As the period of quarantine continues around the world, patients with diabetes continue to be at greater risk of developing complications related to the COVID 19 virus. Aside from taking necessary precautions to protect against exposure to the virus, people living with diabetes can proactively improve their diets to boost their immune systems and their overall physical health.
Among the key players working to maintain our inner physical health, B Vitamins make up the group of micro-nutrients that help trigger important reactions within our bodies. They work together for energy production and other health benefits, but because they are generally not stored in the body and our bodies cannot produce them, we must actively seek to get them from our diets.
It’s difficult to sustain a healthy eating regimen when it’s challenging to even get to the grocery store. As a result, if we aren’t eating a healthy balanced diet with sufficient B Vitamins, we’re likely to feel tired or depressed. Once we feel tired or depressed, it can be even more difficult to maintain healthy eating habits, so that the cycle repeats itself.
If we actively seek ways to include B vitamins in our diets, they can help us maintain energy in the following 10 ways:
1. B vitamins fight fatigue.
As the quarantine continues, people everywhere are battling mental and physical fatigue.
B vitamins fuel the brain as well as other parts of the body. They play a vital role in glycogen breakdown, which gives your body the glucose required for physical activity. Though they won’t provide a surge in energy if you supplement them, they provide the nutrients your cells need to function well on a daily basis.
2. B vitamins convert nutrients into energy.
Our brains use around 20 percent of our bodies’ calories and B1 keeps our brains running at full function. It transforms food into energy that our cells can use and it promotes the transfer of oxygen to the brain.
All of the activities that sustain our physical bodies originate in the brain, and B1 ensures its ability to function well.
3. B vitamins promote energy production, cell function, and fat metabolism.
Stated simply, B vitamins a vital role in sustaining the body’s energy supply and building red blood cells, the same cells that are closely tied to feelings of weakness and fatigue. A low red blood count, called anemia, causes the body to work harder to get oxygen to the cells and can result in additional complications.
4. B vitamins produce brain chemicals that affect mood.
B vitamins aid in the formation of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which influence our feelings of reward, pleasure, and happiness. They are key to maintaining optimal mental health, which is vitally important during these uncertain times.
5. B vitamins regulate digestion.
B vitamins regulate appetite and promote the processing of the proteins that we eat. They help us process carbs and fats and keep our digestive systems functioning well.
When our digestive systems function well, our food can be used for nutrients that promote growth, repair, and energy.
6. B vitamins allow our bodies to repair themselves.
Our bodies are designed to repair themselves in order to keep operating at our maximum potential. B vitamins aid in cell proliferation and maintenance of healthy skin and muscles, as well as the healing of wounds.
7. B vitamins help reduce stress.
As natural mood boosters, B vitamins play an important role when we’re feeling overwhelmed or unbalanced. They help stabilize our mood and calm the nervous system.
Experts recognize that stress is a major consideration during the uncertainty of social distancing and quarantine, and they universally agree that we must work to manage it to avoid negative consequences.
8. B vitamins improve memory.
If you’ve ever walked into a room only to forget why you were there, you certainly understand the importance of memory. It’s noteworthy, too, that studies suggest that elevated stress levels can have a negative effect on memory.
B vitamins can’t necessarily undo the effects of aging and other factors on memory, but they do promote healthy brain function.
9. B vitamins promote healthy skin
The skin is the body’s largest organ, and its health, or lack of, impacts the other systems of the body. B vitamins promote skin health by improving the rate at which it renews. When our skin is healthier, it renews faster.
10. B vitamins help detox your body.
Our bodies naturally detox to remove harmful or unnecessary substances from our systems. Including B vitamins in your diet improves the detox process by giving the body what it needs to do it successfully. They help the body remove the bad stuff and, based upon the other 9 steps above, replace it with good.
Adding B vitamins to your diet
Our bodies aren’t capable of storing large amounts of B vitamin, nor are they able to produce them on their own. As a result, we’re our own best hope of maintaining levels of B vitamins that impact every system at work in our bodies.
Because many B vitamins are found in animal products, vegetarians may be at risk of deficiency. A balanced diet of whole grains, fruits, legumes, seeds, and leafy vegetables, as well as dairy products, can help maintain B vitamin levels that will help your entire body operate more efficiently.
At a time when our physical health is more important than ever, taking B vitamins is an important step in our overall health.
