Diet

Nerve health, Fatigue, Mood Boost & More . . . B-12 is here to Save the Day!

Did You Know? . . .

Cloud 9 offers Vit. B-12 Injections.

From http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uchicago.edu/learnaboutpn/typesofpn/systemic/nutrition.shtml

“VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY

Vitamin B12 is an essential dietary nutrient—a B12 deficiency can lead to a number of serious conditions including peripheral neuropathy.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is common in the United States, especially among the elderly. It is estimated that between 10% and 25% of the people over 80 years of age may have a B12 deficiency. There are several causes of B12 deficiency. A strict vegetarian diet may promote a B12 deficiency because animal-based foods such as red meat, dairy products, fish, poultry and eggs are the only recognized source of dietary B12. A lack of B12, or the inability of stomach acids to aid in the absorption, also causes this deficiency. Consequently, drugs that reduce stomach acid should be taken with B12 supplements. A number of other conditions, procedures, and drugs are associated with a reduced the ability to absorb B12. These include autoimmune diseases, pernicious or unexplained anemia, pancreatic diseases, ileal resection, Crohn’s disease, HIV infection, gastritis, gastric or small intestine surgeries, malabsorption syndromes, multiple sclerosis, and use of histamine2 receptor antagonists or proton pump inhibitors.

A lack of vitamin B12 can cause serious anemia, nerve damage and degeneration of the spinal cord. It is common for anemia to develop first, but this is not always the case, especially if a person is taking a folate supplement. A lack of B12 damages the myelin sheath that surrounds and protect nerves. Without this protection, nerves cease to function properly and conditions such as peripheral neuropathy occur. Even B12 deficiency that is relatively mild may affect the nervous system and the proper functioning of the brain. The nerve damage caused by a lack of B12 may become permanently debilitating, if the underlying condition is not treated.

SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

(Not all symptoms and signs may be present.)

Lack of coordination
Pain, numbness, and tingling in hands or feet
Sensory loss
Weakness”

Additionally, . . .

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Vitamin B-12 (cobalamin) is a water-soluble vitamin that plays essential roles in red blood cell formation, cell metabolism, nerve function and the production of DNA.

…

Left untreated, a vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue, muscle weakness, intestinal problems, nerve damage and mood disturbances.

The recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms.

Evidence:

Research on the use of vitamin B-12 for specific activities and conditions shows:

Heart and blood vessel disease. Vitamin B-12, in combination with vitamin B-6 and folate (vitamin B-9), has been shown to control high levels of homocysteine in the blood. Elevated homocysteine might increase your risk of diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease). Despite this benefit, there’s no evidence to show that vitamin B-12 supplements prevent heart disease.
Dementia. Vitamin B-12 deficiency is associated with dementia and low cognitive function, but it’s not clear whether vitamin B-12 supplements might help prevent or treat dementia.
Athletic performance. Unless you have a vitamin B-12 deficiency, there’s no evidence that vitamin B-12 supplements will boost your energy or make you a better athlete.” Referenced from https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-b12/art-20363663

Vitamin C Injections Now Available at Cloud 9

Give Vitamin C a shot!

 Did you know? . . . Our ability to absorb nutrients starts to decline starting around age 40.
That's why we are so excited to offer Vitamin C Injections (Direct Vitamin Injection Therapy, 
DVIT).
This year especially, it's important for us to maintain healthy vitamin C, D3 and B12 levels.

Vitamin C is infamous in helping to Boost the Immune System.

How Dietary Needs Change with Aging

from Presenter: Katherine Tucker, referenced at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK51837/

“Dietary needs change with aging in several ways:

People become less active, their metabolism slows, their energy requirement decreases, all of which mean that they need to eat less.
Recent research demonstrates that because older adults’ abilities to absorb and utilize many nutrients become less efficient, their nutrient requirements (particularly as a function of body mass) actually increase. Tucker mentioned that the last set of nutrition recommendations issued by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) include separate recommendations for people age 70 and above for this reason (IOM, 2006).
Tucker noted that as some of the previous speakers had discussed, chronic conditions and medications can affect nutrition requirements. For example, in addition to drug-nutrient interactions affecting drug metabolism, some drug-nutrient interactions are also nutrient wasting. This is especially true of the B vitamins.”

Foods to Eat to Help Depression

Many have heard the question posed what came first, the chicken or the egg? But how does that concept apply to depression? It’s well-known that when we’re depressed, our motivation and interest in maintaining a healthy and balanced diet subsides in the same way our energy does. Harvard Medical Students positioned that same question in relation to depression; what came first, depression or a poor diet? continue reading »

Healthy Foods for Fall

The season of fall brings cooler weather and shorter days. As with any season, the world adjusts accordingly. Plants begin to go dormant, animals begin scrounging for food to store to get them through the upcoming winter months and humans start winterizing everything.

As fall descends on the land, it reminds us we need to start cutting back on the numerous cooling foods that are consumed during the summer months. Things like raw foods, salads, juices and fruits should be decreased because they can create too much cold in the body, according to traditional Chinese medicine. continue reading »

Healthy Eating from Early to Late Summer

Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM is all about balance. In this ancient system, the key to health is to move through the world in such a way that our bodies can remain in homeostasis, in balance. This idea connects to sleep patterns, what we eat and ultimately the flow of Qi, or energy, throughout the body. For that reason, healthy eating in summertime, according to TCM, is all about using cooling foods to balance out how hot it is outside. In other words, we can find homeostasis from the inside out. continue reading »