What is Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is made in the digestive tract of animals, and is also present in the bacterial growth of the nose, mouth, base of tongue and upper bronchial tree. Vitamin B12 is also syn- the sized from food with the aid of intestinal bacteria.

“It has been suggested that in man the normal requirement 0f B12 is met by bacterial synthesis in the colon.” studies quoted by Dr Agatha Thrash in ‘Nutrition for Vegetarians ‘. All cells and nerves require vitamin B12 to function properly, especially nerve cells and blood cells, particularly those of the brain. It is essential for proper blood formation.

What causes a deficiency
of B12?

-Lack of intrinsic factor in the terminal ileum of the gastrointestinal tract
-Lack of hydrochloric acid
-Competition with intestinal parasites

What is the intrinsic factor?

The intrinsic factor is necessary for the absorption of B12. To insure that a person has this intrinsic factor, they should take note of the points under colon health.

What destroys B12?

Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine –
Environmental chemicals
-Intestinal parasites
-High doses of Vitamin C
-Multi-vitamin preparations
-Oral contraceptives

What interferes withB12 absorption?

-Dehydration, colon disease
-Eggs
-Soybeans not properly prepared

What increases the need for B12?
-Stress
-Animal products
-Excess fat in the diet
-Refined, cooked foods

What are the vegan sources of B12?

-Wheat and oats
-Green vegetables, beetroot, leeks
-Kelp and seaweed foods i -Bananas, unsprayed fruit 4
-Soybeans, Sunflower seeds -Alfalfa -Olives .
-Rain water
-Not cleaning the teeth before breakfast .
-Cultured foods

It is interesting to observe that absorption and conservation of B l 2 are more important than the presence of the vitamin in the diet.

What increases the absorption of B12?

-Proper combination of foods, avoiding the combination of milk and sugar, and fruit and vegetables at the same meal.
Majority of food eaten early in the day: e.g. breakfast and lunch ‘ -Long and thorough chewing of food
Including cultured foods as a regular part of the diet -Meals consisting of at least 50% RAW fruit or vegetables -Eating organically-grown vegetables -Good colon health

What constitutes colon health?

Dr Kellogg states we should eliminate as often as we intake, for example, three meals a day equals three eliminations a day!

What can one do to encourage this?

-Drink 2 to 3 litres of water a day
-Promptly answer nature’s call
-Eat largely raw fruit and vegetables -Include cultured foods in the diet.
-At least half on hour brisk walking daily
-Regular colon cleanses, e.g. ColoZone, colonic irrigation, herbal preparation to cleanse and strengthen colon.

How much B12 does a vegan need daily
for optimum health?

0.l micrograms, e.g. 28.3 gms (lounce) of the roots of leek and beetroot and other veg- etables per day will provide 0.1-0.3 micrograms of vitamin B12.
“In grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts, are to be found all the elements we need.”

The grain with fruits and nuts and vegetables contain all the nutritive properties necessary to make good blood.”

“Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator. These foods prepared in a simple and natural manner as possible are the most healthful and nourishing. They impart strength, a power of endurance, and vigor of intellect that are not afforded by a more complex and stimulating diet.”
Each of these statements is taken from page 313 of Counsels on Diet and Foods by Ellen G. White.

I have found in my own life, as a mother of eight children and a naturopath, that the above diet amply supplies all the nutrients necessary for optimum health.

Understanding that the vitamin B12 is a bacteria produced by the body helps to appreciate how it is used in the body, and where its sources can be found. The story of Daniel, found in Daniel chapter 1 in the Bible, is also an illustration that the Garden of Eden diet is the perfect diet for mankind preparing for his soon-coming Saviour.