She did it before me! I love Judy Foreman, health
columnist for the Boston Globe, who recently published a
column called "the fading allure of vitamins," which I
thought was wonderful.
In this column, she states, "my love affair with vitamins
and supplements is over. With a few exceptions, I'm
tossing them out." She goes on to describe how studies on
Vitamins C, E and beta carotene had great press and
promises, but scientific studies failed to show these
promises could be kept. This information is significant,
because many people choose to buy supplements based on what
is called "anecdotal information"-meaning "my friend's
friend took it and said it was wonderful, so I need to buy
it."
I discussed this particular issue with my students,
especially the weight-lifters taking powdered supplements
to build muscle or some such claim. When I asked them WHY
they spent all this money on powders and pills, they
replied "because my trainer said it works" or "everyone at
the gym takes them, and they said their workouts are much
better." I then ask these same students what they think
happened to the folks for whom the supplements did not
result in a better workout. They don't know, but I do-and I
tell them. These are the folks who stop coming to the gym,
who stop buying the supplements because they do not work,
and it was easier to go somewhere else to work out than to
be a "non-believer" surrounded by believers. This comes as
a surprise to my students, who then begin to understand
that this could, indeed, be true. This gives me the
opportunity to explain that their "data" is biased, and
can't really be supported by the information they
"collected." The "research" upon which their conclusions
are based is faulty). Do they stop taking the pills?
Probably not, but hopefully, they are beginning to think
that chewing their nutrients in the forms of food may be
preferable to swallowing a pill or tasteless powder.
Muscle building supplements aside, though, please
understand that all is not lost. Throwing away your vitamin
and mineral supplements is not the end of the world. I have
always felt that pills are not the most efficient way to
get your nutrients. Unfortunately people think that when
they take a pill, they don't have to eat food. What you
need to remember is that these pills are SUPPLEMENTS. They
are supposed to supplement your diet, not REPLACE good
eating. I have a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement I (try
to remember to) take regularly. I suppose I take them as
insurance. Also, they give me peace of mind, meaning I
feel better because I think I'm doing my body a favor. I
apply this principle when I give my son a bottle of
vitamins to take with him to college. Does he take them?
I have no idea. But I certainly feel better knowing he has
them!
On a more serious note, you need to understand that your
body is uniquely designed to work best with whole foods.
For example, when you take a vitamin C pill, that is all
you are giving your body-ascorbic acid (the chemical name
for vitamin C). But when you eat an orange, you are also
getting other nutrients, including potassium, calories, and
plant chemicals called bioflavonoids that may help the body
absorb vitamin C more efficiently.
So I absolutely agree with Judy Foreman. Toss out those
supplements that have "magic" claims. Instead of
supplements, buy whole foods. It's what your body is
designed to process.
Imagine what you can do with the money you'll save. Your
body, and your wallet, will thank you
----------------------------------------------------
If you would like more information on becoming At Peace
With Food™, as well as access to interesting articles
and links to nutritional resource websites, visit=>
http://www.AtPeaceWithFood.com/freetips.html
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