Every change of season provides the perfect cue for us to restore balance in our lives by making just the right changes to our food and exercise regimen. Spring is a good time to detox our bodies from the stress and toxins accumulated due to lesser physical activity during the long winters. In this context, a Vitamin plays a stand-out role for several critical functions, such as:
ν Maintaining water and hormonal balance in the body (especially PMS, for women). The Vitamin assists in maintaining the sodium and potassium balance in the body. It is a natural diuretic and helps overweight people, who tend to retain excessive fluids
ν Producing new cells, especially red blood cells and healthy skin - the absence of which could lead to eczema , dermatitis, acne, irritability, weakness and overall fatigue
ν Helping regulate hypertension, improving cardiovascular and kidney health, as also toning up the immune system
ν Helping prevent depression, anxiety, convulsions or seizures, by strengthening the nerves and improving brain health.
This is Vitamin B6 (a part of B Complex) - also called various names starting with ‘Pyr’ (e.g. Pyridoxine). As it is involved in over 100 chemical and enzymatic reactions in our body, its deficiency can have a far-reaching impact on our vitality and health. For example, Vitamin B6 influences the production of several important neurotransmitters – e.g. Serotonin (which enhances emotional well-being and reduces anxiety), GABA (helps in staying calm), Encephalin/Neuropeptides (help in psychological pain relief), Dopamine (involved in pleasure, rewards and feeling good towards others) and Norepinephrine (which is involved with arousal, energy and drive). In addition to protein metabolism, Vitamin B6 also plays a critical role in our body’s ability to process carbs (sugar and starch), as it is instrumental in the breakdown of the glycogen stored in our muscle cells and, to a lesser extent, in our liver. Further, if we unwittingly permit a sustained Vitamin B6 deficiency, we can be vulnerable to chronic inflammation, leading to life-crippling health problems like Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, and Obesity.
Tip of the Week
Although present in a large number of foods, Vitamin B6 is lost very easily during food processing or cooking. In addition, habits like smoking and our reliance on a large number of prescription medications, can contribute to a Vitamin B6 deficiency. Because foods high in B6 are typically not eaten raw, and processing takes away some benefit, a good solution is to consume foods high in B6 in abundance. Special care needs to be taken during pregnancy - to avoid the tendency towards B6 deficiency.
Nature’s Wonder Food(s) of the Week : Vitamin B6 rich Foods
A wide variety of both plant and animal foods get included in the B6 rich category. These include leafy and root vegetables, fruits, organ meats(liver), fish (especially wild salmon, tuna, trout ), egg yolk and fowl. Amongst plant sources, the top-of-the-chart position is occupied by the following:
Vegetables - bell peppers, summer and winter squash, turnip greens, shiitake mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, sweet potato, garlic, eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, asparagus, mustard greens, kale, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, chard, beans (especially green beans, soya beans, lentils, lima beans, navy beans, garbanzos and pinto beans), tomatoes, dandelion greens, spring radish, watercress, leeks, gourds and jalapenos
Fruits - bananas, lychees, grapes, figs, avocadoes and raw sugar cane
Whole grains & cereals - brown rice, whole wheat flour, wheat germ and oatmeal
Nuts and seeds - sunflower seeds and walnuts.
When we choose whole, unprocessed foods like meats, legumes, whole grains and leafy green vegetables, we are assured of not just getting Vitamin B6, but also Vitamins B12, Folate and B3. All of these are critical for Serotonin production, while simultaneously helping reduce our homocysteine levels (which can increase inflammation, with the consequent risk of cardiovascular disease and depression).
Registered Holistic Nutritionist (Canadian School of Natural Nutrition). For education purposes only; always consult a healthcare practitioner for medical conditions
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