Don't B snippy. B Happy!

     I learned a lot this week. About myself. Trust me, the way I learned it, was not in the best of ways...let me tell you. Being so frustrated, and upset over EVERYTHING! Stressed to the max, snippy....not fun (for anyone). I really wondered what was wrong with me. I felt like something was just not right. This was not me, but yet I couldn't help it.

 For the sake of those I love. I did some research, in search of what this missing "thing," that made me feel not myself was, and I found my answer! I was deficient in vitamin B, specifically B12. Who knew? It was crazy, because I have been doing really good about running 5 days a week, and I've been eating very light, clean meals, drinking green tea, and water more than normal. I just didn't get it. I didn't take my vitamins a couple of days in a row, and all the sudden Tuesday I felt like a volcano, ready to errupt.

     In my research I found these things, which really convinced me, this is no joke.

• According to: http://www.healthylife-healthyplanet.com/b-vitamins.html, "When was the last time you went through a day without sugar, processed foods, alcohol, caffeine or STRESS?  Everyone of these, depletes your body's supply of vitamin B."

•  The benefits of Vitamin B is: converting food to energy, forming healthy red blood cells, reducing the risk of heart disease, reduce or even eliminate PMS symptoms, reduce or eliminate anemia, minimize and even eliminates depression, preventing birth defects. 

• If you experience the following symptoms, you may be suffering from vitamin B defiency: Mood changes, irritability, nervousness, fatigue, depression, headaches, dizziness, trembling, loss of appetite, insomnia, and sugar cravings.

     So, before you decide to individually treat each of these symptoms, separately, with things such as pain killers, anti-depressants, Midol, or cookies; get yourself some vitamin B. Many people are deficient in this very important vitamin. Processed food, and food once it's heated; strip the vitamin B out of the food (this is why the raw diet is beneficial). Your body depletes of vitamin B the fastest, and if you continue to not treat it, it can cause serious health problems.

Here's the breakdown of all the B vitamins:

• energy booster .....B12
• immune system booster ....B complex
• blood pressure regulator .....B3
• helps lowers cholesterol ....B3
• helps promote weight loss .....B6, B12
• helps body process protein .....B1
• adds moisture to skin .......B2
• encourage glowing skin ...B5
• strengthen nails protects from breakage ......B5
• soothing and natural calming agent .....B6
• energy production ....B1, B2
• stress fighter .....B5
• helps prevent Alzheimer ......B1
• helps alleviate Crohn's disease discomfort .....B3, B6
• Joint disease reliever ....B3
• Athletes performance booster & muscle builder ....B6,B2
• Emotional well-being and staple of nervous system .....B12, B1, B6, B3, B5  

    If you are on a vegetarian (and especially vegan diet) it is VERY important to take a B vitamin (B complex, B12, B6) everyday! I believe this was somewhat the cause of my problem. I have cut down on eating dairy, and meat in the past few months, and that is where most people get (some) B vitamins from. I am not vegan, I just have been eating lighter meals, because it's so hot out. You'll find vitamin B in things like meat, eggs, milk, and shellfish.

    Extreme deficiency, in vitamin B, can actually lead to brain damage. So make sure if you take action, if any of this sounding like maybe you have signs of deficiency.  Check out:  http://www.amway.com/AmyFiedler/Shop/Product/Category.aspx/Vitamins-Supplements.