Thursday, 20 December 2012

Emergency Supplies: Are you Getting Enough Vitamin K?

By Terrance Franklin


In the early twentieth century, a Danish scientist named Henrik Dam was studying the results of diet on livestock, specifically chickens and their chicks. While reducing the level of cholesterol in the diet of the chickens, he detected an increased tendency for bleeding to go on rampantly. However, when he reintroduced the cholesterol, the consequences were not corrected. There was something taking place which allowed these chickens to clot. At the same time, infants around the world were struggling with the same disorders, with hemorrhaging problems claiming life soon after birth. What was happening?

Why Vitamin K is part of your crucial emergency supplies

After joining forces with Edward Doisy of St. Louis University, Dam was able to isolate the compound which was responsible for allowing the chicks to stop bleeding. He called it Koagulationsvitamin for its significance in coagulation, which has since been reduced to Vitamin K. Ever since the discovery, it has been a staple of medicine in the form of injections, that must be routinely given to newborns and all those who experience severe bleeding issues.

Today, nutritional deficiency of vitamin K is not common. But there are numerous conditions in which vitamin k absorption is impaired or clotting is decreased. In addition, vitamin K plays a vital role in bone health; Glakay, an anti-osteoporosis medicine used in Japan, is actually a type of vitamin K.

Various forms, several sources

Vitamin K is available in two types in nature, K1 and K2. Like some of the other vitamins we have reviewed, they represent the forms available in plants (K1 or phylloquinone) and animals (K2 or menaquinone). K2 indicates a better track record of avoiding bone loss, although K1 has been proven to avoid bone damage among the aged too. In the body, K1 can be transformed into K2 at around 90%.

How to include Vitamin K in your lifestyle

K1 is found in green leafy vegetables, deeper green indicates more vitamin content. Kale has among the best content available. Vitamin K2 is found in animal sources, specially fatty ones. Liver, cheese, butter as well as eggs are probably the best sources available.

Because of the conversion ratio, the form of vitamin K is not really a factor. However preppers aiming to live on a diet plan of stored grain must be cautious to diversify their diet plan. Maybe foraging for local edible herbs such as Chris Nyerges or raising livestock like David Sarti would allow somebody to supplement. If bugging out, man made varieties of K2 may be used as well - K2 is often referred to as MK4 in vitamin form. It doesn't matter what variety you take, Vitamin K must be considered. Bleeding and bone breakage are two things that might be common in a post-apocalyptic world - so know your vitamins!




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment