Vitamin Good? or Vitamin Bad?

So a blog by Dr. Andrew Weil caught my interest on FB newsfeed today. Dr Weil mentioned a study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), showing an increase in supplement consumption from about 40 to more than 50 percent. The report noted that "most adults and teenagers (with the exception of girls between the ages of nine and 18) likely receive enough calcium through their diets and from supplements."

Dr. Weil gave his take on this study, "a well balanced diet should supply most of your nutritional needs, but many people, for a variety of reasons, don't eat optimally on a regular basis." Read the rest of the Article here

So at the bottom of his blog, there is a link taking you to see 'Dr. Weil's Personal Vitamin Routine' - whaaaat???? So here is his list of what he takes on a daily basis: See Dr. Andrew Weil's list of vitamins Well, I did my research on what vitamins Dr. Weil takes and sure enough, they are substandard and if not anything that would meet a whole food or raw form of anything, adding in several unneeded fillers and preservatives, of which, we have no idea in what amount they are in each tablet. Not to mention he completely contradicts his statement(s) about fulfilling your diet through your food intake. C'mon Dr.Weil, what's going on??

I can see why people get confused?! There are so many misleading articles and misconceptions out there let alone cheap vitamin brands that don't do 'bupkis' for you, that cause people to doubt their own instincts. It's easy for everyone to understand getting whole food is better than processed food, what makes them think you can do this with vitamins?  Most vitamins in Canada and the U.S. are from a synthetic source, missing all of the co-factors required for absorption that are found in nature and in a whole food form.   Vitamins are supposed to be micro nutrients for our body, but without the co-factors, required for absorption, it is like pouring a can of orange juice over your head; useless.  It is no wonder so many people are sick even when taking vitamin supplements, since they have now introduced something that is an 'incomplete' form of the nutrient they are wanting - can you imagine what this does for your body's cellular activity let alone functionality?  Our body's health is analogous to keeping a healthy garden, you know by adding nutrient rich soil that you will have a garden/lawn that is incredibly healthy and sustainable for that year; meaning it won't require much maintenance because it has all of the building blocks to give back healthy vegetables & plants, but next year there needs to be a replenishment of nutrients, we are no different.  In some parts of the Mari-times even today, gardeners will harvest seaweed to add to their garden, so the soil is rich in minerals & vitamins.  We need whole, rich nutrients from the ocean, just like the garden. So wherever you can get it and however you can prepare it - do it. Your body needs it and you will discover a whole world of healthy food that you didn't realize tasted SO good. It's just not commercially advertised (YET) or available in the big chain grocery stores (YET). Variety is key but so is good health and longevity is so much more fun than regular hospital visits and prescriptions!

Great whole/raw food vitamin sources:

• Isagenix - whole food, based on certified organic ingredients with over 72 trace minerals in a bio-available form. Available online or through Isagenix Associates, Chiropractors, Nutritionists, Health Spas, etc.

• Garden of Life - whole food, raw food, supplements based on micro nutrients and certified organic growing methods.