Amazing Power of Amino Acids
In 1838, a Dutch chemist, G.J. Mulder, described a certain organic material as “unqestionably
the most important of all known substances in the organic kingdom. Without it, no life appears
possible on our planet. Through its means the chief phenomena of life are produced. ” This
complex nitrogen-bearing substance was called protein from the Greek word meaning ” take the
first place.” Protein in now a group name signifying the principal nitrogenous constituents of the
protoplasm of all plant and animal tissues.
Proteins are extremely complex organic compounds of the elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,
nitrogen, and,with some exceptions, sulphur. Most proteins also contain phosphorous, and some
specialised proteins contain iron, iodine, copper and other inorganic elements. The presence of
nitrogen distinguishes proteins from carbohydrates and fats.
Proteins are thus vital substances, which form important constituent of muscles, tissues, and the
blood. Proteins supply the building material for the body and make good the wear and tear of
tissues. Several substances concerned with vital life processes such as enzymes, which help in
digestion of food, are chiefly protein in nature.
There are several varieties of protein. Each type contains a specific number of “building blocks ”
known as amino-acids. Before they can be absorbed by the body, all proteins must first be
broken down into amino-acids. When food stuffs are ingested, the nutrients and amino-acids do
not immediately diffuse into all the different tissues. There are a series of biochemical reactions
in the digestive tract which collect these proteins, break them down and then utilise them as
needed. Any interference with the normal digestive process causes in-complete protein digestion
resulting in gas, bloating etc.
There are about 22 amino acids needed for the normal functioning of the body. The body can
manufacture many amino acids if it has no adequate nitrogen source, but it cannot produce
certain others in sufficient amounts to meet its needs. The amino acids that the body cannot
synthesis is in adequate amounts are called essential or indispensable because they must be
supplied by the diet in proper proportions and amounts to meet the requirements for
maintenance of growth of tNon-essential or dispensable amino acids are those thatissue. the
body can synthesize in sufficient amounts to meet its needs if the total amount of nitrogen
supplied by protein is adequate.

Classification of Amino Acids with respect to their essentiality
Essential  Nonessential
Histidine* Alanine
Isoleucine Arginine
Leucine Asparagine
Lysine Aspartic acid
Methionine Cysteine
Phenylalanine Cystine
Theronine Glutamic acid
Trypophan Glutamine
Valine Glycine
Hydroxyproline
Proline
Serine
Tyrosine
 

Factors in addition to the age, sex and physiological condition of an individual influence the
requirements for specific amino acids. If total protein intake is low, small surpluses of certain
amino acids can increase the need for others. The non-essential amino acids in protein also
affect the quality of protein. For example, the amount of sulphur – containing essential amino
acid methionine required may be somewhat reduced if cystine, a sulphur-containing nonessential
amino acid,is supplied in the diet. Likewise, the presence in the diet of tyrosine, a
non-essential amino acid similar in structure to phenylalanine, may reduce the requirement for
phenylalanine.

Much research has been done on amino acids in recent times and this has paved the way for
dramatic treatment and cure of different problems by their judicious use. They are now dubbed
as ” the nutrients of the 80’s” and “medical foods”.
The various functions of the essential and frequently investigated non-essential amino acids,
their deficiency symptoms and their therapeutic uses are discussed below :

TRYPTOPHAN
Of all the essential amino acids , tryptophan is the one that is most investigated by nutrition
researchers. It is essential to blood clotting, digestive juices and the optic system. It induces
sleep and quietens the nervous system. It wards off signs of premature old age – cataracts of the
eyes, baldness, deterioration of sex glands and malformation of teeth enamel. It is also
necessary to the female reproductive organs and for proper utilisation of vitamin A by the body.
Major sources of this amino acids are nuts, and most vegetables. Lack of tryptophan causes
symptoms similar to those of vitamin A deficiency.
A number of scientists feel that it can be used as a safe and effective food remedy for insomnia
and pain. Under experimental conditions, tryptophan in doses of one gram or more has been
shown to be most effective for persons who suffer from mild insomnia and for those who take a
long time to fall asleep. Tryptophan may also be a natural painkiller. Researches at Temple
University in Philadelphia have indicated that it worked without causing the side effects
associated with other anesthesia or analgesics.
Tryptophan as a food medicine should be taken between meals with a low protein food such as
fruit juice or bread . One to three grams a day seems to be the range favoured by most
researchers.

METHIONINE
This is a vital sulphur -bearing compound which helps dissolve cholesterol and assimilates fat. It
is required by haemoglobin, the pancreas , the lymph and the spleen. It is necessary to maintain
normal body weight and also helps maintain the proper nitrogen balance in the body. Rich
sources of methionine are Brazil nut, Hazal nut, and other nuts. It is also found in Brussel
sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, pineapples and apples. Its deficiency can lead to chronic
rheumatic fever in children, hardening of the liver (cirrhosis) and nephritis of the kidneys. Studies
show that methionine and chorine prevent tumours and proliferation.

LYSINE
Lysine inhibits viruses. Its use along with vitamin C, zinc and vitamin A helps eliminate virus
infections. Vitamin C protects this amino acid while in the body so that lysine plus vitamin C has
a much stronger anti-virus effect than if either is used seperately. Lysine also influences the
female reproductive cycle. Lack of adequate lysine in the diet may cause headaches, dizziness,
nausea and incipient anaemia. The main sources of this amino acid are most kinds of nuts,
seeds, vegetables and sub-acid fruits. Lysine upsets in the body have also been associated with
pneumonia, nephrosis and acidosis as well as malnutrition and rickets in children.
It is considered a natural remedy for cold, sores, shingles and genital herpes. In a study
published in 1983, a group of researchers polled over 1,500 people whose daily intake of lysine
was over 900 mg. 88 per cent said that lysine seemed to reduce the severity of their attacks of
herpes virus and accelerated the healing time. These results have, however, been disputes by
some scientists.

VALINE
Valine is an essential body growth factor, particularly for mammary glands and ovaries. Valine is
directly linked with the nervous system. It is essential for the prevention of nervous and digestive
disorders. Major sources are almonds, apples and most vegetables. Lack of this amino acid
makes a person sensitive to touch and sound.

ISOLEUCINE
This amino acid is essential for maintaining the nitrogen balance vital to all body functions. It
also regulates metabolism of the thymus, spleen and pituitary glands. Rich sources are
sunflower seeds, all nuts, except cashew nuts, avacados and olives.

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Almost any rose variety will produce hips but the ranger informed me that the Rosa rugosa formed the tastiest variety if you planned on eating them. Further research confirmed that Rosa rugosa is the bush of choice for tasty rose hips.

Why Eat Rose Hips?

Probably the best reason to eat or drink rose hips is the incredible source of vitamin C that it provides. Studies have shown vitamin C to be helpful with fighting infection, colds/flu, sore throat, fatigue and stress to name a few. Hips provide almost 20 times the amount of vitamin C found in Oranges.

How do I Grow Rose Hips?

As I have mentioned, there seams to be a consensus that Rosa rugosa is the best plant to use for growing rose hips. Let the blooms die on the bush (resist the temptation to cut the beautiful blooms, the more you cut the less hips you will produce) and the hips will begin to form. They will start out green and begin to turn red similar to the way a tomato ripens. Harvest them when they become completely red but not overripe, this usually occurs after the first frost.

Preparing the Hips

You can use rose hips either fresh off the vine, dried, or preserved. To dry the fruit spread the hips out on a clean surface. Allow them to dry until the skin begins to feel dry and slightly shriveled. At this point, split the hips in half and take out all of the seeds and tiny hairs in the center. Remember not to use aluminum pans or utensils as this will destroy some of the vitamin C.

After the seeds are removed you can let the hips dry completely. Don’t wait to remove the seeds until hips are completely dry or you will have trouble with de-seeding.

Store the dried hips in sealed plastic bags. Freeze for long term use or put in the refrigerator if you plan on using over a two or three month period. Hips can be eaten as a semi-sweet snack at anytime. You can also make tea and preserves; I have listed two recipes below to get you started.

What about Supplements?

Rose hip supplements are available at most health food and vitamin stores. For me, the fun is in making your own hips. If you just want vitamin C there isn’t really a whole lot of difference between taking regular vitamin C supplement and vitamin C with rose hips (except the price, hips will cost a bit more).

Recipes

If you are fortunate enough to have roses at your home, here are some recipes you might want to try:

Hip Tea Recipe

Place 4-6 hips (prepared as noted above) in the bottom of a non-aluminum pan

Add 2 cups of cool water

Allow water to come to a boil

Let simmer for about 30 minutes (less if you like a weaker tea)

Strain and add sweetener to taste

Hip Marmalade

Prepare hips as noted above and soak in cool water for several hours

Bring hips soaking in water to a boil for about 20 minutes

Strain out water

Add one cup of brown sugar or granulated sugar per one cup of the strained water

Boil the sweetened water until it becomes thick and syrupy

Add the previously boiled hips and continue boiling until hips are tender

Pour into jars and seal

Enjoy!!

Natural vitamins are those organic food substances which are found only in plants and animals, i.e., living things. The body is not able to synthesize or manufacture vitamins (although there are a few exceptions to this). Because of this, they must be supplied either directly in the diet, or by way of dietary supplements. Vitamins are vital if our body is to function normally. They are absolutely necessary for our growth, general-well being and vitality.
Vitamins cannot be assimilated without ingesting food. This is why it is suggested that vitamins must be taken with a meal. They help to regulate the body’s metabolism, assist in forming the bone and tissue, and help convert fat and carbohydrates. However, one must remember that vitamins cannot replace food.

We shall now look at the importance of each of the vitamins by turn.

Vitamin A

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B12

Niacinamide

Panthothenic Acid

Biotin

Folic Acid

Inositol

Choline

Para Amino Benzoic Acid

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

For more information on vitamins, visit: www.vitaminsdiary.com/vitamins.htm

Author Bio
Olivia Harding for http://www.vitaminsdiary.com. Descriptions and information on various vitamins, amino acids (www.vitaminsdiary.com/amino-acids.htm), minerals, herbs (www.vitaminsdiary.com/herbs.htm) and nutritional supplements (www.vitaminsdiary.com/nutrients.htm) and their possible uses.

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Iron and Dementia
In the US iron deficiency has been found to be a major problem in people of all ages. Everyone knows the lack of iron causes anemia. Iron is the center of our red blood cells, which allow oxygen to be carried throughout your body and into your brain. Your brain uses over 20% of the oxygen available in the blood. Lack of oxygen has a major impact on your brain’s health and in the formation of dementia.

When a person is deficient in iron, they may have difficulty in keeping a conversation or in keeping a good attention span.

The actual ability to absorb iron into your body is dependent on the amount of acid you have in your stomach. If you have acid reflux or heartburn and are using drugs or antacids to get relief, you are affecting your ability to absorb iron.

To absorb iron, the pH in your stomach has to be normal, 1 – 2 pH. Under these conditions, iron in your stomach chemically reacts with other chemicals and is prepared for absorption in the small intestine.

When you take drugs to reduce the acid in your stomach, the iron does not chemically react and change for proper absorption in the intestine. The result is iron deficiency.

Here are some of the best foods that have iron.
Fried liver, fried kidney, fried chicken liver, wheat bran, ovaltine, coco powder, spinach, parsley, radishes, peas, leeks, carob bar, sesame seeds, pistachio nuts, dried coconut, cashew nuts, muesli, cornflakes, oatmeal, brown rice, total cereal, baked potato. Use 25 to 50 mg of iron supplement daily. If you take iron supplements check with your doctor to see if you really need them. Take excessive iron can result in poisoning. Keep iron supplements away from children.

B-Vitamin
The B-vitamin folic acid and B12 have also been a major problem in the US. B12 has been consistently found deficient in people with Alzheimer’s. Folic acid and B12 have been found to improve mental health in people who were in metal institutions.

Folic acid and B12 work to produce neurotransmitters and replace nerve cells. The lack of neurotransmitters is responsible for loss of a good memory.

To make sure B vitamins work for you in keeping your mental capacities in tack start making sure you are getting them in your diet or taking them as a supplement. If supplementing, use the B50 or B100 complex.

It appears that after a certain age B12 will not help in alleviating mental changes or problems.

Here are some the best foods that have B vitamins.

It is always best to get your minerals and vitamins in food. In food, minerals and vitamins are combined with other chemicals that allow your body to absorb them better than supplements.

Author Bio
Rudy Silva is a Natural Nutritionist. To learn more about the other nutrients you need to hold off signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s go to www.for–you.com/dementiaremedies

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It would be nice if our diets were always 100% nutritionally balanced and full of all the vitamins and minerals that we need in order to be healthy wouldn’t it? But most of the time they’re not. Most people eat out at least three nights a week, and don’t eat very well the rest of the time.

Some people don’t eat as well as they should because they are pressed for time and it’s faster to get restaurant food when they’re out running around. Some people don’t eat as well as they should because they don’t really know how to eat in a more healthy way. Regardless of the reasons that people don’t eat a balanced diet each day the end result that is people need to take vitamins and minerals in daily supplements to help balance out their poor diets.

Most people would say that they take at least one vitamin each day. Some people take many more than that. Experts recommend different vitamins and supplements in different amounts to do everything from improve day to-day health to cure disease. It can be very confusing to know which vitamins and supplements you should be taking and which ones you shouldn’t take.

If you’re taking prescription medication then there are supplements that you shouldn’t take because they will interfere with the effectiveness of the medication that you’re taking. There are also some vitamins that can be harmful if you take too much of them. So how are you supposed to make sense out of nutrition and know which vitamins and supplements you should take and which ones you shouldn’t?

The information provided here should give you what you need to get a basic understanding of what vitamins and supplements do and which ones you really need to take in order to balance your diet, look younger, and accomplish other goals. Since it’s just not possible to eat a balanced diet all the time, knowing which vitamins and supplements you can take to help make up for the times when you can’t eat a balanced meal will help you give your body all the tools that it needs to stay healthy.

Supplements Guide

“WHY DO WE NEED VITAMINS?”

The word “Vitamin” means necessary for life. Vitamins are substances your body needs in small but regular amounts for normal growth, function and health.

Together, vitamins and minerals are called micronutrients. Your body can’t make most micronutrients, so you must get them from the foods you eat or, in some cases, from supplements.

Vitamins are needed for a variety of biological processes, among them growth, digestion, mental alertness and resistance to infection. They also aid your body in the use of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and they act as catalysts initiating or speeding up chemical reactions.

Though vitamins are involved in converting food into energy, they supply no calories.

Whole foods are your best sources of vitamins. They have three important advantages over supplements:

Whole foods are complex. They contain a variety of the micronutrients your body needs rather than one. An orange, for example, provides vitamin C but also beta carotene, calcium and other nutrients. A vitamin C supplement lacks these other micronutrients.

Whole foods also provide dietary fiber. Fiber is essential for digestion and can help prevent certain diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disorder. Adequate fiber intake can also aid in the prevention of constipation.

Whole foods contain other substances that appear to be important for good health. Fruits and vegetables, for example, contain naturally occurring food substances called phytochemicals, which may help protect you against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Many foods are also good sources of antioxidants (substances that slow down oxidation, a natural process that leads to cell and tissue damage). If you depend on supplements rather than eating a variety of whole foods, you miss the potential benefits of these substances.

“WHO NEEDS VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS?”

Many people don’t receive all of the nutrients they need from their diet because they either can’t or don’t eat enough, or they can’t or don’t eat a variety of healthy foods.

I have heard that it is easier for most people to change their politics or religion than to change the way they eat.

For some people, including those on restrictive diets, multi-vitamin-mineral supplements can provide vitamins and minerals that their diets often don’t. Pregnant women and older adults have altered nutrient needs and may also benefit from a supplement.

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) is commonly supplemented in large doses to reduce oil production and help rid your skin of acne. It works like Accutane, in the sense that it reduces oil production. Vitamin B5, however, works by helping your body to metabolize the fats in your body that later turn into sebum. Accutane actually shrinks the oil glands to block the oil from coming through to your face. Since vitamin B5 addresses the underlying problem, it is, in fact, the more efficient solution.

During your natural metabolism process, your body uses coenzyme-A to break down fats. When your body lacks enough coenzyme-A, not all of the bodies fats can be broken down, and your body has to get rid of them some how, so they are ejected through your oil glands on your skin in the form of sebum (oil). By creating more coenzyme-A, these extra fats can be broken down with the rest, and oil production will be greatly reduced.

Coenzyme-A is made up of three things: Cysteine, ATP and Pantothenic Acid. Your body takes care of cysteine and ATP by producing it by itself, so vitamin B5 is the only thing that you have to take in through food. By taking vitamin B5 supplements, more coenzyme-A is produced, fats are broken down better, and less oil ends up on your skin. Without too much oil on your face, when a pore gets clogged, the p. acnes bacteria will have nothing to feed upon and can’t thrive to cause acne in the first place.

Intensive treatments with vitamin B5 works to clear acne for more than 90% of the people who take it, it’s a very effective medication. Since it’s all natural and water soluble, it’s much safer than Accutane, which only works for 70%-80% of the people who take it. It’s also more efficient than Accutane, because it eliminates the problem, instead of covering it up by shrinking the glands and trapping the fats inside the body.
To address a vitamin B5 deficiency, you have to take large amounts of it, up to around 12 grams of pantothenic acid powder per day. Always divide the doses into 4 times per day, spreading them out as much as possible. The only known side effect of pantothenic acid is stomach complaints which can be avoided by drinking a big glass of water when taking the supplement. The only other thing to watch out for is that pantothenic acid can deplete your body of other B vitamins, so a B-50 complex should be taken with it.

Since vitamin B5 has to be taken in large doses to see results, that means you can forget trying to get enough by eating foods high in it, or through a multivitamin or B vitamin complex. You can even forget about taking pantothenic acid pills, since that means you would have to take 20+ pills every day. There’s only really one reasonable way to take the amount of vitamin B5 you will need to treat acne, which is pantothenic acid powder.

Pantothenic acid pills can’t be found in most stores, much less the powder form of it. Some health food stores might have it. You might be able to talk to someone at your local store and have them order it for you, though it’s usually marked up quite a bit. The easiest and cheapest way to get pantothenic acid powder is to just order it online. A Google search will uncover many websites, such as Amazon.com, which sell pantothenic acid powder at a great price.

 
Historically, the B vitamins were once thought to be a single vitamin, referred to as vitamin B (much like how people refer to vitamin C or vitamin D). The vitamin B family consists of 8 chemically distinct B vitamins that often coexist in the same foods.  B Vitamins help us use energy. B vitamins are all required for different stages of the process whereby energy is released from the food we eat every day. The vitamins that make up the B Family are Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Pantothenic Acid (B5), Pyridoxine (B6), Biotin (B7), Folic Acid (B9), Cyanocobalamin (B12)

.
All B vitamins are water soluble, and are dispersed throughout the body. Most of the B vitamins must be replenished daily, since any excess is excreted in the urine. All of the B vitamins are important, but people will often use specific B vitamins for their unique properties. For example, vitamin B12 (the focus of this article) can benefit vegetarians who may be deficient in this nutrient.

Vitamin B12 is also known as the “red vitamin” and its primary functions are in the formation of red blood cells and the maintenence of a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B12 is necessary for the rapid synthesis of DNA during cell division. This is especially important in tissues where cells are dividing rapidly, particularly the bone marrow tissues responsible for red blood cell formation. If vitamin B12 deficiency occurs, DNA production is disrupted and abnormal cells called megaloblasts occur and can result in anaemia.

Symptoms include excessive tiredness, breathlessness, listlessness, pallor, and poor resistance to infection. Other symptoms can include a smooth, sore tongue and menstrual disorders. Anaemia may also be due to folic acid deficiency, folic acid also being necessary for DNA synthesis. Vitamin B12 is also important in maintaining the nervous system and plays an important role in concentration, balance and memory.. Nerves are surrounded by an insulating fatty sheath comprised of a complex protein called myelin. Vitamin B12 plays a vital role in the metabolism of fatty acids essential for the maintainence of myelin. Prolonged vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to nerve degeneration and irreversible neurological damage.

Vitamin B12 is hard to digest so we need to ingest much higher amounts than the RDA in order to absorb enough. Vitamin B12 is found only in animal foods, so a supplement may be needed to aquire the RDA. Because vitamin B12 is stored in the liver, kidneys and other body tissues. Most people, apart from vegans, have a three to five year supply in their bodies. For this reason  it may take years of a vitamin B12 deprived diet to show signs of vitamin B12.

Initial symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency can include Dizziness and Shortness of breath, Fatigue,
Mild depression, irritability and confusion. If left untreated Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause progressive damage to the nervous system, especially the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. When the spinal cord is involved, the first symptoms include difficulty in feeling vibrations in the feet, loss of position sense, and loss of muscle co-ordination (ataxia). As a general rule, most individuals who develop a vitamin B12 deficiency have an underlying stomach or intestinal disorder that limits the absorption of vitamin B12 [10]. Sometimes the only symptom of these intestinal disorders is subtly reduced cognitive function resulting from early vitamin B12 deficiency.

It is important to note that vitamin B12 supplements can be destroyed if taken within an hour of large amounts of vitamin C. Absorption can also be impaired by deficiencies in folic acid, iron or vitamin While adverse effects resulting from taking vitamin B12 supplements are extremely rare, side effects may include swelling, itching, and shock. Very high doses of vitamin B12 may sometimes cause acne. Other uncommon side effects include skin rash, hot flushes, nausea, dizziness and cardiac arrhythmias.
Use of nicotine or excessive alcohol can also deplete vitamin B12. Improved absorption of vitamin B12 occurs when it is taken with other B vitamins or calcium. Some medications may also cause an increased use or decreased absorption of vitamin B12 (eg corticosteroids, oral contraceptives, colchicine, proton pump inhibitors).