Tag Archives: Vitamin K

Why NASA Is Recommending These Five Foods

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When NASA sends its first manned mission to Mars, it’s going to have to be careful about the foods it chooses for the astronauts to eat on their long journey. Space aboard the ship will be at a premium and there will be no food waiting for the astronauts once they land on Mars. So, which healthy foods will be part of the astronauts’ daily diet? NASA officials have narrowed it down to Continue reading →

Prescription Drugs Cause Nutrient Depletion

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Many people do not realize that the medications they take on a daily basis can negatively affect the amount of nutrients stored in the body. Numerous drugs actually deplete specific vitamins and minerals, causing a whole host of additional problems. Being aware of what is being depleted by the prescription you are taking can help you to choose what to supplement with. Vitamins and minerals are vital for the everyday cellular processes in your body; inadequate amounts may lead to decreased immunity, digestive issues and much more. Continue reading →

Avoid Costly Dental Bills with Natural Remedies

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Weary of expensive dental work? Try a few simple home treatments that help strengthen teeth and gums naturally. With the application of specific dietary and herbal recommendations, loose and decaying teeth are fortified and healed. By practicing purposeful oral hygiene with a few basic ingredients, worrisome dental problems can be economically resolved.

Dietary choices for strong teeth Continue reading →

Spice Cabinet Staple Could Fight Inflammation

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Black pepper is probably the most common culinary spice in the world. Pepper, either ground or as whole peppercorns, is found in cuisines across the globe and has a centuries-long history of use and cultivation.

If you’re like millions of other people, you probably consume pepper in your food every day, without realizing that it is also an important medicinal spice. Pepper can be used Continue reading →

The Most Important Vitamins as You Age

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Nutritional deficiencies are quite common among older adults. Getting improper nutrition for less than one year can lead to full-fledged deficiencies in vitamins B and C. More than a year spent not getting proper nutrition would result in deficiencies in vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as B12. The more frequent chronic illnesses and medication use further compromise the nutritional status in older individuals. One study found that there was a high number of vitamin deficiencies found even among those who claimed to be taking multivitamin supplements on a daily basis.

Here are the main vitamins all adults, particularly older adults, must consider on a daily basis. Continue reading →

Gluten Weakens Bones

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Years ago, a bread company boasted that its product “builds strong bodies 12 ways.” But if you’ve got a gluten problem, bread may actually be destroying your body, not building it. In particular, it may be weakening your bones. And unless you stop eating gluten-containing foods (made from wheat, barley and rye), the deconstruction of your bones may continue until you suffer debilitating osteoporosis.

Looking back on my own experience with celiac (an autoimmune reaction to gluten), I can remember several medical misfortunes that should have indicated to an alert healthcare practitioner that I was suffering a health problem that needed investigation. For example, in elementary school, while playing baseball, I broke a bone in my hand while fielding a relatively slow ground ball. Continue reading →

More about the Truth on Bariatric Surgery You Must Know

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Since bariatric surgery bypasses the sites where vitamins, minerals, and trace metals are absorbed, this can clearly lead to deficiencies of certain nutrients. This article is about what the three surgeries do to five essential nutrients.

“Biliopancreatic Diversion” (BPD) surgery commonly causes deficiencies in vitamin B12, folate and iron. It less commonly does the same for vitamin D and calcium.

“Short Limb Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass” (RYGB) surgery commonly causes deficiencies in vitamin B12 and iron. It less commonly does the same for vitamin D, folate and calcium. Continue reading →

Seaweed Shown To Promote Cardiovascular Health

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Americans don’t typically consider seaweed to be a part of everyday meals, but research suggests that it may be a good idea for them to change their mind-set.

A team of scientists at Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority and Memorial University, Newfoundland, reports that seaweed is commonly used in cosmetics and other skin treatments, but that the marine plant is in rich healthy compounds, so people should consider eating more of it.

“Seaweeds are a known source of essential fatty acids, which are thought to reduce thrombosis and atherosclerosis — factors important in the reduction of the risk of heart disease,” said researcher Maria Hayes, Ph.D. Continue reading →

The Inside Scoop on Vitamin K

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This is an introduction to vitamin K, which is closely connected to blood’s capacity to clot.

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin discovered in the early 1930s by a Danish biochemist, Henrik Dam, who won the Nobel Prize 13 years later. The letter “K” comes from the German word “koagulation,” which has to do with blood clotting.

The vitamin consists of many different but related chemicals. Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and vitamin K2 (menaquinone) are the two natural forms. Both are found in a variety of foods,

Vitamin K is essential for the key proteins in our bodies, including some that are critical Continue reading →

Four “Thieves” that Are Stealing Nutrients from Your Body

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Your natural health requires a constant intake of essential nutrients. It’s no health secret that eating nutrient-rich, fresh foods is a vital way to stay healthy.

Did you know that nutrients can just disappear? Certain things can either strip food of its nutritional value or deplete your body’s supply of any number of essential vitamins and minerals. This information is important when you are shelling out money for supplements to boost your nutrient levels, or if you have made significant dietary changes in order to get the most out of your food.

It’s difficult to generalize and give an overall list of the things that cause you to lose nutrients. This is because many different factors will deplete certain minerals and specific vitamins, Continue reading →

Chlorine-Free Pool and Spa Care – Ensure the Health of your Family

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Private pools and spas have become a normal part of life for many individuals, especially those living in the warmer states. Pool care, then, has also become an important topic for many homeowners, as finding natural pool and spa treatments has been a challenge for many consumers. Chlorine-based products have become staples in the pool and spa care industry, but the fact remains that the use of this chemical raises questions about its safety. Chlorine-free pool and spa care products have been developed relatively recently, but the question as to whether or not they are better for your family’s health is one that should be considered more thoroughly.

Chlorine is a chemical that, like other chemicals, can have adverse effects on the body if encountered frequently or in large quantities. For many pool and spa owners, both of these cases apply. Continue reading →

Vitamin K Can Prevent Arterial Hardening and Cognitive Decline

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Vitamin K is a critical nutrient widely known for its ability to promote normal blood clotting. A wealth of new information demonstrates that this vitamin in its multiple forms can provide a powerful anti-inflammatory shield to protect against many lethal diseases of aging. Writing in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers show that vitamin K works with other fat-soluble nutrients to protect the brain from arterial calcification that leads to a stroke or cognitive decline. Vitamin K works to prevent the deposition of calcium within arterial walls and ushers the mineral toward the normal construction of bone throughout the body. The research provides proof that eating a healthy diet to maintain adequate stores of vitamin K over a lifetime can help prevent arterial hardening, atherosclerosis and cognitive decline.

To determine the effect of vitamin K on cognitive function, researchers studied three groups of mice that were broken into different levels (low, adequate, or high) of vitamin K supplementation in their diet over the course of their lifetime. Vitamin K is a fat soluble nutrient that can easily cross the blood-brain barrier to provide antioxidant support to a critical organ Continue reading →

Prepare a Mother Nature-First Aid Kit this Summer

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Who can resist summer`s siren call, beckoning us to the great outdoors? When you commune with Mother Nature, you may encounter more on your outings than expected. From angry insect stings to a sunburned skin, it is a good idea to BE prepared.

Bruises are the result of life and are not life threatening, but they are not very attractive either. Here are some ways to minimize this common occurrence.

First, apply an ice pack to the area for thirty to sixty minutes. Afterward, soak a gauze or cotton pad in witch hazel, and then apply witch hazel to the area.

Daily doses of vitamin C with bioflavonoid  Continue reading →

Consuming High Levels of Minerals and Vitamins Prevent Age Related Diseases

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Most people who live in developed nations like the United States assume they get plenty of the necessary vitamins and minerals as part of their normal diets, and that they do not need to take vitamin supplements. But a new study published online in the FASEB Journal suggests otherwise, explaining that even moderate nutrient deficiencies, which afflict many unwitting individuals, are responsible for causing age-related diseases including cancer and heart disease.

For the study, Dr. Joyce C. McCann, co-author from the Nutrition and Metabolism Center at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute in California, and her team evaluated certain nutrient-dependent proteins to see how the body managed related nutrient deficiencies. Upon conducting tests using Continue reading →

Introducing – Vitamin K

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Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in blood clotting. The body can store fat-soluble vitamins in fatty tissue.

Viatmin K is known as the clotting vitamin, because without it blood would not clot. Some studies indicate that it helps in maintaining strong bones in the elderly.

Food Sources

Vitamin K is found in cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, cereals, soybeans, and other vegetables. Vitamin K is also made by the bacteria that line the gastrointestinal tract.

Side Effects

Vitamin K deficiency is very rare. It occurs when the body can’t properly absorb the vitamin from the intestinal tract. Vitamin K deficiency can also occur after long-term treatment with antibiotics.

 

Individuals with vitamin K deficiency are usually more likely to have bruising and bleeding.

Recommendations

Specific recommendations depend on age, gender, and other factors (such as pregnancy). The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from the food guide pyramid.

The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine recommends the following dietary intake for vitamin K:

Infants

    * 0 – 6 months: 2.0 micrograms per day (mcg/day)

    * 7 – 12 months: 2.5 mcg/day

Children

    * 1 – 3 years: 30 mcg/day

    * 4 – 8 years: 55 mcg/day

    * 9 – 13 years: 60 mcg/day

Adolescents and Adults

    * Males and females age 14 – 18: 75 mcg/day

    * Males and females age 19 and older: 90 mcg/day

 

If you take warfarin (a blood thinner), you should know that vitamin K or foods containing vitamin K can affect how the drug works. Ask your health care provider how much vitamin K or vitamin K-containing foods you should consume.