From the category archives:

Healthy Eating

How Should a Vegetarian Take Zinc

Castanhas de caju / Cashew nuts
Creative Commons License photo credit: Márcio Cabral de Moura

Zinc is an important body mineral that contributes in most bodily functions. A body system that lacks zincs would mean poor night vision, decrease, in sense of taste, and wound-healing. Fight zinc deficiency and you will have a youthful skin glow and you will definitely strengthen your body’s immune system, not to mention strong resistance against infection.

Without zinc, the body can’t function normally. Cell division and growth are hindered. The vitality of zinc in the body is important in body functions such as DNA synthesis, insulin activity, metabolism process of the testes and ovaries, liver functions, and more. It also aids in the processes of metabolizing carbohydrates, lipids, energy, and proteins.
Due to unspecified sites of zinc storage, the body needs a diet that requires a sufficient amount of zinc.

However, it can be pointed out that the muscle has 60% zinc the bone has 30% and the skin 5%. But, there is a high concentration in the semen, including the prostate gland and this accentuates the fact that women need zinc but not as much as men need. If a man is sexually active, he tends to lose zinc more.

Zinc Deficiency

There are physical manifestations of lack of zinc in the body. The poor immune system is one and the impairment of taste is another. Zinc deficiency also causes hair loss, fatique, lower growth rate of mental development, and delayed wound healing. The body should have enough zinc supplements to fight skin conditions like eczema, acne, anorexia nervosa, prostate problems and more.
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Tips on How to Include Vitamin B12 in a Vegetarian Diet

Tempeh Sammich
Creative Commons License photo credit: norwichnuts

A balanced diet is essential for everyone. In the same way, vegan or not, vitamin B12 is crucial to your good health. That is why you should make sure that you get sufficient vitamin B12 daily. To make yourself committed on taking sufficient vitamin B12 though, it would be better to understand how important vitamin B12 is to your body.

Vitamin B12 and How the Body Absorb and Use It

Vitamin B12 is essential for turning carbohydrates, proteins and fats into usable energy. It’s also responsible for keeping red blood cells healthy. And when vitamin B12 is functioning at its optimal level, it helps you boost your immune system.

Among these uses the most important is the ability of vitamin B12 to form red blood cells and to keep them healthy. In turn, white blood cells need vitamin B12 too to maintain a healthy immune system.

Vitamin B12 is also essential in forming protective fatty layers in the nerves. What’s even more important is it also forms a protective layer around the brain. With sufficient vitamin B12 you provide your brain this protective layer. Again this is essential because without this protective layer the brain will not be able to function properly.
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Tips on How to Incorporate Vitamin D into Your Vegetarian Diet

July 31, 2010

photo credit: monojussi People basically go vegetarian to be healthy. And so it is quite imperative that you eat a balanced diet. This means you that you don’t only have to consume all types of vitamins and minerals that you body needs. But you should also consume the correct amounts of each. Vitamin D, Your [...]

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