Vitamins, which ones do you buy

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Tomorrow is the day we buy our vitamins, seniors day, get 15% off.But it seems like I buy a whole lot more than I need or really can afford. I get saw palmento for Tom, and by the way at 73 his prostate has not enlarged, been takeing it for 10 years. I also get garlic tablets, Vit. E, twin lab daily one. calcium, vit. c,potassium,acidophius, omega 3 a fish oil capsule,and b 12. thats a lot of money.But we are healthy,I would like to cut it down,So some of you health people out there, what do you take to cover all the bases. Now off the subject a wee bit. I just heard on tv, that rickets is returning in USA. Kids are drinking cokes instead of milk. there bones are turning to mush, what a shame. Love Irene

-- Irene texas (tkorsborn@cs.com), July 31, 2001

Answers

I honestly wonder if ANY vitamins are necessary. I'm thinking that a natural, raw foods diet will cover all our bodies' needs.

-- Rick#7 (rick7@postmark.net), July 31, 2001.

You could probably cut out the garlic and omega 3 by cooking fresh fish in olive oil and garlic a couple times a week and eating lots of sunflower seeds and or pumpkin seeds, but then watch the salt levels. Figs, bananas, and apricots are wonderful for potassium as well as potatos, but with the agri business aspects, it would be better if you could get those from a homegrown as close to organic as possible source.

Personally I believe that we are much better off eating our vitamins in the form of foods, but supplements can be quite an asset. Many of the supplements aren't truly digestible so sometimes you are literally flushing your money away. I do need to supplement my B's because I am a vegetarian and that is one thing that I seem to get a bit down on for some reason.

I think I heard that more than 25% of Americans suffer from malnourishment just because of the cruddy food we eat too much of here. It wouldn't surprise me if it were true.

Glad to hear you are both healthy!! That's an inspiration to me!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), July 31, 2001.


Eating healthy is nice, but where is your food grown? Is the soil rich from care and compost, or are you getting most of your fruits and veggies from mineral depleted soil? If you grow your own food from a rich organic soil, then you may not need the extra, however, if most of your food is coming from the grocery, then you getting very little nutrition. Not only bad soil, but most produce is picked green and shipped and by the time it gets to you, it isn't very healthy.

Vitamins and herbs are both one of those "you get what you pay for" things. Usually, the higher priced herbs are less likely to have foreign material in them-bugs, other plants.

So if it works, are you sure you want to change it? Ask the nutritionist at a reliable health food store. Maybe cut back and see if you feel bad. I know more than one older person that was saved from tragedy by taking vitamins.

Be careful of the fish, it could have lots of mercury in it, especially tuna and swordfish.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), July 31, 2001.


Hi Irene, I work in a healthfood store (6 yrs). I agree with most everyone above, ideally you want to get as much of your nutrients as possible from whole food sources. I take Nature's Plus "Source of Life" multiple, but only once or twice a week. As for other supplements, I take them on an as needed basis. I'm a vegetarian, and avoid softdrinks, anything artificial (colors, flavors), my biggest problem is my sweet-tooth! I do believe that the majority of supplements have legitimate uses, and nothing that you mentioned seems unsafe. You may want to skip a day here and there, saving some money. (I've read that it allows for better utilization, as well.) Keep Tom on the saw palmetto.

I really think that in most cases, people who work in healthfood stores are there because they like helping people. Sometimes it's really busy, and I don't have the time I'd like to give to everyone. Find out when your store is kinda quiet (for us it's Friday nights and Sunday), and we'll bend over backwards to answer questions. I love the personal touch we offer; our customers become like family. Where do you shop? If they carry "NOW" brand, it's a good quality, lower cost supplement. Also, ask about a vitamin club, or if they ever offer a better discount than the Senior Citizen day. We have lots of different specials, it pays to ask!

-- Cathy in NY (hrnofplnty@yahoo.com), July 31, 2001.


Need for supplemental vitamins depends upon age, geographic location nd diet (as well as several chronic illnesses).Folks who live in Alaska out in the boonies need VitB supplements for lack of fresh veggies over the Winter, elderly folks who do not eat well need vitamin supplements, pregnant women need vitamin supplements, babies born in Winter in harsh climates need vitamin supplements..nobody else needs them.....Rickets is a disease caused by lack of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is found in milk and sunshine and is a fat-soluble vitamin so it is stored in the body for "later"..babies and toddlers who never see sunshine or drink milk get Rickets..used to be a big illness in English orphanages in the 1800s..Premies have a hard time when they are first born processing Vit D, so they are given 25- hydroxyvitamin D to keep them from getting Rickets( it's in "premie formula or drops for breast fed babies)..Back in the 70's I was part of a research team in St. Louis that investigated nutritional deficiencies, especially Vit D.....manufacturers of expensive supplements have done at great job of convincing folks they need all kinds of expensive vitamins..when I had my own practice with the Amish folks, every house had at least $200 worth of supplements on the kitchen counter at all times. Read the FDA recommendations for vitamin intake and compare those with what you eat on a weekly basis. If a person has all of the food groups available to them they do not need another thing. God bless.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), August 01, 2001.


Got in the habit, a few years ago, of gathering and drying "weeds" for tea (had to stop regular coffee), and believe that really helps me. I take supplements (multivitimin/mineral, C, E)from the health food store a couple of times a week, but never miss my "tea" with honey every morning. Some of the things I crumple (dry) and mix together include: dandelion leaves, nettles, raspberry leaves, strawberry leaves, violet leaves, motherwort, elderberry blossoms, chamomile, red clover heads, yarrow, spearmint, peppermint, lemon balm, lovage, alfalfa, lambs quarters, comfrey, etc. There's more, but can't think of them just now. Have tried burdock leaves, but they were very bitter. In summer, I just go out and get lemon balm and peppermint (they're the closest!), pour boiling water over them and let steep for 10 minutes or so. An old saying, "The best medicine is right outside your door".

-- Bonnie (chilton@stateline-isp.com), August 01, 2001.

Bonnie, I am growing lemon balm in my herb garden, but did not know how to use it. How many leaves do you use for tea? I also have feverfew and motherwort. Do you use them the same way? Can all of these be dried, and if so, how is that done? Thanks

-- (trigger@montana.net), August 01, 2001.

Take into consideration that because of industial pollution the body might require more vitamins then can be gotten even if you eat food that is grown on good soil.Vitamin c is one example.But pollution can cause other vitamin and mineral deficentcies or imbalances.coQ10 I think it's called is an emsyme that is harder to obsorb as you get older,and in the more expensive brands is made or refined to be more easy to obsorb then in it's natural state in food.Also some of us don't have big appitites so they may not get enough vitamins or minerals through just eating food.Acid rain that feeds plants can have an effect on calcium in the plants.People in the caribian islands who eat only natural grown roots crops grown in the mountains have most or all of their teeth even when in their 80's cause the islands have plenty of limestone in the soil which is calcium.That would leave me to believe we need to supplemt our diets in the U.S. with calcium.Being that we all originate from a tropical place and it has been found that food grown close to the equator has 10 times more vitamins and minerals than food in northern climates I'd think we need supplements.It depends on how good you want to feel and different breeds of people acording to genetics can obsorb more vitamins and minerals better than others.I can't afford to buy as many supplemts as I'd like .And I don't feel as good as when I was buying more vitamins and mineral supplements.Also some vitamins or minerals taken in to large of a dose can create the need for another vitamin or mineral like taking too muck zinc can cause a magnesium diffientcy.Twinlab is a good company.Maybe some vitamin eaters could form a vitamin co-op on line and buy wholesale together the cost of them would be greatly reduced.

-- SM (goatman@00.com), August 03, 2001.

Wull hullo thur! I usually find that greeen tea [lu cha] works a treat avec honey.terah!

-- Moggy LaVan (casden2003@yahoo.co.uk), August 16, 2004.

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