EATING RAW BEING VEGAN AND VITAMIN B12

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Permalink Reply by Angela on March 16, 2008 at 9:22pm

I'm not sure about b12 from animal sources, but i know Oats and Millet are good sources of B vitamins. Parsley has high sources of B12 and also seaweed. I used to take b6 and b12 tablets but it upset my stomach very bad. If you're considering taking it go on some type of liquid form to help your digestive system.

xoxoxo

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Permalink Reply by Whole_Body_Healer on March 16, 2008 at 9:59pm

Yes, most vegetarians need to supplement b12 & I do. If you consume eggs regularly, you may get enough. If you want to find out your b12 levels, you should take a Methylmelonic Acid test (MMA) blood test. This will give you a baseline range to determine whether supplementation is needed & then how effective it is. This is considered to be one of the most reliable tests for this. The form methylcobalamin is considered a more absorbable form of b12. Cyanocobalamin, is the form used in a lot of supplements & is more work for the body to convert. In addition, some people lack something called Intrinsic factor, which binds to the b12 during the digestive process in the stomach for proper absorption. So one way to deal with this is to take b12 sublingually, bypassing the digestive process. Folate & B6 are interconnected with b12 & are often contained in b12 supplements to insure adequate levels. See How B12 Works. There are also links there to Folate as well.

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Permalink Reply by Debbie on March 16, 2008 at 10:02pm

In Spiritual Nutrition Gabriel Cousons (of Tree of Life) states that it take about 6 years of vegan eating to get a low level of b12.. he says take a food based supplement as insurance.
I trust the dude, he knows his stuff..
Deb

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Permalink Reply by Whole_Body_Healer on March 16, 2008 at 10:24pm

Hey Deb! I agree Gabriel knows his stuff. I don't know about the 6 years...for me maybe there were other factors, like recovering from major surgeries & chemo...don't know. I found out I was deficient in b12 when I started to investigate my anemia, which was after these biggies. At that point, I'd only been truly vegan for about 2 yrs...I had been taking a multi with b12 in it, so was a little surprised to learn this, but then found out about some of the absorbability issues. Anyways, we've all got unique systems. I agree taking a supplement as insurance is a good idea. Sufficient levels of b12 is muy importante.

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Permalink Reply by Rhonda on March 16, 2008 at 10:52pm

Same here. I like reading Gabriel Cousens too. I do take B12 sublingually (under my tongue). It's easy, no problem and keeps my b12 values high.
Anemia sucks. I also take something called "blood builder" which is an plant based iron supplement. It's WAY better than the synthetic iron. WAY better.

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Permalink Reply by Whole_Body_Healer on March 16, 2008 at 11:00pm

Hey Rhonda! Thanks for the pointer..appreciate it. I have been tested for my iron levels & found out hey were too high when I relented against my better judgement (intuition said NO!) to my oncologist suggesting I take iron (without testing) for my anemia. This was only for a short period of time for it to get too high, so have subsequently found the levels are doing fine without supplementation & were not contributing to my anemia. I agree, in general, I feel plant-based and/or whole food is the way to go for supplements.

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Permalink Reply by BadAss on March 16, 2008 at 11:17pm

B Complex is supposed to be good for mental wellness.

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Permalink Reply by BareFootDreamer on March 17, 2008 at 10:45am

Thanks everyone!

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Permalink Reply by artistsoul on March 18, 2008 at 7:59pm

I have started using Now brands "Instant Energy B12" complex packets that can either be dissolved directly in the mouth, or in juice, etc. I always pour the packet under my tongue and let all of the powder dissolve there before swallowing. Does anyone know the effectiveness of this brand/product? I think it has a great flavor and the packets are really easy to throw in my pocketbook, etc. when I'm on the road. One packet has 2,000mcg of B12, plus a boatload of other good stuff.

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