DISQUS

Eric Hamm · 1 year ago

I love this post! Funny, yet very accurate. Many people are under the impression that, as you said, a particular aspect of food (a vitamin) will give you all the benefits of eating that food. Thanks for clearly laying out all the many benefits of ingesting the food vs the vitamin and doing it in such a way that is fun to read.

Back in the day, my mom used to sell Shacklee vitamins which touted the idea that their vitamins were basically FOOD. She would do tests with their multivitamin that I always thought was interesting:

She would put the Shacklee vitamin in the toaster with another brand vitamin and cook them. The end result was the Shacklee vitamin looking like a tiny baked piece of bread. It kind of 'rose' and fluffed up. The other vitamin basically melted and turned black. Quite disgusting.

I'm not trying to sell vitamins here, I promise. :-) It just seemed that they understood the idea that you need more than just the vitamin C to give your body the same results. You need the entire contents of the orange. I just thought this went along with what you're saying. Eric.

Evelyn Lim · 1 year ago

I use a lot of alternative medicine for my family. I don't believe in the excessive use of drugs especially for my kids. Only when there is a need to, will I use conventional western medicine.

Sam · 1 year ago

Very amusing post. "Eat whole foods or the puppy gets it."

I also find the power of the human mind to be amazing and undervalued in the healing process, but at the same time it is very important to take alternative medicines with a grain of salt.

One company was selling a supplement as an "alternative" cure for erectile dysfunction. It had levels of Selenium that were toxic if taken daily, and despite the side effects (dizziness and hair-loss(!)) men kept taking the supplement. I'm not trying to get anyone to stop seeing their acupuncturist or naturopath or whatever, but it is important that if you are relying on the placebo effect that what you are putting in your body is as inert as a sugar pill... or at least isn't toxic.

Yay whole plant foods!

JohnRocheleau · 1 year ago

I couldn't agree more with this article. There is nothing better than consuming foods as nature produces them. I have always distrusted processing and consuming highly concentrated extracts and the like. We upset the balance of nature within us by doing this.

My prescription for good health is: fresh air, reasonable exercise, a love affair with nature, good friends and conversation, music or arts interests -- and eating foods purchased from a local green grocer, farmers market, or grown by you.

Cheers,
John

Simple Mindz · 1 year ago

I agree. Although multi vitamins can be good (I take one daily) they are not the answer to whole foods.
As for the human mind - I think it is amazing that we have the power to heal ourselves. The drug companies don't want us too though.

Pj_Normz · 1 year ago

My favorite post of yours so far. I am all about puppies!!!

Nicholas Powiull · 1 year ago

People are always trying to find a quick, and easy fix to everything. There is no such thing, but as this article clarifies, vitamins in a pill is one of these misguided quick and easy fixes. If it is quick and easy, it is almost guaranteed that you are not getting what you think you are. You are missing out on more then what you are gaining.

Thank you for this article. :)

Have a Conscious Flexing day my friend,
~Nicholas @ Conscious Flex

Vered - MomGrind · 1 year ago

I agree with Nicholas: people try to find easy fixes. They go for things that sound quick and exciting. Eating healthfully and exercising regularly are not as exciting as taking "magic pills".

Stacey / Create a Balance · 1 year ago

Great use of your influencing skills! I’ll be stocking up on my oranges this winter.

Retard · 1 year ago

Nice -- giving nutritional advice by reading Woman's Health. LAME. I spose Dr. Linus Pauling was a hack. Nice... dumbass.

flavored Coffee · 1 year ago

No wonder I had to learn about money the hard way.

Background Check · 9 months ago

You make a very good point. People are always looking for the easy way out and thinking they can substitute real nutrition with a vitamin they are wrong. I agree that you have to eat the proper fruits and vegetables to really benefit from their natural vitamins and nutrients. Pills are great for added vitamins but the real thing is always better.

my Blog · 7 months ago

Nothing is better than real fruit. I love it very much - and normally it is not to expensive. Great post. I like it!

balankrishnan · 6 months ago

Our body is formed with the idea taking food in its natural way and any kind of process to convert them to an easily consumable status is not right as the food loses its original ingredients in the process.