A vitamin B12 deficiency may take years to become apparent. Symptoms tend to appear when the body's stores of vitamin B12 begin to run out. 

What's the sign in your nails to look out for?

Vitamin B12 is obtained from food, such as meat, salmon, cod, cheese and eggs.

Carnivores (people who eat meat and fish) can usually get all the vitamin B12 their body needs from their diet.

However, when the small intestines fail to absorb nutrients from food into the bloodstream, a deficiency can occur.

Just a side note, vegetarians may also suffer from a vitamin B12 deficiency if they don't consume foods fortified with vitamin B12.

According to The Journal of Family Practice, researchers found that a vitamin B12 deficiency can manifest itself in a person's fingernails.

Specifically, entirely blue nails can indicated a vitamin B12 deficiency, as can those with a bluish-black pigment with wavy longitudinal dark streaks.

The researchers also noted how these nail changes were reversible as they resolved with B12 supplementation.

READ MORE: 

Heart attack: Have you spotted any of these unusual signs in your eyes?

Potential warnings

Malabsorption

The small intestines may have trouble absorbing macro-nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat), as well as micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals).

Factors that may contribute to malabsorption include damage to the intestines. This can be from an infection, inflammation, trauma or surgery.

Prolonged use of antibiotics has been linked to malabsorption syndrome, as well as health conditions, such as celiac disease, Crohn's disease, chronic pancreatitis or cystic fibrosis.

Diseases of the gallbladder, liver or pancreas can lead to malabsorption, as well as lactose intolerance.

DON'T MISS:

Moreover, radiation therapy may have injured the lining of the intestines and certain drugs, such as tetracycline, colchicine, or cholestyramine, may do the same thing.

A rare cause of malabsorption is Whipple's disease – a bacterial infection that affects the digestive system.

The NHS states that a vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to neurological problems, which affect the nervous system.

Complications of the deficiency may reveal itself in vision issues, memory loss, pins and needles, as well as loss of physical co-ordination.

The NHS lists symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency, which include a pale, yellow tinge to your skin and mouth ulcers.

Other symptoms include a sore and red tongue (glossitis), pins and needles, and disturbed vision.

Some people may experience irritability and depression, and a change in the way they think, feel and behave.

Moreover, it's not unheard of for people with a vitamin B12 deficiency to have changes in the way they walk and move around.

India’s first potential indigenous corona-virus disease (Covid-19) vaccine, Covaxin, has been jointly developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL).

ICMR had written to 12 institutes where human trials are to be held for the vaccine, Covaxin, ordering them to secure necessary approvals from internal committees and recruit people for clinical tests by July 7 with a warning that “non-compliance will be viewed very seriously”.

Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech is among the seven Indian firms working on Covid-19 vaccines. It was the first to get the regulatory nod to begin phase 1 and phase 2 human trials to test the vaccine for efficacy and safety.

Zydus Cadila has also got an approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for human clinical trials for ZyCov-D, its endogenously developed vaccine candidates against Sars-Cov-2, which causes Covid-19.

Before the two Indian vaccines, Covaxin and ZyCov-D, 18 experimental Covid-19 vaccines are in various phases of human trials across the world.

One of the leading candidates is AZD1222, which has been developed by the Jenner Institute of University of Oxford and licensed to AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and bio-pharmaceutical company.

Behind AZD1222 is the MRNA-1273 vaccine developed by Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute and taken up for production by the US-based Moderna pharmaceutical.

AstraZeneca and Moderna have already entered into an agreement with Indian manufacturers for production of the Covid-19 vaccines.

What are clinical trials?

Clinical trials involve inoculating people with an experimental vaccine to test whether it is safe and effective, a process that, on average, takes at least 10 years.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people volunteer to take part in clinical trials to test medical interventions, including drugs, cells and other biological products, surgical procedures, radio-logical procedures, devices, behavioral treatments and preventive care.

Clinical trials are carefully designed, reviewed and completed, and need to be approved before they can start, WHO says.

People of all ages can take part in clinical trials, including children.

What are the four phases of clinical trials?

* Phase I studies usually test new drugs for the first time in a small group of people to evaluate a safe dosage range and identify side effects.

* Phase II studies test treatments that have been found to be safe in phase I but now need a larger group of human subjects to monitor for any adverse effects.

* Phase III studies are conducted on larger populations and in different regions and countries and are often the step right before a new treatment is approved.

* Phase IV studies take place after country approval and there is a need for further testing in a wide population over a longer time-frame.

A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not due to often know to be medical conditions that are associated with specific symptoms and signs.

Human Disease , an impairment of the normal state of a human being  that interrupts or modifies  its vital functions. The  routine monitoring of blood pressure level is an important part of assessing an individual's health.

Disease Prevention is a procedure through which individuals , particularly those with risk factors for a disease are treated in order to prevent a disease from occurring . Treatment normally begins either before signs and symptoms of the disease occur or shortly thereafter.

Blood pressure refers to the force of your blood as it moves through the blood vessel walls of the body. A normal blood pressure for most people is around 120/80 millimetre of mercury, or mm Hg.

Systolic, or the measurement on top, refers to the force of the blood pumped out of the heart and into the arteries. Diastolic, the measurement on the bottom, refers to the pressure as the heart relaxes between beats. The American Academy of Cardiology and the American Heart Association currently consider high blood pressure -- also called hypertension -- to be anything above 130/80.

High blood pressure can be bad for your health for many different reasons:

-- It can cause damage to the arteries in your kidneys so they don't work properly.

-- It can damage blood vessels in your eyes, leading to vision problems.

-- Hypertension can raise your risk for heart failure.

-- It raises the risk of a stroke, which is when a part of your brain doesn't get adequate blood supply.

-- It's associated with a higher risk of sexual problems in both men and women.

Changing Your Diet to Help Lower Blood Pressure

Diet is one risk factor for high blood pressure that you can help control. For one, high sodium intake is associated with high blood pressure. Most American adults eat more than 3,400 mg of sodium a day, although the AHA recommends no more than 2,300 mg of sodium daily, says Grace Derocha, a registered dietitian with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. For some adults, no more than 1,000 to 1,500 mg of sodium a day is even better.

Processed foods such as cold cuts, canned foods and frozen dinners push the sodium count sky high for many Americans, says Julie Brennan, an associate professor and registered dietitian with The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences in Toledo, Ohio.

The role of diet to control high blood pressure is so important that there is an eating plan called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension -- or DASH -- diet that can lower your systolic blood pressure (the top number) by 8 to 14 mm Hg over time, says Dr. Icilma V. Fergus, a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and director of the Mount Sinai Heart Center for Cardiovascular Disparities in New York City.

The DASH diet focuses on:

-- Fruits.

-- Vegetables.

-- Low-fat dairy.

-- Lean protein.

-- Whole grains.

These foods are usually higher in fiber and potassium, as well as other vitamins and minerals, all of which can help lower your blood pressure. One mineral, potassium, helps your body to get rid of blood pressure-raising sodium. Additionally, fiber helps to fill you up so you probably won't eat as much, Fergus says.

Whether or not you follow DASH, you may want to know some specific foods to eat that can help lower your blood pressure.

These seven foods are a great place to start, as they are rich in potassium and fiber:

-- Avocados.

-- Beans.

-- Berries.

-- Beets.

-- Dark, leafy greens.

-- Sweet potatoes.

-- Watermelon.

Also read : Most Unhealthy Breakfast: Do not eat them at breakfast, 5 fried fast foods are the worst for health

7 Foods That Help Lower Your Blood Pressure

1. Avocados: One-half of an avocado has 487 mg of potassium, which helps to meet a recommended daily intake of 2,600 to 3,400 mg. That half of an avocado also has a little over two grams of fiber and healthy fats. Here are some ways to use avocados when prepping meals:

-- Make guacamole.

-- Make avocado toast.

-- Add avocado to salads.

-- Add it to salsas.

-- Put it in smoothies.

2. Beans: Beans are high in fiber and protein. There are many beans to choose from, from kidney beans to white beans to chickpeas and more. You can experiment to find which ones you like best. Beans are rich in potassium: A cup of white beans, for example, has 829 mg of potassium, Derocha says.

Here are a few ways you can add more beans to your diet:

-- Make hummus with your favorite type of bean.

-- Add beans to salads.

-- Make black bean brownies. Have friends and family guess the secret ingredient in this fudge-like treat.

-- Include beans in chili, soups and stews.

Tip: Rinse canned beans to help get rid of their excess salt, Brennan advises.

3. Beets: When's the last time you ate beets? This deep-red vegetable is full of health benefits, including the potential to lower your blood pressure. Per a one-cup serving, beets have almost 4 grams of fiber. That fiber will make you less likely to fill up on processed foods and allow for better waste elimination from your body, Fergus says. Here are a few different ways to incorporate beets into your diet:

-- Add beets to salads or make salads that focus on beets as the main ingredient.

-- Put cut-up beets in soups.

-- Make a beet hummus.

-- Prepare tasty roasted beets.

4. Berries: Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are high in fiber and full of antioxidants, which help fight aging, says Dr. Nicole M. Weinberg, a cardiologist with Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California.

Berries also can help reduce blood pressure. Here are a few ways to incorporate berries into your daily meals:

-- Add them to salads or make your own berry salad.

-- Include them in low-sugar fruit crisps.

-- Make smoothies with berries.

5. Dark, Leafy Greens: Your mom was on to something when she told you to eat your greens as a kid. In particular, dark, leafy greens like kale and spinach are chock full of fiber, healthy vitamins and minerals such as potassium. If you're not sure how you prefer to eat greens, there are many ways you can prepare them:

-- Use them in salads.

-- Add them to smoothies.

-- Prep pasta dishes that include dark, leafy greens. Or mix them into the sauce.

-- Blanch, broil, boil, saute or steam your greens.

Don't overcook your greens to the point of destroying their nutrients, Fergus says.

6. Sweet Potatoes: The versatile sweet potato has 541 mg of potassium and nearly four grams of fiber. Here are several different ways to prep sweet potatoes so you can add them to your daily meals:

-- Mash sweet potatoes together with mashed carrots.

-- Add sweet potatoes to potato hash.

-- Slice and roast them with a little olive oil and rosemary.

7. Watermelon: Watermelon isn't just a refreshing, natural treat. It's also low calorie and high in potassium, packing in 640 mg per each two-cup serving. Although watermelon tastes great simply as a snack, there are other ways you can get creative with it:

-- Add watermelon to salads.

-- Try grilling it.

-- Freeze it to serve watermelon cubes as a frozen treat.

-- Add watermelon to smoothies.

Some Final Recommendations:-

In addition to dietary changes, don't forget to do the following to help lower your blood pressure more effectively:

-- Get seven to eight hours of sleep a night.

-- Avoid smoking.

-- Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum.

-- Lose weight if needed. For every 2.2 pounds of weight you lose, you can help lower your blood pressure by 1 mm Hg, Derocha says.

-- Get regular physical activity.

Obsessed with cycling? Adore weight-training? Congratulations on finding a workout you love. But if your routine is one- note, you’re likely missing out on a whole symphony of benefits that other types of exercise offer. It can even be harmful. “Doing the same thing all the time can be hard on your body,” says Chris Gagliardi, an American Council on Exercise-certified health coach and personal trainer. Mixing it up with a different workout a few days a week creates a well-rounded program that works all your muscles, addresses imbalances and helps prevent injury. Here, three exercise pairings that go particularly well together.

Yoga works wonders for flexibility and strength, but it may not get your heart pumping hard enough, says Gagliardi. So pair your practice with pedaling, which will boost your heart rate and benefit your cardiovascular system. Cycling also works your hamstrings (which many asanas don’t target) and gives your upper body and back (places all those Sun Salutations do tax) a break. Try a spin class, or hit the trail or road, where you’ll reap the mood-boosting benefits of nature too.

Meanwhile, yoga poses strengthen the back, core and upper body—areas that cycling tends to neglect. What’s more, the deep breaths and mind-body connections provide a good balance to the blaring tunes of a spinning class, and can help you stay centered while navigating traffic on road rides.

Hitting the pool offers a total-body workout that boosts cardiovascular fitness and protects against chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. But there’s one component it lacks: impact. Because of that, it doesn’t help you maintain strong bones the way weight-bearing exercises like walking and running do. The ideal solution? Balance swimming with explosive moves like box jumps, skips and bounds. These exercises can be intense, so start small and then progress. For instance, practice side lunges, then work your way up to side-to-side hops.

And if weight-bearing plyo moves are already part of your regimen, make some of your leaps in the pool. There, the supportive nature of water can give joints a break. Plus, it’ll help you hit your cardio targets.

The constant pounding of shoes on pavement leaves runners at risk for overuse injuries like Achilles tendinitis and runner’s knee. Doing leg and core exercises, such as squats, lunges and crunches, can reduce your risk of these ailments by making your muscles, joints and connective tissues stronger and more resilient. Add in moves to tone the upper-body muscles that running doesn’t target, as well.

On the flip side, there’s good reason for those who hang out near the weight rack to venture toward the treadmills, Gagliardi says. Resistance training typically doesn’t get your heart rate up enough to count toward the recommended 150 weekly minutes of moderate-intensity cardio. Because running is so vigorous, you can get by with just 75 weekly minutes of huffing and puffing.

In this 7-day vegetarian meal plan, we incorporate a week of delicious plant-based recipes tailored for beginners—meaning we repeat several breakfasts and lunches and try to keep dinner fairly simple. The goal is to enjoy cooking more plant-based meals at home and reap the health benefits without feeling like you're spending too much time in the kitchen. We set this plan at 1,500 calories a day and included modifications for 1,200 or 2,000 calories a day, depending on your needs.

Related: Easy Plant-Based Recipes for Beginners

The definition of a plant-based diet is a bit vague because there's no agreed upon "final" definition. For the purpose of this plan, plant-based means vegetarian, so we didn't include meat but included dairy and eggs. For others, plant-based might mean a completely vegan diet or it might simply mean that you focus primarily on plant-based proteins and try to eat meat sparingly. Whatever it means to you, it's always a good idea to increase your vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes because they are high in fiber, an important nutrient that 95% of us don't get enough of.

Plant-Based Diet Benefits

How to Shop for a Plant-Based Diet

You'll often hear the advice to shop around the perimeter of the grocery store to avoid eating processed foods. While it's true that the outside aisles are where you'll find produce, yogurt and tofu, there's a lot of nutritious foods to be found in the inner aisles of the grocery store. There you'll find whole grains like quinoa, brown rice and oats as well as dried and canned beans, nuts and seeds, and frozen fruit and vegetables. It's a good idea to stock up on canned and dried beans and lentils—they're shelf-stable and a handy pantry item to have on hand.

For protein, focus on minimally-processed sources like beans, lentils, nuts and whole grains and try to limit heavily processed vegetarian proteins like soy "hot dogs" or imitation meats. They tend to be very high in sodium and don't pack in the nutritional benefits compared to their less-processed plant-based options.

Related: 6 Best Tips for Eating Plant-Based on a Budget

Plant-Based Diet Foods List

Prepare Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats to have for breakfast on Days 2 through 6.

Make Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5.

Whip up Citrus Vinaigrette to have throughout the week.

Day 1Beefless Vegan Tacos

Breakfast (304 calories) A.M. Snack (95 calories) Lunch (374 calories) P.M. Snack (206 calories)

1/4 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Dinner (509 calories)
Day 2

Mexican Quinoa Salad

Breakfast (258 calories) A.M. Snack (341 calories)

1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 medium peach

3 Tbsp. slivered almonds

Lunch (332 calories) P.M. Snack (131 calories) Dinner (458 calories)
Day 3

 Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas & Spinach

Breakfast (258 calories) A.M. Snack (95 calories) Lunch (463 calories) P.M. Snack (274 calories)

1/3 cup dried walnut halves

1 medium peach

Dinner (419 calories)
Day 4 Greek Salad with Edamame

Breakfast (258 calories) A.M. Snack (206 calories)

1/4 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Lunch (390 calories) P.M. Snack (124 calories)

3/4 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

Dinner (515 calories)
Day 5 Avocado Salad

Breakfast (258 calories) A.M. Snack (166 calories)

1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

Lunch (390 calories) P.M. Snack (139 calories)

18 dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Dinner (563 calories)
Day 6 Pan of Pesto Ravioli with Spinach and Tomatoes

Breakfast (258 calories) A.M. Snack (178 calories)

1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup strawberries, halved

Lunch (420 calories) P.M. Snack (131 calories) Dinner (510 calories)
Day 7 Veggie & Hummus Sandwich
Breakfast (304 calories) A.M. Snack (166 calories)

1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

Lunch (420 calories) P.M. Snack (62 calories) Dinner (548 calories)