We all know some foods are stimulants and some slow you down.



But have you tried using these foods to effect your moods?

Getting the Vitamins And Minerals one needs is of the first concern

Most people can get all the vitamins and minerals they need by eating

properly. The B complex is an extremely important group of nutrients

that the body must acquire through the diet or produce via the

intestinal flora to enable it to transform food into energy, maintain a

strong immune system, balance many of the body's hormones, and perform

a wide variety of other tasks.

Many things can contribute to vitamin B deficiencies. Eating Junk

foods and bread products high in sugar and white refined flour

processed foods (lack nutrients and may contain many additives also

fills one up and leaves no room for healthy foods. ), conventionally

grown produce (are sprayed with pesticides and stored for such long

lengths of time they lack nutrients by the time we buy them.), Using

alcohol (more than two drinks a day can deplete B vitamins.),living a

high stress lifestyle, environmental pollution, inadequate digestion,

malnutrition, illness, and a vegetarian or vegan diet can all

contribute.

Due to the fact that a good percentage of the U.S. population consumes

vitamin-deficient foods raised in vitamin deficient soils along with a

combination of one or more of the aforementioned problems, vitamin B

deficiencies have become commonplace.

Some of the problems one experiences with deficiencies are:mild to

severe depression,forgetfulness, vague fear, uneasiness to panic ,mood

swings,loss of ability to concentrate, fatigue, insomnia or sleep

disturbances.

The richest food sources of B-1 are brewer’s or nutritional yeast,

brown rice, egg yolks, fish, legumes, liver, nuts, peas, poultry, rice

bran, dulse, kelp, spirulina, wheat germ and whole grains. A high

carbohydrate diet will increase the need for thiamin and the use of

antibiotics, sulfa drugs, and oral contraceptives may decrease the

body's thiamin level.

The foods providing the highest levels of B-2 are brewer's or

nutritional yeast, almonds, wheat germ, wild rice, egg yolks, legumes,

liver, fish, and poultry.

Niacin is found in brewer’s or nutritional yeast, liver, broccoli,

carrots, cheese, eggs, fish, raw milk, peanuts, potatoes, tomatoes,

dandelion greens, and wheat germ.

Most fresh vegetables are good sources for B-5. Brewer's and

nutritional yeast, liver, eggs, mushrooms, avocados, broccoli, whole

grains, bran, peanuts, cashews, legumes, and soybeans are especially

high in B-5.

Most foods contain some B-6 but those that are the best sources include

brewers or nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, walnuts,

carrots, legumes, soybeans, chicken, eggs, fish, organ meats, spinach,

blackstrap molasses, and whole grains.

The largest amounts of B-12 are found in nutritional yeast, liver,

clams, eggs, meats, fish, and dairy products. Some B-12 is available

from sea vegetables such as dulse, kelp, kombu, and nori.

Good sources for biotin are nutritional yeast, soybeans, whole grains,

egg yolks, milk, meat, poultry, and saltwater fish.

Choline is a major ingredient in lecithin and lecithin makes up about

30% of the dry weight of the brain. Lecithin provides other important

nutrients including phospholipids, fats, and glycolipids. Choline is

also found in egg yolks, green leafy vegetables, liver, soybeans,

yeast, and wheat germ. The best supplemental source is phosphatidyl

choline.

All dark leafy greens (the foliage that folic acid is named after) are

good food sources of folic acid. These include kale, spinach, beet

greens, and chard. Other sources are nutritional yeast, rice germ,

wheat germ, blackeye peas, beans and lentils, asparagus, liver,

soybeans, wheat bran, and walnuts.

Inositol Whole grains, nutritional yeast, lecithin, citrus fruits,

nuts, seeds, legumes, unrefined molasses, meats, and dairy.

By just reading through the list above about what food sources of

Vitamin B complex are one can see that they do not include what is

generally eaten in the American diet. Add factors like depleted soil,

high stress life styles and one can see how deficiencies have become

commonplace. Just popping B complex pills does not cure the problem.

Only changing the way we eat can do that.

One of the reasons I personally was convinced to include these foods in

my diet besides feeling really good when I did was that the B complex

vitamins curb food cravings. I also raised a small garden without

pestisides this year. I do not drink alcohol and I have looked at ways

to reduce stress.

Huge dietary changes do not work for most of us but changing one or two

things in your diet each month adds up and can make you feel a whole

lot better. Try small changes like putting spinach on sandwiches

instead of lettuce, replace your salad greens put in things like kale,

swiss chard, other dark green vegetable, try adding asparagus to a

salad. Eat a handful of soy nuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, or walnuts

as a snack. Eat fresh fruit for an evening snack instead of having a

Big Mac attack.