From this month’s Reader’s Digest…
The Vitamin Scam
But is it really?
In my opinion the answer is yes. The author of the article wrote in the second paragraph, “Oh, it is painful when another myth gets shattered. Recent research suggests that a daily multi is a waste of money for most people- and there is growing evidence that other old standbys may even hurt your health.” On the magazine’s cover the report’s title is accompanied by a picture of typical vitamins today. They look almost drug-like- clear and purified as if they were produced in a laboratory, and no doubt, they were. This is a problem- the big problem. In nature, vitamin complexes are the products of plants and animals grown in and raised on the earth’s soil. They are marvelous complex chemical compounds. Unfortunately, the medico-science interests did what they do and undertook to try and isolate which singular chemical molecule(s) is the “most important” of the hundreds that exist in any given fruit or vegetable and call it vitamin A, B, C, D, etc. Then the FDA is influenced to accept the narrow sighted premise and a new industry is born. Now the stuff can is sold to consumers. In a nutshell that is the history of modern nutritional supplements.
There has not been much research in recent years that has found taking today’s popular vitamin products have much positive effect on a person’s health. Many studies have increasingly shown otherwise. In fact, the popular practice of taking high dose anti-oxidants has been shown to increase risks of cancer and heart disease in certain populations and should not be taken in several large studies.
Perhaps you are wondering how all this lines up with why I recommend and sell nutritional supplements to your patients. According to my Webster’s Dictionary, “...vitamins are essential in small amounts for regulation of the metabolism and normal growth and functioning of the body. That definition is not very specific but it says it all. Vitamins are essential in the body to maintain normal health and vitality. So the simple answer is that real vitamin complexes, minerals, trace minerals, and micro minerals that should be abundant in the foods we eat are essential for life, and that is what my nutrition practice is all about. Why else would vitamins occur naturally in foods? Without complete nutrients any body gets sick and dies. The disease will have a name (heart disease, arthritis, etc), but the underlying cause is deficiency of the necessary nutrients for the organ or system to maintain normal optimal health. On the surface this seems to fly in the face of the previous paragraph. Just try living without complete vitamins as they are found in real foods. You wind up going to the doctor with a disease for which they have a drug to recommend to you. (Note- I do not recommend high dose synthesized supplements.)
There are no vitamin A trees or vitamin E bushes in the plant kingdom. NEVER will you find a plant or animal that contains singular vitamin concentrations high enough to cause a toxic or drug-like effect. They come in small amounts surrounded by a myriad of other chemical compounds that serve as synergists to safely bolster the vitamin’s intended natural effect. Vitamin A taken by itself is proven potentially harmful- but you can eat virtually all the whole carrots you want, a rich source of vitamin A, without fear of toxicity. The apple is another example. Apples typically contain around 15 mg. of vitamin C which is not much compared to the 1,000 mg. strength found on the One-a-Day bottle. But due to the other chemical synergists naturally occurring in an apple its vitamin C effect is equivalent to about 1,500 mg of vitamin C. The important point is this- Vitamins as they occur in nature are the best and the safe choice rather than those produced in a laboratory.
In my office I recommend a product called Catalyn. The name is taken from the word catalyst which is a primary function of vitamins in the body. Catalyn is a multi but not like the ones at the store. It is a multi-food supplement. It contains organically grown in the earth foods that have been concentrated and formed into tablets. From the planting of the seeds to making the tablets takes over 280 days. Frankly, they are not clear, made in a pharmaceutical laboratory looking capsules. They actually look and taste just like what they are- ground up earthy real food. They fit perfectly the definition we took from Webster- “…vitamins are essential in small amounts for regulation of the metabolism and normal growth and functioning of the body.”
In today’s world I believe every person should be taking Catalyn daily. I recommend Catalyn for every patient and person. Often it is all they need. It contains a little bit of a broad assay of needed nutrients in a safe and complete natural form- even my dog loves them. (try that with your store bought One-A-Day vitamin!)
Call me or drop me an e-mail if you would like more information on making Catalyn a valuable part of your good health regimen.
Glenn Nicholas, D.C.
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