Crohn’s disease is a personal, often embarrassing topic to bring up with friends and family, but left untreated could have devastating results. Characterized by inflammation of the small intestine, symptoms of Crohn’s include malnutrition, diarrhea, indigestion, ulcers, stomach cramps and loss of appetite.  Early diagnosis and proper diet can go a long way towards alleviating most of these symptoms.

• Include lean proteins such as chicken and fish.
• Avoid iron deficiency by pairing up iron-rich foods with vitamin C for increased absorption.  For example, fry up some tofu cubes with broccoli, or just remember to have an orange alongside a bowl of iron-fortified breakfast cereal.
• Stick to a low fiber diet.  Avoid foods such as corn or nuts which are more difficult to digest completely and may trigger constipation.
• Consume plenty of fluids, particularly drinks which are high in electrolytes.
• Visit your doctor.  In some cases an antibiotic such as rifaximin is all that is needed to begin the healing process.
• Your physician might prescribe steroids, so know your facts before the office visit.
• Many extol the wonders of coconut oil in easing stomach cramps and diarrhea associated with Crohn’s disease.

Don’t ignore the symptoms and think they will go away on their own.  If you think you have Crohn’s, seek professional help immediately.

About Vitamin B12 Supplementation

The importance of vitamin B12 can not be ignored. Even though vitamin B12 is required in very small amounts by the body, it is responsible for performing some vital and essential functions. Vitamin B12 is easily available in a balanced daily diet. However, due to the complex process involved in absorption, there may be a deficiency of this vitamin. A deficiency of vitamin B12 may give rise to numerous health problems and serious diseases of which anemia is most common. Different methods of supplementation of vitamin B12 exist. Some prominent methods that are practiced include oral intake, intravenous methods, and through injections also known as vitamin B12 shots.

Vitamin B12 Shots

Vitamin B12 helps in catalyzing the myriad bodily processes. Vitamin B12 should be consumed in appropriate levels in order to meet the various requirements of the body. Many times vitamin B12 is found to be deficient due to inappropriate absorption within the gastrointestinal tract. There are many over-the-counter medications for external supplementation of vitamin B12. However, some of these do not contain enough of the vitamin to effectively reduce the symptoms of deficiency. For this reason vitamin B12 shots are administered. Generally, the shots are given every 1 to 2 days for a period of about 2 weeks in the initial stages. The frequency of the shots can be increased or decreased according to need.

Vitamin B12 An Overview

Vitamin B12 belongs to the family of the B Complex vitamins. The metal ion called cobalt is an active ingredient of Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is available naturally in many of the animal products we eat. The adult daily requirement for vitamin B12 is only 2 micrograms. However, vitamin B12 helps in some of the most important and vital functions of the body. This vitamin is essential in maintaining a healthy nervous system. If the appropriate amount of vitamin B12 is not consumed through dietary intake, several diseases such as anemia can result. Various other health problems can also be linked to a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Some Important Facts About Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is one of the few vitamins that have no toxic effect even in excessive doses. Vitamin B12 is available naturally in many animal products. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in clams, mussels, crabs, salmon, rockfish, liver, beef, chicken, turkey, eggs, milk, and cheese. Vitamin B12 can not be directly synthesized or produced by any organism other than a particular group of bacteria. The absorption of vitamin B12 is a complicated process. Vitamin B12 is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and cannot be absorbed without the presence of intrinsic factor, a protein produced in the stomach.