May 2004
Vitamins and Supplements
Much has been said about vitamin and supplement intake, especially for those past the age of 50. Many people spend large amounts of money monthly purchasing multiple and specific vitamins and dietary supplements. Inspired by a recent television program declaring that Americans are literally flushing hundreds of dollars away each day by taking synthetic all-in-one vitamin and supplement pills, this writer did an investigative study. What I discovered was most interesting: First, the American Heart Association firmly recommends that vitamins be obtained via a healthy diet and not presumed to be taken in a capsule. Further research revealed that the body does, in fact, reject artificial vitamins. Whenever a person takes too much of a synthetic supplement or vitamin, it is flushed out of the system via kidneys and bowels.
Secondly, the American Dietetic Society says that all natural vitamins are organic food substances found only in living things such as plants and animals. The body does not manufacture or synthesize vitamins. They must be taken in the diet. This is the theory behind daily recommendations of food for a balanced diet that will provide all the daily required nutrients for a healthy body to flourish.
Vitamins and minerals are essential for human bodies to function properly and for the prevention of disease. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables in larger amounts and breads, meat and dairy products in moderate amounts will yield the right mixture of natural vitamins, minerals and supplements needed.
In conclusion, money is best spent on healthy whole foods that naturally provide the vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and supplements that make one healthy, rather than on a man-made vitamin pill the body may reject. Spring and summer are the perfect times to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables. These are readily available in our groceries and roadside stands, and are less costly when in season. If you just cannot manage to eat enough real foods to get the daily requirements, then choose an all natural supplement so your money will be best invested and you will get the desired results.