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Week 8 - Vitamins, minerals, supplements
One change each week. This week: Resume taking my nutritional supplements.
Although I eat a pretty well-balanced diet, there is no doubt that the modern American food-chain is woefully deficient in vitamins, minerals, and stuff like Omega-3. Even if I go all the way to strictly organic, and make other changes in the regular food I eat, I'm convinced that I will not be getting the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals. Some, perhaps, yet not all the ones I want.
I've done a good deal of research to find out what the experts recommend for someone of my gender, age, and condition. When I say experts, I do not include the folks who are pushing some temporary fad or who are in the business of selling the products. Most of those folks have a financial incentive to get me to use a specific product, and I always suspect their "information" is not objective and accurate.
A lot of good information is out there. I look for web sites that are operated by reputable medical establishments, hospitals, and sometimes even the government.
I'm not going to tell you what my list of supplements is, because I don't want to appear to be recommending a specific list of items.
One strong bias I have is that the official recommended daily amounts for many vitamins and minerals are understated. That is, they are too low. Usually I take a significant amount more than the official recommendation. The main danger to this is that very high amounts of some of the items I take can be toxic. Therefore, I am careful to read up on any recommendations as to the upper limits, and anything that says "don't take more than ....."
Once I've done my research, then I make up my own mind. At the very minimum I take a one-a-day type multiple vitamin and mineral supplement. That covers the bare-minimum basics. (At this point, as I said above, I might take more than the recommended amount.) Then I look at what's recommended for men, men of my age, men with my particular needs. Obviously this will vary from one person to the next.
I keep my doctor informed of what I'm doing in case he sees something he thinks is a bad idea, or in case he has an idea to add to mine.
You have to make up your own mind about what is best for you. And you should be checking with your doctor on this. Above all, don't change your own intake of supplements based on what I'm doing.
What about you?
- Do you think you are getting the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals?
- Can you do the research to find out what is best for you?
- Are you willing to spend some money on this?
- Are you willing to take your supplements on a daily basis?
Ross Runkel, Post Office Box 1031, Salem, Oregon
97308-1031.
Phone 503-399-8028. Fax 503-566-8844. email Ross@LawMemo.Com
