"Supplements & Superfoods... Should We Take Them?"
Well, this may be an ongoing article as there is so many points I keep finding about this, and similar subjects, that I NEED to get out of my head and into the world... I will also say that if I write about any particular makes or brands I am not getting ANY money for mentioning them... I am speaking from my experiences I've had throughout my life... so, well.... here you go:
I've been noticing that a lot of people in the raw food movement are swearing off supplements and superfoods calling them ‘unnecessary’. I'm not sure why there has been such an increase in this mode of thinking, but I wanted to highlight some of the reasons I've come across and why I believe that such a cut and dry belief like this about supplements is not in the best interest of health without some form of research. I’m still researching my own conclusions when it comes to my well being, keeping in mind that (although we are all one;) everyone is physically different:
A) "My diet is natural and nutritious, so I don't need them.."
B) "Supplements and superfoods are all a ploy to make money, they don't work."
C) "I don't like [insert raw guru here] because I think he/she is a snake-oil salesman."
D) "Well, Dr. [insert raw guru here] says we don't need it. I don't trust anyone else."
Ok, looking at Point A... I personally do not agree, and this is my humble, common sense opinion as to why: Because the majority of the population cannot get food that has been grown in nutrient rich, mineralized, virgin organic soil away from potential GMO contamination, Agri-biz runoff, etc... If we normally ate natural, whole foods grown in that kind of pure environment, then yes, I WOULD agree... BUT Agri-biz being what it is, farming methods, fertilizers[organic or not], selective breeding for ease of harvest and not for nutrition, aerosol particulates sprayed into the sky c/o weather modification experimentation, landfills, water fluoridation/chlorination among so many other factors, means that we are not living in the ideal environment that is conducive to avoiding supplementation. If you want to find out more info on vitamin additives research supplement ‘excipients’.. ß [Keywords] As long as your multivitamin is from whole food sources you’ll be ok as long as you avoid un-natural additives. Now, ALL that being said, the TYPES of supplements, or the integrity of the brand and quality of the supplement, if you will, that you put into your body is what is important. DO YOUR RESEARCH!!!
If you’re not supplementing, or even if you are, what we can do is keep track of nutrient intake from food for a couple of weeks or so by using a nutrition tracker on sites like SparkPeople.com or ‘Cron-O-Meter’ so as to see what nutrients you do or don’t get on a regular basis and correct any deficiencies you may notice. You’d be surprised at what you don’t get enough of.
If you’re not supplementing, or even if you are, what we can do is keep track of nutrient intake from food for a couple of weeks or so by using a nutrition tracker on sites like SparkPeople.com or ‘Cron-O-Meter’ so as to see what nutrients you do or don’t get on a regular basis and correct any deficiencies you may notice. You’d be surprised at what you don’t get enough of.
Point B Although this can be true in some cases, it is not true in EVERY case, so it’s a little ridiculous to make such a blanket statement. I have personally taken both supplements AND superfoods. With certain supplements, I have noticed SIGNIFICANT changes, for the better, in my health and well being. Some have the quality expected and some are little more than a cheap brand. Case in point: B12... for example, I’ve used the NOW Brand Chewable Methyl-B12 and it is the ONLY B12 supp. that has made a noticeable physical difference in how I feel... now there is a possibility that I could have been deficient at the time, but that’s how I know it worked... at least I know which brand I will choose if any deficiency (pernicious anaemia) rears its ugly head anytime in the future. On the other hand, I would not rely on "fortified" processed foods of any kind to make sure I got my intake of any particular BIO-AVAILABLE nutrient like B12... this is an example why!
Now we're at C & D which kind of go together... with C, I just want people to be reminded that constant criticism of another person says nothing about them and EVERYTHING about you... meaning > AGGRESSION DOES NOT EQUAL PASSION!! You're fooling yourself if you think otherwise. Becoming full of yourself, actually saying you are better than others is, quite frankly, superficial, ridiculous and makes you ugly regardless of your outward appearance. You will definitely make people go in the opposite direction and eat a big cheeseburger [or get smacked by 'karma'! lol..] just because of your attitude, and anyway, how is that even remotely close to 'helping people'? And anyway, I thought we in the raw food world were supposed to be loving and accepting of each other regardless of the path we're on! It makes no sense... Which is why I've become a Cult Co-Leader, lmao...
And, finally we have D... and this is where it goes with C... Raw Foods is not a religion, it’s a lifestyle. Not everything is ideal for everyone, (which is where 411 comes into play). Listen, there is no one specific raw foods bible. What you consider your raw bible is definitely not the same as the one that inspired me!! If you want to “spread the vegan message”, then great! It’s more of a healthy and clean lifestyle than most... but it is not a religion! And oh my Holy G-d if someone isn’t vegan... I mean the venom that gets unleashed, even when someone agrees with you! Maybe there is something to this whole ‘not enough minerals’ with you fruities, lol... I kid! I’m kidding, lol.. My point is, relaaaaax.... you lower your B12 when you get wound up! We’re all ONE! Just BE! We all need to go on a ‘BE’-tox sometimes. Maybe now’s a good time for a lot of people with all this agitation I see.
I hope no one is offended at anything in this post... taking offense is a choice, let’s choose to let others have their opinions and practice some ‘agreements’... we need more calm in this world, not more chaos.
I hope no one is offended at anything in this post... taking offense is a choice, let’s choose to let others have their opinions and practice some ‘agreements’... we need more calm in this world, not more chaos.
