Are vitamins a crock?

January 8, 2014 · 0 Comments

Recently revealed studies exposed the purchase of vitamins a waste of money and the use of vitamins to help stay healthy, a crock.

When we think generations passed, many will remember their parents discuss the horrible taste of Cod Liver Oil and how it became part of a daily regiment during the cold winter months.

Cod Liver Oil is naturally loaded with many minerals, Vitamin D and Omegas, the essential fatty acids we hear so much about. Did that generation know something we don’t?

Aside from the fact that there is a lot of money to be made from sick people, can these studies really throw Vitamin consumption under the bus when our food supply is for the most part chemically altered, vitamin fortified, processed, genetically engineered and different forms of corn seem to be in absolutely everything. Let’s not forget that Cod Liver Oil, with its high Vitamin D content was believed to help prevent and treat rickets back in the day and it wasn’t until Milk became fortified with Vitamin D that society had created a preferable and palatable option for ensuring straight bones.

As society’s quick paced life style becomes even quicker, the time spent indoors during the winter months can greatly impact our ability to produce Vitamin D from the sun. The ‘February Blaws’ are called that for a reason especially considering just how many of us are our last leg of our body’s Vitamin D stores by the time February arrives. It only follows that taking Vitamin D will help us feel better, similar to how we feel in summer. In an article recently posted in Psychology Today, Dr. Dale Archer examined many studies which revealed a direct link between Vitamin D deficiency and depression. But buyers beware as Calcium and Magnesium are best to help absorption of Vitamin D. Even tanning beds can have their usefulness in trying to maintain or produce Vitamin D.

Dr. Joel Fuhrman is a board-certified family physician, author of Super Immunity and many other useful books promoting nutritional care. While Fuhrman focuses on nutritional ways to avoid disease and is big proponent for the use of vitamins, the often organic food he mentions is expensive by comparison to regular grocery store food available making the decision to eat better a little difficult in today’s economy. Perhaps the best advice is to combine both philosophies in an affordable way. Those interested in Dr. Fuhrman’s work can visit his website at www.drfuhrman.com

A recipe to help avoid colds seems to be a simple combination of Essential Fatty Acids, Vitamin D combined with Magnesium and Calcium, Vitamin C, Acidophilus,(healthy bacteria found in yogurt) a healthy diet of unprocessed foods and daily exercise. Either way, many are thankful they are not forced to take Cod Liver Oil by the spoonful every day as now there are capsules available should you choose to give it a try. Stay healthy.

By Alex Sher