Getting just a little bit 
healthier every week 
Q. What is the truth about vitamins?
Last week the York State Attorney General's office reported yet another example of what appeared to be widespread fraud in the dietary supplement industry as reported by the national news. 

Huffpost Healthy Living article The Truth Behind Vitamins  goes on to say the Attorney Generals office targeted four major retailers of supplements, Target, GNC, Walgreens, and Walmart. To read the entire article click here 

 

The Center for Public Interest has added these to the already growing list of lawsuits against companies who  manufacture vitamins and supplements such as Vitamin Water, One-A-Day, Amway Nutrilite and Ensure Nutrition Drinks along with various diet supplements. This reminds us that there are no guarantees when it comes to supplements even for their safety. To read more click here

 

This is no surprised to the medical community and has been a common and growing concern in the medical community, however surprise came with the retailers response (as reported on ABC 57 News):

 

GNC & Target stands behind their products but left them on the shelf. Walmart will check with their suppliers but left those product on the shelf. Shame on you GNC,Target and Walmart for not taking care of your customers. This makes me wonder about their other product dealings.

At the same time a BIG shout out to Walgreens! Walgreens removed their products from their shelves until further investigated. Thank you for being on the our corner of healthy and happy!  

paper 


Watch the video news 
coverage on the vitamin scandal of February
Do you think the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is protecting you from big pharma and keeping your safe? Think again.

 

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 has minimal regulation over the supplement industry. The FDA does not require supplement companies to get approval for supplements and does not regulate:


*production
*manufacturing
*distribution
*labeling
*safety

The FDA does regulate as to whether the supplement has been adulterated (irradiated) or accurately labeled which apparently is not happening. 
Recent vitamin research keeps you wondering ...

In case you are wondering how effective vitamins might be here are some of the most recent recent research on vitamins: 

*2011 University of Minnesota found that women who took supplemental multivitamins died at rates higher than those who didn't.

*2011 Cleveland Clinic researched prostate cancer and Vit. E found increased risk of prostate cancer with those taking Vit.E.

*2007 National Cancer Institute (11,000 men) prostate health and  Vit. E found men who took Vit. E are twice as likely to die. 

*2005 Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (136,000 people) found Vit. E increased death rate from all causes.

*2004 University of Copenhagen (17,000 people) found those who had gastrointestinal cancer and took Vit. A, C, E, and beta-carotene experienced no change.

*1996 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (18,000 people) with lung cancer took Vit. A, Beta Carotene and they had to canceled the study because of the cancer increase. 

*1994 National Cancer Institute (29,000 people) Smokers took  Vit E & Beta Carotene and they canceled the study due to increase of cancer. 
The Solution: Pick whole food & whole food supplements

The nutrition in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nut, seeds and beans (whole foods) are proven to reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and all other chronic illness as stated by all major health organizations. 

In fact a recent medical report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention addressed the role of whole food in disease prevention: 

National nutrition guidelines emphasize consumption of powerhouse fruits and vegetables, foods that are most strongly associated with reduced chronic disease risk. click here to read more 
Mediterranean (whole food) diet lowers cancer and heart disease risks

A report in the New England Journal of Medicine indicated that a eating a Mediterranean diet can lower the risk of heart disease.

Can a Mediterranean Diet Lower Cancer and Heart Disease Risk?
Video - Mediterranean Diet and Disease Prevention
A. Not all vitamins are what they say they are.
You may not have thought of this ...

Just because it's natural does not mean it's eatable or safe.  After all dirt is natural but I really would not recommend you eat it. 
There are 2 types of vitamins - synthetic & whole food

There is a big difference between the natural vitamins found in food and the so-called vitamins added to many popular dietary supplements.

 

Whole-food based vitamins are uniquely bioavailable, and occur naturally in foods, plants, and herbs. The article Six Critical Things to Watch for In Vitamins and Supplements reports synthetic vitamins, on the other hand, are produced in a laboratory, and may be derived from toxic sources such as coal tar and petroleum. 

 

1. Synthetic products contain isolated vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals and carry a Supplement Label. For how to read a supplement label click here

2. Whole Food products are plant based and have the food label Nutrient Facts just like your food. ChooseMyPlate.gov has a great brochure explaining how to read a food label. click here

What you can do ... 

When picking a supplement consider this:

1. Is the product pure and clean? Are there toxic chemicals included in production?  

Just because a product is sold in a store does not mean it's non-toxic  & safe.  Natural News reports in their article The 10 Worst Toxins Hidden in Vitamins, Supplements and Health Foods  states that just a supplement is natural does not mean it's good for you. The the list of toxins click here

2. Is the product medically and clinically researched using the Gold Standard research? (double blind, cross over, placebo controlled)? If it is, is the research on the actual product?  
Not all vitamin supplements are equal. Before you put something in your body every day, be sure you are confident in what you are doing. After all a vitamin is not just a vitamin.  

3. Does the product have a quality seal of approval? 

Names you can trust for safety  *NSF Certified & NSF Certified for Sport
*United States Pharmacopeia "USP Verified" *ConsumerLab.com. These companies review vitamins and herb supplements for quality and purity.
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