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B12 DEFICIENCY (Pernicious Anemia)WHAT DOES IT MEAN? WHAT'S CAUSING IT? WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Written by John Immel,
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Written by John Immel,
Are you prone to a problem with 'B12 Deficiency'?
The body stores between 2-5mg of vitamin B12, about 3-5 years worth. Most of this vitamin B12 is stored in the liver (approx 50%). Some vitamin B12 is secreted by the liver each day in bile, and then reabsorbed in the small intestines. Approximately .1% of vitamin B12 is lost each day through malabsorption. Pregnancy can deplete vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes pernicious anemia mainly due to inability to synthesize DNA. Historically, the disorder was called 'pernicious' because a diagnosis was often fatal. In modern times, the disease is often diagnosed before the illness develops. Vitamin B12 deficiency also damages nerves, leading to absent reflexes, diminished touch sensation, dementia, depression and other neural degenerative disorders. You may also experience fatigue, depression and poor memory. Sources of Vitamin B12All Vitamin B12 is manufactured by bacteria, making yogurt, sauerkraut and other fermented foods good sources of vitamin B12. However, the highest concentrations or dietary vitamin B12 is normally found in animal based food products, especially liver, meat and fish. Higher concentrations, to a lesser degree, are found in eggs and dairy.B12 Deficiency & VegetariansB12 deficiency was as high as 92% in vegans according to one German study. Roughly 2/3's of vegetarians are B12 deficient, and only 5% of meat eaters. Children of vegetarians are particularly at risk, since they store less of the vitamin.Stomach Disorders & Vitamin B12 Maldigestion Stomach acids and pepsin free vitamin B12 bound to proteins, making it available for use. Antacids block this process, and may be a leading cause of B12 deficiency among carniverous adults.
Free vitamin B12 is then bound to haptocorrin secreted in saliva and the stomach. In the less acidic environment of the small intestine, pancreatic proteases degrade haptocorrin. Vitamin B12 then binds to intrinsic factor, produced in the stomach. Atrophic gastritis, auto-immune disorders, gastric bypass surgery, and other stomach disorders can affect the stomach's ability to produce acids, pepsin, and intrinsic factor. In patients with pancreatic insufficiency, enzyme deficiency may fail to liberate vitamin B12 from haptocorrin, and prevent B12 from binding with intrinsic factor. Vitamin B12 MalabsorptionFinally, brush border receptors for intrinsic factor absorb vitamin B12 in the terminal ileum. Diseases affecting absorption in the terminal ileum such Crohn's & Short Bowel Syndrome reduce absorption of vitamin B12. Alcohol can interfere with vitamin b12 absorption.Disclaimer: Conditions such as 'B12 Deficiency' that cause tissue changes could be serious and should be checked by a medical doctor.
WHAT HAS HELPED YOU HEAL?DIET REMEDIES FOR 'B12 DEFICIENCY'PRODUCT REMEDIES FOR 'B12 DEFICIENCY' FIND MORE BLOOD AND CIRCULATION RELATED PRODUCTS
See our herbs & products in these categories. Or, click here for general Blood and Circulation Tips.
DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body. HOW DOES AYURVEDA HEAL 'B12 DEFICIENCY'?
AVOID DIETS, LIFESTYLES & HERBS THAT AGGRAVATE THESE EFFECTS
With B12 Deficiency, one or more of the following
doshas
and qualities may be aggravated.
If you have an imbalance of one of these doshas or qualities, Ayurveda recommends avoiding foods and lifestyle habits that aggravate that quality and/or dosha.
These imbalanced doshas and qualities may need to be brought back into balance before this condition can be healed.
Click on the quality to learn what foods and
lifestyle habits should be avoided.
 Symptoms Tell A Story The first step to healing is learning patterns from your symptoms. Symptoms are clues that reveal underlying imbalances, showing you where your body is weak. Specifically, they reveal the doshas & qualities that may have become aggravated. If you notice a quality or dosha appears next to many of your symptoms, it helps you establish a pattern that may be systemic.V = VATA, P = PITTA, K = KAPHA 
To learn more about the symbols above, click on them. Are you prone to a problem with 'B12 Deficiency'?
FAVOR DIETS, LIFESTYLES & HERBS WITH THESE MEDICINAL EFFECTSEverything you eat has an effect on your body, which Ayurveda categorizes in a simple and easy way, using gunas. Gunas are qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the effect a food or herb has on your body. Cooling foods like cucumber, decrease metabolism. Heating foods like chili pepper, stimulate your body and increase metabolism. For 'B12 Deficiency', you should select foods with the following qualities (gunas). Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance.
To learn more about the symbols above, click on them. ADDRESS ISSUES IN STAGE OF DISEASE 3B12 DEFICIENCY IS IN STAGE OF DISEASE 3 - ATTACKING TISSUEIf you have symptoms in this category it means that your imbalances are becoming stronger and weakening your body's resistance. Most people have a weakness in one or more organs. These areas of weakness are the 'weak link in the chain.' They are first to succumb when an imbalance reaches a tipping point. Repairing imbalances in this category often represent your last opportunity to prevent disease. At any moment, these imbalances could overwhelm weakened tissue and develop into a disease. You may feel pain or discomfort in the weakened area. At this stage you will need to support the weakened tissue with specialized foods and herbs for the weakened tissue. REDUCE THESE RELATED SYMPTOMS & HABITSThe following symptoms & habits may be related to 'B12 Deficiency'. See your quiz results for a computerized assessment of your body type. Please click on the symptoms below to learn more about them.
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HOW AYURVEDA WORKS
ARE YOU WONDERING HOW AYURVEDA CAN HELP YOU?
WHY IS AYURVEDA THE RIGHT SOLUTION?Ayurveda strengthens the body, in addition to addressing the disorder. It take a holistic, systemic approach, instead of myopically focusing on the disorder in question. Ayurveda shows a person how to interpret signs and symptoms of imbalance, and how to address them using materials from home, so they can optimize their health on a continual basis. You can't take the doctor home with you, but you can take Ayurveda home with you. Ayurveda is the most advanced and easy to use home system for self healing with an exceptional focus on digestion.HOW DOES AYURVEDA WORK?Ayurveda starts by identifying your body type, which identifies certain tendencies in your body to get sick (as well as identifying your strengths). It uses body type to determine the likely root causes of your disorders. Next, Ayurveda analyzes the nature of your disorder. It fits all your signs and symptoms into a pattern, expressed as a combination of gunas / qualities. For example, you may have a heat disorder, a cold disorder, or an oily disorder, etc. This simple categorical approach shows you how to correct systemic imbalances and strengthen your body as a whole.On Joyful Belly, we've created an extensive categorization of food so you can easily match food to your imbalances (gunas). By eating an optimal diet that balances your gunas, your whole body is strengthened and the conditions that created the disorder are removed. Once the root causes of the disease are removed, the disease lessens in strength or disappears altogether. Additional remedies - such as herbs and lifestyle practices - focused on the specific disorder, can greatly enhance your healing. Want to learn more about Ayurveda and its step-by-step approach to healing? Click below.LEARN MOREGET STARTEDTo get started on your Ayurvedic journey, we first recommend that your find your body type by taking our free quiz. In Ayurveda, every solution is based on your unique body type, so by taking this quiz, you’ll get the best results.5 WAYS TO HEAL YOUR BODY
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About the Author John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda exudes a certain ease, which many find enjoyable and insightful. His online course Balance Your Ayurvedic Diet in a Week provides tools for gracefully healing with Ayurveda to thousands. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda , which specializes in digestive tract pathology & Ayurvedic nutrition. John and his wife Natalie recently published Explore Your Hunger: A Guide to Hunger, Appetite & Food.John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, including his public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well. Comments & Personal ExperiencesHow does 'b12 deficiency' affect your quality of life? What aggravates it? What has helped you? Is there something you'd like to know about 'b12 deficiency'?17 likes |
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