What Side Effects Do You Get From Low Vitamin D

What Side Effects Do You Get From Low Vitamin D?

The side effects from low vitamin D in the body are far-reaching. Vitamin D is needed for absorbing calcium, which is essential for strong and healthy bones and teeth and certain functions of the body. People who have a vitamin D deficiency lack enough calcium, so their bodies start to extract calcium from their bones.

Features

Vitamin D deficiency has been connected to many side effects. Conditions associated with the deficiency include rickets, diabetes, high blood pressure and lung cancer. The deficiency is associated with heart disease and different forms of cancer. Increasing the intake of vitamin D and calcium would annually prevent 58,000 cases of breast cancer and 49,000 cases of colorectal cancer in the United States and Canada, according to a study reported in Annals of Epidemiology in July 2009.

Expert Insight

Thirty-six percent of "otherwise healthy young people" have low Vitamin D levels, reported Michael F. Holick, director of the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University Medical Center School of Medicine, in an article published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. He said that up to 57 percent of inpatient clients were found to have vitamin D deficiency.

Treatment

The best treatment for the side effects of low vitamin D is natural sunlight. You should try to get 15 to 20 minutes of exposure to the sun daily. People with darker complexions, and those who do not get outdoors much, should focus on diets high in vitamin D. Some excellent sources are eggs, fortified milk and cod liver oil. Supplements are a practical way of ensuring the amount needed.

Considerations

People with low levels of vitamin D suffer from numerous symptoms. They might experience muscle weakness, aches and pains. Constant fatigue, even with sufficient sleep, is common. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to moodiness, depression and anxiety. Some people experience vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.

Prevention/Solution

If people become more aware of the risks of low vitamin D, they can take steps to reverse their deficiency. People living at high or low latitudes have a higher chance of deficiency. Others particularly susceptible to vitamin D shortage include infants and elderly people and those who consume few fortified dairy products or vitamin D supplements.

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Functions Of All Of The Vitamins

Functions of All of the Vitamins

The function of all vitamins in the human body is extensive and complex. Vitamins serve multiple roles and they work together to perform many functions, from reducing infection to aiding metabolism. Taking in insufficient amounts of vitamins can result in deficiencies, and taking in excessive amounts can result in toxicities; both can cause health problems. A well-rounded diet with a variety of foods is ideal for supplying the body with an appropriate amount of the vitamins it needs to function to the best of its ability.

Types

Vitamins can be categorized in one of two ways--fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E and K are the fat-soluble vitamins. They require the presence of fat for their absorption and are stored in the liver. Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins. The B vitamins include thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, B6, B12, folate, biotin and pantothenic acid. Water-soluble vitamins are lost through urination and are not stored in the body.

Function

Vitamin A is important for eye health and supports a healthy immune system. Beta carotene is a precursor to vitamin A and acts as an antioxidant which protects the body from free radical damage. Vitamin D assists with the absorption of calcium. Vitamin E is also an antioxidant, protecting healthy cells much like beta carotene. Vitamin K is important for blood clotting. Vitamin C plays a role in the synthesis of neurotransmitters important in brain function and collagen, a structural component of the body. It is important for wound healing and acts as an antioxidant. Thiamine is important in the function of the nervous system, helps release energy from the food we eat and promotes normal appetite. Niacin has a similar function to thiamine and also promotes healthy skin. Riboflavin is also like niacin and thiamine, in addition to promoting healthy vision. Vitamin B6 is important for protein metabolism, fat utilization and red blood cell formation. Vitamin B12 plays a role in the synthesis of genetic material, red blood cell formation and helps maintain a healthy nervous system. Folate prevents spinal birth defects and lowers homocystein levels. Biotin works to release energy from carbohydrates and to synthesize fat. Pantothenic acid plays a role in energy production and hormone development.

Prevention/Solution

In addition to their functions within the body, vitamins are important for the prevention of disease. The antioxidant action of beta carotene, vitamin E and vitamin C protects cells, reducing the risk of cancer. In addition, vitamins E and C work hand in hand. Once vitamin E serves its purpose as an antioxidant it becomes inactive, however, vitamin C has been found to regenerate vitamin E. Vitamin A reduces the risk of night blindness. Vitamin D's role in bone health helps prevent osteoporosis. Folate's action to lower homocystein levels links it to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Deficiency

While it is rare to see major deficiencies of fat-soluble vitamins due to their storage, mild deficiencies can occur with the lack of a balanced diet. Children deficient in vitamin D can develop a bone disease called rickets. Lack of vitamin A can cause intestinal infections. Vitamin K deficiency can cause excessive bleeding. Deficiencies in water soluble vitamins are more common because they are not stored. Lack of vitamin C can cause infection and reduction in wound healing. Thiamine and niacin deficiency can result in mental confusion and muscle weakness. Insufficient intake of riboflavin and vitamin B6 can result in dermatitis. Folate and vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anemia. While uncommon, insufficient intake of biotin and pantothenic acid causes fatigue, nausea and abdominal cramping.

Toxicity

High doses of vitamins can result in toxicity. In much the opposite way as with deficiency, toxicity of water-soluble vitamins is rare, but it sometimes occurs in fat-soluble vitamins due to their storage in the body. Among water-soluble vitamins, abdominal cramping and bloating can occur with high doses of vitamin C, abnormal liver function can be seen with high niacin intakes and too much folate can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency, often causing anemia. Over-consumption of vitamin A can result in mild symptoms such as nausea and blurred vision, or more severe problems such as growth retardation. Too much vitamin D can cause nausea, weight loss, growth retardation and kidney damage. Vitamin E toxicity is uncommon, however, symptoms such as nausea and disorders with the digestive tract can occur. There are no reported toxicity symptoms with vitamin K.

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Vitamin Shoppe Benefits

Vitamin Shoppe, a leading discount store chain, offers numerous benefits in the retail sale of quality vitamins, nutritional supplements and health care products. The benefits for shopping at Vitamin Shoppe are not limited to in-store shopping or online purchases. Additional benefits are available through product promotions, weekly specials, discounts, monthly specials and the Healthy Rewards Program.

Quality Products

Vitamin Shoppe carries 400 brands for 20,000 products. The brands carried are selected based on the highest-quality standards.

Guarantee/Return Policy

Vitamin Shoppe has a Guarantee/Return Policy that says that if your order arrives incorrect or damaged, a new order will be shipped to you. Additionally, if you are not satisfied within 30 days, a full refund, exchange or credit will be offered.

Healthy Awards Program

Vitamin Shoppe offers a program to customers where points are earned for purchases. Each dollar spent earns 1 point; refer a friend and earn 200 points. At the end of the year, Vitamin Shoppe will send you a certificate redeemable for a one-time purchase.

Discounts and Monthly Specials

Vitamin Shoppe offer discounts daily on numerous items. Daily discounts vary from 10 to 47 percent off retail price. Vitamin Shoppe selects four to six products and features them as monthly specials with reduced pricing.

More Savings

Compared to other nutrition retail stores, Vitamin Shoppe's prices are lower on name-brand items. Vitamin Shoppe carries its own quality brand vitamins and nutrition supplements which are substantially less than competition brands.

Online Shopping

Shopping online is simple and quick. Products are categorized for topic shopping, or a search can be done for a particular product. Shipping is free with orders over $99.

Online Health Guide

Vitamin Shoppe's online store has a comprehensive health guide. For each health topic, the following is listed: definition, products available for treatment, symptom guide, lifestyle/dietary changes, other therapies, vitamins, herbs and reference guide.

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Avoid Anemia

Avoid Anemia

Millions of Americans - typically women and children - suffer from anemia. This condition is caused by a reduced number of red blood cells. The symptoms vary from dizziness to irritability. The most common type of anemia results from iron deficiency. Other types are caused by dietary deficiency of folic acid and vitamins B-12 and B-6, certain drugs, heavy menstrual bleeding, and a number of medical disorders. Follow these steps to avoid this condition.

Instructions

1. Eat a wide variety of foods every day, including iron-rich foods: fruits such as apples, bananas, apricots and plums; vegetables such as asparagus, squash, yams, broccoli and leafy greens; red meat; tofu; and whole grains.

2. Eat iron-rich foods with food high in vitamin C. This helps increase iron absorption.

3. Take vitamin C at the same time you take iron, if using supplements.

4. Omit sugar or decrease consumption. This will increase iron absorption.

5. Avoid using antacids at the same time you take iron. They interfere with iron absorption.

6. Take calcium, vitamin E and zinc at a different time than your iron. They can interfere with iron absorption.

7. Add dried fruits, such as raisins and prunes, to your diet. They are good sources of iron.

8. Decrease intake of coffee and black tea. They contain polyphenols and tannins, which can interfere with iron absorption.

9. Drink 1 tbsp. of blackstrap molasses mixed in a cup of hot water instead of coffee or tea. It tastes good and is an excellent source of iron, B vitamins and calcium.

10. Speak to your doctor if your menstrual periods are very heavy. You may be getting iron-deficient.

11. Check with your doctor if you take prescription drugs. Some may interfere with iron and B vitamin absorption.

12. Assess your diet if you are a vegan since it is difficult to get enough vitamin B-12 without eating animal products. Discuss supplements with your health care provider.

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Maintain Long Hair Like Gwyneth Paltrow

Unfussy and simple, Gwyneth Paltrow's long hair is the envy of many women. Long, flowing, and seemingly effortless, it's hard to imagine it takes work to maintain such a style. To envision this look think Rapunzel meets California chic. This style can look great as long as it is properly maintained.

Instructions

1. Cleanse and condition using a body-building formula. Gwyneth uses a sulphate-free shampoo cleanser to maintain her blond shade.

2. Use the right products. After cleansing and conditioning, apply a lightweight styling balm to protect hair from heat and add definition and hold.

3. Blow-dry it straight. For Gwyneth, "Straightening my hair is big for me in terms of feeling confident," she said in "Vogue" magazine. Use a product like the T3 hair dryer; it's expensive but dries hair faster and without the damage of conventional dryers.

4. Add some wave for a Seventies, hippie look. Gwyneth wears her hair long and loose, and a little added wave makes for a flowing look. Wrap some top sections of hair around an inch-and-a-half-wide barrel curling iron starting at your ears.

5. Take your vitamins. According to "In Style" magazine, Gwyneth takes prenatal vitamins from New Chapter Organics to maintain the health of her hair.

6. Use a hair mask once a month. Gwyneth's hair is fine, so any more than that will weigh it down. Choose a moisturizing, restorative hair mask and leave on for just a couple minutes to repair cumulative styling damage.

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Vitamins For Joint Health

Vitamin deficiencies in the body are the root cause of swelling, soreness and chronic joint pain, which are the symptoms of a gamut of diseases such as arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. These injuries occur when the cartilage that acts as a protective shield between joints wears out, causing sustained pain and tautness and sometimes completely restricting movement. However, vitamin supplements and a healthy, balanced diet can help cure and prevent these diseases.

Types of Vitamins

Vitamins are broadly categorized as water-soluble or fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and are flushed out of the body through the excretory system. Fat-soluble vitamins tend to accumulate in the body as they don't liquefy. There are 13 vitamins in the human body, nine of which are water-soluble (the eight B's and C) and four that are fat-soluble (A, D, E and K).

Vitamin Deficiency

Deficiency of Vitamin D blocks the body from naturally restoring frayed cartilage, aggravating arthritis. Antioxidant vitamins such as A, C and E counterbalance the free radicals that destroy cells and tissues. Accordingly, a lack of these vitamins and essential fatty acids can be responsible for causing degenerative joint diseases.

Vitamin Supplements

Vitamin supplements may not entirely reverse an acute case of arthritis but they can work wonders in reducing soreness and pain. An effective supplement should include antioxidant vitamins such as A, beta carotene (pro-vitamin A), niacin (also known as B3, B5 (pantothenic acid), B6, C, D and E.

Natural Sources

Nature is a treasure trove of vitamins, and incorporating various vitamin-rich foods into your diet can combat joint maladies. Vitamin A is present in milk and other dairy products, such as as egg yolks, as well as in oily fish, while beta carotene is found in orange and yellow vegetables such as sweet potatoes, apricots and carrots.

Foods with a high content of vitamin C include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, red peppers and almost all citrus fruits. Fish, lean meats and cottage cheese are rich in vitamin B3 whereas eggs, soybeans, whole-grain cereals, lentils and peanuts are loaded with vitamin B5.

Wheat germ, whole wheat, soybeans and bananas are rich in vitamin B6. Foods high in vitamin D include dairy products and fish such as salmon, tuna and cod. Vitamin E-laden foods include walnuts, almonds, avocados and spinach. All of these consumed as part of a wholesome balanced diet can help keep joint aches at bay.

Considerations

Indiscriminate popping of vitamin supplements is not a good idea to get rid of joint problems, as they can accumulate in your body and, if taken in excess, actually enhance the risk of arthritis and other joint-related diseases.

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Hair Loss Due To Weight Loss Surgery

After weight-loss surgery, hair loss can result from the stress and trauma of the surgery as well as from the shock to the body from rapid weight loss. A third of patients who had gastric-bypass surgery have reported experiencing hair loss. A patient may experience hair loss three to nine months after the surgery and some have reported losing half of their hair during this time. There are several things that patients can do to try to prevent hair loss and to get it to grow back.

Preventing Hair Loss

To help prevent hair loss after weight-loss surgery, eat plenty of protein, which is recommended by doctors as a person loses weight rapidly. Go for lean protein, like white-meat chicken and green, leafy vegetables. Add raw vegetables and fruits to the diet to supply the body with efficient vitamins to lose weight and grow hair.

You can also try vitamin supplements. Biotin is one supplement that helps to restore hair and renew hair-cell generation. This will increase the hair's growth rate, where the hair loss won't be so drastic. Zinc has also been successful.

Regrowing Hair

To quickly regrow the hair, incorporate a healthy diet, exercise, vitamins and proper hair care into your lifestyle. Worrying about the lost hair will only cause more stress that will eventually lead to more hair loss.

Add regular exercise to your daily regimen. Try to get in at least a 30-minute walk every day, which will jump-start your metabolism and stimulate your thyroid. That in turn releases hormones into your body that stimulates hair growth.

Incorporate Mediterranean-style eating into your diet. Olive oil and grapes provide essential vitamins for hair growth. You can also massage your scalp with olive and grapeseed oils to increase circulation and generate hair growth.

Vitamins that help the hair grow are A, B-Complex, Iron, Folic Acid, C, E, D and Biotin. These vitamins stimulate hair growth, increase the oxygen and moisture supplied to the hair roots and eliminate toxins from the body to provide a safe environment for healthy hair to grow.

For hair care, shampoo and condition the hair regularly. Do deep conditioning, protein and moisturizing treatments on the hair every two weeks. Do not use heated styling tools more than once a week. Tie the hair down with a silk or satin scarf before going to bed. Keep the hair moisturized by applying a serum or moisturizer to the hair, not the scalp. Applying excessive products to the scalp may hinder hair growth by clogging the pores.

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Lower Serum Cholesterol

Serum cholesterol

Serum cholesterol is the total amount of HDL and LDL cholesterol in the blood. This waxy substance is a lipid (or fat) that travels through the bloodstream to the cells where it is used to make cell membranes, sex hormones and vitamin D. Although cholesterol is vital for the body's functioning, a healthy level must be maintained or the risk of cardiovascular disease will increase. Acceptable ranges for HDL (the good kind) are 40 mg/dL or higher for men and 50 mg/dL or higher for women. LDL (the bad kind) should be 100 to 130 mg/dL for both sexes. If your LDL and HDL together are greater than 200 you may need to lower your serum cholesterol.

Instructions

1. Cut back on dietary sources of cholesterol. While the body manufactures 75% of our total serum cholesterol, the rest is absorbed through the intestines from the food we eat. Decrease intake of foods high in saturated fat, which are found in meat and dairy products. Fatty cuts of beef, pork, chicken with skin and organ meats are all high in cholesterol. This is also true for whole milk, cream, butter and eggs. Baked goods require dairy; so remember to check the nutritional information for cholesterol content.

2. Increase foods that are good for your HDL cholesterol as it plays an important part in lowering LDL by carrying it back to the liver where it is metabolized. A fiber-rich diet, which calls for 25 to 35 grams per day, can decease the amount of LDL absorbed through the intestines. Adding healthy fats, such as those founds in cold water fish, nuts, seeds and certain plants, can increase HDL. Foods rich in healthy fat include salmon, almonds, avocado and olive oil.

3. If necessary, lose weight. Learn your body mass index (BMI), which is a method that uses a person's weight and height to determine whether the amount of body fat falls within a healthy range. As BMI increases beyond normal into the overweight and obese categories, HDL decreases. This is particularly true as more fat collects around one's middle.

4. Exercise. By getting physically active at least 30 minutes a day you can increase your HDL, which will decrease LDL and strengthen your heart. This also helps with weight reduction. Options exist for all fitness levels, and walking is a great way to get started.

5. Have a drink, but do so in moderation. For men, one to two alcoholic beverages per day can improve HDL and LDL levels. For women, one drink will suffice. When it comes to hard liquor, one drink is defined as 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits, while 5 ounces equals a glass of wine and 12 ounces for beer.

6. Quit smoking and avoid second-hand smoke. Cigarette smoke lowers HDL and makes it harder to exercise because of decreased lung function. If you are able to make this change, it will reduce the risk of multiple health problems.

7. When lifestyle changes are not sufficient to improve your cholesterol numbers, talk with your health-care provider. Ask about prescription medications that lower serum cholesterol. Also make sure that you are screened for underlying conditions, such as diabetes, which can contribute to serum cholesterol levels.

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Eat More Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps make and maintain healthy skin

and hair, promotes bone growth and tooth development, and contributes to good vision.

Instructions

1. Eat liver and eggs.

2. Add fortified milk and low-fat dairy products to your diet.

3. Stock up on yellow, orange and red vegetables such as pumpkins, winter squash, carrots, red peppers, apricots and papayas. These vegetables contain beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A.

4. Eat dark, leafy greens such as chard, spinach, mustard and turnip greens, and beet tops.

5. Start your day with vitamin A-fortified cereals for breakfast.

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Lower Homocysteine Levels Naturally

While the American Heart Association does not consider elevated levels of homocysteine--an amino acid found in the blood--to be a major risk factor for heart disease, it does recommend that patients deemed as high risk for heart disease take steps to regulate the levels of this amino acid. It doesn't take much to lower your homocysteine level, but it may take a little more effort if you lack key nutrients in your diet or have certain medical conditions.

Instructions

1. Eat foods that are high in folic acid, such as fruits and vegetables. Spinach, asparagus and collard greens are some of the best sources of folic acid, and they are also low in calories. Raw vegetables retain the most amount of folic acid, so try to make them part of your diet. If you cook these vegetables, steam or boil them to retain the folic acid.

2. Increase your intake of vitamins B12 and B6. Vitamins B12 and B6 work in conjunction with folic acid to regulate your homocysteine levels. Vitamins B12 and B6 can be found in meats and dairy products, such as eggs, fish, chicken, beef and pork. You may need to take a supplement if you have a severe deficiency of these vitamins. If you are a vegetarian or have a condition such as Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome or pernicious anemia that cause a deficiency of these vitamins, you should take a natural B12 or B6 extract.

3. Correct harmful habits, like smoking and alcoholism. Smoking raises the homocysteine levels in your body by contributing to B12 deficiency, while alcoholism raises homocysteine levels by causing a deficiency of folic acid. Avoiding coffee can also help lower homocysteine levels. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed increases in homocysteine levels within hours after coffee was ingested.

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Recommended Daily Vitamin Intake For Women

The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) are the recommended dosage of vitamins set up by the Food and Nutrition Board of the American Institute of Medicine. While some people are able to get the recommended vitamin dosages through a well-balanced, healthy diet, others should take vitamins to make sure they are reaching those amounts.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin found in the yellow pigments of plants. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is essential for skin, tooth and bone health and development, immune system function and prevention of night blindness. The DRI for women is 700 mcg a day.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that aids calcium and phosphorus metabolism in the body. This is one vitamin that our bodies can make on their own. Ultraviolet rays prompt our skin to produce vitamin D. Since ultraviolet rays can cause damage, most doctors recommend vitamin D supplements rather than more time in the sun for people with vitamin D deficiencies. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the DRI for vitamin D in women is 10 mcg a day for women over 50 and 5 mcg a day for younger women.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is an antioxidant and has antiaging properties. This vitamin is found in many fruits, leafy green vegetables and whole grains. The DRI for women is 15 mg a day.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin found in fresh fruits and vegetables. According to the Life Clinic website, this vitamin helps heal wounds, promotes healthy teeth and gums, prevents cell damage and strengthens our immune systems. Many people take this popular vitamin when they start feeling sick and to ward off colds. The DRI for women is 75 mg a day.

B-Complex Vitamins

Vitamins B1, B2, B6 and B12 are all water-soluble vitamins largely found within a well-balanced diet. Some doctors recommend taking vitamin supplements with all B-complex vitamins in one, while others recommend taking the vitamins individually. The DRI for women for B vitamins is 1.1 mg a day each for B1 and B2, 1.5 mg a day for B6 and 2.4 mg a day for B12.

Vitamin H

Vitamin H (biotin) is a water-soluble vitamin that aids in metabolizing fats and carbohydrates. This vitamin is found in meats and dairy products. The DRI for women is 30 mcg a day.

Other Vitamins

There are many other vitamins and minerals that could be recommended for women like zinc, iron and folic acid. Recommendations vary depending on your individual health history and age. You should check with your doctor to be sure of the specific vitamins and amounts you should take.

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Foreign Accent Syndrome And Strokes

Foreign Accent Syndrome is an extremely rare speech disorder. Documentation exists for only 60 cases of diagnosed Foreign Accent Syndrome between 1941 and 2009. As more people receive a Foreign Accent Syndrome diagnosis, doctors learn more about what causes the syndrome, possible outcomes of the syndrome and which treatment approaches are effective with this rare speech disorder. The majority of the Foreign Accent Syndrome cases diagnosed, to date, are the result of a stroke.

Features

Individuals who have suffered a stroke resulting in Foreign Accent Syndrome suddenly develop an accent completely different from their own. They may have never even visited, let alone lived in the area the accent represents. For example, a Chicagoan may suffer a stroke and suddenly develop a strong Italian accent. The most well-known case of this rare speech disorder occurred in 1941. A Norwegian woman sustained serious head injuries from shrapnel. When she began speaking again, she had a German accent.

Cause

Foreign Accent Syndrome is the result of a serious head injury or stroke damage in one or more areas of the brain responsible for speech. The rare speech disorder is most often due to stroke damage in the left hemisphere of the brain where language processing occurs. Only two cases of Foreign Accent Syndrome were the result of stroke damage to the right hemisphere of the brain in an area known to affect speech prosody.

Identification

Diane Garst and William Katz of The University of Texas at Dallas maintain that individuals suffering from Foreign Accent Syndrome present with prosodic and segmental changes in speech. Prosody refers to the stress the individual puts on syllables as they speak. The stress can be equal across all syllables or the stress may be stronger on one syllable than on another. Segmenting refers to consonants and vowel use. The consonants and vowels in words spoken can be altered in some way, elongated, substituted with another sound or dropped from the word altogether. Stroke damage can affect either one, or both, of these aspects of speech, making it sound as though the patient is speaking with an accent.

Diagnosis and Treatment

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the diagnosis and treatment of Foreign Accent Syndrome is the most effective with a multi-disciplinary approach. The appropriate diagnostic and treatment team will include a neurologist, radiologist and speech-language pathologist for the medical diagnosis and treatment planning. A clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist will be involved to ensure the disorder is not a conversion disorder and is due to stroke damage. After the diagnosis of this rare speech disorder, treatment will include medical monitoring of stroke damaged areas, speech therapy, accent training (as actors receive) and psychological counseling.

Considerations

The individual diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome should receive psychological counseling. The individual may feel as if part of their identity is missing and will need assistance adjusting to her new voice and the other effects of stroke damage. She may require support and assistance in dealing with the reactions she receives from family, friends and acquaintances. There have been cases where this rare speech disorder cleared up over a couple months, but it can go on for many years. She will need support until she is able to accept and adjust to the change in her life.

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Use Vitamin B To Improve Fertility

Up to 25 percent of couples have trouble conceiving. Increase your chances of having a baby by learning use vitamin B to improve fertility.

It is estimated that up to 25 percent of couples have trouble conceiving. Although there are a number of causes, and sometimes medical intervention is necessary, there are a number of things you can do to increase fertility, through diet, lifestyle changes and the use of nutritional and herbal supplements.One supplement, vitamin B, is proven to significantly improve fertility in both men and women. Here's use vitamin B to improve fertility.

Instructions

Use Vitamin B to Improve Fertility

1. Learn your needs.While a number of vitamins fall into the B-complex category, there are two specific B vitamins proven to increase fertility, one in men and one in women. Vitamin B12 is shown to improve sperm quality and production. Vitamin B6 is shown to increase fertility in women.Other supplements in the vitamin B category, such as folic acid, should also be included in a healthy diet, since they are very important once conception is achieved.If you know that one of you has decreased fertility, that person should begin vitamin B supplements. If you aren't sure, or both partners have decreased fertility, both should begin vitamin B supplements.

2. Compare supplement brands and types.Not all supplements are created equal. Some have additives and preservatives you don't need, while others are inconsistent in their contents. Some may include too much of certain nutrients and could potentially be harmful. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of B6 is 1.3 mg per day, and B12 is 2.4 mcg per day. Liquid supplements are thought to be better absorbed by the body than tablets, but may be hard for some individuals to tolerate or consume daily.You may also decide to take a complete supplement that contains other vitamins as well. Check to make sure it contains the RDA of vitamin B6 or B12, depending on your needs.

3. Increase your intake of foods naturally rich in vitamin B.While supplements can certainly help, obtaining vitamin B naturally is thought to be most effective. Green leafy vegetables are a well-known source of vitamin B. Other sources include whole grains, fish and seafood, eggs, dairy products and beans.

4. Learn about the nutrients that help with vitamin B absorption. Researchers believe that the reason the body uses natural sources of vitamin B better than supplements is because other nutrients in the food aids absorption. For example, calcium assists in the absorption of vitamin B, and both calcium and vitamin B are plentiful in most dairy products.

5. Keep taking vitamin B supplements.It will take some time before vitamin B improves fertility. The reason for this is that, in men it takes three months for the body to create new sperm, and in women it takes six months for cellular replacement in the reproductive tract. Don't expect immediate results, but they will happen over time.

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Use Vitamins To Prevent Anemia

Use Vitamins to Prevent Anemia

Some of the most common kinds of anemia come from vitamin deficiency. If you have cut certain foods out of your diet or if you're pregnant, you need to be sure and use vitamins to prevent anemia.

Instructions

Use Vitamins to Prevent Anemia

1. Shop for a gender- and age-specific multi-vitamin that contains at least vitamin B12, vitamin C and folic acid. The daily dosage of these vitamins is very different for children, teens and adults. Women also generally need larger daily doses than men.

2. Take your vitamin each morning with a light breakfast and a drink that isn't a diuretic, like water or orange juice. Some vitamins, like large doses of B6, can cause an upset stomach or nausea if they are taken without any food. These side effects are very rare and brief, and they are often only seen in people who have a vitamin deficiency.

3. Ask your doctor about vitamin B12 injections if you have diabetes or an autoimmune disorder, like lupus. These conditions can create an extensive vitamin deficiency that is masked by other symptoms. Not only will injections correct the deficiency and prevent anemia, but they will also protect you from nerve damage in your hands and feet that can result from long-term deficiency.

4. Expect to notice small increases in your energy and general improvement of your health about 2 weeks after starting a vitamin plan. If you had some symptoms of anemia, like fatigue and muscle soreness, you may notice an improvement in your condition in roughly 48 hours. It's important to understand that vitamins are a preventative medication with few noticeable effects in most people.

5. Eat nutritiously to get natural vitamins. Whole grains, spinach and cashews provide you with vitamins that your body will use to prevent anemia. You need to get at least some of your B12 and folic acid from foods because your body processes them differently than the synthetic kind found in multi-vitamins.

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Explain Vitamins To Kids

Explain Vitamins to Kids

The process of explaining vitamins to kids involves having them understand in a general sense the concept of what vitamins are, how they help the body to maintain an optimal level of health and why our bodies need these nutrients. Simple and straightforward language is best for articulating what vitamins are, along with keeping these explanations relatively short in length.

Instructions

Visual aids

1. Provide visual aids such as pictures, articles, color charts and basic video presentations to help you explain vitamins to kids. "Earl Mindell's Vitamin Bible for Your Kids" can help provide simple information and explanations.

2. Utilize physical examples to provide a conceptual basis for explaining vitamins, such as various fruits, vegetables and supplements such as tablets that are manufactured by vitamin companies.

3. Allow kids to take part in gaining knowledge about vitamins by letting them participate in activities that further their understanding. This includes grocery shopping, searching out recipes that have foods with substantial vitamins in them and researching books and the Internet to give them further explanations about how beneficial vitamins are to the human body.

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Create A Conditioner For Hair

Avoid chemicals by mixing your own hair conditioner.

Conditioner protects your hair from weather or styling heat damage, by forming a protective barrier around the hair. It also reduces splint ends and breakage while moisturizing dry hair. Mixing your own conditioner saves money and lets you control what you put on your hair. By using all natural ingredients, you avoid toxic chemicals and additives with unpronounceable names. It takes less than 10 minutes to make your own hair conditioner. For best results, leave it in for a few minutes.

Instructions

1. Warm the rose water in the top pot of the double boiler.

2. Add the jojoba oil to the warm rose water and stir for a minute. Keep the temperature low so the mixture does not boil.

3. Remove the pot from the stove and place to the side. Let the mixture cool before continuing.

4. Add the vitamin E drops to the cooled mixture. Blend for two to three minutes using a blender, hand beater or spoon.

5. Pour the mixture into a dry container and close the lid. Shake before using and store in a cool, dark place.

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Symptoms Of B Complex Vitamin Depletion

The B vitamins as a whole are vital to the human body. The B vitamin complex aids the body in turning food into energy and keeps the immune system at full strength. The B vitamin complex is responsible for helping in many other bodily functions, meaning that when there is a deficiency in these key substances there will be serious consequences. They work in unison and when there is a lack of one the potential for imbalances that affect the entire metabolism is there.

Significance

Thiamin is also known as vitamin B-1. It is needed in the regulation of glucose as it is converted into energy. The health of the human nervous system depends greatly on thiamin, which is found in such foods as liver, poultry, egg yolks, fish and whole grains. The symptoms of a B-1 deficiency include fatigue and depression, with constipation, swollen parts of the body called edema, and loss of appetite also possible. The most extreme symptom of B-1 deficiency is a disease called beriberi, which occurs nowadays mostly in alcoholics with liver problems which keep them from breaking down the vitamin for use in the body.

Function

B-2, called riboflavin, helps to produce red blood cells and antibodies of the immune system. It also is involved in energy production and helps to metabolize fats and carbohydrates. A lack of B-2 means that vision trouble is possible, with eyes becoming itchy and sensitive to light and cataracts able to develop in some cases. Other vitamin B-2 deficiency symptoms are cracked lips, a swollen tongue, dizziness, lack of sleep, and hair loss. Most commonly seen in the elderly, riboflavin deficiency can be avoided simply by consuming such foods as liver, fish, almonds, legumes and brewer's yeast.

Benefits

Helping in the secretion of digestive fluids and bile is just one of the jobs of vitamin B-3. It comes in 2 types, niacinamide and niacin. Niacin can lessen bad cholesterol levels and increase good ones among its many benefits and niacinamide has proven to be effective in lowering insulin requirements in those with diabetes and helps prevent osteoarthritis. Someone with a vitamin B-3 deficiency can undergo bouts of diarrhea and in severe instances have to deal with dementia and dermatitis, an inflammation or infection of the skin. Broccoli, carrots, eggs, peanuts, potatoes, cheese and tomatoes contain this vitamin.

Features

Few nutrients have more jobs to perform in the human body than vitamin B-6, which is called pyridoxine. It is key in the proper function of the brain and also is concerned with making red blood cells, healthy skin, and regulates a large number of enzymes. Supplemental B-6 is used to treat diseases ranging from epilepsy to cardiovascular ailments. The symptoms of this vitamin missing from the diet can include convulsions and depression, anemia, headaches, loss of hair, and a host of skin conditions such as eczema and seborrhea. Vitamin B-6 is in a large number of foods but is especially prevalent in sunflower seeds, walnuts, soybeans, carrots, spinach and fish.

Considerations

Folic acid is a member of the B vitamin complex, found in leafy greens such as chard, beet greens and spinach. It is one of the B vitamin complex members that often becomes deficient in people because when these foods are cooked it lowers the level. Luckily the human body can store folic acid for up to 2 months but alcohol use drastically impairs the body's ability to absorb it. Folic acid helps keep heart disease at bay; symptoms of deficiency of this substance manifest themselves as depression, anemia and becoming easily irritated and forgetful.

Tags: vitamin complex, human body, blood cells, depression anemia, Folic acid

Motion Activated Recording Software For A Webcam

Software with motion activation capability lets you turn standard Web cameras into part of advanced home security and pet- and nanny-monitoring systems. Depending on the software, movement within the camera's field of vision can signal for a computer to record video, snap a photo or send a notification to the owner of the webcam.

Active Webcam

Active Webcam lets you both record and broadcast video from your Web camera. When triggered, its motion activation feature can capture images, send a text message or email to a predetermined recipient, or broadcast the webcam feed live over the Internet. Additional features include date and time stamps, simultaneous recording and playback, multiple camera support, password protection and encrypted broadcasting. Active Webcam is compatible with computers running Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 2003 and Windows XP. Computers require at least a gigabyte of RAM, 10 gigabytes of free hard drive space, a color monitor and an Intel processor with a clock speed of 2 GHz or faster.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a video surveillance and Web camera monitoring solution with motion-activated recording support. Its features include IP and Web camera compatibility, a customizable alert system and a programming feature that lets you set multiple areas within your camera's field of view as triggers to begin recording. Vitamin D is compatible with Macintosh computers running OS X 10.5 or later, and PCs running Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP. All computers require 1 gigabyte of RAM and a processor with a clock speed of 2 GHz or faster.

Webcam Zone Trigger

Webcam Zone Trigger lets you use your Web camera and computer together as a security system. Like Vitamin D, it uses what the software's developer refers to as Hot Spots. Hot Spots are user-defined areas that turn the camera on when movement is detected within them. Once the camera is activated, Webcam Zone Trigger can take a photo, play a sound, capture video or execute a variety of other available commands on the computer. Webcam Zone Trigger runs on Windows PCs.

iSpy

ISpy is an open-source webcam application with a variety of potential applications, including home surveillance. In addition to native motion-activated recording support, iSpy features face detection capabilities and remote sound and video triggering. ISpy can also be configured to automatically upload captured video to a YouTube account for viewing. In order to run iSpy, computers require Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7, and a processor with a clock speed of 1 GHz or faster. To make use of the software's automatic YouTube upload capabilities, the developer recommends that your computer has a high-speed Internet connection.

Tags: Webcam Zone, Webcam Zone Trigger, Zone Trigger, Active Webcam, clock speed, clock speed faster

Treat Low Potassium Blood Levels

Treat Low Potassium Blood Levels

Blood potassium levels must be maintained between 3.5 and 5.0 mEq/liter for the body to function properly. Keep your potassium where it should be to optimize your physical and mental health.

Instructions

1. Eat foods high in potassium, such as avocados, bananas, cantaloupe, raisins, salmon, tuna, milk, oranges and baked potatoes.

2. Avoid overboiling foods because this causes potassium to diffuse out of the food and into the water.

3. Consider that canned fruit is lower in usable potassium than fresh fruit.

4. Understand that the potassium in grains is found in the germ and the bran. Thus, the more processed the food, the less potassium it contains.

5. Switch your diuretics, which is a medicine that causes you to urinate more frequently. Your doctor may change your potassium-depleting diuretic to a different type of diuretic.

6. Drink plenty of water. Kidneys regulate the volume and makeup of the extracellular fluids in our bodies, so giving them adequate amounts of fluid helps to keep potassium and other electrolytes in balance.

7. Take potassium supplements. Usually 20 to 80 mEq/day is needed to raise the blood potassium level of those who are potassium-deficient.

8. Discuss any vitamin supplementation with your physician. Even "natural" products can cause great disruption to your electrolyte balance.

Tags: Blood Levels, Potassium Blood, Potassium Blood Levels, Treat Potassium, Treat Potassium Blood

Tighten Stomach Skin After Having A Baby

During pregnancy, a woman's stomach skin is significantly stretched to accommodate the size of her growing belly. After delivery, most women experience some degree of loose skin. Over time, this skin will eventually tighten somewhat, returning to its pre-pregnancy form to some degree. After repeated pregnancies, it becomes more difficult to tighten loose stomach skin. Thankfully, there are certain things you can do to help the process. While you might not be able to completely tighten your stomach skin without surgery, you can use various treatment methods to improve the situation.

Instructions

1. Get cardiovascular exercise daily.

Regular exercise increases circulation, allowing blood and nutrients to more readily reach the skin. These essential nutrients aid the skin's overall health, helping to tighten and firm it. Aim for at least 20 minutes of brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or other vigorous exercise daily.

2. Perform abdominal exercises.

Your stomach skin will appear tighter if your underlying abdominal muscles are strong. Make stomach crunches part of your daily routine.

3. Massage your stomach daily.

Massage increases circulation so your skin can be better nourished. Use firm circular motions to rub the area daily for at least two minutes.

4. Apply collagen creams to your stomach.

Collagen is a protein chemical which aids in skin cell and tissue regeneration. If you use it regularly, it will help restore loose and stretched skin. You can find creams that contain collagen in most beauty supply and cosmetic stores.

5. Exfoliate your stomach.

Exfoliation encourages skin cell regeneration, meaning new skin cells are produced more rapidly to replace your older, damaged cells. Use a body scrub and loofah to exfoliate your stomach three times weekly.

6. Get a tummy tuck.

A plastic surgeon will cut away your excess stomach skin and sew the remaining areas back together. As with any surgery, there are significant risks involved. You will generally have a small scar after tummy tuck surgery.

Tags: your stomach, stomach skin, exercise daily, increases circulation, least minutes

What Are The Benefits Of Prenatal Vitamins Before Pregnancy

Prenatal vitamins are key for women who are trying to conceive and for women who are pregnant. Women who are trying to conceive need to prepare their body for conception and women who are pregnant need extra nutrition to share with the baby.

Function

Prenatal vitamins have a variety of nutrients that are designed to fill in any gaps in the mother's diet that may be there. Folic acid, Vitamin C, iron and calcium are essential to a baby's growth that a woman needs both before and during pregnancy.

Benefits

Folic acid is especially known for reducing the chances of having a baby with birth defects, namely spina bifida. It is also shown to reduce birth defects involving the brain and spinal cord. Calcium is important for both the mother and baby's bones. It helps the mother to keep a normal bone density and bone growth for the baby. Iron helps oxygen travel in the blood of both the mother and child.

Warning

Due to the concentrated nature of prenatal vitamins, they can upset your stomach. It is often a good idea to take these vitamins with food and water to counter any side effects that you might get from taking prenatal vitamins.

Misconceptions

Prenatal vitamins are not a complete dosage of your daily recommended value. Just because you are taking prenatal vitamins does not mean that you will not need to take additional supplements in order to get the proper nutrients for you and your baby.

Potential

The longer you take prenatal vitamins prior to becoming pregnant the better chance you have at getting the full benefit of the vitamins. If the mother experiences a nutritional deficiency, it can take months in order to restore the woman's nutritional balance.

Tags: birth defects, both mother, Folic acid, prenatal vitamins, taking prenatal

Natural Cortisol Reducer

Natural Cortisol Remover

Cortisol is produced from stress. While some doctors believe that blocking cortisol and stress is a bad idea, there are an equal number who link it to obesity and other health problems. If you wish to reduce cortisol naturally, here are some ways to do it. These methods have not all been approved by doctors or the FDA; please consult a doctor before making a drastic change in your life, diet or supplementation.

Lifestyle Changes

Stress and cortisol production are often caused by our attitude and reaction to the events in our lives. If you begin to look at problems as opportunities and learning experiences instead of stressful events, it will actually decrease your stress level. On a related note, thinking positively about past successes instead of failures can help to reduce stressful situations. Affirmations have been used in the personal development field for years to help keep stress at bay. Even repeating to yourself something as simple as "I can handle this," can make you feel more capable and less stressed. Other ways to combat stress by changing your living habits are to stretch, take deep breaths, taking yoga or transcendental meditation classes, taking hot baths, regular exercise, and listening to soothing music (see reference 2).

Vitamins

Vitamin C can help your immune system but it can also help to lower your cortisol levels and limit the effects that often accompany the hormone. Cortisol's effects are stunted by vitamin C due to the vitamin's lowering of blood pressure and blood sugar. Vitamin C is also used to make other stress hormones that can keep the system better balanced. B-complex vitamins help lower your stress levels in many ways by providing you with energy, keeping tiredness at bay, and are the building blocks for brain chemicals that improve your mood and keep you alert. By taking a B-complex vitamin, you may be able to take a good chunk out of your cortisol levels. A lack of balance of vitamins in general may lead to health problems and more stress, so it is a good idea to have a healthy diet with many fruits and vegetables to keep your health level high (see references 1 and 3).

Herbs

Valerian root has been known to lower cortisol levels. It is a sedative and can help to counteract the effects of stress in general. Ginseng has long been attached to hormone-balancing properties along with an ability to stop the overproduction of cortisol. Holy basil, an herb that was first discovered in India, can help balance blood-sugar levels and lower your overall feelings of stress. St. John's wort has found its way into many herbal antidepressants that use its sedative properties to decrease the feelings of anxiety (see reference 3).

Tags: cortisol levels, lower your, have been, health problems, help lower

Test Vitamins In Vinegar

Have you ever wondered if the vitamins you take are actually doing anything? Here's a quick test that can determine if your body is actually breaking down and using the contents of your vitamin pill, or if your body is just passing the vitamin through your system as waste.

Instructions

1. Pour half a cup of white vinegar into a glass and drop a vitamin tablet into the glass. The acidity of the vinegar mimics how your stomach would digest the vitamin.

2. Check to see how long the vitamin takes to dissolve. If the vitamin is not dissolving in the glass of vinegar, then it's probably not going to dissolve in your stomach, either. Quality vitamins usually begin breaking down almost immediately and finish breaking down within 30 to 45 minutes.

3. Check to see if dirt is floating on top of the vinegar, or if there is some gritty substance on the bottom of the glass. If there is dirt floating on top, it means the vitamin's manufacturer is using sawdust as a filler. Grit on the bottom of the glass means the vitamin's manufacturer is using sand as a filler. Neither of these is a good sign.

Tags: breaking down, bottom glass, dirt floating, into glass, manufacturer using, means vitamin, means vitamin manufacturer

Lose Weight In 3 Days And Eliminate Your Belly Fat

Lose Weight in 3 Days and Eliminate Your Belly Fat

Many people struggle with there weight and if you want to find a way to lose weight in 3 days there are some solutions for you. It is important for you to understand that finding the right diet plan that fits your lifestyle and needs is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. When looking for a fast 3 days weight loss solutions there are a few key things that you want to do so that you can be successful in taking off the extra belly fat.

Instructions

1. The first thing that you want to do is to increase the amount of water that you are drinking. It is very important that you detox your body and get all of the impure toxins out and the best way to do this is to drink more water. Also drinking water as opposed to cokes can also decrease your calorie intake and this will help with weight loss as well.

2. Next you want to change the meals that you eat to 5 meals and decrease each meal so it it smaller than before. You want to have a maximum of a bout 1200 calories per day for the 3 days period. This will help your body burn the fat after each smaller meal so when you eat again you body will be ready to go into fat burning mode again.

3. Finally you want to find a exercise that you like to do and will take about 30 minutes a day. It is important that you increase your metabolism and the bets way to do this is to increase your exercise routine and it will help you body take off the weight.

4. Searching the internet is the best way for you to find the best diet plan for you.

Tags: will help, Days Eliminate, Days Eliminate Your, diet plan, Eliminate Your

Vitamins To Help Kids Focus

Children who have a difficult time focusing often struggle in school as well as with peer interactions. It has been said by experts of pediatric and adolescent medicine that as much as 3 percent to 5 percent of the population suffers from attention deficit disorder. This means a large number of children have problems focusing, and even children who do not have the disorder may need help staying focused. Luckily, many vitamins and herbs are safe for children and will help them get and stay focused.

Zinc, Magnesium, B-Vitamins and Vitamin C

All of these vitamins can help your child stay focused, and most of them are found in your typical over-the-counter children's vitamin. The reason these vitamins are a great choice is because they work on the nervous system to support neurotransmitter production and communications from cell to cell. When these systems are supported, the central nervous system is a lot more calm, cognitive processes become sharper, and focus is magnified.

Choline

Choline is another option to consider when you want to help your child focus. Choline is an important factor in concentration because it is actually responsible for the production of dopamine and acetylcholine. These are the brain chemicals that help the human brain remain alert, and they also affect concentration and memory. Adding choline into the mix of vitamins that you give your child to help with focus and attention could very well make a world of difference. Choline can be purchased at your local drugstore and should be taken as is recommended on the bottle.

Herbs to Consider

In addition to vitamins, you may want to consider adding a few herbs that have been found to be safe for use in children. Herbs such as American Ginseng and Rhodiola Rosea can help support an increased alertness, help with memory and concentration, and generally support mental performance.

These herbs can be found at your local drugstore and can be taken daily, as recommended on the bottle. Herbs in addition to vitamins as well as getting proper rest and a healthy diet can help children become more focused and attentive both at school and at home, helping them to do well in school and creating lasting relationships with peers.

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Uses Of Methylcobalamin

Methylcobalamin is a form of vitamin B12. It has possibly been shown to protect those who take it from neurological conditions and diseases and aging in a way that makes it different from other drugs or therapies. There are various forms of vitamin B12 (the most common being cyanocobalamin), but deficiency in methylcobalamin has been linked to various diseases.

What it is and Where it Comes From

Cyanocobalamin is a form of vitamin B12. It is converted in very small quantities in the liver into methylcobalamin, but not in quantities sufficient enough to be therapeutic. Synthetic methylcobalamin is available as a supplement in many supplement and vitamin shops. As a B-complex vitamin, it plays an important role in preventing and treating anemia as well as immune system upkeep.

Aid in Sleep-Wake Rhythm Diseases

Methylcobalamin has been studied as an effective treatment for sleep-wake disorders. In one study, patients with sleep-wake disorders who received a large dose of methylcobalamin improved more than those who received a smaller dose of methylcobalamin, although the difference between the two was not very significant. While improvement was noted overall, not enough improvement was observed to make methylcobalamin an effective singular treatment of sleep-wake disorders, although it has potential as a "booster" of other treatments, amplifying their effects.

Antioxidant

When the body breaks down foods, is exposed to certain substances or conditions, or burns a great deal of body fat in a short time, free radicals are produced, which can damage cells throughout the body, causing such things as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants are substances that neutralize and prevent production of free radicals, and methylcobalamin is a strong antioxidant. Because it stores for a longer period than normal cyanocobalamin, it is a very effective antioxidant (relative to other forms of B12), and is used as a vitamin supplement to promote an overall reduction of the conditions and damage caused by free radical production.

Treatment for External Deficiency

When not enough B12 is consumed through the diet or absorption is hampered due to an external agent (such as bacterial infections or gastrointestinal parasites), the side effects can be numerous and potentially fatal. When a deficiency of B12 is noted, methylcobalamin can be used as an effective treatment because of its longer life in the body relative to other B12 forms. It is often administered via injection, but is also available in pills, nasal sprays and topical gels.

Treatment for Pernicious Anemia

Pernicious anemia is a condition in which the body produces too few red blood cells. It can severely and negatively affect the heart, brain and digestive tract. Pernicious anemia is usually caused by a loss of specific cell types in the lining of the stomach that make a substance called "intrinsic factor," which tell the body to absorb B12. The result is a chronic malabsorption of B12. Methylcobalamin can be administered as a treatment for pernicious anemia, reducing and eventually eliminating symptoms. Treatment generally lasts throughout the life of the patient.

Tags: sleep-wake disorders, dose methylcobalamin, effective treatment, form vitamin, free radicals, other forms, Pernicious anemia

What Vegetables Promote Hair Growth & Clear Skin

Vitamins and minerals consumed as part of vegetables benefit the body

Though experts agree that the vitamins and nutrients in vegetables contribute to a healthy body, there exists little firm consensus on which specific vegetables may contribute to clear skin and healthy hair. Still, looking at the nutrients needed most by the skin and hair gives an idea of the fresh produce we can consume on a regular basis to contribute to a healthy diet.

No Miracle Foods

According to "The New Harvard Guide to Women's Health," "There is no evidence that supplementing the diet with any specific nutrient--such as proteins or amino acids--makes a difference." The guide also warns that "nutritional deficiencies...such as occur during crash diets or eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa" do cause damage to hair. Similarly, in her book "Simple Skin Beauty," Dr. Ellen Marmur cautions against taking claims about "super skin foods" too literally, but acknowledges that a number of vitamins and nutrients within certain vegetables have been shown to build the skin's defenses.

For Clear Skin

Ellen Marmur lists vitamin C (contained in tomatoes; it fights oxidation damage), vitamin E (contained in sweet potatoes, avocados, broccoli, leafy greens; it reduces wrinkles and helps with healing), vitamin A (found in carrots, spinach and broccoli; it helps to clear skin), protein (existing in beans and peas and a basic component of skin tissue), biotin (a skin-strengthening, dermatitis-fighting B vitamin found in cauliflower), monounsaturated fats (found in avocados and particularly good for dry skin) and antioxidants (found in artichokes; they protect against sun damage) as particular contributors to healthy skin.

For Hair Growth

In "The Beauty Diet," Lisa Drayer gives a list of vitamins and minerals that contribute to healthy hair. It looks remarkably similar to those that Marmur recommends for healthy skin: beta-carotene/vitamin A, vitamin B (which helps bring oxygen to the scalp, stimulating hair growth; it's found in spinach), vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium (garlic), silicon (root vegetables, soybeans) and sulfur (which contains cysteine, a protein that encourages hair growth, and may be found in onions and garlic).

Serving Size

Just as our bodies are individual, each of us needs a different portion of vegetables to be healthy. Within the past few years, the government has revamped the once-familiar food pyramid to emphasize how servings may differ for each person. It has put together a website, fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov, where you can find out the exact quantity of fruits and vegetables you need per day.

Tags: contribute healthy, Clear Skin, clear skin, Ellen Marmur, growth found, hair growth found

Liver Flush Home Remedies

The liver is responsible for removing toxins from the body and regenerating cells that have been damaged by toxins. A liver flush is a home remedy that cleanses the liver of fat-soluble toxins stored there and helps the liver to continue functioning properly in the elimination of toxins.

What to Expect During a Liver Flush

Before beginning a liver flush, consult your doctor. A liver flush may not be safe for those who have gallstones because the oils being flushed from the liver cause the gallbladder to contract and may cause the gallstone to become lodged in the gallbladder's opening, the bile duct. While gallstones usually form in the gallbladder, they can form anywhere there is bile.

Minor side effects of a liver flush include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.

Liver Flush Herbal Remedy

Turmeric helps to protect the liver against damage and aids the liver in removing toxins. Add two teaspoons to any dish or take as a tea by boiling one teaspoon of dried root in one cup of water for three minutes. Drink three times a day. Turmeric is heavily used in Indian cooking. Add turmeric to sauteed potatoes with salt, ground cumin and chopped onions and tomatoes. Turmeric also tastes great in lentil soups. Add turmeric to any lentil dish with chopped onions, tomatoes, ground cumin and ground coriander. Let it simmer until lentils cook thoroughly. Turmeric can be found in any supermarket or specialty Indian or Asian grocery store.

Ginger contains liver-protecting compounds. Add ginger root to your cooking. To drink as a tea, add one to two slices of fresh ginger to a cup of water. Ginger is used in many Asian dishes. Make a stir fry by sauteeing ginger slices, garlic, chopped vegetables of your choice, soy sauce, dry sherry, sesame oil and rice vinegar. Ginger is also a common ingredient in lentil soup or eaten pickled with sushi. You can find ginger at the supermarket or specialty Indian or Asian grocery stores. Use fresh ginger root.

Dandelion helps stimulate bile production and alleviate liver disease. You can consider dandelion leaves as a vegetable and eat them raw or cooked or add them to a salad. Boil one teaspoon of dried dandelion root in a cup of water. Drink the tea three times a day. Dandelion is best used when fresh. You can find dandelion leaves at a health food store or at a natural and organic supermarket such as Whole Foods. Use fresh dandelion leaves.

Burdock has antioxidant properties and serves as a blood purifier. Burdock helps the liver and gallbladder to function properly. Boil one teaspoon of dried burdock root in one cup of water. Drink three times a day. You can find burdock root at a nutrition store such as GNC or a health food store.

Licorice helps prevent damage to liver cells. Boil one teaspoon of dried licorice root in one cup of water. Drink three times a day. You can find licorice at a health food store or at a natural and organic supermarket.

Milk thistle has antioxidant properties that help regenerate liver cells. Take a 400- to 800-milligram supplement a day. To take as a tea, boil one teaspoon of crushed milk thistle seeds in a cup of water. Drink once a day. You can find milk thistle at a health food store or at a natural and organic supermarket.

Schisandra helps protect the liver. Boil one teaspoon of dried schisandra in one cup of water. Drink three times a day. You can find schisandra at a health food store or at a natural and organic supermarket.

A liver flush using herbs may last a week or more as the body processes the natural ingredients.

Liver Flush Vitamin Remedy

Vitamin C helps prevent fatty buildup in the liver and may help prevent cirrhosis. Take 5,000 mg a day to aid in a liver flush. Natural food sources for vitamin C are lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits.

B vitamins help cleanse the liver. Natural food sources for vitamin B include green leafy vegetables, eggs, liver, sardines, mussels, chicken, beef and cheese.

A liver flush using vitamins may last a few days to a week.

Tags: Drink three, Drink three times, food store, health food, health food store, teaspoon dried, three times

Vitamin E Toxicity In Cats

Too little vitamin E is a common health risk to your cat.

Your cat needs vitamin E more than many other types of pets because the oily tuna so many cats love to eat contains little of the nutrient responsible for normal body functioning, according to the 2006 Textbook of Veterinary Nursing by Victoria Aspinall. Questions arise over just how much E to give your cat because, unlike other vitamins, E is stored inside the body as fat, so there could be too much of a good thing, according to Pet Education.

Vitamin E

This vitamin is one of six key substances essential for important bodily functions, like fat metabolism and the formation of cell membranes, according to Doctors Foster and Smith of Pet Education. It is fat-soluble, so the vitamin can build up in your body, unlike water-soluble vitamins that are only stored in tiny amounts. Nevertheless, Foster and Smith report there is no evidence to show that this vitamin builds up so much in cats that it is harmful or deadly, though too much vitamin A and D can be toxic to cats.

Deficiency

Though Foster and Smith report that vitamin E, even at huge levels, isn't toxic to your pet cat, your cat can have far too little of the vitamin---a common and dangerous problem, according to Aspinall. Cats have a propensity to this problem because they eat a lot of canned, fishy food that is packed with a lot of oil---high in polyunsaturated fats but low in Vitamin E found in seeds, cereal grains and plant oils.

Symptoms

When your cat doesn't get enough vitamin E he may act lethargic and depressed and lose his appetite, according to "Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats," developed by the National Research Council in 2006. In addition, the report found that cats that were fed high amounts of oily fish with little Vitamin E suffered an enlarged spleen and had problems with blood clotting. Another common problem, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual, is steatis---inflamed fatty tissue in cats accompanied by fever and pain in the chest and abdomen.

Recommendation

Your pet should get at least 30 international units (a measurement equivalent to roughly 6.7 milligrams) of vitamin E daily, according to a 2002 American Society for Nutritional Sciences report. The report also stresses that the amount of vitamin E your pet should consume depends a lot on his diet; those cats that eat substantial oily fish should have three to four times more vitamin E than their counterparts who consume less E-sapping fish oils.

Sources

The good news is that, according to the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center, which analyzed nearly 500 popular pet food products in the U.S., about 95 percent contained vitamin E, used in the form of an antioxidant to preserve the food. Vitamin E also naturally occurs in foods like soybean oil, broccoli and sunflower oil, according to the National Institutes of Health. These foods are also among the most common in pet foods, according to CWC.

Tags: cats that, Foster Smith, Foster Smith report, oily fish, problem according

Ideal Weight Ranges For Children

Healthy kids are happy kids.

Parents know how hard it is to get into shape after years of little to no exercise and poor eating habits. What most parents don't know, however, is that according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services," Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults." Knowing the ideal weight range for your child is a good way of getting her on the track of healthy living and keeping her there.

Toddlers

Once your growing baby begins to walk he enters the toddler stage. This stage is marked by several behaviors, one of which is the development of picky eating habits. Between the ages of 2 and 4 you will introduce foods daily that will go no further than his small fingers and the floor. To make sure that his taste buds don't keep out vitamins that he needs to grow, be sure to give him whole milk for vitamin D and scrambled or boiled eggs for protein.

Toddler girls should stay between 30 and 42 pounds. Toddler boys should stay between 32 and 42 pounds. Any toddler that is above 46 or under 28 pounds should be monitored for future health concerns such as juvenile diabetes, sickle cell and thyroid issues. This may or may not apply to toddlers who were born prematurely.

Elementary Years

Schools provide recess and physical education classes, but these should be in addition to activities at home.

Kids typically start kindergarten at age 5, and by the fifth grade your child will likely be 9 or 10 years old. These formative years are known for growth spurts and a need for lots of physical activities. The average lunch menu will offer whole milk, vegetables, meat and grain. To help your child stay healthy, see that she gets at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day after school; activities such as playing in the backyard or walking the family dog are good choices for this age.

For a girl ages 5 to 10, staying between 56 and 96 pounds is ideal. For a boy in this same age bracket, the weight range is 58 to 92 pounds.

Middle School Years

Chances are your growing daughter will turn 11 years old when she enters middle school, where she will be with classmates that are between the ages of 11 and 14. Middle school is when puberty begins for many kids. Snacks that can be grabbed on the go will be key to keeping him healthy between family meals. To make sure chips and candy bars aren't the dominate choice, keep the refrigerator stocked with fruit cups, yogurts, cheese sticks and apples.

For girls the weight range is between 98 and 144 pounds. For boys the weight range is 90 to 146 pounds. If your child is over the recommended weight, physicians do not recommend a diet. Instead, you will need to prepare meals that include more vegetables and fruits; this will give them time to grow into their weight rather than lose it.

High School Years

In high school, students are ages 15 to 18 years old. Because being a teenager already comes with the stress of fitting in, trying to discover who you are, and branching out for independence, the last thing a parent should do is add weight concerns to the list. Try supporting your child's involvement in after-school activities and sports when she's in high school. It's also a good idea to open up your old photo album and share what weight issues you might have struggled with and how you overcame them.

A teen girl should weigh between 104 and 160 pounds. Teen boys should weigh between 124 and 188 pounds. Because America is fighting a war on child obesity, summer weight camps are open for ages 11 to 18 to help overweight youth get to a healthy size.

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Lose Weight With Natural Products

The right herbs and natural vitamins can stimulate weight loss.

You want to lose weight, but you are not interested in eating prepackaged foods and drinking weight loss beverages loaded with chemicals and sugar substitutes. It may come as a surprise to some, but you can actually lose weight by consuming all-natural products. The right combination of vitamins, herbs and foods can help people shed pesky pounds. However, keep in mind that simply changing your diet or taking natural supplements do not work in isolation. For the most effective results, pair your nutrient-rich regimen with moderate exercise.

Instructions

Vitamins

1. Take vitamins B2 and B3 to help regulate your thyroid and metabolism. Both vitamins are found naturally in foods, or purchase them in pill form at the vitamin store. Look for foods that are rich in vitamin B2 (riboflavin), such as meats and leafy greens, and incorporate those menu items into your regular diet. Eat tuna, turkey, eggs, wheat bran and barley to get your vitamin B3 (niacin) naturally.

2. Purchase vitamin B5, which helps with the body's energy production, as well as with the release of energy from foods that are digested. Take vitamin B5 (pyridoxine) consistently to help your body adapt to the newfound energy source. Stock up on foods such as nuts, oats, liver and vegetables to get a healthy natural dose of B5.

3. Eat foods that are rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, bell peppers and kiwis. Conduct some research on the weight loss affects that vitamin C has on the body and you will find that it can actually help the body break down glucose to be turned into energy that you can burn off.

4. Look into taking vitamin D supplements to assist with your weight loss goals. According to a June 2009 publication by Medical News Today, it was discovered that increasing supplements of vitamin D while maintaining a low-calorie diet can abet weight loss. Pick up some fish oil, which has concentrated levels of vitamin D, and incorporate it into your daily regimen.

Herbs

5. Increase your metabolism by taking dandelion root and eating red pepper. Combine these herbal supplements with exercise for maximum weight loss possibilities since your metabolism will really get a workout.

6. Drink natural green tea (do not load it with sweeteners). Substitute your coffee with iced or hot green tea, as it helps your body burn fat without contributing to additional bloat like coffee can.

7. Boost your energy and help your weight loss goals with ginseng. You can find ginseng teas, beverages and supplements in many stores. Avoid taking too much ginseng or your body can become overly stimulated. You want just enough to create a constant energy that helps your body metabolize foods.

8. Take licorice root oil in moderation to reduce body fat, or drink licorice tea. Avoid taking too much licorice, however, or other side effects can surface, such as headaches.

9. Drink water -- lots of it! Water is all-natural and helps clean out your digestive track, keeps your body hydrated for energy and maintains overall good health.

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