SUPPLEMENTS

As you can see below, this is an old article I am reposting. The importance of this article has recently had a bright light shined on it in my world. My 72-year-old husband kept falling because his legs would just fold up under him. About a week and a half ago he fell three times in one day. My son and grandson had to carry him to his bed because his legs were too weak to hold him up even with their help. He ended up getting an ambulance ride to the hospital where he stayed for 5 days and was then released to rehab for therapy. Tests showed him to be very low in sodium, potassium, and his adrenal gland function was low. He is a COPD patient and didn't like to eat because it was hard to eat and breathe at the same time. He had been relying on Ensure Plus, a good supplement but not a complete diet for the average person. His leg muscles had almost atrophied from lack of use. He was walking very little because of the falls. Long story short, with three good meals a day and extensive therapy he is now walking with a walker and/or a cane. We are made to take care of our bodies with food. It is important to eat a balanced diet (avoid fad diets, they always leave out something your body needs) and get some exercise if you want your body to function as God intended.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Some supplements, vitamins, etc may be needed to keep your body operating efficiently.  However, I do not recommend taking such products without discussing it with your doctor.  While the proper supplements, vitamins, minerals, etc can be very helpful, sometimes they can be harmful or simply a waste of money.  It is best to get what your body needs from food whenever possible.

I qualify that statement by saying I was on supplements for years and my doctors were aware of it and told me to take them.  Thus back to my point; I am not saying don't take them, I am saying discuss it with your doctor first.  If your doctor is one who won't even discuss such matters, perhaps you need a new doctor!

An example of harmful effects is zinc.  While zinc may be very helpful in some situations, it may actually hasten the onset of Alzheimer's symptoms.  I am not talking about taking a zinc tablet occasionally but researchers think that a buildup of zinc may cause those prone to Alzheimer's or in the early stages of the disease, to have their symptoms brought on more quickly.  Laboratory experiments have shown that zinc can transform the protein in brain cells into abnormal tangles indistinguishable from those of Alzheimer's.  Other studies have also shown that large-dose zinc supplements may bring on the progression of memory loss and other signs of the disease.

Again, based on my own experience, I no longer take supplements.  Because of having so much of my colon removed, I don't absorb them.  When I am low on a vitamin, mineral, etc, I have to have a shot.  So no matter how many high-powered supplement tablets I would take, I wouldn't absorb them enough to benefit.  So it would be a waste of money.

The supplement business in America today is big business.  Don't be fooled, discuss the situation with your doctor and go by what he/she recommends. And remember this, those who are trying to sell you supplements are usually making money off what you purchase.

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