National Anemia Day – March 21

Vitamin B is for Belief

Few questions that we received From JUNE 17^th, 2023 article :

1.How do we take injections for Vitamin D?

a.Vitamin D injections should be taken only after a medical report with medical advice

2.Can you elaborate on calcium rich foods?

a.Dairy Foods, almonds, leafy green veges like spinach, kale, mustard, collard, seeds (like chia, poppy,sesame) celery, red millet – nachni, peas, green beans, figs (anjeer), and many more

What we spoke in the article on June 17th, 2023 – a Quick Snapshot

Monitor your Vitamin D levels through your blood reports and preferably take injections if other methods do not seem to work – but only on Medical Advice

Today we have a New Topic at Hand – Vitamin B12

Slowly we will look into how important role does this Vitamin play in our body and how to manage its appropriate levels

If we were not so dirt conscious, we would have adequate Vitamin B12 from soil, air, water, and bacteria. But we meticulously wash and peel our vegetables.

There are many Vitamins that exist and all are essential for health. All of them, we get abundantly from nature through foods and other mediums, however we are not in a position to absorb them. 2 of such Vitamins which we are unable to take in sufficient quantity are Vitamin D3 and Vitamin B12. Vitamin D3 – we have already spoken in the last 3 articles. Through this article we will now see how important is Vitamin B12 and what happens if we are deficient in it.

Vitamin B12 also called cobalmin, is a water-soluble vitamin and is involved in metabolism. It is important in various important functioning of our body like

1. the proper functioning of the nervous system,
2. fatty acid and amino acid metabolism
3. DNA synthesis
4. Maturation of Red Blood Cells in the bone marrow

So, if Vitamin B12 is deficient or in excess in our blood, we are likely to suffer symptoms related to the above processes which is maintained by appropriate levels of Vitamin B12.

In my regular practice, I have seen symptoms like Tingling Sensation in the legs, Anaemia, Metabolism Hampered in my clients, some symptoms occur due to

1. Deficient Vitamin B12 – less of haemoglobin and
2. Some due to Excess of Vitamin B12 – especially in those cases where my clients have been consuming Vitamin B complex capsules for ages without getting their blood reports done and their Vitamin B12 levels just rise above 2000 pg/ml, whereas the normal range is just 211 – 911 pg/ml – some laboratories MAY have a slightly different range.

It is believed that Vitamin B12 is obtainable only from Non-Vegetarian foods, however due to the animals being cultivated only from the perspective of food, they are being fed with a lot of Antibiotics and Medicines. Hence, most of my clients who eat non-vegetarian food, also lack Vitamin B12.

Now the question is how would people in olden days get Vitamin B12, especially those who were strictly vegetarian or vegan. A good question and the answer is also very simple. I would request you to read the first line again which is at the beginning of the article.

Earlier, when people would walk on the roadside especially in villages – they would either pluck fruits and veges and directly eat them just by slight wiping them with a piece of cloth and not washing them with water. Most people would sit on the floor and have their food, even in the cities. People in village – would sit on soil / non concreted floor of their homes and have food. Vitamin B12 is abundantly found in air and soil.

However, in modern times since we wash vegetables and fruits extremely well with water and these days we also have so called certain chemicals which will purify them from outside more – hence all natural vitamins are being killed and we are getting into an artificial world. We sit on chair / sofa / or some other medium and have food.

That is the reason our Ancestors in Ancient India always planted and also advised us to plant more and more trees near the roadside which would give fruits, had food sitting on the ground (not only good from digestion point of view, but being more close to nature even it may be the smallest of the  bacteria / vitamin invisible to us – Logically, Healthwise, Lifestylewise, Scientifically Also correct !!!

Remember –Take Away

1. Learn to be more Natural – it will increase your immunity further

2.  Do not take any medicine without testing yourself – else you might definitely land up with various health issues

3. Do not doubt the practices of our ancestors – but try to find out the science behind their practices

In the next session – On August 19, 2023

We shall see the following points

1. Normal Range of Vitamin B12
2. How does deficiency of Vitamin B12 affect our health
3. My observation on Deficiency of Vitamin B12 and its effect in Rural, Semi Urban and Urban areas

Questions Invited: Please feel free to share your queries on dr.vidushi.agrawal@gmail.com (please be careful about the spelling in email id)– we will take question and answers in the next article on 3^rd Saturday of August 2023  ie August  19, 2023. Please send your queries by the 10^th of August 2023.