“VITAMINS ARE A WASTE OF MONEY!” suggests the headline.
Very provocative. The author of the article, an MD, says most vitamins don’t help prevent disease and could actually be harmful. “Stop wasting your money,” we’re told.
Naturally, the article provokes rapid and passionate responses … from the vitamin/supplement industry, health care professionals of various sorts, and
‘just plain folks’ who feel they’ve benefited from their supplements.
Some of them mention that pharmaceuticals they were taking previously caused much more harm than any supplement they’ve taken.
And others offer links to recently published research that contradicts the claim that supplements are a waste of money.
Like an article in the New York Times in October 2012 that points out that “… one of the largest long-term clinical trials of multivitamins in the United States — encompassing 14,000 male physicians 50 and older, and lasting over a decade — found that taking a common combination of essential vitamins and minerals every day decreased the incidence of cancer by 8 percent, compared with a placebo pill.”
No wonder we feel so overwhelmed by all the contradictory advice!
What are you gonna do? Well, as those of you who’ve been to one of my presentations know, I’ve got one gold standard for what you’re doing: Are you happy and healthy? Then keep doing it! If not, try something else.
The phrase I love is “Effectiveness is the measure of truth.” (A phrase coined by Serge Kahili King in his book Urban Shamam on the Hawaiian healing system
of Huna.) In other words, if what you’re doing is working for you, who cares what anyone says about it!
We are each unique – genetics, lifestyle, stress levels, fitness, etc.. So find the routine that works for your body. Don’t let the ‘experts’ wrap you up in their agendas or fear … whatever ‘side’ they’re on.
Vitamins And Supplements A Waste Of Your Money?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/vitamin-pills-should-be-avoided-journal-editors-say-1.2466351
Vitamins & Supplements Decrease The Risk Of Cancer
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/22/curbing-the-enthusiasm-on-daily-multivitamins/?_r=0
