I don’t believe anyone should have to DIY their own health, but too often the conventional health models are ready to give up before we are! I love helping people discover the foods and holistic lifestyle practices that fit their unique needs and goals so they can STOP MANAGING SYMPTOMS and START CREATING HEALTH!
Tune up your brain with this vitamin!
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It's a NEW DAY, Reader! Attention vegetarians and vegans! You are missing a critical nutrient in your diet that puts you at risk for reduced brain function and diseases of the brain and nervous system! Low-normal levels and a deficiency of vitamin B12 have been found to correlate with the development of Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's disease, and cognitive impairment. Some dementias can actually be reversed using vitamin B12 therapy (but only in people who have a deficiency already)! source Why are vegetarians and vegans specifically at risk? Vitamin B12 is only found naturally occurring in food that comes from animals. Foods high in B12 include
Truthfully though, anyone who has digestive challenges, including older people with low stomach acid, may also be at risk for B12 deficiency as it has an absorption route in the digestive system uniquely different from any other nutrient! In a healthy stomach, a substance called intrinsic factor is released from cells in the stomach lining. This attaches to vitamin B12, protecting it from being destroyed by the stomach acid and other digestive activity until it reaches the very end of the small intestine where it is absorbed. It's like a B12 bodyguard! Many things can interfere with this process and lead to a deficiency of B12, including infections and inflammation of the stomach, low stomach acid (which oddly enough can have the same symptoms as too much stomach acid), surgical alteration of the stomach and/or small intestine, and some autoimmune diseases. Just because you eat enough foods that provide vitamin B12 doesn't mean you're absorbing it! Should you supplement with B12 then? It would be very wise for vegans and vegetarians to consider taking a B12 supplement. This could either be on it's own, or as part of a multi-vitamin or vitamin B complex. However, because of the potential for low absorption due to digestive dysfunction (which is not always obvious), one of the most effective ways is to supplement with B12 is sublingually - with drops under the tongue. That way the B12 is able to be absorbed directly into the blood stream, bypassing the digestive system all together. Vitamin B12 is only one of many nutrients that support brain function and health, but seeing as supplementation has been found to reverse some forms of dementia, that indicates it's a pretty important one that was worth sharing about! With Hope for your Health and Healing, Valerie Did you get this email from a friend? Lucky you :) Sign up here to get my emails in your inbox! The content of this email is intended for inspirational and informational purposes only, is not a substitute for medical advice, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. Consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your routine. |
Valerie Federwitz, NTM, Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition®
I don’t believe anyone should have to DIY their own health, but too often the conventional health models are ready to give up before we are! I love helping people discover the foods and holistic lifestyle practices that fit their unique needs and goals so they can STOP MANAGING SYMPTOMS and START CREATING HEALTH!
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