Why do people take food supplements? Why has it become such a vast industry? Why is it felt that a satisfactory diet cannot be obtained simply by eating the right foods? Who decides that we cannot survive healthily without a dietary supplement of Vitamin E? Or that St. John’s Wort is essential to breaking the smoking habit? Or that we cannot get enough selenium from our normal consumption of fish, meat, grains, and plant foods, but need to supplement it with a commercially produced product if we wish to avoid cancer, heart disease, arthritis and HIV?

The fact is that worldwide pollution, global warming, high-density farming using chemicals and pesticides, have all succeeded in reducing the nutrient value of the food we eat. And this is not a recent phenomenon. As long ago as 1940 an American university reported on the depletion of base elements and minerals from plant life as a consequence of soil depletion, mono-cropping, and artificial fertilization.

In recent years an effort has been made to redress the balance somewhat by devoting part of agricultural production to organic methods – at an increased cost to the consumer, naturally – but this is perhaps too little, too late. And the lobby for intensive chemical farming is vociferous and wealthy.

In April 1998 the American Institute of Medicine stated, in a televised broadcast, that “they do not believe the American public can get the nutrients they need from their diet.” They recommended that “all Americans should supplement their diet.”

It is all very well for cynics who debunk the use of vitamin and mineral supplements to say (as they do!) “all you need do is maintain a sensible diet, ensuring that you take the correct variety of food, and making sure that you have fresh fruit, vegetables, and salad three times a day.” But if that food is deficient in the substances that the body needs to maintain health, then something more needs to be done if the body is going to take care of itself.

The body requires fuelling in the same way that a petrol-driven car requires petrol. When the fuel goes shows empty you have the choice of going to a filling station or disconnecting the fuel gauge. The latter will remove the visible sign that you are in danger of breaking down. But you won’t get very far without a supplemental increment of fuel.

Here is a chart of the basic vitamins and minerals and their benefits:

Vitamin A / • needed for new cell growth, healthy skin, hair, and tissues, and vision in dim light
• sources: dark green and yellow vegetables and yellow fruits, such as broccoli spinach, turnip greens, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cantaloupe, and apricots, and in animal sources such as liver, milk, butter, cheese, and whole eggs.
Vitamin D / • promotes absorption and use of calcium and phosphate for healthy bones and teeth
• sources: milk (fortified), cheese, whole eggs, liver, salmon, and fortified margarine. The skin can synthesize vitamin D if exposed to enough sunlight on a regular basis.
Vitamin E / • protects red blood cells and helps prevent destruction of vitamin A and C
• sources: margarine and vegetable oil (soybean, corn, safflower, and cottonseed), wheat germ, green leafy vegetables.
Vitamin K / • necessary for normal blood clotting and synthesis of proteins found in plasma, bone, and kidneys.
• sources: spinach, lettuce, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, wheat bran, organ meats, cereals, some fruits, meats, dairy products, eggs.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) / • an antioxidant vitamin needed for the formation of collagen to hold the cells together and for healthy teeth, gums and blood vessels; improves iron absorption and resistance to infection.
• sources: many fresh vegetables and fruits, such as broccoli, green and red peppers, collard greens, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, lemon, cabbage, pineapples, strawberries, citrus fruits
Thiamin (B1) / • needed for energy metabolism and the proper function of the nervous system
• sources: whole grains, soybeans, peas, liver, kidney, lean cuts of pork, legumes, seeds, and nuts.
Riboflavin (B2) / • needed for energy metabolism, building tissue, and helps maintain good vision.
• sources: dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, grains, broccoli, turnip greens, asparagus, spinach, and enriched food products.
Niacin / • needed for energy metabolism, proper digestion, and healthy nervous system
• sources: lean meats, liver, poultry, milk, canned salmon, leafy green vegetables
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) / • needed for cell growth
• sources: chicken, fish, pork, liver, kidney, whole grains, nuts, and legumes
Folate (Folic Acid) / • promotes normal digestion; essential for development of red blood cells
• sources: liver, yeast, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, and some fruits
Vitamin B12 / • needed for building proteins in the body, red blood cells, and normal function of nervous tissue
• sources: liver, kidney, yogurt, dairy products, fish, clams, oysters, nonfat dry milk, salmon, sardines
Calcium / • needed for healthy bones and teeth, normal blood clotting, and nervous system functioning
• sources: dairy products, broccoli, cabbage, kale, tofu, sardines and salmon
Iron / • needed for the formation of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from the lungs to the body cells
• sources: meats, eggs, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, whole grains and enriched food products
Phosphorus / • needed for healthy bones and teeth, energy metabolism, and acidbase balance in the body
• sources: milk, grains, lean meats, food additives
Magnesium / • needed for healthy bones and teeth, proper nervous system functioning, and energy metabolism
• sources: dairy products, meat, fish, poultry, green vegetables, legumes
Zinc / • needed for cell reproduction, tissue growth and repair
• sources: meat, seafood, and liver, eggs, milk, whole-grain products
Pantothenic Acid / • needed for energy metabolism
• sources: egg yolk, liver, kidney, yeast, broccoli, lean beef, skim milk, sweet potatoes, molasses
Copper / • needed for synthesis of hemoglobin, proper iron metabolism, and maintenance of blood vessels
• sources: seafood, nuts, legumes, green leafy vegetables
Manganese / • needed for enzyme structure
• sources: whole grain products, fruits and vegetables, tea

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Vitamins and supplements

VITAMINS AND MINERALS are required for the regulation of the body's metabolic functions, and are found naturally in the foods we eat. Many foods are fortified in order to provide additional nutrients, or to replace nutrients that may have been lost during the processing of the food. Most people are able to obtain satisfactory nutrition from the wide selection of foods available in the United States.
If a person is not able to eat a variety of foods from the basic food groups, then a vitamin and mineral supplement may be necessary. However, except for certain unusual health conditions, very few persons should need more than 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowance for any single nutrient. Large doses of vitamin and mineral supplements can be harmful.
Vitamins come in two varieties: fat soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in the body for long periods of time, while excess amounts of water-soluble vitamins are excreted in the urine.

Yoga

“Doctors put drugs of which they know little, into bodies of which they

know less, for diseases of which they know nothing at all.” Voltaire

A high potency Plant Enzyme supplement that targets carbohydrates, especially alpha-D-galactosyl oligosaccarides. Alpha-Galactosidase-HP supports digestion of beans and cruciferous vegetables by the enzymatic breakdown of galactosides in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Capsules suitable for vegetarians.

In studies glucosamine has been shown to be as or more effective than ibuprofen in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knees and in TMJ, with a better safety profile than anti-inflamatory agents.

Bioflavinoids are closely associated with Vitamin C, promote its uptake, and act synergistically with it in all of its functions. Bioflavinoids help to strengthen the capillaries and reduce the risk of hemorrhaging. They also help to remove excess inorganic copper from the system. Sources are lemons, oranges, grapefruit,and grapes.

I recommend that people take cheap C, AND eat right. Foods are a lousy

source of vitamin C but an excellent source of bioflavinoids. Vitamin C

tablets are a lousy source of bioflavinoids, but a good source of C.

Good match.

Niacin: Nerven-Nahrung
Das wasserlösliche Niacin (Nikotinamid) greift zusammen mit dem Vitamin B2 in den Stoffwechsel und die Energiegewinnung des Körpers ein. Es sichert die Funktion der Nerven und verhindert eine übermäßige Gerinnungsneigung des Blutes.

Niacin is a member of the B-complex family. It is believed to be involved in several body functions including: the release of energy from carbohydrates, the breakdown of proteins and fats and in the formation of red blood cells. Niacin has been used successfully to increase blood flow and improve circulation.

To get the benefits of niacin therapy, you have to take amounts that may be hundreds of times higher than the Daily Value, says Ira S. Ockene, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. At these high levels, niacin may cause liver toxicity and other side effects. And a high dose of niacin can worsen diabetes.

Bamboo is the plant equivalent of quartz, possessing all the properties of silica. It is found in central and southern India, where its use is traditional. Being very rich in silica, Bamboo Gum has a beneficial action on the joints, it simulates the synthesis of collagen in the bone and connective tissues thus facilitating the reconstitution of the cartilage which can be destroyed during articular illnesses. With its remineralising properties, it can also help against de-mineralisation due to menopause.

Ginseng, especially the root, has a long history of use as a medicinal plant. Some people believe ginseng acts as an antidepressant, increases resistance, and improves both physical and mental performance. It also has a reputation as an aphrodisiac.

Gingko biloba is most effective as a concentrated extract, found in either liquid or tablet form. It has beneficial effects on the circulatory system, particularly among the elderly. Studies have shown it can help in treatment of their short-term memory loss, headache, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and depression by improving blood flow in the arteries and capillaries.

Evening Primrose Oil. In England, this is an approved treatment for breast pain and allergic dermatitis and eczema. It has also been advocated for high cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetic nerve damage but the studies have been uneven or poor. It may have side effects.