Why Folic Acid Is Important

Folic acid is one of the vitamins that make up the Vitamin B complex. Also known as folacin and folate, this essential nutrient serves the body in many ways. While important for all age groups, folic acid is especially necessary to pregnant women and important to those entering their elder years. However, despite all its known benefits, many people fail to meet the recommended daily intake levels, which can have real health consequences.

Folic acid is important from the very first moment of life. In fact, if a couple is even thinking about getting pregnant, the woman should immediately begin to monitor her folic acid consumption, making sure that she meets the suggested daily intake levels. Most health care professionals recommend that every woman of childbearing age make sufficient folic acid consumption a nutritional priority. That is because this nutrient is vital to the development of the baby from the moment of conception. It can help to prevent serious birth defects in the brain and spine, called neural tube defects. Spinal Bifida is one of the more well known of these defects. These types of defects usually occur within the first few weeks of development, which means they happen before the average woman even realizes she is pregnant.

Other important functions of folic acid within the body include, in addition to assisting in the formation of genetic material in each and every cell of the body, the formation of red blood cells essential to transporting oxygen and nutrients throughout the body and tissue growth. Folic acid, according to recent research, has been associated with such health benefits as protection against such debilitating diseases as Alzheimers disease, some cancers and heart diseases. It is also thought to offer a certain degree of protection from strokes.

Deficiencies in folic acid can cause a myriad of health problems. Among them are ulcerations in the mouth, inflammation of the tongue, peptic ulcers, and chronic diarrhea. Folic acid deficiency can also contribute to certain kinds of anemia.

Folic acid is a water soluble nutrient, which means it flows out of the body with the urine and the bodys supplies must be replenished daily. Because of its great importance in the reproductive system and the protections it offers, as well as its role in other essential bodily functions, it is a good idea to consider taking dietary supplements to ensure that the recommended daily intake levels are met. Particularly in the realm of potential birth defects of such a serious and debilitating nature, better safe than sorry should be the philosophy when it comes to folic acid daily intake levels.

When choosing a dietary supplement, it is always important to read and understand the label. That will help you to ensure that you are getting the daily intake levels of the nutrients you seek. For example, a prenatal vitamin will focus on different nutrients and levels of intake than a general, all-purpose daily multi-vitamin. When planning your supplement use, make an honest assessment of your eating habits. That way, you can select individual supplements that match your individual dietary needs and health goals, and avoid getting too much of some and too little of others.

So much of good health is planning and maintaining a routine that ensures the daily consumption of proper nutrients. Folic acid supplements can offer a safe and sure means of meeting the bodys daily requirements of this essential and protective nutrient.

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Oral Chelation What Can It Do For You? (Part 2)Wendy ButlerIntravenous chelation therapy was more popular than oral chelation initially. It involved the injection of EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid) that is an effective and widely studied chelating agent. But gradually, oral chelation scored over intravenous chelation. This is primarily because of the comparative cost involvements. While, intravenous chelation is definitely less expensive from bypass surgery or angioplasty, they are still costlier in comparison to oral chelation.

Then again, intravenous chelation involves painful process and runs the risks of infection and vascular intrusion. They run the risk of incurring side effects like burning, redness and swelling at the place of injection, fever, fall of blood pressure, joint pain, rashes on skin, stomach upset, and irritation of the kidneys and liver occasionally. Oral chelation is as simple as taking one to two spoons full of doses, often based in honey or Royal jelly that also tastes great.

Oral chelation regimens are generally non prescription formula which millions of people access easily as compared to the expensive and complicated process of intravenous chelation which only a few can afford.

Another area where oral chelation scores over intravenous chelation, is its ability to chelate mercury from the body. It is because, the IV EDTA, or intravenous chelation, cannot bond with mercury. But in oral chelation potions, some organic substances are added which eliminate mercury from the system.

The only draw back of oral chelation is that it acts quite slowly. It is required to go through a course of six months on a regular basis to get the same result that an intravenous chelation can achieve within two or three rounds of administration. That is why the patients with severe symptoms are not prescribed oral chelation.

Composition

The whole notion about oral chelation is founded on the philosophy of intaking simple, healthy and nutritional foods. Oral chelation is nothing but some food- supplements to your daily diet, containing many chelating agents of which EDTA forms the basic part. The natural chelators in forms of vitamin, minerals, anti oxidants and amino acid are also included in oral chelation formula, in which EDTA is the only synthetic substance supposed to be found. After EDTA, anti oxidants is the next important constituent. In different types of oral chelation formula, the percentage of anti oxidant varies between 35 to 40 percent.

The side effects

Oral chelation sometimes may produce minor side effects like headache, fatigue or muscle pains. Make it a point to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water to keep your insides hydrated. It will help the medicine work more efficiently and prevent the side effects to repeat.

The long term benefits

The toxins build up plaques and cause for the narrowing of the arteries. But oral chelation prevents heavy metal toxicity and calcification. It lowers blood cholesterol, movements of free radicals, prevents blood clots and reduces the risk of diabetes and heart attack.

In addition to the heart patients, the people with a family history of heart disease and the people with stressful lifestyle and unhygienic dietary practices are highly recommended to avail of the oral chelation therapy. It is entirely safe and convenient for both children and adults.

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Mike has been helping people protect their health for several years. All good health programs start with a healthy heart. Let Mike guide you in getting started. - -