You might not realize this, but your prescription medications could be giving you vitamin B12 deficiency; certain drugs drain B12 from your system and prevent you from absorbing vitamin B12- cobalamin- naturally from food sources.  If you currently take any of the following medications, then you could be at risk for severe neurological damage.

Who is at risk for getting vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that occurs naturally in most animal protein sources; beef, chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, mussels, eggs, milk, cheese, and yogurt are all rich in this essential B vitamin.  Unless you follow a vegan diet, you probably ingest sufficient amounts of B12.

However, there are certain conditions, demographics, and lifestyle choices that can inhibit your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12, regardless of how many hamburgers you eat.  They are:

• Being among the elderly
• Suffering from gastrointestinal disease, such as Celiac, Crohn’s, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Submitting to bariatric surgery
• Lacking the ability to produce intrinsic factor, a hormone that aids in vitamin B12 absorption
• Suffering from fibromyalgia, or other autoimmune diseases

Here’s Your Brain on B12 Deficiency- Memory Loss and Aging

Which medications deplete vitamin B12 levels?

Certain medications may prevent your body from digesting vitamin B12- heartburn drugs, for example.  If you experience symptoms such as chronic fatigue, memory loss, depression, brain fog, tingling or prickly sensations in your hands and feet, or altered sense of taste, you might have depleted your stores of vitamin B12.  The only way to be certain is to get your vitamin B12 levels checked with a blood screening.

The following prescription drugs drain vitamin B12:

Anti-inflammatory medications

• Beclomethasone
• Budesonide
• Dexamethasone
• Fluticasone
• Hydrocortisone
• Methylprednisolone
• Mometasone Furoate
• Prednisone
• Triamcinolone

Antibiotic medications

• Aminoglycosides
• Cephalosporin
• Chloramphenicol
• Macrolides
• Penicillin Derivatives
• Quinolones
• Sulfa drugs
• Tetracycline Derivatives

Anticonvulsant medications

• Phenobarbital

Birth control medications

• Ethinyl Estradiol and Desogestrel
• Ethinyl Estradiol and Levonorgestrel
• Ethinyl Estradiol and Norethindrone
• Ethinyl Estradiol and Norgestimate

Cholesterol lowering medications

• Cholestyramine
• Colestipol

Diabetes medications

• Metformin

Gout medications

• Colchicine

Heart medications

• Potassium Chloride

Proton pump inhibitors- heartburn drugs

• Lansoprazole
• Omeprazole

Ulcer medications

• Cimetidine
• Famotidine
• Nizatidine
• Ranitidine Bismuth Citrate
• Ranitidine Hydrochloride

Read more about preventing vitamin B12 deficiency:

I was Blinded by B12 Deficiency, says Vitamin B12 Patch Fan

Low B12 means Low Thyroid- Hypothyroidism and B12 Deficiency

Sources:

Drugs that Deplete: Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12

Image credits, from top:

Pixomar, africa, Ambro, TeddyBear[Picnic]

If you have vitamin B12 deficiency, then it is important to recognize the symptoms of pernicious anemia.  Low levels of B12 (cobalamin) can, over time, lead to megaloblastic (pernicious) anemia, a life-threatening blood disease.

What is pernicious anemia?

Pernicious anemia is a type of megaloblastic anemia- a blood disease of the red blood cells.  If you have vitamin B12 deficiency, then it may escalate into B12 deficiency anemia.  In pernicious anemia, your body is unable to produce enough red blood cells, due to a lack of vitamin B12.

Avoid vitamin B12 deficiency

The best way to avoid getting vitamin B12 deficiency is to include animal-based protein foods in your diet, particularly beef liver, clams, oysters, poultry, eggs, milk, and yogurt.  Still, eating meat and dairy products does not guarantee you will not become deficient in vitamin B12.

Who’s at risk?

People at risk for developing B12 deficiency are people who exclude primary sources of vitamin B12 from their diet (vegans), the elderly, people who have had bariatric surgery, diabetics taking metformin, anybody using long-term medication for acid-reflux, individuals with gastrointestinal disease (IBD, celiac) and people who cannot produce intrinsic factor, a necessary hormone for digesting vitamin B12.

Signs of megaloblastic (pernicious) anemia

The most common symptoms of pernicious anemia are:

• Muscular weakness
• Frequent tingling or numbness in your hands and feet, described as “pins and needles”
• Difficulty walking balanced
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Depression
• Swollen, red tongue
• Irritability
• Chronic fatigue, constant tiredness
• Hypertension

What tests diagnose pernicious anemia?

The only way to find out if your vitamin B12 deficiency has turned into pernicious anemia is to request the following diagnostic tests:

• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Vitamin B12 blood levels
• Methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels
• Holotranscobalamin II levels
• LDH levels
• Schilling test
• Reticulocyte count
• Bone marrow examination

What is the treatment for pernicious anemia?

Patients of pernicious anemia need to get routine doses of B12 supplements, usually in the form of B12 shots.  The amount and frequency of B12 injections depend on the severity of the pernicious anemia symptoms. For extra doses of B12 between doctor visits, B12-anemia patients have the option of supplementing with oral vitamin B12 or B12 patches.

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms:

“I’ve heard of the X Factor and Fear Factor…But what’s Intrinsic Factor?”

WhichTests check Absorption of Vitamin B12?

Cruising for a Bruising? Choose Vitamin B12 Shots or Anemia

Sources:

Pernicious anemia: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Megaloblastic (Pernicious) Anemia

Pernicious Anemia – Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment of Pernicious Anemia – NY Times Health Information

Pernicious Anemia and Vitamin B-12 Deficiency

Image credits, from top:

blakespot, ssoosay, jimbrickett, James Tan Chin Choy

For years, vitamin B12 has been the staple energy vitamin for stars such as Madonna, Justin Timberlake, and Prince.  Now, B12 vitamins are part of Glee star Lea Michele’s regimen against vitamin B12 deficiency. Find out why celebrities such as Lea Michele rely on B12 supplements for added stamina, strength, and mental focus.

The Glee star’s secret to weight loss

How does Lea Michele, who plays the bossy, competitive, (and sometimes infuriating) Rachel on Glee keep her figure?  Recently, she confessed to following a strictly macrobiotic vegan diet, composed of mostly vegetables, grains, and beans. By cutting out meat, chicken, and dairy products from her diet, Lea has managed to lose ten pounds since she first started filming on the set.

Vitamin B12 for Weight Loss- Why it Works

How does she avoid B12 deficiency?

Lea admits to also eating a few servings of fish per week, in order to avoid getting vitamin B12 deficiency.  Since Vitamin B12 occurs only in animal-based foods, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and milk, supplementing with extra vitamin B12 is crucial for avoiding low B12 blood levels.  How does she justify introducing a non-vegan source into her vegan diet?  Apparently, macrobiotic veganism makes special allowances for seafood.  Lea Michele understands that a diet low in vitamin B12 is a diet that leads to B12 deficiency symptoms.

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

People who deplete their stores of vitamin B12 encounter symptoms such as extreme fatigue, muscular weakness, depression, diminished coordination, memory loss, and frequent numbness or tingling sensations (pins and needles) in their hands, arms, legs, and feet. Untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency escalates into pernicious anemia, dementia, neurological damage, osteoporosis, and increased risk for heart attack, cancer, and stroke.

6 Degrees of Vitamin B12- B12 Deficiency and Autoimmune Disease

How does vitamin B12 benefit an active lifestyle?

Vitamin B12 influences a wide range of bodily functions- by ensuring balanced B12 levels in your blood supply, you feel more energized, stimulated, confident, and “gleeful.”

• Vitamin B12 is instrumental in DNA synthesis
• Vitamin B12 protects your nervous system
• Vitamin B12 boosts your metabolism
• Vitamin B12 controls homocysteine levels, reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke
• Vitamin B12 supports cognitive functioning
• Vitamin B12 protects you from vitamin deficiency symptoms of fatigue, depression, anxiety, and “brain fog”
• Vitamin B12 helps you stay on track with your fitness regimen and enables you to make better food choices

Read more about the many health benefits of vitamin B12:

Justin Bieber among 10 Celeb “Beliebers” in Vitamin B12 Shots

The Vitamin B12 Patch for Energy

The Many Benefits of Vitamin B12…

Sources:

Lea Michele Bikini Body Secrets Includes Diet, B12 Shots

Vitamin B12 | ‘Glee’ The star Lea Michele surprisingly fit

Lea Michele Injects B12 and Eats Fish, According to ASOS Magazine

Image credits, from top:

gospelportals, karlnorling,

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) is a water-soluble nutrient that your body gets from protein sources, such as beef, chicken, liver, fish, eggs, and dairy products.  Your body uses vitamin B12 for DNA synthesis, protecting your nervous system, and strengthening cognitive skills.  Symptoms that indicate a low vitamin B12 level include constant fatigue, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, tingling or numbness in your hands and feet, depression, agitation, altered taste perception, and red, swollen tongue.

How much B12 is in my blood right now?

By performing a blood test, your doctor can tell you if you are deficient in vitamin B12, or if you have normal B12 levels.  Vitamin B12 blood screening requires a 6-8 hour fast before testing.  Laboratory tests will measure how many picograms (pg) of cobalamin you have per milliliter (ml) of blood in your body.

How much B12 should I have?

• Scientists agree that a normal level of vitamin B12 in your blood is 200 – 900 picograms per milliliter (200-900 pg/ml).
• Test results showing less than 200 pg/ml signal vitamin B12 deficiency.
• For elderly adults, the recommended vitamin B12 level is much higher- Test results showing less than 500 pg/ml indicates B12 deficiency.
• In order to find the cause of a vitamin B12 deficiency, doctors may perform a Schilling test.

What is the recommended dose of vitamin B12?

• The FDA’s RDA of vitamin B12 for healthy adults is approximately three mcg daily for males and females alike, including pregnant and nursing moms.
• For elderly individuals, the recommended dose of vitamin B12 is 25-100 mcg per day.

Scientific study proves that the RDA for B12 is off.

• According to a study conducted in the Netherlands, elderly sufferers of vitamin B12 deficiency need more than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) in order to achieve normal levels of B12.
• Using methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels as a gauge, scientists established that cyanocobalamin supplementation amounting to 200 times the RDA of vitamin B12 is required in order to stabilize B12 levels in patients showing signs of vitamin B12 deficiency.

How much vitamin B12 do you really need?

• Vitamin B12 shots administering a daily dose of 1,000 mcg of cobalamin are  prescribed for the first 10 days following diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency, continuing with a weekly dose of 1,000 mcg for a consecutive 4-week period.
• One vitamin B12 patch contains a 1,000-mcg dose of b12 based on a B12 injection.

Read more about B12 deficiency:

• Vitamin B12 deficiency after Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss
• The Vitamin B12 Patch for Energy
• Cruising for a Bruising? Choose Vitamin B12 Shots or Anemia

Sources:

• Vitamin B12 level: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
• Vitamin B12 Level – Tests, Test Results & Diagnosis – NY Times Health Information
• Vitamin B12: Dosing – MayoClinic.com
• Oral cyanocobalamin supplementation in older people with vitamin B12 deficiency: a dose-finding trial- PubMed NCBI
• Learn More about Vitamin B12 Deficiency.
• USDA: National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: B-12

Image credits (from top):

Danilo Rizzuti, mconnors, jscreationzs

It’s best to avoid drinking too much alcohol, and chronic alcohol abuse is detrimental, not only for your health, but for the mental health of your loved ones.  If you suffer from alcohol addiction, please seek help from a professional, or call your local Alcoholics Anonymous.

What is a hangover?

• A hangover (medical term: Veisalgia) is the aftereffect of your body’s reaction to sudden vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms, in addition to intoxication, hypoglycemia, and dehydration.
• Hangovers are symptoms of alcohol poisoning that many happen after binging on alcoholic beverages.  Certain factors affect your chances of suffering a hangover after drinking, such as body weight, amount of alcohol consumption, and emptiness of stomach.
• A hangover can last for several days following an alcoholic binge.
• Common symptoms of a hangover may include throbbing headache, nausea, fatigue, anxiety, increased sensitivity to bright light and loud noise, and severe thirst.

Vitamin B12- one of many essential B vitamins

Vitamin B12 is crucial for healthy brain development and functioning, in addition to stabilizing the nervous system, producing red blood cells, and reducing your risk for heart attack or stroke.  Vitamin B12, or Cobalamin, is part of the family of B-complex vitamins.

1. Cyanocobalamin (B12)
2. Pyridoxine (B6)
3. Thiamine
4. Folic acid
5. Biotin
6. Niacin
7. Riboflavin
8. Pantothenic acid

B12 deficiency symptoms include fatigue, loss of energy, “brain fog,” short-term memory loss, increased risk of early-onset dementia, and neurological damage.

Vitamin B12- a hangover cure?

Scientists have noted a strong correlation between hangover symptoms and low B12.

• According to Dr. David Katz of the Yale Prevention Research Center, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol inhibits your body’s ability to absorb nutrients such as vitamin B12 and vitamin B6.
• Depending on your level of intoxication, B12 deficiency could be mild- resulting in tiredness, disorientation, and dizziness- or severe, causing extreme depression, nervousness, paranoia, and neurological disorders.
• Taking extra doses of B-complex vitamins, especially vitamin B12 and vitamin B6, before drinking alcohol and the following day, are excellent ways of avoiding hangover.  Also, remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day and evening.

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency:

B12 and Alcohol Consumption

Vitamin Deficiencies can drive you Crazy- Seriously! Part 1

The Vitamin B12 Patch for Energy

Sources:

• Ten Tried And True Hangover Cures- Forbes.com
• Vitamin B12 vs. The Hangover
• Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
• Top 10 Hangover Cures
• How to Prevent a Hangover with Vitamin B Complex- eHow.com
• Hangover Cures Causes and Remedies

Image credits:

(From top) Rob Wiltshire, Stuart Miles, ahmet guler, Tina Phillips

House of Commons

What do they have in Common?

Vitamin B12 deficiency is linked with so many types of autoimmune disease; it’s almost like the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.” Guess what vitamin B12, IBS, cardiovascular disease, and many kinds of chronic disease have in common…

B12 deficiency- why worry?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble nutrient, one of many B vitamins, that is crucial for optimum health. If you don’t get enough vitamin B12 from meat, chicken, fish, and eggs, from B12 shots or a B12 patch, then you could suffer severe vitamin B12 deficiency, which includes symptoms such as short-term memory loss, tingling in hands and feet, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression.  People who are at risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency are vegans, patients of gastric bypass surgery, diabetes sufferers, individuals on heartburn medicine, and anybody with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Vitamin B12 deficiency is also linked with many autoimmune diseases.

Worried about Low B12 Lab Results?

Here are 12 illnesses that are“6 degrees” away from vitamin B12 deficiency:

1) Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a digestive disease that includes illnesses such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.  Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of many IBD symptoms, such as chronic diarrhea, stomach cramping, nausea, heartburn, and constipation.  IBD can cause severe damage to the intestines, including the colon. People with inflammatory bowel disease have difficulty digesting vitamins and minerals from food, which is why they must take regular vitamin supplements. Because their illness occurs in the digestive system, many IBD patients take vitamin B12 shots in order to avoid B12 deficiency, as vitamin B12 pills are ineffective.

Crohn’s- 9 Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) Myths to Ignore

2) Celiac disease

Celiacs disease is an autoimmune disease that attacks the digestive system with the consumption of gluten.  Celiac disease symptoms include indigestion, diarrhea, malnourishment, and nausea.  Gluten intolerance symptoms occur whenever a celiac disease patient consumes a product containing gluten, a protein that occurs in wheat, rye, and barley.  Because of their difficulty digesting vitamins, celiac disease sufferers should supplement regularly with non-oral forms of vitamin B12.

Celiac Disease Tip: Gluten Free Diet plus Extra Vitamin B12

3) Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS)

Auto [fibromyalgia symptoms] [symptoms of fibromyalgia]

Fibromyalgia symptoms strike 1 in 50 Americans.  Many people don’t realize that fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disease.  Symptoms of fibromyalgia include chronic pain, fatigue, depression, insomnia, and “fibro fog” (disorientation).  Many people who suffer from fibromyalgia also exhibit signs of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Fibromyalgia FAQs- 6 Need-to-Know Fibro Facts

4) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is another autoimmune disease, similar to fibromyalgia, which is closely linked with vitamin B12 deficiency. Scientists have noted an extremely high correlation between all three conditions- fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and B12 deficiency.  Symptoms of CFS are extreme tiredness upon waking up in the morning, fatigue following minimal physical exertion, achy joints, and fibro fog.

40 Things NOT to say to a Fibromyalgia-Chronic Fatigue Sufferer

5) Diabetes

Diabetics who take the drug metformin are susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiency, say scientists. Scientific studies linking low B12 levels with long-term usage of metformin indicate a 77% chance of developing peripheral neuropathy.

New Study: Diabetes Drug Metformin Causes Vitamin B12 Deficiency

6) Psychiatric disorders

[clinical depression] [anxiety disorder]

Some symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are often misdiagnosed as psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorder, manic depression, or paranoia.

Vitamin Deficiencies can drive you Crazy- Seriously! Part 1

7) Heartburn

Stomach acids are essential for digesting vitamin B12 naturally from food sources.  That is why people who take heartburn medication frequently, such as people with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or pregnant women, must take care to avoid B12 deficiency.

The 20 Do’s and Don’ts of the GERD Diet

8) Gastric bypass

Some weight loss surgery procedures involve removing the terminal ilium, a part of the digestive system that is responsible for absorbing vitamin B12. For that reason, patients of bariatric surgery are strongly advised to supplement with non-oral vitamin B12.

10 Mistakes Gastric Bypass Patients Often Make

9) Pernicious anemia

Left untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency could lead to pernicious anemia, an autoimmune disease that cause low production of red blood cells.

Signs and Symptoms of 6 Types of Anemia Blood Disease

10) Cardiovascular disease

Vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and folate all work together in lowering your body’s level of homocysteine; an amino acid that scientists believe may contribute to heart disease and stroke.

B Vitamins prevent Cardiovascular Disease- B6, B12 and Folate

11) Thyroid disease

Autoimmune thyroid disease, also called Hashimoto’s disease, is an autoimmune disease that causes hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland.  There is an unusually high correlation between instances of autoimmune thyroid disease and pernicious anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency. Because some of the symptoms of thyroid disease mimic pernicious anemia, many doctors overlook the possibility of vitamin B12 deficiency.

12) Dementia

In many studies, scientists have noticed that elderly individuals with low levels of B12 are more likely to suffer from early onset dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, than elderly individuals who maintain adequate levels of vitamin B12.  Vitamin B12 deficiency also correlates with decreased cognitive ability.

How to keep Vitamin B12 Deficiency from Shrinking your Brain

Sources:

American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc.

Prevalence and evaluation of B12 deficiency in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease- PubMed NCBI

Peripheral neuropathy- Mayo Clinic

As reported by the Huffington Post, type 2 diabetes is on the rise, and many people who have it don’t even know it.

The following symptoms of type 2 diabetes are often misdiagnosed as old age, fatigue, stress or eating disorder:

• Decreased energy
• Weight gain
• Insatiable need for carbohydrates
• Increased appetite

Over 7 million people in the US are unaware that they suffer from type 2 diabetes.

The warning signs of type 2 diabetes tend to accumulate gradually, so many diabetics who are unaware of their condition chalk it up to old age or stress. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8.3 % of us have type 2 diabetes; that’s almost 26 million Americans.

What you can do about it:

• Get yearly check-ups. Every year your physician should perform the following  tests to monitor your blood sugar levels:

Glucose blood test- a standard fast followed by a blood test to check blood sugar. A healthy level is under 95.

Glycosylated hemoglobin A1C test. This is a blood test which reveals your blood sugar levels over the previous three months. A healthy diagnosis is anywhere between 4 and 6.

Triglyceride levels- your doctor should also include this test as part of your cholesterol monitoring. A triglyceride level over 200 could indicate the onset of type 2 diabetes.

• Keep a food journal. You might be unconsciously craving  carbs, which could mean an unhealthy response to insulin.
• Keep track of your waist size. A large waist circumference is often indicative of a diabetic condition; men with a waist size of over 40 inches and women over 35 inches should visit a doctor and be checked for type 2 diabetes.
• Include more vitamin B12-rich proteins in your diet, in addition to plant-based carbohydrates.
• Exercise regularly. Type 2 diabetes is often a result of excess weight gain, so stay fit by lifting weights and walking or jogging every day.

New research indicates that the vegan diet, while low in animal based fats, is nevertheless not as heart healthy as previously thought.

According to experts, eating an exclusively vegan diet may elevate your chances of developing blood clots and atherosclerosis- both of which may lead to heart attack and stroke.

The vegan diet excludes protein sources such as fish, meat, eggs and dairy, which are rich in essential vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids.

The report, published by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, scientists have collected data over the past 30 years relating to cardiovascular health of vegans versus omnivores.  They concluded that vegetarians have a statistically high risk of accumulating blood clots and suffering from atherosclerosis as a result of not including vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids in their diet.

Good sources of vitamin B12 include beef liver, lamb, oysters, clams, cheese and eggs. Foods which are rich in omega-3 oils include oily fish such as salmon and canned tuna.

Vegans and vegetarians are advised to supplement their diet with adequate amounts of vitamin B12 and omega-3 in order to prevent heart disease, stroke and vitamin B12 deficiency.

Sources:

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

NCBI

OpposingViews.com

Homocysteine Forum

We all know you need to work your body at least 2-3 times a week to stay flexible, build muscle and keep the metabolic juices flowing.  Many of us either go to the gym, walk during our lunch breaks or ride a bike to work.

What about your brain? Your mind also needs a good workout to stay limber, build neurotransmitters and keep the cerebral juices flowing.

Where’s your mental gym?

Use it or lose it.

Your body has over 800 muscles and joints which need to be flexed every day.

Your brain has 5 cognitive functions which need to be practiced, too.

These 5 habits will keep your mind stimulated and sharp; try incorporating them into your daily schedule:

(1)

Memories…

• Your memory skills need training in order to avoid short-term memory loss.
• Every time you memorize something like a password code, for example, you increase the amount of neurotransmitter acetylcholine in your brain.
• Some good memory exercises: try tying your shoes with your eyes closed or feeling your way around a familiar room in the dark.

(2)

Say what?

• Become distracted easily by outside noises? Find yourself repeating the same paragraph over and over? These are all signs of low attention skills.
• Do you often pass your freeway exit on the way to work? During very routine tasks we tend to go into “autopilot.”
• Shake things up a bit to stay in the zone; take an alternate route to work every other day or listen to an audio book while cooking dinner.

(3)

Learn the lingo.

• Language skills practice your ability to recognize, remember and understand words.
• Increase your vocabulary- check out an online thesaurus and make an effort to read a wide range of literature for word exposure.

(4)

Know you personal space.

• Visual-spatial skills help you focus better on your surroundings; they help you stay subconsciously aware of your environment while you concentrate on other tasks.
• Try this memory game once a day: stand in a room and look around at your surroundings.

Choose 3 items to concentrate on; let’s say a pen on your desk, a wall calendar or an interesting flower arrangement.

Exit the room.

Summon the items in your mind, trying to remember exactly where they were in relation to where you were standing before you left the room.

Now try to picture them again an hour later.

Work up to remembering more items, or increase the amount of time to several hours later.

• Practice seeing objects in your peripheral vision and remembering them later.

(5)

Take Charge.

• Executive function skills are used for logic and reasoning.
• Go to Barnes and Nobles or Borders and check out some magazines which specialize in brain-busting riddles and logic puzzles; Games monthly magazine has a wide selection of mind-benders to keep your brain sharp.
• Hook up with a chess partner; strategy board games like Monopoly or Stratego emphasize cause and consequence.

Sources:

Fox News

Wikipedia

Blimpie BLT 12-Inch Super Stacked- 640 calories

At a mere 640 calories, the Blimpie BLT weighs in as the lightest of the fattiest, although you might wonder why anybody would name their restaurant Blimpie if they’re trying to attract customers…

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Steak ‘n Shake Chili Mac, Supreme- 1067 calories

The vanilla milkshake won’t be the only thing that’s jiggling if you make this fat-filled orgy a part of your regular diet.

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Quiznos Large Tuna Melt Sandwich with Cheese and Dressing- 1220 calories

Oh, yeah. Don’t want to forget that dressing. As if the mayo and the extra cheese were not saturated enough for ya.

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Burger King Texas Triple Whopper Sandwich- 1310 calories

The only thing higher than this monstrosity will be your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels.

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Hardee’s 2/3 lb. Monster Thickburger- 1320 calories

Who says there’s no truth in advertising? This burger will, indeed, make you thick.  In the middle, that is.

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Wendy’s Baconator Triple- 1330 calories

Add some fried eggs and a dollop of chicken gravy and you’ve got a complete quadruple bypass in the making.

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Rubio’s Nachos Grande Steak- 1430 calories

We love your fish tacos, Rubio, but what’s up with this? Something is definitely wrong with this picture.

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Baja Fresh Quesadilla Charbroiled Steak- 1430 calories

Their motto is, “Eat well. Live fresh.” Whatever happened to live long and prosper?

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Dairy Queen Chicken Strip Basket, 6-Piece with Country Gravy- 1640 calories

DQ doesn’t even pretend to be interested in your health, and you gotta love them for that.  This fried feast is no exception.

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Baja Fresh Nachos, Charbroiled Steak- 2073 calories

You might want to call your doctor and let him know you’re coming in before you sit down to eat this caloric catastrophe. If the resulting indigestion doesn’t send you to the hospital then the obstructed coronary artery will.

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Watch this hilarious, live Taco Bell drive-through video:

Sources:

Huffington Post

Calorie Count

Live Strong

Hungry Girl

Daily Trend News

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