Tuesday, July 5, 2011

JULY 8, 2011 ARE VITAMINS ALL HYPE?



















"The best thing to hold onto is each other."




When a queen bee leaves her hive in search of a new dwelling, half of the hive leaves with her. This is called a swarm. All the bees surround the queen bee to keep her warm and protected while a new dwelling is sought out. Each worker bee holds on to another. Links and chains form from bee to bee.


Why is it so difficult for humans to hold on to each other for support? Why can't individuals ask for help? What has happened to human kindness? With the ever changing world... the economics and the tragedies in life-- we need someone to hold onto. Hold onto your partner. If you do not have a partner hold onto a true friend. Hold onto someone - we all need the touch of another human. When you grab another, hopefully that individual will grab and squeeze back.

I hug a lot

Hug at least 3 new people a day.



Can diet alone provide all nutrients needed for optimal health? I feel the answer is no. During my working days with the famous Robert Atkins, MD I found that diets cannot provide it all. There were studies on his famed high protein, high fat and low carbohydrate lifestyle. His diet did not provide all the needed nutrients especially the trace minerals.


I feel there is no more effective and convenient way to address a nutritional deficiency than by taking the lacking nutrient as a dietary supplement. There will be some debate on this topic. I do not know if I want to trust the vegetables and fruits alone since comparison between now and the 1960's revealed a 30-70% reduction in nutrient content. This is likely due to the agricultural industry's use of petroleum based nitrogen rich fertilizers and the use of pesticides. Growing food crops pull minerals from the soil. For many years now we have not been replacing the full range of these minerals. Many nutrients are lost by patients taking some of the new pharmaceuticals. There is also genetically modified (GM) foods. GM food labeling is not mandated in the United States.

What is going on?

If you didn't know that the Standard American Diet is lacking in fruits and vegetables, then you are not up to date on your nutrition. Fad diets and 'yo yo dieting' have not put a dent in the ever growing increase in the twin epidemics, diabetes and obesity. Both lead to cardiovascular disease. Many people are now opting for a vegan diet. I have no problem with a vegan diet provided that the individuals know that this type of dietary lifestyle will put them at risk for deficiencies in iron, Vitamin D, selenium, zinc and B12. We all could eat better. With our busy lives we turn to fast food. We also get less sleep, less exercise and have more economic stress than we ever have had.

Many conventional doctors who state they do not believe vitamin supplementation is necessary have used the following supplements to treat conventional diseases:

1. Folic acid for neural birth defects

2. Vitamin B6 - used during pregnancy for vomiting/nausea

3. Vitamin B12 - to treat pernicious anemia

4. Vitamin D - to treat osteoporosis


These are but a few examples.

The message: take some vitamins that you know are not be found in your dietary lifestyle.



Until tomorrow...


Thanks for the hugs dad- July 8 -12 ,1921- Nov 21, 2005

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