Astonished and Amused by TheDoctorsTV Position on Supplements Today!
I must have missed this segment the first time that it aired several months ago. One of the questions was posed by a young fellow in his twenties about the safety of taking the multiple vitamin supplements that are sold at mini-marts and other public business locations at the counter. I am both amused and rather astonished by Dr. Travis today. He sternly warned that these companies are not regulated like drug companies’ pharmaceuticals and that the viewers should seek the supervision of their doctor when deciding to take one individually-wrapped package of multiple vitamins when they get their gas and giant sodas for a fast brain freeze. You’ve got to be kidding!
Dr. Lisa also was exceedingly careful and thinks that there are other ingredients besides what HAS to be listed on the box, because they are not regulated or approved by the FDA. Is she sure about this? Most supplement manufacturers comply with the FDA’s list of GRAS ingredients.
Furthermore, Dr. Lisa went on to make the most outrageous statements of the day. She suggests that a person can derive all the individual nutrients they need with a well-balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables. What perfect world is she living in and where is she shopping? Perhaps she gets all of her food from a farm that has perfect nutrient-dense soil, a ranch which provides thousands of acres for suitable range for the beasties to munch upon, and acres upon acres of crops and gardens where sustainable agricultural practices produce organic greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, whole grains, lentils, beans, legumes, and herbs. Then she must have daily access to fresh fish and seaweeds from the ocean and a facility to make healthy oils from olives, seeds, and nuts. Maybe she even has a personal chef who does nothing but prepare healthy food and beverages all day and night on demand after giving her personal shopper the list to get at her local Whole Foods Market. LOL
All kidding aside, I am fastidious and it is still virtually impossible to get all the nutrients that I need for wellness and optimal health and well-being. Although my food is ALL organic, I still find it necessary to supplement my food plans with unique and specialty nutrients for genuine and true health. It assumes that a well-balanced diet is even obtainable in any particular location and that people are disciplined to the point of eating everything they need every day all the time. That’s impractical and unrealistic. We have watched Dr. Lisa grab her licorice sticks and we imagine she does NOT eat a well-balanced diet daily. She might get a few good days a week with ALL the nutrients she needs to keep her body functioning, but is that going to define genuine WELLNESS?
Now…mind you…I am not recommending that you buy your individual multiple vitamins at your mini-mart; far from it! They are often old and have been on the shelves for months or even years in some cases. The fat soluble vitamins are often rancid…and that’s NOT good for you. Some of the formulations are geared to give people energy with questionable ingredients like guarana, ephedra, and caffeine; but that is not quite considered to be dangerous under most circumstances. If you’ve missed a meal or two and you are still on the run, driving a long distance, or feeling like a truck ran over you with brain fog; then it might not be such a bad idea to get a little extra nutrition into your system for that day. You are probably not the type of person who is methodical with your regular multiple vitamin and mineral supplement from a reputable health food store or one of our online companies. So you may not have the advantage of daily supplementation from a trusted company whose product you purchase from a reliable source; which means that it’s better to grab a package of vitamins than to guzzle down three cups of coffee or soda pop or crappy candy bars loaded with refined sugar! It’s all relative…
And just in case anyone ever wonders what our position is about the FDA and physicians being the only ones to regulate and dispense or write a prescription for nutritional supplements as many opponents of CODEX fear… I say don’t ever allow a child to do a man’s job. Quite frankly, the FDA and most physicians are incompetent when it comes to the nutritional industry. Their area of expertise is pharmaceuticals and foods. They barely get a passing grade with drugs and they fail miserably with foods. No one that is so inept should ever be allowed to regulate an industry that regulates itself better than most governmental bodies.
At least Dr. Jim pulled out his box of Smooth Move herbal tea. Did you see the video of him sailing? I’ll bet that’s what he’s doing right now while enjoying his summer off from production of theDoctorsTV shows until they begin again after a break. We alll know that Dr. Lisa is out in her garden gathering her fresh basil and peeling potatoes for her dinner after getting off the tractor to plow down some wheat to grind into flour for her bun for her hamburger. OK…maybe I am taking this analogy a little too far, but I am in that kind of a mood when doctors think that they know enough about nutritional supplements to make these types of statements. I think NOT…
There are so many topics that these physicians could do to improve your nutritional status and ultimately enhance your health. Dr. Lisa could use some of the current knowledge to share with you some REAL methods for alleviating menstrual cramps that exist NOW and are exceedingly effective…why wait for drugs! There are teas and herbs like Chrysanthemum Tea which improve your vision, so children or adults won’t need to wear glasses or squint or read an eye chart while on their computers. Boy, I AM in a mood… LOL
It’s time for me to go sip on my China Cola and make a tofu salad sandwich on cabbage leaves instead of bread, with organic cucumbers and some black bean dip.
While you don’t have to get a prescription for your multiple vitamins or mineral supplements, you can do better than to grab a single pack at the corner mini-mart occasionally. You can find a great comprehensive supplement that is best taken on a daily basis for your health and energy requirements.
Be Well…
