Do You Need A Vitamin Supplement?
If we were still living in the time of the “garden of Eden,” where the water and air was clean and pure, the food was organic, there were NO pesticides, genetically modified or refined foods, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, or soft drinks. When our lives were not filled with stress from our go-go lifestyle as they are today. Would we need to take a multivitamin? Or, for that matter, any additional supplements to stay healthy?
I believe the best way for me to address this question is to simply present the facts. For example, I enjoy the way that Josh McDowell and Lee Strobel present the facts and let you make your own decision as to whether you think you need to take a supplement. There are certain people out there who believe we get all the nutrients we need in our daily diet to stay healthy. I beg to differ -- and here’s why.
Fact # 1 The majority of Americans don’t get the recommended daily allowance of calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin C, E, or D. This first fact alone should settle the case for a multivitamin, because the majority of people aren’t even getting the minimum. Keep in mind, our body doesn’t have an endless supple of antibodies, hormones, enzymes or neurotransmitters (brain messengers). Our bodies constantly manufacture these elements, and to do that you need the appropriate raw materials. These elements are vitamins, minerals, essential fats, various enzymes, etc. So, when we don’t even consume the basics, how can we expect to maintain good health, or for that matter overcome any health problem?
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Fact # 2 The minimum daily requirement is the minimal amount we need to ensure we don’t fall victim to pellagra, beriberi, scurvy, rickets, etc. These amounts are designed to eliminate nutritional deficiency diseases. They are NOT based on overcoming today’s common problems, which I see all the time in my office. Such problems include, arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, hot flashes, PMS, allergies, etc. To help overcome these common degenerative problems, we need more than the minimum – we need an optimal amount. So please don’t get hung-up on the “Percent Daily Value” listed on your supplement label. .
Fact # 3 Our soils are depleted and deficient. A government study over 70 years ago warned us that our soils were depleted of all the necessary nutrients (vitamins and minerals), which means if the nutrients aren’t in the soil – how do you expect them to be in your fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds? It’s not by magic that these nutrients are found in our foods. This is one of the greatest reasons I recommend organic foods. People are becoming more educated about their health and wanting to take care of themselves, which is why grocery stores are adding organic food sections to their shelves. Conventional growers use fertilizers that speed the growing process, but these fertilizers lack many of the nutrients that should be in the soil. Add the fact that the ‘modern’ farming practices drain all the nutrients out of the soil, as opposed to rotating crops and letting the soil replenish, as is taught in scriptures.
Fact # 4 Our foods are loaded with pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, antibiotics and hormones. These poisons and toxins are sprayed on our food and ultimately get into our body. They tax or interfere with the function of our liver, kidneys, brain, reproductive and hormonal systems. Compound the problem by adding the extra antibiotics and hormones that are fed to our livestock, and you get a chemical overload. All of these toxins, chemicals, antibiotics and hormones have only been around for the last 50-75 years or so. They weren’t there for the majority of our existence. Let’s not forget the genetically modified foods that are being introduced to our food supply. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to eat any food that has been genetically modified. I don’t care what some scientist tells me…it’s NOT natural, nor is it the same as the way the good Lord designed it!
Fact # 5 Environmental toxins are at an all time high. People are kidding themselves if they don’t think all the pollutants in the air and water don’t affect our health. Add the off-gassing of various chemicals that come from our carpets, paints, flooring, and glues found in our homes and offices. Compound that with all the electromagnetic waves coming from our computers, cell phones, microwaves, and televisions, and you overwhelm your body’s ability to effectively function the way it is designed to. Just like commonly known pollutants like pesticides and smoking, these other chemicals find their way into our body and disrupt normal function.
Fact # 6 People are consuming more processed, refined, junk, fast foods, artificial sweeteners and ‘fake fats’ than ever before. When we process, refine and pasteurize our foods, we take out the majority of the nutrients in the food, in order to give it a longer shelf live. This only exacerbates the deficiency problem. Refining our flours and sugars eliminates almost all of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are supposed to be there. Pasteurization removes all of the live enzymes and beneficial bacteria that is found in unprocessed milk, yogurt and butter. Artificial sweeteners and ‘fake fats’ (trans fats) are really chemicals and don’t provide the nourishment our body needs to properly function. All of these chemicals have to be broken down and excreted, which only further taxes our liver and kidneys. Ultimately these things can cause harm to our brain, thyroid, liver, lungs, reproductive and immune system.
Fact # 7 We are under so much more stress today. This alone is reason enough to add a few good supplements to your daily plan. Stress depletes our body of specific nutrients, just as water is depleted when we exercise. Yes, the good Lord designed our body to handle stress, but we’re talking about ‘acute’ or short term stress, not constant, prolonged stress that lasts for weeks, months or years. In the old days, when night time came, people would read or talk or do simple things around the house. They would unwind and get a good night’s sleep. Not today! Our family schedules are so over-booked – this is prolonged stress. Our ancestors worried about ‘saber-toothed’ tigers. Today, we are being attacked by ‘paper-tigers’ …the constant go-go lifestyle, from the moment you wake, until the time you fall asleep. This depletes our body!
How can you not say “Yes”
I’ll let the facts speak for themselves. If we still lived in the “garden of Eden” we probably didn’t need to take anything extra, but in today’s time with today’s stresses, the type of foods we eat, the type of toxins we are exposed to, we need to be supplementing our daily diet, just to maintain good heath. Let me also add that just adding a good multivitamin is probably not enough. Think about it – a good multi has a little bit of everything, and depending on your life and your stress level and your dietary choices…you may need a few more things. You might need some additional good fats (omega-3’s), enzymes, fiber, antioxidants or good bacteria to ensure your optimal health.
One final thing, not all vitamin or supplement manufacturers are equal. Some manufacture to a targeted price point, others towards a certain quality. I know I always tell my mom, you can’t always shop on price, some of the lowest priced products are made with the lowest quality nutrients. So be discerning when you shop for you and your family.
Let’s not lose focus that it was HIM who gave us all these foods to eat and drink and we need to be taking care of our temple, the temple that was given to us. We are given one body to take care of. Do you do a better job of taking care of your car than you do your body?
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Dr. Len Lopez is a nutrition and fitness expert and author of “To Burn or Not to Burn, Fat is the Question” and the host of “Action Steps for Health.” His approach to health is “treat the cause – not the symptoms.” For more information and to learn more about health and wellness listen to his broadcast shows and go to www.DrLenLopez.com and read his health blog www.HealthTipsWithDrLen.com.
