by Wally Bishop | Oct 9, 2023 | B Vitamins
Last week, we talked about the importance of protecting your DNA and how specific nutrients, like B Vitamins, can help. Today, we want to discuss a metabolic process and a byproduct that significantly impacts cellular health – methylation and homocysteine.
You’ve probably not heard of either one; however, their impact and how they’re tied together uniquely are important to understand. Your diet has a significant influence on both the methylation process and homocysteine.
What are methylation and homocysteine?
Methylation is a key biochemical process that occurs millions and maybe even a billion times a second (I would call that warp speed)) and is critical, even essential, for the proper function of almost all of your body’s systems. Methylation helps repair your DNA, reduces inflammation, and keeps the cellular detoxification system functioning optimally. The methylation process helps recycle two very powerful molecules, glutathione (GSH) and methionine from homocysteine.
Homocysteine is a harmful protein formed during the methylation process in our bodies. In particular, The Methionine Cycle. High homocysteine levels can cause neurological conditions, stroke, heart disease, and cancers. Homocysteine can be converted to important non-harmful compounds with the proper nutrition.
For the methylation process to function optimally, it is very dependent on Selenium, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), Vitamin B12 (cobalamin), Vitamin B9 (folate), Choline, and the compound betaine. Betaine is an amino acid glycine derivative converted from the essential nutrient Choline. If you have low levels of these B Vitamins, homocysteine levels build because they can’t be converted to Sam-e or GSH without them.
How Does Homocysteine Affect Our Health?
As homocysteine levels increase, this can damage our DNA and increase cellular inflammation across our body. Higher homocysteine levels are associated with increased heart disease and cancer in some studies and not as much in others.
However, the other studies consistently showed that HDL (heart protective cholesterol) levels were low when homocysteine was high, while Folate, B2, B6, and B12 levels were low. We know adequate levels of these nutrients lower homocysteine levels, thereby increasing cell and heart-protective HDL cholesterol levels.
The relationship between cancer and homocysteine levels provided similar results in studies for different cancers. It isn’t very clear. They find an association between breast cancer and lower B6, B12, and Folate levels, but not necessarily because of elevated homocysteine. Still, lower levels of these nutrients are linked to a greater risk of breast and other cancers.
If you want to protect your DNA and reduce your risk of cancers and heart disease, make sure you are getting adequate levels of Selenium, B2, B6, B12, Folate, and Choline. Every day, have several servings of a variety of colorful foods from the garden to reduce your risk of disease and illness.
Almost every health organization’s common theme is to “increase our intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and nuts and seeds and reduce our intake of processed foods, red and processed meats.”
Another way to increase your intake of these B Vitamins and nutrients is to supplement your diet with Vive Shake. To see how this whole-food nutrient-dense supplement will help you, contact us today at info@viveshake.com or 877-878-3009.
Vive Shake and the recommendations contained on this site and our blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. They are for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
by Wally Bishop | Oct 3, 2023 | B Vitamins
B Vitamins assist in thousands of interactions in the human body, including DNA Protection. I bet you have not heard of the one we’ll discuss over the next couple of weeks. But first, a little background on why protecting your DNA is so important.
Protecting your DNA begins with what you eat and don’t eat and the chemicals you are exposed to daily. Nutritional intake is critical for all body functions. Additionally, nutrient absorption is also critical. If you can’t absorb the nutrition, does it matter? Of course, it matters.
Absorption is Key
Do you know the best way to guarantee better nutrient absorption? It starts by chewing your food really well. Like 20 to 30 times per bite! Meats may require upwards of 50 chews per bite for better digestion and nutrient absorption. The next time you eat, pay attention to how many times you chew your food. My guess is, at most, it is ten times.
The average American doesn’t realize just how vital the absorption of specific vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can be. As you will discover below, most nutrients work together in our body to make processes happen.
Protecting your DNA is Critical
Some of the body’s processes make compounds such as hormones, enzymes, and proteins, and some processes change things, such as converting the sugar in your foods into blood sugar called glucose.
Similarly, others tear or cleave things apart, such as dismantling proteins in your body tissues to make blood sugars (glucose) if you do not get enough from your diet. Toxic or damaging compounds can be produced as a by-product of some processes.
If you lack one of the nutrients vital to the process, DNA damage can occur over time, creating illness and disease.
A cell with damaged DNA replicates in a damaged state over and over. If it happens enough times, mutations occur, causing disease and illness. Did you realize how many things can damage our DNA? Think of all the things we’re exposed to that contain free radicals: cigarette smoke, charred foods, air pollutants, chemicals in processed foods, lotions, makeup, soaps, and food containers, just to name a few.
Antioxidants and nutrients from healthy, nutrient-rich foods and supplements, such as Vive Shake, neutralize free radicals, helping prevent disease and illness.
Certain nutrients, such as B Vitamins, are absolutely critical for different body processes to function. Eating a diet rich in processed, refined, and fast foods means you are missing essential nutrients that can protect you from many adverse health conditions, illnesses, and diseases. Just like you can’t build a house without wood, nails, and tools, your body systems can’t function adequately without certain nutrients in adequate amounts.
If you’re looking for an easy way to get more nutrients into your diet, consider adding Vive Shake! Contact us today at info@viveshake.com or 877-878-3009 to see how this whole-food, fiber-rich supplement can add to your wellness routine. Next week, we’ll talk more about how B Vitamins help your DNA and overall health.
Vive Shake and the recommendations contained on this site and our blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. They are for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
