Be a Supplement Skeptic

Did you all read the recent news about Fish Oil products being tainted with PCBs -- even when the label claimed the products were tested, pure and safe? This is just one more expose' in a long line of supplement crimes. Lead in children's vitamins. Fungicides in Ginseng products. Pesticides in Alfalfa tablets. The alarming levels of toxins found in supplements manufactured in China. And the list goes on.

On March 2nd, an environmental consumers group, Mateel Environmental Justice Foundation, sued fish oil supplement merchants for covering up the fact that their products contained toxic levels of PCBs. This took place in California, which requires a warning label anytime a product contains toxic ingredients.

Who did they sue? Omega Protein, the world's largest producer of fish oil products. They manufacture products for Twinlab, GNC, Rite Aid, CVS, Now Health Group, Pharmavite and Solgar.

So far, Mateel has only tested 10 Fish Oil supplements and has found toxic levels of PCBs in all of them. They plan to continue testing products and adding companies to the lawsuit as they discover who is marketing contaminated fish oil supplements.

Now, this is the thing that really stuns me. Either Omega Protein didn't test their products and still labeled them as pure. OR, they did test them and labeled them as pure anyway. Either way, this is another evidence that the supplement industry is not to be trusted.

You see, as consumers take daily doses of contaminated products, toxin levels build until serious problems arise. And supplement users usually take supplements trusting they will do their bodies good and not harm.

I encourage you to be a supplement skeptic. It is tempting to just pick up your supplements when you see them on sale at your local grocer or drug store. But that is simply not safe. You can not trust labels.

I've seen way too many news stories like this one -- where supplements companies truly endanger our health in the name of good health.

Only buy from a trusted source. One that can prove their rigorous quality control, that openly invites the public to check out their manufacturing processes, that tests their products so that they can guarantee their purity and effectiveness. A company that gives a 100% money back guarantee on every product.

I have posted before that Shaklee is my supplement company of choice. Read (here) to see how they passed my three critical questions for all consumers to ask supplement companies. If you're really interested in finding good supplements, I encourage you to read through all the posts under my supplement topic. You can also check out my Shaklee website for what makes Shaklee unique.

For your health,

Note: I have posted before about why I am a Shaklee Independent Distributor. Click here to read that post.

Do You Ever Wonder...

Do you ever wonder why I recommend only Shaklee supplements and cleaning products? I mention why in my series on What Is Health Anyway? (Part I, Part II, Part III) and in My Personal Health Journey. But, I have recently found this video that summarizes my reasons (plus more) very nicely.

If you have ever wondered "Why should I choose a Shaklee supplement over a store bought or health food store vitamin"...

If you have ever asked, "Why is Shaklee a better value?"... please watch this seven minute video.

For more information on Shaklee supplements (or for purchasing) click here.

Do I Believe in Supplementation?

Good question. Very good question. Yes and No. I believe that in our modern world, we do need to supplement our diets in order to provide our bodies with enough nutrients to be well. (For my elaboration on that topic, see my "Wondering Where To Start" links at the top left of this page.)

However, I do not believe in synthetic supplementation. Buying man-made versions of vitamins and minerals can be toxic. It is actually more harmful to our bodies than not supplementing at all.

And I do not believe in out-of-balance supplements. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Our bodies thrive on balance, not extremes. Everything in moderation... even supplements. Looking to nature, each food has a balance of macro and micro nutrients - even traces of things we haven't isolated yet. Each supports the others. Nutritional science is actually quite an awesome study! To take supplements in unnatural combinations can cause our bodies to rob itself of necessary nutrients in order to deal with the supplements we take.

And I do not believe in impure supplementation. There are too many companies out there who take advantage of the lack of supplement regulation. Instead of creating their own standards for purity, they market products that are full of lead, fungicides or other dramatically harmful impurities. If a supplement does not have guaranteed purity, if a company does not make their manufacturing practices a public concern, LEAVE that product on the shelf... no matter how much of a good deal you think it is. (For my previous post of Lead In Supplements, read here.)

But, I do believe in high quality supplements. I actually think it is better to take 1/2 the dosage of a bioavailable, balanced, natural supplement than to take mega doses of synthetic, impure or indigestible vitamins. And, I know from experience that expensive does not equal high-quality.

So you have probably picked up on the fact that the only vitamins I recommend are Shaklee vitamins. Yes, I am an independent distributor, but selling vitamins is not my calling in life. However, I do recommend them because I have been singularly impressed by Shaklee's standards for purity and by the evidence of their performance.

I mention this all today, because I am working on a post with my tips for a healthy pregnancy (sort of like my thoughts on infertility)... and I will inevitably mention Shaklee products again. I wanted to offer a formal explanation. It is because I know that not all supplements are beneficial. And because I know that Shaklee supplements are beneficial.

I will be back to my regular posting on Monday. Have a great weekend and thanks for listening!

The Search is OVER!

Every mom is looking for Supersmart, Supersafe and Supernutritious products for her children. Which of us wants to give our children tainted supplements? It would be simple if the search was easy... if the FDA only let absolutely pure supplements and skin care products on the market. But, alas, it is not so! Supplement companies are not subject to regulations. And the burden of responsibility to investigate company manufacturing standards fall on moms.

That is why I am so pleased to share these two video clips with you. Our search for pure baby and children's products is over... here are the smart, safe, nutritious products we have been looking for. (If you wonder, read about my rigorous standards for purity, potency and performance here.)

For more information on these fabulous products, or to purchase, click here.

How Do I Know If I Need a Multi-Vitamin

I used to think a good diet was enough. For several years, I thought our family could get all of the vitamins and minerals we needed from food alone. We ate an even more stellar diet than we eat now, but it still wasn't enough. If you haven't yet, you can read my story here.

Diet is very important. Supplements are just that -- supplementary to a good diet. I can see my family benefiting from the vitamins we take. What about you? Do you need a multi-vitamin? Good question. From my observations, I rarely meet someone who is getting all the necessary nutrients from today's depleted food sources. Here are a few questions that might help you find the answer to that question:

• Are you like nine out of ten Americans who don't eat the recommended five-a-day of fruits and vegetables?
• Have you been pregnant or nursing in the last year and a half? If so, your body is still rebuilding!
• Do you eat convenience or fast foods because there isn't enough time to use all whole foods?
• Do you eat any "artificial" foods because they are low in fat, reduced calorie or just plain cheap?
• Do you purchase conventional foods because organics are too expensive? Keep in mind that organic foods contain 4-40% more nutrients than conventional foods.
• Do you eat any white flour or white sugar products?

If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, you might benefit from a high-quality nutritional supplement. (I have to say "might" because I am not a health professional... nor do I pretend to be one online :) )

For my previous thoughts on supplements take a look at these posts:

• What's In Your Vitamins?
• Lead in Supplements?
• Statistics on the Insufficiency of the Standard American Diet
• Which Supplements Have I Selected?

How to Select a B Complex Supplement

I mentioned last week that B Complex aids our bodies in dealing with stress. And what woman doesn't have stress! I'd like to take that post a step further, without being an information firehose :)
B Complex is also a critical component in nerve function and communication, hormonal balance, metabolism, learning and memory, the production of red blood cells and antibodies, and in regulating sleep mechanisms. This is a very brief list; I'm just scratching the surface here. This particular group of vitamins is pretty important for our functionality!

And, just by way of note, the absorption of B Vitamins is inhibited by antibiotics, caffeine and birth control pills.

So, let's say you decide your body might benefit from a B Complex supplement. How would you go about choosing one out of the many? Previously, I thought the more expensive a supplement is, the better it must be. I was wrong. In nature, B vitamins are always found in balance with one another. This doesn't mean exactly equal amounts of each of the individual B vitamins are present. Rather, the array of B vitamins is found in very similar proportions all throughout nature. The RDA is based on these amounts.

Here's where I'm going with this thought... let's say you read the label and see that there is 6,333% RDA of your Niacin and Riboflavin. Then, as you scan down, you see about 50% RDA of Folic Acid and about 10% RDA of Biotin. This is not a balanced supplement. Why is that bad? Well, your body can mimic B Vitamin deficiency as it struggles to absorb all the overload. You want a supplement that contains about 100% of each of the 8 vitamins in the B Complex.

You also want to read the label to check the amount of Biotin. Biotin is the most expensive of the B vitamins, yet it is very pivotal in the utilization of the rest. If you don't have enough Biotin, you can't really use the other Bs, no matter how many you give yourself. Unfortunately, many brands skimp on the Biotin so they can produce a more cost-effective supplement. Don't purchase a B Complex unless it contains 100% RDA of Biotin.

Why do I mention all of this? Well, as I've talked with women from all walks of life, I'm coming to the conclusion that the vast majority are experiencing several symptoms attributable to lack of adequate B Complex. Maybe our need for it has increased as our multi-tasking and stress levels have increased. Maybe the diminishing quality of our diet has left us deficient. Maybe prescription drugs have hindered our B Complex absorption. Maybe there is another reason that I haven't yet considered. I am not a medical professional and I don't go around diagnosing my friends... but, if another mom benefits even half as much as I did from the addition of the right B Complex Supplement, then this post was worth my time and yours.

This is the B Complex I take. Some days I can tell I need it more than others :) It meets all the criteria I've mentioned in this post, plus my standards for purity. And it's from a company that I approve of, as I mentioned here.

STRESS... and a health quiz

The Scream

This may never happen in your home. You may not have four children, but don't all women have at least four things competing for their attention at a time? I think our demanding lifestyle is universal.

Picture this with me: You are in the middle of cleaning up a large mess from breakfast and meal prep for the day. Four children are supposed to be brushing their teeth and getting started with school. One can't find her toothbrush. It might be in the book basket where she left it last night. Since she is just a baby she can't very sweetly ask for help. She hollars for anyone who will hear. The second brushes his teeth in five seconds flat and somehow has roped his sister on the way to get his math book. He hollars in excitement because of the prize he's caught. The third can't brush her teeth because she's been roped. She doesn't want anyone to keep her from obeying mommy. More hollaring. The fourth is so happy to be alive she bounces out of the bathroom and whaps her head on the door frame. More hollaring. So, we've got a desperate hollar, a cowboy triumph hollar, an I'm-Offended hollar and a truly-in-pain hollar. What does mom do?

If it was your house, what would you do? Can anyone really address all four hollars AT THE SAME MOMENT IN TIME??? Even if I don't know what your reaction would be, I can tell you what is happening inside your body. Stress is mounting. As your body elevates blood pressure, pulse rate and certain endocrine activities in preparation for what is to come, it also suppresses the peripheral body systems like your immune system and digestive system. This is an oversimplification; I don't think everyone wants to read all the specifics right now. Suffice it to say that your body is reved up.

Did you know that the reving up takes extra nutrients? Yep. Sure does. Especially B Complex. The B vitamins are water soluble and are consumed quickly when the body responds to stress. You can respond peaceably. You can respond in frustration. But your body is still reving up. And your body will totally consume a day's supply of B Complex in about fifteen minutes of extreme stress. Without B Complex, your body will have difficulty regaining it's normal function again. Thus, chronically stressed people can experience heart palpitations, fatigue similar to anemia, chronic infections and heart disease.

Remember, this is a former Walking-B-Vitamin-Deficiency speaking here. If you haven't yet, you can read my story here. I could write forever about the wonders of B Complex. And soon I will write about how to read labels and chose the best B Complex supplement. But, I can't let this one post become an e-book. So...

Let's take a Health Quiz!
Remember, this is not a medical diagnosis. This is simply a fun way to look at how a B Vitamin Deficiency presents itself. Once again, I am not a medical practitioner : )

Score yourself on each of these symptoms associated with B Vitamins. Give yourself a 0 if you never experience the symptom; a 1 if you experience it seldom; a 2 if you experience it regularly; and a 3 if you experience it often. Ready?

___I can never get enough sleep! Even when I sleep 8 hours, I am still fatigued.
___I crave sweets.
___I rely on caffeine.
___I experience headaches.
___I face a lot of daily stress.
___I experience PMS.
___Apart from my monthly cycle, I experience mood swings and am easily irritated.
___I have a rapid heartbeat and/or experience heart palpitations.
___I have ridges in my nails.
___I have skin problems and/or experience hair loss.

Like I said, B Complex deficiency can present itself in an abundance of different ways. I simply picked ten of the forty or so symptoms people have associated with Bs. These symptoms are commonly alleviated by the addition of a B Complex supplement.

Total up your score:
0-7 You're doing great! Give thanks!
8-15 You show some symptoms of B Vitamin Deficiency. Since this is a super-simplified quiz, you may want to do a bit more reading to see if you display other symptoms.
16-24 Hmmm. Sounds probable that you could benefit from extra B Complex.

25-30 Symptoms are signals that our bodies are experiencing distress. Definitely look further into this topic. Feel free to email me for sources that might be beneficial.

Photo Credit: Allposters.com

So What Is Health, Anyway -- Part III

This is Part Three in a series of thoughts. Please read Part One and Part Two of "So What Is Health, Anyway" before reading this post.

In the two previous posts, we have established that:
1. Health begins at the cellular level. When a cell has adequate building materials (vitamins, minerals, proteins, water) it can reproduce itself, based on the stored DNA blueprint, as a vibrant and healthy cell. Healthy cells = healthy tissues = healthy organs = healthy systems = healthy YOU.
2. On the flipside, if the proper building materials are not there, that cell will make a weakened version of itself.
3. HOWEVER, the DNA is still in place and the weakened cell can, with the proper nutrients, replace itself with a vibrant, healthy cell.
4. In our modern world, diet alone is not sufficient to supply our cells with these necessary building materials.
5. We must use supplements.

But aren't supplements dangerous? I mean, haven't you read the news lately! The contaminations alone are astonishing!

Yes, we do have to choose very carefully. Before taking any supplement, do some research. Ask these three questions of EVERY company you buy from:

1. What are your standards for purity? Can you show me evidence of raw ingredient testing, manufacturing standards testing AND final product testing for purity?
2. What guarantee do you have that what is on the label is actually in the bottle, post-manufacturing? Do you run end-product potency testing?
3. What peer-reviewed, scientific studies do you have to show that your product will actually perform the desired or advertised outcome?

I've done a lot of searching! I've done a lot of research! Like I mentioned before, I had the time to invest in making informed decisions. You may not have that kind of time, so I would like to help you out in telling you what I found.

Shaklee is the only company I have found that answers the questions I have listed above. In fact, you don't have to make phone calls, write letters, or chase down knowledgeable people to find them. (Such has been the case in trying to find out information from other companies.) The following is what they post on their webpage, and they have the documentation to back all these claims up.

A health and nutrition leader since 1956, Shaklee continues to champion solid, scientifically backed product choices rather than "risky" trends. Shaklee has invested over $250 million in exhaustive product research and development, and clinical trials. Each year, approximately 83,000 laboratory and quality assurance tests are performed on nutritional products and their ingredients alone! Shaklee products are the result of a painstaking process of scientific review and assessment of third-party research and independent clinical studies by our expert Health Sciences group. Shaklee also consults a Scientific Advisory Board, a team of nationally recognized scientists from some of America's leading academic and medical institutions. Each product must perform to a standard of excellence. Each product must deliver the correct dosage of key ingredients, based on clinical research. Each product must start with the finest raw materials and be formulated to deliver consistently. Shaklee utilizes the best nature and science can provide. That means no shortcuts.

Bottom line best thing about Shaklee: they have a 100% money back guarantee! They've done their testing. They know their products perform. They back it with a complete satisfaction guarantee.

I share all this with you because I know how frustrating it can be to find good supplements. I went through years of searching and I hope my findings will benefit you as well! I will post soon about my personal experience with expensive but ineffective supplements...

So What is Health, Anyway -- Part II

This is a continuation of my previous post asking the question, "So What Is Health, Anyway?" If you haven't yet, please take a moment to read that post...

Now that we're thinking on the cellular level, we can talk about rebuilding health. I'll say at the outset that rebuilding health is totally possible. I have heard scores of testimonies about people completely recovering from MS, Endometriosis, Crohn's Disease, Cancer, Heart Disease... and the list goes on. These people made one very pivotal change in their thinking: they saw that health originates from the cell. Seeing that the cell was miraculously designed to reproduce itself healthy and strong according to the stored DNA, they decided that they needed to supply their cells with all the building materials necessary to regain health. And, it worked!

But let me also say at the outset that I am not a medical professional. I have done a lot of research, but I don't have a medical degree. What I am attempting to do here is compile masses of information for your benefit, not give professional medical advice.

So... rebuilding cellular health... what does that mean for you? Well, you may not have a debilitating disease. (If you do and you would like to hear thoughts geared specifically toward your condition, please email me.) But each of us needs to consider that we are either building future health or tearing it down according to the nutrients we are providing our cells. Our cells will have the proper building materials to replace themselves with vibrant copies, or they will be shortchanged and have to make weakened versions of themselves. This is true concerning our children as well -- even more so because they are not just maintaining their number of cells, they are rapidly growing! Consequently, it is especially critical for our children to obtain the proper cell building materials.

Where will we find these nutrients? Can't we just eat five fruits and vegetables a day, add in some whole grains and lean meats and be done with it? Unfortunately, in our modern era, complete nutrition from diet alone simply is not possible -- unless every single meal of every single day is a perfect nutritive power-house of organically produced, minimally processed, fresh from the farm foods totaling more than 3500 calories a day!

For several years, I thought diet alone was enough to supply our cells with ample building materials. Then, I was faced with a chronic health condition (stay tuned for more about this in future posts) that was obliterated with the introduction of some very real, very pure nutrients (more about this too). I began to see that while we live in a comparatively wealthy country, we also live in a malnourished country.


Did you know that:

• A USDA study showed that only 4% of Americans are getting even the minimum recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of all their essential vitamins.
• A US government survey found that out of the 21,000 people surveyed, NOT ONE OF THEM manages to eat the RDA of the ten basic nutrients studied.
• On any given day, 91% of Americans do not consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables.
• Because of modern agriculture, your food doesn't have the nutritional value it did in even the recent past. For example, you'd have to eat 60 servings of spinach to get the same amount of iron you would get from just one serving in 1948. And, you'd have to eat 25 cups of spinach to get one day's recommended allowance of Vitamin E.
• 65% of Americans don't get the minimum daily requirement of Zinc. Zinc is essential for your immune system and hormone production.
• In 1997, the Western Journal of Medicine published a study showing that $20 billion in hospital charges could have been prevented simply by taking vitamins and minerals. This doesn't include doctor visits or over the counter remedies... or missed work.
• Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling said, "Recommended daily allowances only give levels of vitamins and minerals that will prevent death or serious illness from vitamin deficiency. To get real health benefits from vitamins, you need to get more than just the minimal recommended amounts."

As a nation, we are not making good choices about our food. We are malnourished even though we are well fed. Unfortunately, the Standard American Diet is comprised of

• over processed food with chemicals and preservatives added
• altered fats which create free radicals that damage our cells
• meats and poultry injected with hormones and antibiotics
• produce that is harvested early, sprayed, transported and stored nearly demolishing its nutrient content
• food, water and air that is contaminated with toxins and chemicals

We critically need to supply our cells with the proper building materials so that we can create a healthier life. Our food sources are just not measuring up. Supplementation has become necessary. But how do you pick a supplement? Supplements are not regulated by the FDA and are potentially very dangerous! I'll be answering this question in my next post... so stay tuned.

Lead in Supplements

I posted earlier today about black ooze that often comes out of vitamins when they are baked. The black ooze is melted synthetic ingredients, fillers, toxins or plastics. Who wants a daily intake of those things?

But lead wouldn't turn black at 350 degrees. Lead is, in fact, a natural ingredient according to most definitions. Natural, but poisonous at certain levels. Keep in mind that lead accumulates in our bodies. So, while we may not be taking a poisonous amount each day, it can accumulate to toxic levels within our body in a short amount of time.

But who puts lead in vitamins? It can be left over from raw ingredient contamination. Or, it can be a byproduct of manufacturing processes. There has been rising concern over the lack of regulation in the supplement industry in the last decade. Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition did a study to survey Women's and Children's vitamins for lead contamination. The list of contaminated brands is 19 pages long! Check to see if the supplement you or your children take is on the list. I found my former prenatals that I purchased from a health food store on the list!

What's in Your Vitamins?

There is so much in the news these days about the dangers of taking supplements. I've read about everything from lead to plastics found in common brand-name supplements. We really have to be cautious and do our homework!

I am going to post about some screening questions to use when looking at vitamin labels... but until then, here is a simple and fun experiment you can do at home! And, by all means, get your kids involved. If they're like mine, they will love to watch through the oven door.

First preheat your oven to 350.
Then line a baking dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper -- something to protect your pan.
Place your own supplements on the foil or paper.
Bake just as you would bake bread.
Watch to see what comes out.

You want to see your supplement brown on top like a nice loaf of bread.
You don't want to see black, toxic ooze spilling onto the foil or paper. This is a sign that your supplement contains coal tar fillers, plastics or other synthetic, non-food ingredients.
If this happens, consider yourself in the market for a new supplement company. You wouldn't want to be digesting a daily dose of toxic sludge in the name of doing your body good.

If you are adventuresome and do this at-home activity, please comment to let me know your results! And, stay tuned for more supplement information...