Are Vitamin Supplements Money Suckers?
Do We Need to Take Them?
Do we need extra vitamins and supplements in our diet, or do we receive all we need from our daily foods? I have gone back and forth with this question many times over the years.
Some doctors think we receive enough nutrition from our food. They recommend supplements for pregnant and nursing women, which is understandable since they provide extra nourishment to the developing baby.
When I studied holistic nutrition, I started taking many different vitamins and herbs for a few years. I would take more during the colder months than the warmer months because our bodies need less of almost everything in the summer.
We tend to eat lighter foods, less fat, and receive lots of vitamin D from the sun. Then there were years when I didn’t take anything unless I felt a cold coming on; I would stock up on vitamin C and Sambucol, which is elderberry cough syrup. Elderberries are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants so that it would cut down the cold duration.
Some Facts
Recently I came across a website on nutrition, and they were offering some free information on food according to the laws set down by God.
I am always researching for updated news on nutrition and health; the scientific community is still investigating nutrition and its impact on human health.
Dieticians and other health professionals are always finding new information also. The data answered and simplified many questions I had about the proper eating plan for humans.
There are many different eating plans which people are utilizing and talking about on social media and blogs. Some of these groups are adamant about their eating plan being the only true one and telling others they are wrong for not following their way of eating.
If you don’t eat the way they tell you to eat, you will not be healthy. As a Nutritionist, I would not recommend one diet fits all.
The Basics
Getting back on track with the nutrition information, each day, I would receive two videos. Much of the story was not new to me, except when he started talking about the minerals in this country’s soil.
This guy dug down deep to come up with the truth. I did know that most of the soil is depleted; I didn’t realize how badly depleted it is. There is also the problem of chemicals being sprayed on the crops as they grow.
First of all, the soil doesn’t get a chance to rest and rebuild. Years ago, many years ago, the farmers would not plant one part of their field to rebuild the soil. They would rotate every other year; another reason for this was so the dirt wouldn’t get compacted. When the soil is very compacted, there is minimal oxygen that plants need to grow.
Food manufacturers have taken over much of the land to produce masses of different foods; they are only concerned about how much money they can make.
Most of the soils in certain parts of the United States contain little to no selenium. This mineral is essential for thyroid function, healthy hair, and fertility. Many people are taking some kind of medication for thyroid problems.
Research on Minerals
There are also fertility clinics that have grown and blossomed partly due to selenium deficiency. Signs of absence are fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, and reproductive system issues.
Another example of mineral content in the soil is spinach. In 1948 spinach contained 158 milligrams of iron per 100 grams of spinach; by 1965, the maximum iron content was 27 milligrams; by 1973, it averaged 2.2 milligrams.
One more statistic (yawn), the calcium in brown rice dropped by 21 percent, and the protein dropped by ten percent. These facts and statistics were an eye-opener for me and helped me decide to start supplementing my diet. In case your diet includes many processed foods, this is all the more reason to add supplements.
Processed food is dead, no life. Whole foods have more nourishment and life for us to have energy and be healthy. Organic foods are by far more nutritious for us.
What to Buy
There are many brands of vitamins to choose from. To narrow down your search, look for powdered or liquid vitamins and minerals.
There are green powders to be considered, and you need to be careful of ingredients. We don’t need maltodextrin or sugar in our supplements. Most of the green powders contain spirulina and barley grass, which are very nourishing for the body.
One alternative would be just liquid minerals; this is what I take when my budget is tight. There are supplements in capsules, and they have fillers, so read the ingredients. Please stay away from synthetic, name brand, drug store supplements; this is money in the toilet. They are not for you or your health.
Darline Felicetti
This article does not diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. Please consult your Physician before supplementing.
