B-12
You might be wondering to yourself, how much $h!t am I full of? Let me be blunt, a website is NOT cheap, and not easy to build, so...
Why TF would I spend my time, energy, and resources on something I didn't believe in?
All these "little vitamin hacks" work, especially when paired with practicing a healing Lifestyle. I share what works because I hope it can save someone the time and pain I paid when I didn't know.
So let's start with the Basics:
High levels of stress are not good but are common. Stress does not discriminate and can deplete your body of vitamins.
B vitamins are essential for the nervous and circulatory systems.
What piqued my interest during my studies was the effect stress had on the Nervous system.
Another important job B vitamins have- is helping your body absorb nutrients from what you eat.
This is important, you can eat healthy and take certain supplements, but without your body being able to properly absorb it, what benefits are you getting?
(Always check with your doctor if you have any questions about your vitamin levels; they can check and make sure you are balanced or see if you are depleted in something.)
B12 is the main B vitamin I focused on, though you can benefit from B6 too, or look into taking a "B complex" supplement
B12 deficiency can hinder the ability to manage stress and absorb nutrients from food/ supplements. (Source)
B12 Deficiency can manifest physically and mentally in some of these ways:
- Loss of balance and trouble walking
- Tingling sensations or numbness in hands, legs or feet
- Memory loss or cognitive difficulties
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Anemia
- Depression
- Paranoia and delusions
- Incontinence
- Loss of taste and smell
- Jaundice
What does B12 have to do with Abuse recovery?
Stress.
I’m confident we can all agree that an abusive relationship/family is stressful. And stress can lead to a variety of health issues, including anxiety, depression, loss of memory, PTSD, muscle cramps, loss of sleep, and more.
B12 provides benefits to the brain and body under stress. I, a stressed-out, mentally drained individual with years of abuse, concluded that it was worth the effort of taking B vitamins after trying it for a while, of course, you will need patience and allow yourself grace, nothing happens over night.
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Stress affects numerous systems within us, including our metabolism, memory, and immune system.
(Source)
Not many people are taught about the damage stress can cause to their brains. Because of this, people may not be doing what they can for themselves because they don't know what that is or where to start. However, as you and I continue to discuss it and learn and share it with others, I believe we can make it common knowledge and normal to discuss.
Imagine it this way.
Your brain is the control panel for your body, if your control panel was to fry a circuit, a domino effect of symptoms can occur throughout your body.
I may not be a medical practitioner, but, I did educate myself on the subject to teach myself what parts of the brain are affected by Stress and Trauma and what is needed to support those parts of the brain so I can heal and recover.
I began to take B12 when starting my Recovery Journey near the end of summer 2020, after taking it for about 2-3 weeks consistently, I noticed the difference.
Since I wanted to see if it worked or not, I kept a journal of how I was feeling when I started, a few days in, a week in, and so on. This helped me notice any differences.
For me, I noticed after a week in, my memory was getting better. I am always ‘that girl who lost her phone or her bag…AGAIN, several times a day I would panic over losing my wallet, which 10 minutes prior I had put in my pocket.
Of course, with any supplement or vitamin, be careful.
After almost a year of doing my best to take B12 daily (I’ll be honest, I skipped a few days here and there each month, still working on self-discipline). I noticed I was more annoyed and easily irritated, not to the point of any manic, (which comes with mental illnesses after traumatic abuse), but definitely to where I was bitter, more than I wanted to be.
I later learned that taking too much B12 can cause one to feel irritated and snappy. Definitely not the result I wanted, so I made a quick adjustment to get back on track.
Instead of 1 dosage daily, I switched to 1 dosage every other day.
After this adjustment, I noticed my mood got better. This is why I encourage you to jot down how you feel in a journal, to keep track of your dosages and changes. You are your body's advocate, don't let your beautiful body be neglected. Take time each day to ask how you are feeling and learn new, healthier ways to feel better.
I take more than one supplement, other than B12 I took D, DLPA, and turmeric, so I had to consider how each one made me feel.
Use this as a reminder to take all your medications and supplements into consideration, keeping track of what you are taking, and when you take it is important, along with any symptoms you feel, this is all to help build a Map of You that will help guide you on your journey ✨.
Always speak to your doctor, if you have one. If you don't have a doctor or don't have one you trust, write down how you are feeling every day, what medications/vitamins you are on, and the dosage, and carefully decide what works best for you.
After all.... only you can be YOU, only you know YOUR body the most. You know what other illnesses/conditions you have, you know how one thing makes you feel vs. the other. So use that knowledge to create a plan and trust yourself.
You are the expert at being you.
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You can get B12 at any Walgreens, Walmart, target, etc.
Warning - Pay attention to the quality of the brand and avoid anything with a SOY.
Fun fact, soy is like a toxin when it comes to the health of your brain and its balance. If you can, AVOID soy.
"New research shows soybean oil not only leads to obesity and diabetes, but could also affect neurological conditions like autism, Alzheimer's disease, anxiety, and depression."
For many who hate swallowing pills, I dropped a link below to the liquid B12 I took. I'm not sponsored by them, and honestly, there could be better options out there 🤷🏻♀️.
But in my opinion, I found this the best option for me at the time. It gave me one less pill to take, and the flavor is decent, not too mediciney. This one has also stopped the problem of my pi$$ smelling like vitamins. (which is common when you take vitamin B supplements)
Click Here for
This is the One a day for Women I found to like best.
NATURELO One Daily Multivitamin for Women - Energy Support - Whole Food Supplement to Nourish Hair, Skin, Nails - Non-GMO - No Soy - Gluten Free - 60 Capsules - 2 Month Supply
✨ Stay Strong ✨ Keep Fighting ✨