VITAMIN B COMPLEX: WHAT THESE ARE, WHY WE NEED THEM: FOODS TO EAT

VITAMINS B:WHY WE NEED THEM AND WHICH FOODS CONTAIN THEM

Our bodies need all the B-complex vitamins in order to function normally. They have antioxidant properties and help the organs, production of blood and tissue cells, help slow the aging process and lift our mood due to their actions on the brain. You will note that these vitamins are not the full sequence of numbers, but these listed here are all the B group vitamins currently known. Some are not now classed as vitamins and these have been noted.

Vitamin B1-thiamine.This is found in oatmeal and flax, sunflower seeds and pastas. The body needs this to convert the carbohydrates we eat into energy and to stimulate the amino acids.

Vitamin B2-riboflavin. This is found in mushrooms, almonds, dairy products, leafy green vegetables and asparagus, some fruits such as persimmons, liver and kidneys. It is also added to energy drinks and used as a food additive (in yellow–orange powdered form) in pasta, sauces etc. It is needed for normal growth, and helps in the treatment of jaundice, is good for the liver functions and may help reduce migraines. It is also good for the eyes.

Vitamin B3-niacin. This is essential for healthy cells and the production of steroid hormones produced in the adrenal gland, such as testosterone and oestrogen. It is found in avocados, dates, tomatoes, leafy green vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, offal, chicken, tuna, salmon, eggs and milk and other food items.

Vitamin B4-adenine. This is no longer considered a B vitamin, but it helps bind niacin and riboflavin.

Vitamin B5-pantothenic acid. This gets its name from the Greek, pantothen meaning from everywhere, and is found in almost every food as the name suggests. It is especially high in cereals and beans and lentils, eggs, meat and royal jelly, as well as in broccoli and avocados. It is an energy booster and can help in sleep disorders, wound healing, hair growth, acne and diabetes.

Vitamin B6- pyridoxal and pyridoxamine. This plays a role in helping amino acids convert into other chemical substances in the body. It has many uses in this way, but perhaps the one that is most important to our general well-being is that it converts tryptophan to serotonin, which makes us fell happy. Vitamin B6 helps the neurotransmitters function normally and helps the function of haemoglobin as well as its synthesis and that of histamine. It is good for the eyes and the brain and can be found in meats, whole grains, and their products, vegetables and nuts and also bananas. However boiling foods can destroy up to 50% of this vitamin as can the freezing and canning processes. It’s better to eat nuts and bananas to be sure of getting this vitamin.

Vitamin B7 – biotin. This one regulates the blood sugar levels, strengthens hair and nails, and is good for skin. It is also called Vitamin H which comes from the German “Haar und haut,” meaning hair and skin. It is also good for diabetics. It is found in liver, egg yolks, grains and some vegetables.

Vitamin B8 – adenosine monophosphate (AMP). This consists of vitamin B4 (adenine) and the sugar, ribose. It improves the transmission of information between cells by the neurotransmitters.

Vitamin B9 – folic acid or folate. This is essential for normal body functions. We need folate to synthesize and repair DNA and this is necessary for normal growth and healthy red blood cells. Folate comes from the Latin word for leaf-folium and as the name suggests it can be found in leafy greens such as turnip tops, spinach and asparagus. It is also present in beans, peas, lentils, liver and baker’s yeast among other things. Broccoli, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, oranges, bananas, strawberries and raspberries are also excellent sources of this vitamin. It is also found in fortified bread, pasta and breakfast cereals.

Vitamin B12 – cyanocobalamin. This is essential for the production of healthy red blood cells. It is also the name given to a class of chemicals which act in the same way as cyanocobalamin.

Vitamin B13 – orotic acid. This is now known not to be a vitamin, but is manufactured by the body.

Vitamin B17 – amygdalin. This is found in apricot kernels and almonds (Prunus dulcis) and comes from the Greek amygdalin meaning almond or almond shaped. There has been some controversy surrounding this as it has also been called laetrile and touted as a cure for cancer. Here is a statement from the US Food and Drug Administration, which still seeks jail sentences for those who sell it as an anti-cancer treatment. [Laetrile is a] “highly toxic product that has not shown any effect on healing cancer.”

THE HIMALAYAN YEW: HISTORICAL USES AND MODERN CANCER TREATMENT

 

THE HIMALAYAN YEW, TAXUS WALLICHIANA

The Himalayan yew is one of the many species of yew tree that grow in temperate zones around the world. Unfortunately this yew is an endangered species of tree due to its capacity to provide taxol from its bark. Taxol is an effective anti-cancer drug used in cancer chemotherapy, and was first discovered in the Pacific yew. When this species was virtually on the verge of extinction, botanists and scientists found that taxol could also be obtained from Taxus Wallichiana, and now the same fate faces this tree.

  Taxol is effective against breast and ovarian cancer treatments, although alone it has a 56% success rate in treating beast cancer and only a 30 % success rate of treating ovarian cancer when combined with other drugs it has more than 60 % success rate. Male trees yield more taxol than female trees.

   In the remote Himalayan regions where this evergreen coniferous tree grows, I is used in traditional medicine which has its roots in prehistoric times and which uses soil, herbs and the roots and bark as well as other parts of trees to cure illnesses, along with ‘magic’ rites. The people who inhabit these regions believe in local gods; some of them were people who have been deified such as Bhola Nath, Gollu Devata and Lakiya Bhut, but others are far more primitive gods. Illnesses are believed to come form the gods and they are appeased with offerings and ceremonies performed by the shamanic priest or Poochari. These people are not sure which specific ingredient cures an illness, but will mix them together in the ways of their ancestors.

   In Unani medicine (this means Greek and was introduced to the Indian subcontinent by the Arabs in ancient times) in the Indian subcontinent, the bark and needles of the Himalayan Yew tree are used as a sedative, aphrodisiac and for respiratory illnesses and are also used to treat snake bites and scorpion stings. In Ayurvedic medicine the same parts of the Himalayan Yew are used for headaches, diarrhoea and a number of other ailments.

   The bark of the tree is also used to make butter tea, and the wood from the tree is used for timber to construct dwellings in the area. In medicines in this area the needles (leaves) are used as is the young tree bark. In Pakistan the branches are used as fodder for animals, but the foliage and seeds are toxic. The only edible part of the tree is the red outer casing of the fruit or seed. This is pulpy and apparently sweet. Although the tree is classed as coniferous, it doesn’t yield cones like a pine tree, only the seeds encased in the pulpy red aril (seed casing).

WHAT IS JATAMANSI? INDIAN SPIKENARD, SOURCE OF AN ANCIENT OIL: MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF JATAMANSI

JATAMANSI, INDIAN SPIKENARD, NARDOSTACHYA JATAMANSI

Jatamansi or Indian spikenard or musk root has been used in medicine for thousands of years. It is native to the Himalayas where it grows at heights of between 3,000 and 5,000 feet. It is cultivated in India where it is used extensively in perfumes and medicines. The part used is the hairy root, which is how it gets its name, as jatamansi means hirsute. The flowers are red or pink and red or blue, and the hairy root or rhizome is aromatic, giving rise to its name ‘musk root’.

   This is the Spikenard of the Bible which Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha used to anoint the feet of Jesus. It is one of the oils mentioned in various places in the Bible along with oils of myrrh, frankincense and sandalwood. It is also one of the 16 aromatics which was a mixture used by the ancient Egyptians, called kyphi. This contained frankincense, spikenard, saffron and cassia among other aromatics and was used in religious rites in temples and burned in homes and used to perfume the body and clothes. Plutarch, writing of kyphi said that its “aromatic substances lull to sleep, allay anxieties and brighten dreams. It is made of things that delight most in the night”. So I guess it was also used as an aphrodisiac.

   When Tutankhamen’s tomb was opened in 1922, archaeologists found an unguent which still had an aroma after more than 3,300 years, and analysis showed that it contained both frankincense and Indian spikenard. In 2000BC Indian spikenard is mentioned in Ayurvedic medical texts as an oil, which was used along with that of sandalwood in the treatment of various ailments.

   Ovid mentions spikenard in his description of the fabulous bird, the phoenix. He wrote that the poor phoenix lived for 500 years then built itself a huge nest and collected myrrh, cinnamon and spikenard, placed them in it and then, amidst the sweet-smelling substances, lay down and died. A young phoenix then emerged from the parent’s body.

  Writing in the 5^th century AD Apicius said that “spica nardi” was one of the essentials for every kitchen along with myrrh, juniper, cinnamon, saffron, ginger and others.

   In the first century AD Dioscorides praised spikenard and called it Nardin. It was known to the Arab and Persian physicians as Sumbul-i-Hindi.  

  The rhizome is used in Ayurvedic medicine as a tonic, a digestive aid, and antispasmodic, a stimulant and to treat hysteria, epilepsy, insomnia, improve blood circulation, and help with mental health. It is good for the heart, liver and a diuretic in the Unani system of medicine which was introduced to the subcontinent from Greece (Unan) by the Arabs.

   Medical trials have shown that the rhizome contains a sedative sesquiterpene which has the same properties as valeranone which is found in valerian. New substances have been found in the rhizome such as the coumarin, jatamansinisa. It has been found that the rhizome extract is good for lowering cholesterol and stimulating the production of serotonin, which promotes feeling of well-being. So Plutarch described one of its effects accurately. It is good for the normal functioning of both the liver and the heart because of its strong antioxidant powers and as it can combat oxidative stress, it can help stave off the onset of Parkinson’s disease. It can also remedy arrhythmia or palpitations of the heart.

  In traditional medicine it is believed that a paste of the rhizome and water can help skin problems such as acne and make for a fair glowing complexion. This paste is also given to alleviate pain and swelling. The powdered root is used as a deodorant, and a decoction is given for skin problems. If taken internally the decoction can aid digestion and stimulate the appetite, and treat hepatitis, clean the uterus, and so help with menstrual problems and infertility. However it should be avoided during pregnancy and the lactation period. It is also said to help calm down hyperactive children as well as agitated mental patients.

  Unfortunately the plant is now endangered because it is in demand by pharmaceutical companies in the West and impoverished locals want to earn as much as they can, as they are largely ill-educated and feeding their families is more important to them than the eco-system. This is the same problem facing the Himalayan Yew.

HOW TO MAKE SAIB KA MURABBA: DELICIOUS,SPICY APPLE CONSERVE

                                 SAIB KA MURABBA – APPLE CONSERVE

This and the carrot conserve are easy to make, and could be given as presents during the festive season. They are both really deliciously different.

Ingredients

6 medium sized yellow apples, peeled and cored, but leave the apples whole

2 glasses of sugar

6 green cardamoms

2 sticks cinnamon

½ inch piece of peeled ginger root left whole

2 tbsps white vinegar

2 tbsps rose water

1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Prick the apples with a metal skewer so that the syrup can go inside them.

Put the apples in a pan and cover them with water so that the water is two inches above the apples.

Remove the apples and add the sugar to the water and stir so that the sugar is well mixed, then bring to the boil.

Now put the apples in the pan and wait until the apples suck in the sugar and sink.

Add all the other ingredients into the pan, turn the heat down to very low and cover.

Leave the pan for 1 hour or until the syrup falls from a metal spoon in one thread.

Allow to cool and store in an airtight container in a cool dark place.

You can use the syrup in the next batch when you finish the apples.

This has Taste and is a Treat.