B6 Important Among the B Vitamins
When most people hear the word “anemia,” they immediately think of iron. But a shortage of Vitamin B6 can also cause a type of anemia because this vitamin is vital to the healthy generation of hemoglobin in the blood of a normal, healthy person. You may also associate Vitamin B6 with sugar diabetes, and that’s because one of the important functions of this vitamin is to regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.
Vitamin B6 is also known as pyridoxine. You may not have heard of many people who were found to have a serious Vitamin B6 deficiency, and there’s a good reason for that. B6 is so readily available in so many foods that it’s a fairly simple matter to get your daily recommended allowances of this vitamin.
Some of the common sources of B6 include tuna, roast beef, tomato juice, trout, pork loin and peanut butter. Naturally, cereals that are fortified with vitamins are excellent sources and many provide 100 percent of the body’s need for cereal. Three raw bananas also provide a full day’s supply of the necessary Vitamin B6. A medium baked potato (including the potato skin) provides about one-third of the daily requirement. Evaluating the foods rich in this vitamin reveals that many people are already meeting the daily requirements for B6.
So what are the dangers of having too little Vitamin B6 in your daily diet? Recent studies suggest that a lack of this vitamin is a factor for determining the risk of stroke and some types of heart disease. That means that people with deficiencies are more likely to suffer from these health issues than their counterparts who are getting sufficient amounts of Vitamin B6.
Depression is another problem potentially impacted by a Vitamin B6 deficiency. Though there may be some difference of opinion as to the role and the importance of B6 and depression, there appears to be a link that can’t be denied. In fact, depression is listed by some as one of the symptoms of insufficient Vitamin B6 in the diet.
There are some risks of taking too much B6. Nerves – especially in the outer extremities – are sometimes damaged by overdosing the body on vitamin B6. In the majority of cases, simply eliminating any vitamin supplements appears to eliminate the nerve problems as well. It’s unlikely that a normal person can take in enough Vitamin B6 from a normal diet to cause toxicity at this level, and more likely that these severe effects of too much B6 are caused by taking too many vitamin supplements containing B6.
Bodybuilding Nutrition And Balance
Many inexperienced (sometimes even experienced!) gym regulars believe that muscles grow while lifting weights. However lifting weights forms only a small fraction of the muscle building process. Muscle development takes place at night during deep sleep when the body synthesizes new cells with nutrients from our diet. Therefore nutrition forms a very important part of a bodybuilding program.
The body utilizes nutrients in food to perform daily metabolic and what’s commonly referred to as the “wear and tear processes”. With bodybuilding, additional strain is put on the body to make new muscle tissues. Therefore the nutrient requirements also shoots up to stay with the demand.
The best bodybuilding nutrition comes from a balanced intake of carbohydrates, adequate protein, vitamins, minerals, fats and large amounts of water. So if you are serious about getting lean and ripped it’s time to say goodbye to mayo burgers, colas and other synthetic foods. Adopt eating habits imbibing fruits, whole grains, milk, eggs and fresh farm products.
How much protein do you need?
Your growing muscles need amino acids to create new tissues. The amino acids are provided by protein in diet. There is a lot of debate on the exact quantity of protein required in bodybuilding. The caution to maintain is that extreme amounts of protein in the diet can cause gastric and renal complications. Recent studies have suggested that a protein intake of 1 to 1.4 grams per unit of body weight is adequate to sustain the bodybuilding process. This means that the protein requirement of a 70 kg individual should be around 70 to 98 grams. To give an estimate of the amount involved consider the following: A 100 gm chicken breast has 22 grams of protein, a glass of milk has 8 grams,an egg approximately 5 grams and a slice bread 3 grams.
A word of caution against the tide of bodybuilding supplements in markets. Many times you come across advertisements proclaiming, ‘Gain 20 pounds of muscle in 3 months flat!’. Stay clear of these money hungry advertisers. Building lean muscle takes time and effort. Making use of synthetic products which alter body’s natural mechanism would offset what should be your real purpose in bodybuilding which is to keep the body fit and healthy.
Lastly in bodybuilding it’s not, ‘the more the better’. Rather it is ‘the more precise the better’. Don’t over exert, eat balanced food and include plenty of rest. With everything good in life, patience, commitment, and balance will guarantee your success. With these tips in mind you are all set to pump iron!
Developing Healthy Eating Habits Amongst Kids
It is quite natural for any child to dislike new kinds of food right away. It may take 10 or more tries getting a child to accept a new food. It is essential for parents to behave patiently if you want your child to eat right and healthy. For overall growth and development, parents should offer kids foods from each of the food group.
Some ways to develop your child’s healthy approach towards eating
- Cut down on the amount of fat in your family’s diet. Include low fat dairy products, lean meat, fat free cereals or breads.
- Avoid restricting sweets or desserts. Fat, salt, sugar have a moderate place in our diet. Don’t curb them completely. Just teach your child to take small portions of it.
- Make or keep wide variety of healthy foods ready at home to be eaten as snacks. Do allow occasional indulgence of chips, colas and cookies.
- Eating slowly helps to detect hunger and fullness better. Encourage your child to eat slowly.
- Eating meals together with family helps children. Meal time with family can be pleasant with free flowing, light hearted conversations about the day, etc.
- Activities like shopping for food and preparing meals are fun time for children. Both, parents and children learn about each other’s food preferences and enjoy the time spent together.
- Eating meals and watching TV at same time makes it difficult to pay attention to the hunger and may lead to overeating.
- Sending children to bed without eating food may give them the impression that they will have to go hungry. So they may try to eat whenever they get a chance. Avoid using food as punishment.
- If your kid is having lunch at school, find out more about the lunch program. If you pack your child’s food include variety of foods. While dining out, pick healthier items.
- If you as parents eat healthy nutritious food, your child tends to learn and pick up similar eating habits. Set a good example by eating variety of nutritious foods and snacks. Teaching your child healthy eating practices early in life will help develop an approach to eating food with right attitude.
B Vitamins And Acne
How do all the B vitamins (b5, b6, b12, etc.) help acne?
Unlike the other acne fighting vitamins that have been mentioned, the B Vitamins are unique. The B Vitamins include many different vitamins that are all clumped together both in their name and usually in how they are taken. B Vitamin supplements almost always come in a B Complex form due to the fact that each B Vitamin has its own benefits to the body. In fact, those considering using supplements to fight their acne should definitely go with B Complex vitamins since not only to they help with acne but also simply due to all the other positive effects they have in maintaining a healthy body. In actuality, the B Vitamins are more like “super-vitamins” due to their many uses.
Since each B Vitamin contributes in a variety of ways to the fight against acne, this article will discuss each different B Vitamin that is involved in helping to maintain clear, healthy skin. Arguably the best aspect of these B Vitamins is that there are so many, they are almost always taken in conjunction, and they have so many uses in the body besides fighting acne and keeping skin nice and clean.
Here is a breakdown of the B Vitamins:
Thiamine (Vitamin B1) — Thiamine is an antioxidant and it helps to rid the body, and the skin, of toxins and free radicals, therefore helping to keep the skin clear and acne free. It also enhances circulation and helps with digestion.
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) — Riboflavin is essential for maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails. It helps to strengthen and repair the skin and helps to prevent acne from forming. In addition, Riboflavin also works with Vitamin A to promote a healthy digestive tract.
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) — Niacinamide is essential for maintaining healthy skin and helps to improve circulation. It helps to prevent acne from forming and spreading. It also helps the metabolism break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) — Pantothenic acid greatly helps in reducing stress. Stress is a leading cause of acne breakouts and pantothenic acid can help to keep it under control. It is also needed for proper functioning of the adrenal glands.
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) — Pyridoxine is extremely important in the functioning of the immune system and of antibody production. It also helps to fight acne.
Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) — Works in conjunction with other vitamins and enhances their effects and helps them to better maintain healthy, clear skin. On its own, also helps to increase energy and helps to maintain healthy nerve cells.
A vitamin deficiency in many of these alone can lead to breakouts of acne. Thankfully, these vitamins almost always come together in Vitamin B Complex’s which can be purchased easily. Making sure that one gets enough B Vitamins is crucial in maintaining healthy skin and fighting acne.
