Supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry based on one big lie: that you can buy pills to fix your health problems. You can’t! Unless you are deficient in a vitamin or mineral, these supplements don’t help at all and may actually damage your body and your wallet. What’s worse, taking them may stop you from embracing a truly healthy diet and exercise routine because you think you don’t have to!
These supplements usually combine vitamins ABCDE and K. Some contain minerals, phytonutrients, and other compounds. The FDA regulates the claims that these supplement companies can make, but they still say things like “promotes heart health,” “lowers heart disease risk,” or “promotes a healthy brain.” They usually show pictures of healthy people, healthy minds, or healthy hearts on the bottles to get you excited. What’s worse is many shady doctors have signed on to promote supplements to earn a side income.
People are buying these supplements in droves, and as long as the money keeps flowing, so will the pills and the health claims. The pressure to buy these supplements will only increase, but you have to resist!
So why are these supplements a waste of your time and money? Because multiple studies have found that taking extra vitamins and minerals doesn’t protect against disease or improve overall health and otherwise healthy people. For example, vitamin C is loaded with antioxidants that support the immune system. So people take vitamin C, thinking it’ll protect them from getting the cold or even contracting COVID-19. However, the problem is that your body can only absorb about 90 mg per day, and anything more than that is toxic to the body. Your body will urinate it out. That means if you eat fruits with vitamin C, you’ve probably already reached your 90 mg daily limit. Taking the supplement has no benefit.
Some supplements and minerals cause health problems when taken in high amounts. One of the worst culprits is calcium. Taking too much calcium each day has been linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer. Same thing with vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can cause dizziness, nausea, and headaches and can even kill you.
Some supplements are rich in phytonutrients. Plenty of supplements will feature green tea, turmeric, lions Maine, etc. Again, multiple studies have shown no benefit to taking these, and if you ingest too much green tea or turmeric, it has been linked to liver damage.
The only time you need to supplement your diet is if you are a strict vegan and lacking in B12. Some people lack vitamin D as they age because they’re not getting enough sunlight or eating foods with vitamin D. A vitamin D supplement could help, or you could eat more foods rich in vitamin D, like mushrooms. If you have any concerns, consult a doctor before supplementing.
There is no replacement for eating healthy foods and getting enough exercise. For example, there is an over-the-counter supplement called Prevagen. It is supposed to slow the cognitive decline of older adults. It doesn’t work! At all! The best treatment for dementia or cognitive decline is a plant-based whole foods diet combined with exercise. Leg exercise is the most important thing you can do. Why? Because it increases the blood flow to your brain. Remember this: bigger legs equals a bigger brain!
We need to concentrate on eating a salad a day for the rest of us. We need to minimize eating animal fat and processed foods. We need to exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes every day. And we need to drink antioxidant-rich water instead of the stagnant water in bottles and our tap. That’s why an alkaline water ionizer is so important!
