Vitamin B12 gets a lot of press because of it’s ability to give people so much extra energy. Some people even think that Vitamin B12 helps them to lose weight, but there is really no connection proven, besides the fact that they may just get up and move around more because they have a lot of energy, but there is absolutely no evidence that B12 in itself helps one to burn excess calories or suppresses the appetite. Some people may think it suppresses appetite simply because it sort of replaces the purpose of food that way, by providing the body with energy.

At any rate, there are a lot of people out there taking Vitamin B12 supplements in hopes of helping them with everything from energy levels to mood, to weight loss and exercise enhancement, but what if you take too much B12? Are there any bad side effects or symptoms if you are simply taking too much of this vitamin, to where your body just can’t get rid of it through urinating fast enough. Yes, there can be potential side effects, however, they usually are not severe and they usually pass within 24 hours.

There are always exceptions for the rule of course, so be sure to monitor yourself if you are taking this vitamin in particular. Taking too much B12 vitamin can actually cause you to flush easily. It can also cause heart palpitations and shortness of breath, which is definitely never a pleasant feeling.

Too much B12 can also cause rashes on the body and hives if too much has been taken. I think I actually experienced this in Las Vegas because I was downing Five Hour Energy like no one’s business to keep my energy up constantly, and Five Hour Energy is chock full of this vitamin, and lo and behold, I actually broke out in a mysterious rash for several days.

Not knowing the likely connectiont to the energy drink with lots of B12, I kept taking it, and so I had the rash for several days in a row. I also have experienced the shortness of breath mentioned as well when taking too much of this vitamin, but I must say that this vitamin is one of the best natural energy boosters I’ve every taken, so it’s key just to make sure that you take it normally and don’t overdo it, and you’ll reap the benefits without the bad side effects.

When we take our vitamins, and minerals, and any other nutritional supplement for that matter, you want to always make sure that what you are taking is high quality, and at it’s strongest potency possible, or else you’re just wasting your time popping these pills.

If you are taking a vitamin that has lost all of it’s nutritional value, for instance, because it has been exposed to high heat and it’s nutrients were compromised, or you have a vitamin that is a few years old or otherwise way past it’s expiration date, then you are taking them in vein.

Expiration dates and heat exposure aren’t all you have to worry about though with your treasured vitamins and various supplements. You also need to add light exposure to your list of what to restrict when storing your vitamins. Many vitamins, it’s true, are stored in light proof containers which are tinted enough to provide UV protection to the vitamins within, but you also have to be vigilant in keeping them out of the light inside as well.

It’s always best to store your vitamins, herbal and mineral supplements, in a cool, dark pantry. That way, you are protecting your vitamins from two of the biggest offenders of robbing their nutritional value – heat and light. It’s no coincidence that you should also store your foods and nutritional goods in these pantries, since these conditions are most conducive to keeping any food or goods fresh and potent.

Some of the vitamins that show they may be destroyed by the light are certain B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin C to a degree, and vitamin A. I’m sure there are more, but these are noted as especially sensitive to light exposure.

This is why commercialized milk is often sold in light protectant containers. You may have seen one of their commercials where they claim that their yellow tinted milk containers actually protect the integrity of the vitamins and other nutrients, and also protect the flavor from degrading, and that is why this packaging is “superior” for milk.

Taking vitamins, as you probably know already, can make a great addition to your diet, and make up for a lack of what you may naturally not be getting in your diet unknowingly. They can enhance your health, your energy levels, your appearance and your focus and concentration, as long as you are taking them at their full potency and quality, and avoiding putting them in the sunlight or an extremely light environment will help to protect them from that.

After my most recent bout with a pretty severe cold that lasted for DAYS and DAYS after we returned from our Las Vegas vacation, where incidentally my husband and I were married, I decided that I would take some precautionary measures that I didn’t usually take in order to not get sick – at least not that sick, for that period of time – again, this winter at least.

I should probably correct “days” to weeks, because I swear whatever bug it was that I picked up either in Vegas or at the airport, it lasted for at least a week at it’s most severe, and for several weeks after that, as a sort of watered down, less severe, but stil rife with easy exhaustion and a general lacadaisical energy level on my part. It started as a sore throat and general sluggishness, and evolved into a full bloan, coughing your lungs up, head about to explode cold in the next few days.

I decided that I would try Emergen-C over this past week, just to try it out because I had read good things about it and heard good things by word of mouth as well. Some people, who take it religiously every day, swear that they do not get sick, or rarely ever get sick when taking this Vitamin C fizzy drink. It’s also got other vitamins in it, but the highest concentration is vitamin C, which is over a 1,000 per envelope.

Emergen-C also contains electrolytes, which are great for rehydrating the body and helping with headaches associated with dehydration, and alertness, and also to help with alertness and immune function, there is alpha lipoic acid, an antioxidant, and quercetin. There are also a ton of B vitamins in there as well to help with energy levels, and I swear I get a little boost almost immediately after drinking my “shot” of Eemrgen-C.

There’s a modest amount of calcium – about 5% of your daily value, in each envelope, which is good to know, even thought it’s a small amount, because I’ve read that calcium is more easily absorbed when paired with vitamin C, it definitely eases my mind to know I’m getting more calcium as well, as I do feel like my diet might fall short in that area sometimes, and I am a woman, so bone density will become a concern for me as I get older. I use a little Dixie cup and just fill it up – it’s probably only like 2 oz. of water, and down it.

I’ve found this is a great way to get my vitamin C in, especially in the winter when so many germs are floating around to get you sick, as I have always believe, no matter what science says, that vitamin C boosts my immunity and prevents me from getting ill. I really enjoy the pep and energy I get from the Emergen-C, although I will say it is short lived. Most of all, I like that I’m getting vitamins and an energy boost from a little, 25 calorie, good tasting powdered drink. I actually look forward to my Emergen-C every day now. I’ll let you know if I get sick – so far, so good!

Calcium is a vital mineral that many of us do not get enough of in our daily diet. Vegans in particular, those that do not eat dairy nor meat products, which are among the best natural sources of calcium, are in danger of not having enough calcium in their diet and being more prone to osteoporosis, which is porosity of the bones. Also, women are much more likely to get osteoporosis in their older age, so their intake and absorption of calcium, especially in older age, is of vital importance.

Women are more susceptible to osteoporosis because of the declines in estrogen, and hence the decline in the absorption of calcium into the bones which helps to strengthen them, so they should be especially concerned with not only how much calcium they are getting in their daily diets, but also with how efficiently their bodies are absorbing this important mineral to deliver an “iron resolve” to their bones and help them maintain bone strength and integrity into later ages.

A startling fact is that we only absorb an estimated 10% of the calcium that we ingest, so it’s of vital importance that we make sure every little precaution we can take is done so that we can maximize this percentage.

So, what are the hindrances to calcium absorption, and how can we potentially help to actually improve our absorption and utilization of this important mineral?

Believe it or not, when ingested with whole grains, calcium may not be broken down as well, because it is essentially “carried away” by the fiber in the brans of the whole grains. So, you may actually not want to consume calcium laden products with whole grains. Very odd, I never knew that one until I read about it! While whole grains are good and they cleanse your digestive tract, this is just one fact to be aware of when considering your calcium intake.

High sodium diets are a no no for maximum calcium absorption. Minimize sodium intake, and maximize your calcium absorption, it’s a very simple one to remember! Also, sedentary lifestyles are a no no. Active people absorb and utilize calcium much better, so being active is important if you want strong bones. Weight lifting in itself has been shown to be excellent for bone strength and integrity, so this one totally makes sense.

Sugar and phosophoric acid, which creates the carbonation in soda drinks, are also awful for calcium absorption, so minimize these for a winning calcium absorbing combo! You should minimize these health robbing items anyways, so it’s a win win situation.

Unless you happen to be a scientist with all the answers to life’s great mysteries, then you, like me, are probably confused about how really bioavailable antioxidants are for your body to consume and use the correct way. However, me being the eternal optimist, and noticing the differences in my own body when I happen to be getting large amounts of antioxidants in my diet through the foods (or liquids) that I consume, I do believe that antioxidant intake has an important impact on our overall health and wellness, and it also impacts, I think, the way and the rate at which our bodies and minds age.

I think those that argue that antioxidants are not absorbed into the body are operating under assumptions because why else would people who get a lot of foods high in these organisms happen to be a lot healthier? And if we assume the body cannot properly absorb or utlize micronutrients such as these, then how can we say there is a difference between a “healthy” diet and an unhealthy one. If we don’t absorb nutrients, then it shouldn’t really matter if we consume a lot of fruits or veggies or not, but it in fact, does matter.

That being said, I think that I should now move on and talk about what I really meant to and the product that I found that I’m going to review. It’s not a long review, because honestly it’s not something I can quantify with a list of health benefits since I only used it a few times, however, I can certainly comment on some other things about it.

The product is by a company called Genesis Today, which makes a lot of juice products. I for one believe that instead of drinking juice, you should be eating the whole fruit when possible since you get the whole synergy of it’s health benefits, meaning any fiber, and other vitamins that are contained in the meat and pulp of it, but I think juice serves it’s purpose of convenience well when needed.

Genesis today makes a “Resveratrol juice”. Obviously, they are trying to capitalize on the resveratrol craze. For anyone who may not know what resveratrol is, it’s supposedly a newly discovered super antioxidant that is found in the skins of muscadine grapes, and can be found in red wines. Early studies on mice showed that massive doses of this wonder nutrient worked to slow the aging process and degenerative issues that often come along with aging in mice.

Suddenly it was being touted as the next fountain of youth, and you saw anti aging supplements made with resveratrol popping up allover, but you also saw a lot of critics attacking these saying they were hype.

I honestly don’t know what is completely true, but I do believe that this antioxidant is nonetheless good for you, plus I liked the juices that comprised the resveratrol juice, which were grape, blueberry and some others, so I bought a couple litttle bottles. They weigh in at 130 calories, and they taste really good, like you’re drinking something pure and wholesome. It’s a great “dessert” after lunch if you ask me, plus you are getting a healthy dose of vitamins and antioxidants, so what’s there to lose?