You think there are supplements or additives or changes in diet that will make magic?
I admit, I have no tolerance for stupid. Stupid includes people who think there is some magic in what they ingest.
My reminder is that the intestine is a dumb thing–it doesn’t care about how you got your carbs, fats, proteins–it is just a digestin’
machine.
Contrary to what some think, we in the practice of medicine have no dog in the fight of “eat healthy” and all the other goofball ideas that people have about how to avoid a serious meeting with their physician. I couldn’t care less–you think that hanging from an apparatus or eating insipid slop is a good idea–have at it.
http://www.chiroaccess.com/Articles/Annals-of-Internal-Medicine-Stop-Wasting-Money-on-Vitamins-and-Mineral-Supplements.aspx?id=0000414
Here’s some advice–get real, there is no magic out there. I know some red meat eaters who are doing just fine. And some veggans who are OK too.
And it’s your right to be wrong as much as you want – as long as you don’t push your beliefs on others through legislation.
Pardon the long-winded response, but I choose not to write in sound-bytes.
Background: I have Dysfunctional Sensory Integration, which is basically screwed up wiring. I need more of certain kinds of sensory input than most people. For example, I need strength training work for the legs. It feels good.
(It also has some interesting spin-offs. For example, I’m a stronger uphill hiker than I was before. But that’s neither here nor there.)
On the other hand, SOME ordinary sensory items, which are ho hum for most people, are painful to me. Example: the sound of a washing machine.
Some physicians know DSI as Sensory Processing Disorder. I do not like that term, because it suggests that the medical profession can somehow REorder sensory processing. The truth is that there’s nothing that doctors can do about DSI. Moreover they are loathe to even diagnose it. (See Pareto’s Rule.)
That said, there are sometimes secondary issues, which do lend themselves to conventional medical treatment.
What to do about DSI? I’m glad that you asked. Occupational Therapists can diagnose the condition. And specialists within that field can even treat it. Some people know the OT approach as Sensory Diet, which must be tailored to the individual — often through trial and error. My leg work is one example.
My DSI is a mixed bag. Sometimes it gets in the way of doing things that I want to accomplish. On the other hand, I’m more aware than most people about how things affect me.
Example: At the moment, I’m aware that the RDA of the B-vitamin, folic acid, by sheer coincidence, happens to be the optimal intake for my well-being. Unfortunately, I don’t tolerate standard serving sizes of folate rich food — like beans and oranges. DSI rears its ugly head again.
What is my heretical solution? Would you believe a magic pill that’s available in the local supermarket, without a prescription? Surprise, surprise! it’s a folic acid supplement.
BTW, I could get my folate from a multivitamin. Unfortunately, multi’s have way too much Vitamin A for my system.
Anyway, I’m thankful that we ‘faddist’ Americans have the freedom to purchase dietary supplements over the counter, without needing the Great White Father’s expensive signature on a piece of paper. By the way, the ‘expensive urine’ jokes are not helpful, and are not even funny.
There are no absolutes.
Absolutely.
The vast majority of people may not need supplements.
Some do.
Any statements claiming that something is (near) useless, should contain an acknowledgement of utility in some cases.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.
Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. – Daniel 1:11-17
Lefties don’t like science, and neither do the ones who think that all chemicals are bad, like the Natural News types.
I’d much rather eat my food knowing the nasty critters are killed than eating “pure” stuff and not knowing I’m ingesting tapeworms.
They try to get so many people into science these days, yet at the same time try to say chemistry and chemicals are bad and that we must return to our native roots. It’s ridiculous, because these people wouldn’t last a day out there in the wilderness without any sort of medicine.
When it comes to magic diets, supplements and even establishment medicine, once you take away the placebo effect and spontaneous recovery there are very few actual cures left.
The Doctor prescribed a new “miracle drug” for an old Bohemian for some of his many health problems. At the next appointment the Doctor asked: “How’s that new medicine working out for you, Joe?” Joe replied: “Don’t rightly know, don’t know how I’d a felt iffin I hadn’t took it.”
Additionally, the microbes within us are monitoring us and making adjustments to suit their needs. They tune our immune system. They sense a wide spectrum of signals that tell them when to make more of that stuff their host needs, when to jump ship, and when to kill the host.
I suspect my culinary choices are to a large degree the result of the ongoing negotiations between me the host body and me the gut. I am all that.
It is interesting how physicians are picking up on the idea. I hear some of them call our gut content The Forgotten Organ.
In your final sentence you have provided an excellent summary of the EPA approach to rule-making.
Physicians are becoming increasingly aware that the food that we eat is first dealt with by the microbes within us.
Only the water-soluble fraction of out diet is directly absorbed by the human body. Everything else (fats, proteins, fiber, etc.) needs to be ‘processed’ by the many species of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, etc. that reside within our intestines. Along with the waste products of the microbes, our intestines absorb the detritus of dead microbes – such as their endotoxins. The complex biochemistry of all these possible substances we absorb is all but unknown.
Nutritionists are even more ignorant than physicians on this important nutritional topic.
When I was a kid – we were told “don’t litter” throw your garbage in the trash. And there was thefamous sad Indian commercial to help remind us. Today the kids throw out trash and say they are saving to the planet. Double speak like this is pervasive. My apartment has a computer and printer set up for residents. Instead of saying “because we think folks are wasting paper, and it costs us money, we will only provide one ream a month” they have a sign saying -,” we are a green company -,and in an effort to be green and save the environment we will only provide on ream of paper a month” eye roll from me. Maybe I should post a prayer about that.
Vitamin C is helping me with my urinary tract problems. I think the acid prevents precipitation of crystles which causes painful irination. I know TMI.
No magic. But supplements of various types make for nutritional management – for athletes, for the aged and infirm, … . People easily confuse magic with management. “Eating healthy” is fork in the road.
I was just noting a bulletin board in a church where kids completed post cards completing the thought “God help me to …” The most prevalent (maybe 1/3rd) response: Eat healthy. What an odd thing to show up so often in a kid’s response. At least there weren’t any that said “fight climate change.”
I stand by what I said, PERIOD.
Having lived among the Gaels and studied their roots, I can tell you there was a time when uisge beatha was their only food during the winter season, not a supplement.
Next time you hear a Kelpie legend, ask yourself why does he always let his victim’s liver float back to the surface.
A little sidenote. Whilst adding more vitamins and such to an already vitaminrich nutrition will show no benefits in the average normally stressed individual, there are many who not only work under highly stressful conditions but also eat vitamin etc deficient foodstuffs.
Testing the average western family for the usefulness of additional vitamins isn’t representative and as such the general universal conclusion is false.
excellent comment.
Many randomized trials of vitamins show no benefits. And most of the claims being tested come from observational studies. Put two and two together and you will conclude the claims coming from observational studies are most likely to be false in that they can not be replicated. People doing observational studies mostly will not make their data sets available. So we (very often) have voodoo statistics combined with trust me science.
I will try to be restrained about this–the nutrition people have nothing to offer after they take care of vitamin deficiencies.
You don’t get it–fats, carbos, proteins, all are dealt with without special consideration by your intestine.
You think your stomach gives a damn whether you were concerned about your proportionate intake of all the magic? Really??
Grow up, fetishes about food are just a product of anxiety and control freak concerns. You could do quite well on freak food or junk food, as long as it ahs a proper proportion of nutrients.
All that health food store nonsense is just that–nonsense. Get you head on strait–and spend more time considering what you’re going to do, not what you’re going to eat.
Food obsessives are in a whirl about something that is not that important. Eat a halfway reasonable balanced diet–you have nothing, NOTHING, to be concerned about. Kick yourself in the head for being stupid about food, if you worry about such nonsense, then move on and do something for you and your family.
I’ve never met anyone in the medical profession that know squat about nutrition but will prescribe meds for most anything without a second thought.
LOL, when I came onto this site just now, the ad right below this article is one for — Irish whiskey!
Now, THERE’s a nutritional supplement for ya!