Donna's Healthy Living Tips

There has been some bad press about supplementation. One of the challenges is that many of the studies done are isolating one nutrient and only looking at that.  Our bodies are complex and food is complex also.  Nutrients work in conjunction with each other.  In addition, I wonder at the quality of the vitamins they are studying.  Are synthetic vitamins received in the body the same as vitamins that come from food sources?  I don’t think so and many of the responses I have been reading agree.

You are talking to a “supplement convert.”  I recall sitting in my ob-gyn’s office when I was in my mid-20s and she asked me if I was taking a multivitamin or calcium.  I said no to both that I didn’t like swallowing pills.  She STRONGLY but kindly encouraged me to reconsider because folic acid is one of the leading things women can do to prevent birth defects.  I wasn’t looking to get pregnant at that time but you never know what happens.  I actually started out taking chewable children’s vitamins that have the adult dosage of folic acid.

Years passed and I started learning more about my body, proper nutrition, and the differences between supplements (how they are manufactured, types of vitamins/minerals, how my body will absorb the nutrients, etc).  So I am sharing with you some of the latest news I gathered by Dr. Jamie McManus, Chairman of Shaklee Corporation’s Medical Affairs.  She spoke in Michigan recently and this is what we are learning about two common supplements Omega 3’s and Vitamin D.

Omega 3’s have been known for years to provide for heart health and protection against heart disease.  There is new information coming out that also shows support of:

• Macular degeneration
• Depression/stress reduction
• Menopause
• Neuro-protection (support brain health) (especially great for for pregnant woman to take)
• Kidney disease
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Here is my primary concern about Omega 3’s…these fish oil supplements can be full of heavy metals, just like the fish are.  So if we are going to recommend a supplement for pregnant woman it better not be loaded with mercury, dioxin, or any other dangerous contaminants.  Need some guidance?  Don’t just go to the drugstore and buy what is cheapest.   Go with a company known for quality and thorough testing of EACH BATCH!

My secondary concern of Omega 3’s is how they are being combined in a “one a day” tablet along with all the other nutrients we are supposed to get in a day.  Some of our nutrients absorb in different places throughout out digestive tracts.  So first of all, those little pills are packed so tight your body can’t break them down to access the nutrition.  Plus, you can’t get complex, whole food nutrition in a little pill.  Those supplements are almost always synthetic which  I believe our bodies are smart enough to know the difference and treat synthetics differntly.

Moving on to: Vitamin D, it’s not just for bones anymore.

60 to 80% of the population is deficient in Vitamin D.  WOW!!!  I was deficient up until my doctor ran a blood test and determined that I was low in Vitamin D.  I didn’t realize it by how I felt, I didn’t connect it with any symptoms I was having.  This should show the concern that we are obviously NOT getting our nutrients from our food sources.  Also, living in a northern climate, studies have shown that we do NOT get our Vitamin D from the sun during the winter months.  I don’t know why that is but I have read that from several sources.  What is Vitamin D good for?  Prevention of:

• Colon cancer
• Bone fracture
• Dental problems
• Cholesterol problems
• Multiple Sclerosis

Were there a couple surprises on the list?  There were for me.

So as a “supplement convert” I rarely miss a day anymore.  I can now swallow pills (although I do it one at a time!) and I consider my supplements as important to take as if I was on a prescrption (which I’m not on).  I think in the long run I will be able to avoid prescriptions by taking care of my body from the inside out.  Check out www.LandmarkStudy.com for more information about long-term supplement users having better health.

“Talk” to you soon!