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["Lisa K.V. Perry" <lisakvperry AT gmail.com>]

On Thu, Apr 17, 2008 at 11:45 AM, <Clansgian AT wmconnect.com> wrote:

>
> Until then, just to sumarize (in what small capacity I have to sumarize
> anything), the research shows that gross chemical doses of the various
> vitamins and minerals will correct pathological conditions like scurvy and
> beriberi and
> such, but it does nothing to enhance normal health, prevent cancer, nor
> mitigate
> aging.


Perhaps the difference is in the *quality* of vitamins and supplements. Many
are chemical-based and full of fillers, just plain junk. These are usually
the ones hawked on tv, in magazines and sold in grocery stores and at
WalMart.

Buying good quality supplements (ie Rainbow Light brand and others) makes a
difference. This is one of those instances that you truly get what you pay
for.

I, like you, will always believe eating healthy (preferably organic or 'no
spray') whole foods is preferred to taking a handful of pills, it is our
'health insurance.'

That said, when we have a cold, in addition to eating homemade chicken soup
filled with garlic and ginger, we also take Vitamin C, garlic, Astralagus
and a couple of other supplements. The cold we were coming down with goes
away. Was it the soup, the supplements, both together--perhaps combined with
getting more sleep?

I believe there is a place for good quality supplements and believe they can
assist a person to be healthy or become healthy.

Here's a for instance for you:  I take 1 mg. of time-release Melatonin
almost every night to help me fall asleep and stay asleep in the middle of
the night (in my case it's more the issue of waking in the middle of the
night). Why? Because at my age I'm perimenopausal (more info than you
needed) and 'sleep issues' often come with the territory. Melatonin is a
chemical manufactured in the brain that diminishes with age. Since I began
taking Melatonin the quality of my sleep has improved dramatically, back to
how it used to be (most nights), thank heavens.

We love broccoli and consume it in vast quantities here, but I can't get
Melatonin in broccoli. Yes, Vitamin C (and many other vit's) is in broccoli,
oranges, strawberries, and a whole host of foods, but I'd have to eat it
consistently every day to meet the RDA's.

Here's the nutritional value of broccoli, one of the true 'health' foods:
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c20c5.html

My two cents.