There is a great concern today over not getting the proper nutrition in the foods that we have available to eat.  We should consider this with an educated source through research.  There are many considerations and we want to make the best decision in this because our health is involved.  I will try to cover some of the advantages and need of taking supplements.

 

 

Should I Or Shouldn’t I?

Should I or should I not get a natural supplement or go for a regular supplement or vitamin.

Cost of this may be a factor, but we usually get what we want or need.  We also get what we pay for, whether good or bad.

Weigh it in the balance, what am I trying to achieve through taking supplements in the first place?  Is it for better health? Is it for more energy?  Is it for improved digestion?  Is it for a healthier heart, lungs, liver, eyesight, brain function, or younger looking skin?

Purchasing supplements and vitamins are a lot like comparing automobiles.  One extreme is the economy vehicle with a body, motor, transmission, four tires, and a gas tank. Compare to the other end of the scale with the elite, luxury edition with all the extras and frills.

They both are called automobiles, but the benefits are miles apart.

Supplements and vitamins are similar in their function and benefits.  There are some producers and manufacturers in the business whose goal is just to make a profit, to improve their bottom line. Beware!!!  Those with this kind of mindset are in every walk of life.  Be the best you can at whatever you are involved in.  Always excel in giving your service, your product, your quality time, or whatever you are trying to achieve.

What goes around comes around.  Give it your best and it will return the best.  Cut corners and you will have inferior results.  There are certain rules of law and we need to heed  them.

 

 

My Story

I view this from my perception.  I am not a professional in this field, but have gained much wisdom and knowledge over a few years after realizing that all vitamins and supplements are not equal.

Hi. My name is William.  I am retired and in my seventies.  I have worked hard all my life, but I did not take a lot of time to be concerned about my health environment when I was younger.   I was a smoker for about ten years, quitting at the age of twenty six.  Eighteen years later, I discovered I had lung cancer, after having a bout with bronchitis, and getting a chest xray.  The tumor  was located in my upper left lobe, about the size of a golf ball, and it was malignant.

At the time, I was a new Dad with two children, ages one and three years old.  I had (and still do) a loving wife and also ran a business. The tumor had to be surgically removed and resulted in removing the whole upper lobe of the left lung. It took eight months recovery and no post treatment.

This is the time in my life that I became conscious of the fact about good nutrition and a proper diet.  It pays large dividends to take care of our bodies properly.  We are a product of what we put into our bodies.

I began to take multi-vitamins and a few supplements.  It was not very long by doing some research, that I found some vitamins and supplements were not very effective, depending on the source and how they were prepared for distribution.

 

 

The Reality Of Our Environment

The environment in which we live bombards us from every side polluting the space in which we live.

We breathe many toxins that we have no control over.  Chemicals, we consume by breathing, are partially a result of exhaust emissions, the deteriation of tire wear, factory pollution, and chemicals sprayed to control pests, such as mosquitoes, herbicides to kill small trees and shrubs on highway right-of-ways, salts sprayed on highways to remove snow and ice, which also ends up in our drinking water, and chemical exposure even in our homes, etc. carpet, scent deodorizers, and hair spray.

No wonder our clinics and hospital emergency rooms are full.

Then, we have a water crisis.  I never thought I would see the day that we would have to pay for bottled water to drink.  Our ground water is polluted, whether it be a well or public utility water.  Most water contains suspended metals and toxins that need to be removed before consuming.  Our public systems contain chlorine and fluoride which are known to be carcinogens.

Oh, did I say “we are what we eat and drink?”  We are not able to escape all of the elements that we encounter, but we can greatly reduce the exposure we have by taking a few precautions.

One precaution is with the water we drink.  We can purchase bottled water, but once again, we have to do our research.  Just because the bottle says pure spring water or whatever source, does not necessarily mean that it is pure.  Unless water is distilled or filtered, it is not pure from contaminants.  When drinking distilled water, we need to supplement it with some minerals.  Some bottled water is less safe to drink than tap water.

Oh yes, vitamins and supplements, I am getting there.

Then, we have the foods we eat, supposedly healthy and approved by the FDA.  The standard they set to meet safe for human consumption is questionable, and is always a minimum standard.

Many fruits and vegetables that are purchased commercially, and even home grown, are sprayed with chemicals.  Chemicals are used in the fields to help grow crops faster and sprayed to eliminate insects and weeds . Fertilizers are used, saturated with salts that take years to bio-degrade.

Some chemicals, when they enter the body, are never flushed from the liver and kidneys, and remain in the body.  To name a few elements that do not flush easily from our system is cadmium, lead, aluminum, nickel, and mercury.

We are not only affected by what these toxins do. These toxins can also prohibit our system from being able to digest and properly distribute through our body some of the good elements and minerals that we consume.

Canned and processed foods contain preservatives, artificial coloring, salts, excessive heat, and pressure preparation that destroys much of the nutrition in the food.

 

 

Toxic Elements                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Toxic elements can be found almost everywhere.  Aluminum, for example, can be found in some antacid medications, aluminum cookware, baking powder, drinking water, and antiperspirant components, to name a few.  Arsenic, is found in insecticides, well water, and treated lumber to name a few more.  Cadmium can be found in some fruit, anchovies. drinking water, fungicides, rubber products, and cement dust.  Lead can be found in hair darkening agents, dyes, industrial pollution, drinking water, old leaded paint, and some fertilizers.

This does not cover them all, but only a few to give an idea of how toxic our environment is.  Some of these elements can cause cancer, heart failure, kidney and liver failure, renal problems, hypertension, weight gain or weight loss, and bone degeneration among many other side affects.

 

 

Can Vitamin And Supplements Be A Help

Some vitamins and supplements do not come up to the standard of always being safe and the best for our consumption.  Most sewer systems have a wealth of vitamins and supplements because they are not adequate for our body and is flushed down the toilet.

When considering starting a vitamin or supplement regimen, have your blood and urine analyzed to make sure you are deficient in an area.  How do we know if we are nutritionally lacking in certain areas?  A good rule of thumb is how do I feel.  If you are not feeling normal, more than likely something is out of balance.  I advise consulting a medical expert that is familiar with nutrition, keeping in mind not all doctors are versed in this area.

When considering supplements, consult your physician, especially if you are on medication.

To me, the best solution is to consult a nutritionist or a holistic doctor.  They can direct you in a more educated direction.  I would suggest getting a referral or reviews when searching for this.

Most of us are deficient in vitamins and nutrition because our soils have been depleted over the years by erosion and neglect to put back into the soil what the plants take out, resulting in poor nutrition.

Our commercially raised foods have been fed fertilizers and sprayed with herbicides and insecticides making most of what we eat toxic.  Even many home grown gardens are not properly prepared so that they will produce the most nutritinous food.

When purchasing vegetables and fruits, know your grower,(if possible), and make sure they use organic methods.                                     

Eating the healthiest way we possibly can, we still need to supplement and balance our bodies with proper vitamins.

As we said earlier, purchase the right kind of vitamins.  Make sure it is a good source.

We do not miss our health until we no longer have it.  Take care of it while we still have it, and if you have lost part of your health, many ailments and diseases can be reversed by the right kind of supplementation.

Looking at a healthier you,

William