
Honeybees' hard work provides us with a healthy and beneficial food. All in all, it consists of 80% natural sugars, 18% water, and 2% vitamins, minerals, and pollen. Keep in mind, honey does not expire because it does not harbor bacteria, so you can keep it on your shelf for as long as necessary!
Health Benefits of Honey
It is nature's energy booster due to its carbohydrates; these carbohydrates provide energy, as well as strength. Athletes, in particular, benefit from honey due to its ability to create endurance and decrease fatigue. The glucose found in honey plays a role, also, as the body rapidly absorbs it to give immediate energy. On the other hand, the fructose in honey is absorbed at a slower rate to give sustained energy. As opposed to refined sugar, honey keeps the body's sugar levels somewhat constant, instead of spiking the blood sugar which causes an energy crash.
It is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and contains antioxidants to help boost the body's immunity. Raw honey has approximately 5,000 enzymes and numerous vitamins, amino acids, and minerals. Honey helps fight respiratory problems and has increased the quality of life in cancer patients.
Unlike refined white sugar, it contains no empty calories. Use honey in place of white sugar to reduce blood sugar spikes and to fill those empty calories with vitamins and minerals. In addition, honey has been noted to suppress appetite. One teaspoon of honey contains approximately 21 calories and is sweeter than sugar, which means you are able to use less for the same sweetening effect potentially promoting weight loss.
When applied topically, the properties of honey have the ability to heal wounds including burns and ulcers. The two sugars found in honey, fructose and glucose, attract water so that when honey is applied to a wound, honey absorbs the water into the wound. This action dries out the wound to inhibit and deter bacterial growth.
Top Ten Ways to Cook and Eat Honey
- Use in your hot tea as a healthy sweetener.
- Mix into your plain yogurt instead of buying a less healthy, pre-sweetened yogurt.
- Spread a slice of toast with peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon to jumpstart your morning routine.
- Instead of sprinkling sugar over your cereal, drizzle it with honey.
- Substitute it for sugar in cookie, bread, and muffin recipes.
- Use it as a seasoning for meat. Apply honey to chicken or pork chops before cooking to give the meat a unique flavor.
- Create a dressing with olive oil, vinegar, and honey to use on top of salads.
- Drizzle it over vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert.
- Add honey and lemon with hot water as a refreshing, soothing drink.
- Eat it straight from the comb! Take a bite out of the comb and chew it like chewing gum. The more you chew, the more honey will come out of the honey comb. When all of the honey is out of the comb, spit out or swallow the wax; the wax is safe to eat and is non-toxic.
Take Caution
Although it is a healthy addition to any diet, certain individuals should take precautions. For instance, children under the age of one should not ingest honey; it contains spores that can cause a life-threatening and paralyzing disease called infant botulism.
Persons with pollen allergies should take caution when eating it; although, serious reactions are rare. Most honey sold in stores is filtered and pasteurized, which lowers the amount of pollen in the honey. If one does have a pollen allergy, eating it straight from the comb should be avoided, as it is in its natural form.
How to Choose Honey
To reap the full benefits, choose raw honey. The raw version has not been filtered or pasteurized, which means that it has not been striped of its powerful vitamins and minerals. To choose the highest quality and gain the full health benefits of honey, look for one that states, "100% Raw" and enjoy your path to nutritional sweetness!
Lucozade, Powerade, Gatorade...
In the 21st century - advertisements for energy drinks are everywhere. You can no longer switch on the television or flick open a magazine without seeing an advert for these glorified potions. It seems that these drinks are taking over the fitness world, and you only have to wander down to your local gym to see just how popular they are.
So what actually are these so called "sports drinks", and what do they proclaim to do?
A sports drink is a beverage designed to increase energy levels, replace electrolytes and and keep you hydrated. So let's look at how they claim to do this:
Increase Energy Levels
Sports Drinks are full of sugar - A 500ml bottle of Lucozade energy contains 21 teaspoons of sugar! To put that into perspective, a can of coke contains 10 teaspoons of sugar. When these sports drinks are consumed, our body converts all the sugar into glucose which is released into our blood stream. This glucose provides our bodies with energy - which is what gives us that "alert" feeling.
The problem is - glucose is a very short lived energy source and has detrimental effects on the body. When we drink sports drinks, our bodies have to produce large amounts of insulin to help our cells absorb the glucose from our blood stream. Any excess glucose is then converted to fat in our livers and deposited into our cells. Insulin also inhibits the breakdown of fat within our bodies. Both these factors encourage the accumulation of fat, and are counter productive when you consider the reason people are at the gym!
The counter argument to this is that the sports drinks provide you with the energy you require to perform an intense workout - which provides benefits that far exceed the negative impacts of the sports drink. Well I say that is a terrible argument, and here's why..
The average person that visits the gym performs moderate intensity exercise for around 30 minutes. Let's imagine their chosen exercise is running - in which case they will burn around 250-400 calories in their session. Now let's imagine they consume a 500ml bottle of Lucozade Sport, which contains 140 calories. That is around half the total calories that they are burning by being at the gym, just from consuming an energy drink. So for every 10 minutes they run, they are only burning 5 minutes worth of calories...
What makes matters worse is the sugar in the sports drink - which is bad for two reasons.
1. As explained earlier - consuming sugar causes a surge in insulin levels, which promotes the accumulation of fat within our bodies.
2. When glucose is readily available in our bloodstream, our cells will use this as their primary source of energy. As a result, the energy we require to perform exercise will come from the glucose in our blood. If we didn't drink the sports drink then our cells would not have access to that glucose - which means they would have to get energy from breaking down our fat.
As you can see - sports drinks are a counter-productive method for someone who want's to lose fat. However, those in support of sports drinks will still argue that they provide you with the energy that you require to perform exercise. However again, that is a flawed argument..
The average gym visitor has access to more than enough energy to perform 30 minutes of exercise. They are likely to have glucose in their bloodstream from their meals that day, and if they run out of glucose, they can breakdown fat reserves to power their bodies. The only time when sports drinks are beneficial is for ultra endurance athletes - the kind that are performing intense exercise for hours on end. But even then, there are far better sources of energy - what's wrong with a good old banana? Not only is this far better for your body than sports drinks, but it is broken down far slower so provides sustained energy over a long period of time - as opposed to a short spike that is supplied by glucose. In short - sports drinks are just as bad for us as sweets, and there are far better ways to provide our bodies with the energy required for exercise.
Replacing Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals that can be found in blood and cells, and help to regulate bodily fluids. The most well known of these are Sodium and Chloride.
During exercise - the body's electrolyte balance can begin to shift - and as the body loses electrolytes through sweat, the imbalance can result in symptoms such as muscle cramps, fatigue and nausea. Sports drinks capitalise on this by promising that they can replace the electrolytes in our bodies and prevent these symptoms Whilst there may be an element of truth in this - it is irrelevant to the average gym visitor. Our bodies lose electrolytes relatively slowly, so unless you are exercising for over an hour, your body will be able to address its electrolyte imbalance without the need for sports drinks.
Hydration
The final promise of the "sports drinks" is that they keep you hydrated. Keeping hydrated is an important part of any exercise routine, as the body loses water far quicker than it loses electrolytes. A lack of water can lead to dehydration which results in fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches, dizziness and poor concentration.
However - do you want to know the best way to keep your body hydrated? WATER
There is absolutely no better way to hydrate your body than to drink water - and plenty of it. What's more - it's free, contains no calories and has a multitude of benefits to your body.
The other trouble will sports drinks is that they encourage you to drink before you feel thirsty. They claim the reason for this is that once you feel thirsty - it is too late - and dehydration has already kicked in. This is absolute nonsense, and there is simply no scientific research to back up this claim. Our bodies are extremely complex machines that have evolved over thousands of years. Considering water is the single most important element for our survival, I'm sure our bodies have developed the ability to warn us when we need to drink (before we get dehydrated). And how does it do that? It's called being thirsty!
The fact of the matter is, we do not need to drink water until we feel thirsty, as this is our bodies way of letting us know we need to drink. The danger of drinking before we feel thirsty is that it can result in over hydration - which is very dangerous. People very rarely die of dehydration, but it is very common for people to die of over hydration.
So there you have it..
Sports Drinks are completely unnecessary for the average gym visitor:
- They contain a massive amount of sugar.
- They are rich in calories
- They promote fat accumulation in your body.
- They are a short term energy source.
- They are useless in regards to replacing electrolytes unless exercising for 1 hour+
- They are an expensive form of hydration - water is free and more effective.
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Amidst all the fun and festivities of Halloween comes some stress.
No, not the stress of finding Halloween costumes. Stress in the form of nutritional toxicity! Each year, we are inundated with Halloween candy and junk galore as our wee ones are given every Halloween "treat" imaginable.
Back in the day, I can remember receiving chocolate bars, Rice Krispies treats, brownies and licorice. Every once in awhile, a neighbor would throw in an apple or an orange, just to really send us kids over the edge! These days, I can't even imagine what frightening ghouls live inside those candy wrappers - " highly toxic things like high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and colors, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, excitotoxins/neurotoxins and all sorts of chemical concoctions.
Gone are the days when sugar was the worst thing that could happen to a kid!
Our kids have not yet even ventured into the world of Trick-or-Treating. I'm not saying they won't at some point in their childhood! I've just been able to side-step and downplay the issue thus far. It helps that no one goes trick-or-treating in or neighborhood, so it's not in their faces!
That's not to say my children don't end up with their fair share of Halloween candy. Grown-ups find a way to get candy to children at Halloween, no matter what!
We normally attend a party or two to enjoy the costumes and festivities with friends. Lots of "treats" at the party to sample, as well as the always-present goodie bag to take home.
So how do we deal with all the toxicity in our family, and keep the potentially negative side of Halloween to a minimum?
1) We don't call candy or junk food a "treat". We call them "tasty toxins" - tells you exactly what you need to know! Sure, it tastes great, but it's toxic. Why would we call something a treat if it subtracts from our health? Sounds kind of funny to knock on someone's door on Halloween night and say "Trick-or-Tasty Toxin" though!
2) Like any other time of the year, tasty toxins are limited. First, all toxins are handed over to mom and dad for proper care and feeding! Depending on the size and toxicity level of the tasty toxin, as well as the current state of health of toxin consumers, we may say they can have one per day for a few days following Halloween maybe more, maybe less. Depends.
3) I try to steer our kids in the direction of sweets that were made in someone's kitchen rather than in a chemistry lab. No, they don't build health either, but it's probable they don't move us away from health as quickly as the serious toxins in packaged foods. On our end, I'll either bake less toxic sweets and/or purchase simple goodies that lack the serious aforementioned offenders that are the most harmful to our health.
4) They must fill up with Health FIRST. Every other meal and snack throughout the day needs to meet the innate genetic nutritional requirements for health: protein, healthy fats & oils, fresh fiber (veggies & fruit) and lots of pure water. In other words, if they're going to be adding any increased amount of toxins to their diet for a few days, they need to keep things clean and healthy otherwise. If not, the body will always let us know when it has reached its limitations!
5) Finally, we give the kids the option to turn their Halloween loot in for a gift from The Halloween Fairy. After they select one "must-have" item from their goodie bags, they simply hand over the Halloween candy for mom and dad to put out for the Halloween Fairy that night. The Halloween Fairy in turn leaves the kids a special gift they've been wishing for - a special experience with mom & dad, a toy, a book, a game, craft stuff, whatever works!
It's a win-win. No overloading on toxicity, therefore no "sick" kids for days to come. The kids are happy because they were still able to enjoy the spirit of Halloween, sample some of the traditional toxins, and they got something new and fun!
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Homeopathy is the second most popular medicine in the world. However, most people really do not know too much about Homeopathy. This article will help clear up some misconceptions associated with homeopathic medicine.
1) Homeopathic medicines are nothing more than sugar pill that contain no measurable substance.
Certain homeopathic medicines have no measurable substance. However, many remedies do have measurable substances. In medicine that is 24X or 12C has no measurable substance. However, some medicine potency such as 6X, 6C, 12X will have a measurable substance.
2) Homeopathy has never been successful in large scale well designed trials. Trials have only worked when homeopaths were doing the trials or poorly designed trials with quite a bit of author's bias.
Trials in Homeopathy is a very mixed bag. Sometimes people are looking at the wrong information source. Many skeptics will take successful trials and point out that when looking at larger trials in the study, homeopathy does not seem to work. Although, the conclusions of the authors were that homeopathy seems to works better than a placebo.
However, some trials that were successful were fairly large. Oscillococcinum trials were quite large and well designed but still yielded a positive result in shortening the flu duration. Similar studies with Osccillococcinum were replicated as well. The idea that homeopathic remedies have never been successful in a large scale well designed trial is not true.
3) Homeopathy should not be used to treat life threatening diseases.
Homeopathy can treat life threatening diseases with the help of a well trained homeopathic physician. Also, the general medical doctor and other specialists involved in treating the disease should be included on the treatment plan. Medical doctors should always be seen if you have a life threatening illness. Homeopathy can not cure all life threatening diseases.
Many people with life threatening diseases have fared well with Homeopathy. Homeopathy malaria trials show that in trials that homeopathic medicine worked as well as conventional medicine in treating people with malaria.
4) Homeopathy and modern medicine can not work together
Homeopathy can be quite complementary to modern medicine.Many patients under going chemotherapy have seen their side effects reduced when taking homeopathic remedies. Trials with reduction of cancer treatments provided encouraging results.
5) Homeopathy, Herbal, and Ayurvedic medicine are similar.
Homeopathy, Herbal and Ayurvedic are forms of alternative medicine but these forms of medicine are not similar in any other way. Homeopathy use diluted substances to treat patients. Every medicine has been diluted in water or alcohol.
Herbal medicine is medicine based on the use of plants. Ayurvedic is an ancient system of medicine started in India that operates with the theory that all materials of vegetable, animal, and mineral origin have some medicinal value.
Ayurvedic use these materials to treat patients. Ayurvedic and homeopathic medicines are used quite a bit in India so that creates some confusion in people thinking they are the same thing.
6) Homeopathy is slow to work
Acute conditions such as flu, colds, motion sickness and pain relief can be treated quickly using homeopathic medicines. Chronic conditions are slow to work because they are complicated to treat. Chronic conditions would be acne, eczema, irritable bowel syndrome and other conditions will take longer to treat.
7) Homeopathy is only for human use.
Actually, petmeds is one of the fastest growing use of homeopathic products. Homeopathy offers a safe and inexpensive way to treat your pet of acute conditions such as allergies, anxiety and joint stress relief.
8) You can get a book on Homeopathy and treat yourself.
This may be the case in acute conditions such as cold and flu. However, more complicated and chronic cases will require you to see a homeopathic doctor. Chronic cases involve generally taking quite a few remedies in the course of a treatment. A book can not tell you which homeopathic remedies to take and how much to take when your condition starts to improve or worsen.
9) Homeopathic remedies are not widely available.
This may have been true a few years ago. However, many remedies can be found pretty much all over the US. Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, Target and larger retailers carry combination homeopathic remedies for acute conditions such as cold and flu and insomnia.
Single remedies which homeopaths claim to work the best are not as readily available. These remedies can be found in health food stores, natural pharmacies or on the Internet. They are more specialized and generally most people taking single remedies have some homeopathic knowledge or a doctor has prescribed that medicine.
10) All homeopathic remedies work the same on all people.
Homeopathy works different on different people. Classical homeopathy treats different individuals with different remedies according to their personality type. One person may use one remedy to treat a illness, while another person would use a different remedy to treat the same illness.
Homeopathy assumes everyone is different so using the same remedy to treat everyone will not work according to Classical Homeopathy principals. Modern medicine generally gives everyone the same medicine for general conditions.
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It is curious fact, that although there are thousands of different substances which go to make up food in as many different shapes, sizes and colors, yet they may all be grouped into six simple kinds of materials. Under these six headings, sometimes knowns as the Food Sextet, all foods can be classified. They are (I) Proteins (II) Carbohydrates (III) Fats (IV) Cellulose (V) Salts or food minerals and (VI) Vitamins.
CHEMICAL CONSTITUTIONS
Food, in general may be grouped into two classes, those which are nutritive, that is, supply heat and energy to the body, and those which are non-nutritive, providing per-se no energy but necessary in infinitesimal amounts for the proper maintenance of bodily functions. The former consists of the essential food elements viz. proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The latter include water, mineral salts and vitamins.
PROTEIN
Composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen and often termed as Nitrogen foods, protein is that element of the food which is used for the construction and repair of the highly-vitalized living tissues of the body; that is, the essential vital machinery - the muscles, glands, verves and other parts concerned in the various functions of the body, consist of proteins.
Some of the principal foods containing a large amount of protein are: meat, eggs, fish, cheese, beans, pulses, milk, nuts and soyabeans.
Between the periods of infancy and maturity, protein is required both for growth and repair. After maturity, the sole use of protein is for repair. Unless one is doing outdoor work or taking active exercises, the protein ration should be small, because protein, when taken in excess of the actual needs of the body for its tissue building, is not only useless - not being necessary to satisfy any bodily need, but causes positive damage to the body, because it imposes upon the eliminative organs, especially the liver and the kidneys, a heavy burden of unnecessary work, the inevitable effect of which must be the wearing out of these organs prematurely and the interference with their normal functions of destroying and eliminating the natural body wastes and then keeping the blood and tissue fluids free from obstructing poison, leading to what is known as auto-intoxication with its attendant evils.
THE CARBOHYDRATES
Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen in varying proportions supply energy for work, play and other forms of vital activity, and furnish fuel to maintain heat. This element of food consists mainly of starches and sugars. Starches are derived principally from cereals or grains in all forms, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas, peanuts, carrots, turnips, cassava or yam.
Roughly about two-third of the body's energy is normally derived from the Carbohydrates class.
An overconsumption of starch, has a tendency to cause constipation, flatulence, digestive disorders, enlarged tonsils, colds, etc.
The food sweets of all kinds are: maple sugar, syrups, candies cane sugar, fruits like grapes, sweet apples, and ripe bananas.
Candy and cane sugar taken in excess tend to produce gastric catarrh, hyperacidity, diabetes and torpid liver.
FATS
Like the starches and sugar fats supply fuel for the body heat, and serve as a source for the expenditure of energy. As fuel, fats differ from starches and sugar in that while the latter substances may be termed quick burning fuels, fats instead of being burned at once, are for future use in the form of depose tissue, sometimes known as residual or reserve tissue. As heat producer fats have double the value of starches and sugar but fats are more difficult of absorption.
The principal foods rich in fats are butter, cream, animal fat, olive oil, cod-liver oil, and oil of nuts.
An excessive amount of fats tends to cause digestive disturbances, derangement of the biliary function and acidosis. Whereas great excess of fat is highly detrimental to health and prejudicial to longevity. In a normal diet about 3 to 4 ozs. of fats are required daily.
CELLULOSE
Cellulose is supplied principally by vegetables and fresh fruits. It gives to the intestinal contents the bulk necessary to stimulate peristaltic action. For this reason a certain amount of it is necessary each day in the diet. When the roughage is lacking, constipation, digestive troubles and auto-intoxication are usually the result. Bran is excellent roughage. It can be used raw baked or in the form of bread, or muffins or chapatties.
The curse of the age is the over-refinement of foods by which they are deprived of the most essential of their constituents; processes have been devised and machinery invented to remove husks, skin, shells, integuments and external parts so that only the soft, internal and least valuable parts were offered to the public.
We have for years concentrated in analyzing food into Protein, Carbohydrates, Fats and Cellulose. No attention was paid to anything else. Many decades we have been throwing away and wasting the most essential constituents of foods, namely VITAMINS AND MINERALS.
VITAMINS
Nothing in the field of dietetics has created such widespread and genuine interest as the "discovery of the vitamins." It is true that vitamins are of primary importance in the processes of nutrition. "The Vitamins" mean "life substances" or "life elements" and every naturopath is acquainted with the life elements in foods as preached by an eminent naturopath, Dr Lindlahr and a world renowned physical culturist Bernar Macfadden in their books on dietetics and drugless healing.
Vitamins are undoubtedly essential to life and are builders of our bodies. However it does not matter how many vitamins there are, provided we remember that all the vitamins we need are present in the foods which Nature supplies for our use and provided we eat them as Nature supplies and do not spoil them by removing or destroying the vitamins by wrong cooking and processing.
Vitamins are generally categorized into the following types:
Water Soluble
Fat Soluble
WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Water soluble Vitamin B1 helps in proper functioning of the digestive system, heart, nerves and muscles.
Sources: Pork, oatmeal, brown rice, vegetables, potatoes, liver, eggs.
Deficiency Diseases: Beriberi, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Riboflavin keeps the skin healthy.
Sources: Dairy products, bananas, popcorn, green beans, asparagus
Deficiency Diseases: Skin disorders, Ariboflavinosis, glossitis, angular stomatitis.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Niacin seems to occur in mushrooms, asparagus, peanuts, brown rice, corn, green leafy vegetables, sweet potato, potato, lentil, barley, carrots, almonds, celery, turnips, peaches, chicken meat, tuna, salmon
Lack of Niacin results in dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and stomatitis.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid): Pantothenic acid seems to occur in broccoli, lentils, split peas, avocado, whole wheat, mushrooms, sweet potato, sunflower seeds, cauliflower, green leafy vegetables, eggs, squash, strawberries, liver.
Nausea, heartburn and diarrhea may be noticed with high dose supplements.
Deficiency: Very unlikely. Only in severe malnutrition may one notice tingling of feet. Paresthesia
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Pyridoxine seems to occur in Whole wheat, brown rice, green leafy vegetables, sunflower seeds, potato, garbanzo beans, banana, trout, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, walnuts, peanut butter, tuna, salmon, lima beans, bell peppers, chicken meat.
High doses of supplemental vitamin B6 may result in painful neurological symptoms.
Lack of Pyrodoxine results in chelosis, glossitis, stomatitis, dermatitis (all similar to vitamin B2 deficiency), nervous system disorders, sleeplessness, confusion, nervousness, depression, irritability, interference with nerves that supply muscles and difficulties in movement of these muscles, and anemia. Prenatal deprivation results in mental retardation and blood disorders for the newborn.
Vitamin B9 (Folic acid): Folate is the naturally occurring form found in foods and Folic acid is the synthetic form used in commercially available supplements and fortified foods. Inadequate folate status is associated with neural tube defects and some cancers.
Sources: Leafy vegetables, pasta, bread, cereal, liver.
Lack of Folic acid results in anemia (macrocytic/megaloblastic), sprue, Leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, weakness, weight loss, cracking and redness of tongue and mouth, and diarrhea. In pregnancy there is a risk of low birth weight and preterm delivery.
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): Found in Fortified cereals, liver, trout, salmon, tuna, haddock, egg.
Lack of Vitamin B12 results in pernicious anemia, neurological problems and sprue.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid): Water soluble Vitamin C is supposed to increase the resistance of our body to infections and helps fight diseases.
Sources: Citrus fruits (especially oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes). Vegetables and sprouting grains.
Lack of Vitamin C results in bleeding and ulcerated gums, scurvy, tooth decay, loss of weight.
Vitamin H (Biotin): Water soluble Biotin seems to occur in green leafy vegetables, most nuts, whole grain breads, avocado, raspberries, cauliflower, carrots, papaya, banana, salmon, eggs.
FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Vitamin A (Retinoids): Fat soluble Vitamin A maintains healthy eyesight, proper growth and healthy skin.
Sources: Cod-liver oil, milk, dairy products, fruits and leafy vegetables.
Lack of Vitamin A results in lowered resistance to eye infections, lack of full growth, Night blindness, hyperkeratosis, and keratomalacia.
Vitamin D: Fat soluble Vitamin D controls the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus in bone-building and teeth formation.
Sources: It can be had from cod-liver oil, milk, egg-yolk, and sunshine (prepared in the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight).
Lack of Vitamin D results in rickets, bending and softening of the bones, deformities, failure of calcium metabolism.
Vitamin E (tocopherol): Fat soluble Vitamin E is essential for normal functioning of muscles and protection of liver.
Sources: lettuce, watercress, beans. The richest source yet found of Vitamin E is the germ of the wheat kernel.
Deficiency is very rare; sterility in males and miscarriage in females, mild hemolytic anemia in newborn infants.
Vitamin K: Fat soluble Vitamin K is necessary for normal clotting of blood.
Sources: Green leafy vegetables like spinach and cabbage, soya bean oil, liver, tomato.
Deficiency diseases: Bleeding diathesis
It follows, therefore, that the chief foodstuffs necessary to ensure good health should be selected mainly from fruits and vegetables (preferably uncooked), milk, and grains.
Dr. Casimin Funk, who first investigated the nature of the vitamins, is of opinion that the public would do well to curb its tendency towards making a fad of artificially supplying in various preparations. This is what he says: "What would be the use in preparing all our foods artificially, so long as nature is producing her own foods in sufficient abundance to supply an increasing population. It would be folly even to think of turning ourselves into domestic manufacturers and consumers of self-made food so long as nature gives enough."
We are not wrong in saying that there is only one way to secure our daily supply of vitamins. Eat simple natural foods, whole grain products, and you will be well nourished without the addition of vitamin tablets to your dietary.
From this we see that poor nutrition, or wrong feeding of our bodies, is an almost universal cause of disease. There are other factors of course, but the failure of proper nutrition is the basic and most prevalent cause.
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