| merican Medical Association now recommends | | | | saying for years. They are confirming that our |
| that everyone take nutritional supplements every | | | | food no longer is capable of providing the essential |
| day. | | | | elements our bodies need. |
| With this change in policy, the AMA is now in | | | | Another way to express it is that the AMA is |
| agreement with what leading nutritionists and | | | | saying that the food we eat cannot by itself keep |
| nutritional research scientists have been saying for | | | | us healthy. |
| years. | | | | The reasons for this complete reversal of policy |
| This reversal of policy is in agreement with what | | | | are many: |
| nutritional scientists have been stressing for years; | | | | 1) Soils are depleted of the nutrients they once |
| our diets are so lacking in nutrients that they are | | | | provided. |
| the major cause of disease. | | | | 2) Fruits and vegetables are picked too early. |
| Virtually everyone is aware that vitamins are | | | | 3) Processing destroys nutrients especially |
| dietary nutritional supplements. As a nation, we | | | | enzymes. |
| consume millions and millions each year. For some | | | | Now, if the source of the vegetables and fruit, |
| they are beneficial. For others though, they may | | | | that is farm soils, we eat is deficient in required |
| be a waste of money. | | | | nutrients, is it reasonable to believe that we are |
| The problem is that taking only one or two | | | | eating a healthy diet? |
| vitamin types is probably insufficient to improve | | | | Americans, in general, want to improve their |
| our overall health. Even multi-vitamins have their | | | | health. Over 43% of Americans now take some |
| limitations. | | | | form of nutritional supplements. |
| While the most commonly recognized nutritional | | | | Probably this is a result of having experienced a |
| supplements are vitamins, many more nutrients | | | | general feeling of being tired, exhausted, or a |
| are classified as nutritional supplements. They | | | | sustained feeling of simply not feeling the way we |
| include: | | | | think we should feel. |
| 1) Minerals, | | | | This indicates that we are concerned enough to |
| 2) Amino acids, | | | | take some action. The question is whether it is |
| 3) Enzymes, | | | | enough. |
| 4) Essential fatty acids, | | | | We probably picked our nutritional supplement, |
| 5) Fiber | | | | most likely a vitamin or two, based on some |
| There is a fact that we are all aware of but | | | | advertisement that described our "symptoms". |
| seldom think about. Our health and wellbeing is | | | | The problem is, if we believe that our diet is |
| almost totally dependent on the food we eat. | | | | deficient in one or two vitamins, is it realistic to |
| Consider the human body for a moment. It is a | | | | assume that we are getting all the other nutrients |
| "closed system". Every element needed for | | | | that we get from the same source? |
| growth, health, wellness, and even survival must | | | | We are the "victims" of advertisers who tell us |
| come from the food we eat. | | | | part truths. |
| Since only the nutrients we eat can provide | | | | Companies that market food make large sums of |
| growth, health, and wellness, if we don't eat | | | | money by capitalizing on our desire to be healthy. |
| properly, we will develop diseases. | | | | Two of the biggest "buzz-words" in food |
| Virtually every leading cause of death today was | | | | advertising today are "Free Radicals" and |
| either unknown or only a minor health concern 50 | | | | "Anti-Oxidants". |
| years ago. Scientific research has proven a | | | | Free radicals have been proven to cause aging |
| definite and immediate link for this to the changes | | | | and disease, make changes in DNA structures, |
| in the food we eat. | | | | suppress the immune system and cause many |
| Although many fingers have been pointed at fast | | | | other health related problems. |
| foods, they are not the only problem. Fresh fruits | | | | Anti-oxidants are vitally important to our health |
| and vegetables simply do not provide the | | | | because they destroy free radicals. |
| nutrients our bodies need. | | | | Fruit juices provide vitamin C which provides |
| The environment can negatively affect our health | | | | anti-oxidants. |
| through pollution, stress, air conditioning, smoke, | | | | Where this line of advertising is misleading, and |
| etc. But only the food we eat can overcome | | | | possibly dangerous, is that the public is led to |
| these factors. | | | | believe that simply drinking a glass of juice a day |
| As early as 1936 the Government reported on | | | | will significantly improve one's health. The glass of |
| the impact of depleted soils. One excerpt from | | | | juice is beneficial but it certainly is not the "cure-all" |
| this report states: | | | | to our nutritional deficiencies. |
| "No man today can eat enough fruits and | | | | Vitamin C and anti-oxidants are absolutely vital for |
| vegetables to supply his stomach with the mineral | | | | health, but so are the myriad of other vitamins, |
| salts he requires for perfect health, because his | | | | minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and essential |
| stomach isn't big enough to hold them! And we | | | | fatty acids that our bodies need. |
| are turning into big stomachs." | | | | Furthermore, anti-oxidants are produced by many |
| At first glance the recent announcement by the | | | | other elements of our diet, not just vitamin C, |
| AMA may seem unimportant, but it is a major | | | | and vitamin C is needed for many other |
| change in policy that should not go unrecognized | | | | processes in the body. |
| by the general public. | | | | If one is truly concerned about their health and |
| The medical profession now is agreeing with what | | | | that of their family, they need a complete dietary |
| nutritionists and research scientists have been | | | | nutritional supplement. |