The benefits of B-6 are many.  Let’s look at the best of them:

• Vitamin B6 in its natural state, as opposed to isolated in a laboratory, will give your body the “nutrients” that are supposed to accompany it. A-nutrients are the balancing nutrients that all vitamins and minerals have “attached” to them. An example is that to separate calcium from magnesium would make calcium almost unusable by the body. Calcium needs magnesium to draw it into the blood and tissue. Copper needs zinc, etc. With vitamins, it is the same.
• Vitamin B6 is the vitamin necessary for the production of progesterone and a good healthy egg.
• Vitamin B6 will also lower prolactin; the hormone which produces milk for babies after birth. It is this higher level of prolactin after birth which suppresses progesterone production. This may not sound positive if you are nursing but
  for those who have allergies to dairy it is very helpful. Note: Because of this lack of B6 and subsequent rise in prolactin many will find fertility during nursing lowered. Raising B6 will therefore lower prolactin, milk production and raise progesterone levels over time.
• Vitamin B6 will also help the body to deal effectively with stress. Without it, stress raises cortisol which affects testosterone as well causing the imbalance of testosterone and estrogen necessary for a proper cycle. More
  about this when we develop hormonal strategies.
• Vitamin B6 is necessary for the formation of antibodies and red blood cells.
• Vitamin B6 maintains and stabilizes healthy body tissue, skin, and nerves, and hormone production.
• Vitamin B6 is as important to men as it is for women.
• Vitamin B6 helps the body to alleviate conditions of depression and allergies – often called the “anti-depression” and “anti-allergy” vitamin.
• Vitamin B6 is essential to the production of amino acids – which are the building blocks of every protein cell.
• Vitamin B6 is necessary for creating serotonin – the feel good hormone.
• Vitamin B6 is responsible for balancing your hormones.
• Vitamin B6 is also vital to your metabolism keeping it stress and yoyo weight gain free. It is your metabolism that helps your body to lose weight when working properly.
• Vitamin B6 actually has a say in over 100 chemical processes EVERY minute in your body.

How much B6 do I need?

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of pyridoxine for an adult – male or female – is 1.3mg per day or for a pregnant woman 1.9mg.

Sources of Vitamin B6
Many natural food sources contain pyridoxine – the more clinical name for Vitamin B6 – and they are listed here but try to stick to the vegetarian sources when possible for maximum absorbency and a better pH. Remember that a healthy pH is good for cervical mucus.

• Red & Green Peppers (raw – eat them like an apple; YUM)
• Hazel nuts (raw is best for all nuts and seeds)
• Peanuts and peanut butter – a mono-unsaturated fat good for losing belly fat)
• Cashew nuts
• Potato (never eat potatoes raw but always eat with the skins for the potassium)
• Wheat bran (mix into all your baked goods or put into cooked oatmeal)
• Nutritional yeast (sprinkle on popcorn or on sunflower seeds that have been roasted in oil – it will stick better)
• Bee-pollen (purchase at a health food store and put in shakes and smoothies)

Animal sources of Vitamin B6 are: Liver, rabbit, fatty fish, cod,  turkey, chicken, beef, pork

Read more about the B Vitamin family

Bee Pollen is an excellent source of B6, as is nutritional yeast. First we will talk about nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast
is delicious on popcorn and along with butter gives it a light cheesy taste. (As a side note: real cheese will actually raise prolactin/lower B6 and lower progesterone production.) – Nutritional yeast is NOT the same as baker’s yeast but it is just about the same as Brewer’s yeast. Nutritional yeast is flakier and we love it on popcorn. It is easy to just shake instead of cheese and no butter is needed but that is up to you. Brewer’s yeast is more granular so it is not my favorite form but you can use either. – You can find it in the health food store or order it online.

Bee Pollen is easy to add into shakes or can be taken in capsule form. When the body is satisfied with B6, hormones will begin to respond more correctly and progesterone production will most often return in its right levels. The word of the day is BEE POLLEN!

Vitamins are found in higher concentration in the “fruit” of the veggies (and in fruit of course). The minerals are more concentrated in the stock or root. This is why root veggies are important to hormone balance; because minerals are so important to the production of life. Good sources of minerals are turnip for potassium, broccoli for calcium/magnesium and on and on. We discuss this in other posts about healthy eating.

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