Living Healthy – An Exploration

B12 is the only vitamin that is not recognised as being reliably supplied from a varied wholefood, plant-based diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, together with exposure to sun. B12 is produced by “good” bacteria which are found in the soil and on plants. Every herbivore in nature gets its supply of B12 from consuming these bacteria on the plants they eat. These bacteria then make homes in the gut of the herbivores that eat them. Carnivores get their B12 by consuming the organs and thus the bacteria from their herbivore prey.

Vitamin B12 is needed for cell division and blood formation. Neither plants nor animals make vitamin B12. Bacteria are responsible for producing vitamin B12. Although recommendations for vitamin B12 are very small, a vitamin B12 deficiency is a very serious problem leading ultimately to anemia and irreversible nerve damage.

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Talking about diet is dangerous because there are many opinions and few verifiable facts. Therefore, it makes sense to find opinions that seem to make sense and resonate with you and adopt those until one of those scarce and elusive facts proves your opinion to be false.

I have been moving into the camp of those who believe that the healthiest foods are as near to unaltered as possible, i.e. unrefined.

One explanation that I have heard regarding obesity in America is that refined foods are the cause. When plant matter is refined, material is removed. With the removal of that matter, often minerals and vitamins are removed as well. So, even though we may be eating vegetable-based foods, it often does not resemble the vegetable it is based from (corn chips, cereal grains, etc.).

The explanation states that our bodies begin to lack certain nutrients that it is accustomed to receiving from that food and so becomes starved for that particular nutrient. Thus we continue to eat, hoping to acquire sufficient amounts of the missing nutrient. We eat more because our body needs absent nutrients, so no matter how much we eat, we will not acquire those nutrients.

Is it true? Has it been verified? No. But, it has not been proven false either. Until then, I will believe it because it makes sense to me.

The value of dairy is debatable, but I love it so I want to ensure that I am consuming it healthily. I recently ran across some information about it that was a bit surprising.

Dairy with its fat removed (low-fat or reduced fat) may not support the absorption and utilization of the fat soluble vitamins D and A, which are necessary for maintaining and laying down new bone mass. Thus, calcium may go primarily into soft tissue rather than into the bones in those who persist with reduced-fat dairy products.

Since one of the reasons often given for consuming dairy is providing vitamin D and calcium, consuming low-fat dairy defeats its own purpose.

If you are watching your fat intake, clearly you want to consume less dairy (I hope that was obvious).

This is a great website that explains about the benefits of certain foods. Take a look.

healthcastle.com

What gives you what?

Here is a pretty extensive list that I found . Hope it helps you to eat a more comprehensive diet.

Vegetarian Network Victoria – Complete Nutrient Summary