todays health concerns

Find a number of eBooks related to your health and IMPROVING it by clicking here ...


Archive for the 'Vitamins' Category

Why We Need Vitamin B12

Thursday, June 5th, 2008
by Alison Addy

This article talks about the importance of Vitamin B12 as well ways we can get it in our systems.

What is Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12, an important part of the B group of vitamins, is a water-soluble vitamin. Most vitamins that are water-soluble do not stay in our bodies. Instead of being stored in our bodies like fat-soluble vitamins, they leave our bodies when we urinate. Vitamin B12, however, does not leave our body like most other water-soluble vitamins. It stays in our body and can be stored in our liver for many years. This is why a Vitamin B12 deficiency is rare. Vitamin B12 is also known as Cobalamin, a name it was given because it contains the metal cobalt. There are many vitamins, all which have their own purpose in our bodies. This is also the case with Vitamin B12, a member of the B vitamin complex family.

Vitamin B12 is a very important vitamin for our overall good health. Many people don’t fully understand its function and have popular misconceptions about this vitamin. The main purpose of Vitamin B12 is to maintain the proper functioning in our central nervous system and also our brain. It also helps form our red blood cells and our DNA, which is are the genetic cells in our body. Vitamin B12 is also needed to help the metabolizing of our fatty acids and turning them into energy production. The energy in our body comes from the burning of our stored fat. Although a lot of our fat is burned into energy through exercise and activities, Vitamin B12 helps the process.

Common Misconceptions About Vitamin B12

Where many of the misconceptions regarding this vitamin come from is centered on its ability to aid in the metabolic functioning and energy reproduction. Many people believe since this is the function of Vitamin B12 that if they increase their intake of the vitamin, it will help them burn fat faster, thus making them lose weight. Many think of Vitamin B12 as a miracle diet or fat burning pill. Its only purpose is in helping metabolic functioning, not helping us burn more fat than normal.

Sources of Vitamin B12

We do need Vitamin B12 for its help in keeping our nervous system and brain function normally. Although Vitamin B12 is available in supplement pills, it is seldom needed in that form as it’s quite easy to get your required amount in foods you consume. Some of the major foods that contain Vitamin B12 are eggs, poultry, meat, shellfish, milk and milk products. The main sources are foods that come from meat. Once vitamin B12 is in your body, it can be stored there for many years. Although Vitamin B12 deficiency is very rare, it may occur. Those that most commonly suffer from this deficiency are vegetarians who don’t consume meat or the vegetables that may contain the vitamin. Other vitamins may be those with intestinal problems that prevent them from being able to absorb Vitamin B12.

About the Author:

Vitamin E Cream For Your Skin

Thursday, June 5th, 2008
by Alison Addy

This article on Vitamin E cream tells about the many benefits from Vitamin E cream as well as different products where it can be found.

Vitamin E in Skin Creams and Lotions

If you’ve ever gone to a store that sells health and beauty aids or the health and beauty aids section of your grocery store, I’m sure you’ve seen numerous bottles of skins creams and lotions. Most skin creams and lotions have different vitamins and minerals added into them to make them more effective in protecting and nourishing the skin. These types of skin creams are especially effective for dry skin. Skin creams and lotions such as this are very popular with women because they are made naturally without a lot of additives.

Many creams have Vitamin E integrated in them. In many instances, Vitamin E is one of the main ingredients in these creams and lotions. Because many research studies have determined the positive effect Vitamin E has on us, cosmetic companies, in a means of pleasing their customers, have added this important vitamin to their cosmetic products. Because Vitamin E has become so popular in cosmetics, it’s added in numerous products, making it difficult to know which product to choose. The best way to determine the best Vitamin E cream for your skin and body, besides trial and error, is to do some research on your own.

Uses for Vitamin E Cream

There are many benefits to using Vitamin E cream, probably more than we realize. Before you purchase Vitamin E cream or something with Vitamin E in it, it’s important to determine how the cream was formulated and how much Vitamin E is in the product. Because Vitamin E is an antioxidant, this is the only capacity in which it will help our skin and body. The antioxidant effect in Vitamin E cream gets absorbed in our skin and can help to neutralize the free radicals in our skin. The only way Vitamin E cream can help our skin is by direct application to our skin. Many cosmetic companies advertise their products with Vitamin E, stating they can help in many ways such as promoting longer eyelashes or hair or getting rid of blemishes and scars.

Vitamin E supplement and Vitamin E cream

Taking Vitamin E supplements is also very beneficial in neutralizing the free radicals in our body. Whereas Vitamin E cream is most helpful to our skin, Vitamin E supplements have many benefits for our bodies such as helping our bones and kidneys. Other positive effects from ingesting Vitamin E are removing the effects of smoking on our skin as well as an overall positive effect on our entire body. Vitamin E creams focus mostly on each individual layer of skin. Our skin is the most important and largest organ of our body and needs good care to remain healthy. The use of Vitamin E cream will help it to stay healthy, elastic and look younger.

About the Author:

What Happens With A Vitamin A Deficiency

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
by Alison Addy

This article is about Vitamin A and its importance in our body and what to do to prevent an Vitamin A deficiency.

Vitamins A is a Necessity

Vitamins are very important for our body and overall health. Our mothers really did know what they were talking about years ago when they told us every day to take our vitamins. Now as adults, and sometimes with children of our own, we realize the importance of these vitamins. Although, they are needed for different functions, they are all needed. Most of these vitamins can be obtained in the foods we consume daily. However, if we’re unable to get these vitamins in foods, there are supplements we can buy from a pharmacy, health store or with help from our doctor. Vitamin A is an important vitamin for our health and overall well-being.

Vitamin A Deficiency Can Be Harmful

Vitamin A is necessary part for our body. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin that’s stored in our body. Unlike water-soluble vitamins that go through our bodies when we urinate, fat-soluble vitamins stay in our body and are stored until they are needed. Very seldom do we see people that suffer from a Vitamin A deficiency, but when they are diagnosed, they usually require immediate supplementation. Pregnant and nursing mothers as well as young children are the most common to develop a Vitamin A deficiency. This can be dangerous and even life threatening for these individuals.

When someone develops a Vitamin A deficiency, the cause is usually from not eating enough foods that contain Vitamin A. There are circumstances, however, where you body cannot store or use the vitamin as it should, which may also cause a Vitamin A deficiency. It’s not that hard to consume an adequate amount of Vitamin A as it is in many foods. Some excellent sources of Vitamin A are liver, milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, lettuce and broccoli are very good sources of Vitamin A as well.

Reactions of Vitamin A Deficiency

There can be very serious consequences resulting from Vitamin A deficiency. Individuals that develop a Vitamin A deficiency that resulted from not having enough Vitamin A in their diet as a child may often develop blindness or visual impairment. Children with a Vitamin A deficiency are also at higher risk for death or serious illness from otherwise routine childhood diseases. One example of these is measles. Although these situations are not common in our country, it’s still very important to not take the risk. Unfortunately, this is a common problem in the third world where their children are born blind or with serious vision problems due to a Vitamin A deficiency. Pregnant and nursing mothers should always make sure they get the correct amount of this very important vitamin.

About the Author: