R&R

stimp, All I can say is that pre-med doesn't prepare you for much, but a major in chemistry sure would help. Of course, Biochemistry is mandatory in understanding enzymes and the role that the vitamins, minerals, hormones, and other precursors found in healthy foods play in rebuilding the body, preventing disease, and enhancing the health of the body and MIND! And it is not psychological! The results speak for themself!
I don't know when you were in pre-med or how far you went in those studies, but I would hope it was a GOOD background in the SCIENCES. If it was more then 5-8 years ago, then you would not have learned about the important NEUTRICEUTICALS and PHYTOCHEMICALS contained in properly grown fresh foods, that are absolutely essential for good health, overcoming disease, and repairing the body.

I also got a chuckle out of the favorite medical rationalization for the void in their knowledge of the Nutritional Sciences by merely stating, that supplements don't work. Most DRS use this, when they are giving you prescriptions for drugs (foreign chemicals) with side-effects, and must be excreted from the body, since they are toxic to the body and do nothing to rebuild it.

You really should familiarize yourself with all the research and knowledge of Phytochemicals coming out of reputable Universities with leading medical schoold in the U.S. and the rest of the World.
The Internet is loaded with current information, so it should not be TOO difficult to become more informed should you desire to do so.

stimpy

Thanks for the info folks. Yes, my pre-med was a very long time ago, but I do recall a thing or two about bio-chem. And of course, psychological health impacts physical health, which is why people who are ignorant of vitamin deficiency are so healthy. Don't know, don't care.

As for research, I'm not close enough to the industry to know what to believe. A major university may run an observational study of a sample of people, but that is hardly conclusive to the degree which many of us demand. The companies that profit off of supplementals make sure that all this information is available to the public, but I don't believe them due to their motives.

What I would really like to know is how much of these vitamins/supplementals do I already get from the food I eat? For instance, if I drink a protein shake with strawberries added, I'm pretty sure that I get enough protein and vitamin C for the day. So taking an extra vitamin C pill would be a waste. What about all the other food I eat?


[This message has been edited by stimpy (edited Nov 26, 2003).]

pinniped

That worked for me, also! Cutting out the business travel, anyway.

Expense accounts are bad for your body. And really bad for your liver.

Since I quit with the business travel, I've lost quite a bit of weight and am in great shape. I drink 90% less top-shelf liquor and eat about 95% fewer lobsters per year, but I'm happier and healthier overall.

I also have fewer minor illnesses - I think more due to being in better shape and spending less time either tired or worn down from the "business travel lifestyle" (e.g., hung over) than from anything related to airplane germs.

SkiAdcock

stimpy & R&R, you two could go to omni for the vitamin/supplement/medschool/chemistry discussion

i try to:

*eat healthy when traveling (or at home but especially when traveling),

*get plenty of fluids,

*try to stick to normal routines sleepwise,

*exercise (actually i do better at working out when on the road than at home-go figure),

*get a flu shot,

*have some OTC meds w/ me in case i start to feel under the weather when on the road at 2am & pharmacies aren't open (although i've only ever been really really sick once when traveling & that was this past feb & started at home).

* wash my hands alot, and i do have the purrell w/ me for times when soap might not be available

* i do take vitamins/supplements daily, but that has nothing to do w/ being on the road & more w/ wanting to balance out anything i'm missing (i'm allergic to seafood & hate most vegetables)

* check the weather before going on the road so that i have the proper clothes (you don't want to be in a light jacket if the weather is supposed to plummet)

edited to add: thanks for the suggestions on the friction when washing hands, as well as cleaning off the bathroom door knobs.

stimpy: prevention & health magazines both posted results of a study done a couple of years ago saying that even when eating healthy & balanced meals, people cannot get all the vitamins they need, etc, & so a multi-vitamin is recommended. re: what additional supplements, that's up to the individual. and to head off any challenges at the past, i don't know who did the study but for some reason harvard comes to mind. you could do a search on the magazines websites & it might give more details.

ps - for any vegetarians in the group, there was study done that showed that 70% of all vegetarians & 90% of all vegans are lacking in b-vitamins, so if any of you are vegetarianss you might want to consider taking a b-100 supplement (covers all the b vitamins).

happy & healthy travels...

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Sharon

[This message has been edited by SkiAdcock (edited Nov 26, 2003).]

R&R

Most good research is INdependent of commercial companies. In addition, the evidence is so OVERwhelming, that an informed person cannot ignore it.

Biochemistry should have taught you, that the Vitamins, Minerals and hormones are ESSENTIAL for the Enzymatic activity, that cause ALL chemical reactions to take place in the body to maintain optimum health.

Unfortunately, tests show, that most people are deficient in Magnesium, Zinc, and Chromium to name a few of the major ones. That is even when they are eating what you call a 'normal' diet or even better. Testing has also shown, that most foods grown with artificial fertilizers and conventional farming are not as high in these minerals, as organic foods. An example, the greener the lettuce, the higher the magnesium levels. So, head lettuce is not very nutritious compared to salad GREENS or dark green leave vegetables and lettuce.

Our 'normal' diets do not contain enough variety of fruits and vegetable to have a big enough impact to improve out health. If it did, the Medicare budget would be significantly lower!! And the hospitals would be smaller with less deaths from heart disease and cancer! More deaths would be from 'old age'!

I realze, that little or much could be said to change your mind at this stage of your life, but perhaps it will motivate some others to take a more concerted effort to improve their diet and health.

After all, you are what you eat!

stimpy

On the contrary. I'm posting here because I am changing my diet significantly. I'm just skeptical about what I read in magazines. I'll try to do some research to find out more.

As for "normal" diets, I assume you are referring to Americans. I've lived in France where their "normal" diet seems to be far healthier than what is served in the U.S. Also, I lived both in LA and Chicago and I can tell you that the average person in West LA has a far healthier diet than the average Chicagoan. It's a culture thing. This is what I'm talking about when people generalize about supplements. You really have to go into specifics to come close to the truth. One size does NOT fit all.

Since many products in the U.S. cite the vitamin content, you can have a rough idea, but the "recommended daily" amount is another attempt at a one-size-fits-all.

R&R

The recommended daily amount is INsufficient to build a very helthy body. It is more like MINIMUM Daily Requirement to stay alive!

I got my Basic Sciences at the UnivMich, and professional studies in Chicago. Moved to LA, where the possiblity of a better diet has improved over the years, since. The continued research included foods and diets around the world from cultivation to consumption. Seminars were all geared to the improvement in health and the diet with the prevention of disease.

I agree that one of the better traits of the French is their more 'natural' diet! But it is changing. The same for the meditterean diets in Italy, Greece, and others. You can live heathier without a refrigerator or freezer (and microwave), if you go to the store and bakery, DAILY! Or have a maid to do it for you.

Modern life is geared to more instant foods.

But why do the excellent food restaurants have to be so expensive. Is it the labor intensive aspects along with the more expensive farming techniques?

RS

I've had it. This pseudo-medical nutritional advice is just a bunch of wishful thinking. Other than the obvious necessity of getting enough food with sufficient variety to insure adequate nutrient intake, modifying your diet really isn't going to affect your health that much.

Here I'll get anecdotal. My grandmother and great-grandmother lived to age 100 and 97. Believe me, fresh fruits and vegetables were never the order of the day. Nor were vitamins. Nor was exercise. The vast part of their health was genetic and reasonable care in lifestyle. My mother's on the way to 90 and eats crap.

My kids don't know what a vegetable looks like and they're perfectly healthy.

Now to get non-anecdotal - show me all the college freshman who are suffering from lack of nutrition because they didn't eat enough vegetables. There aren't any.

R&R

It appears you will defend your position to the bitter end.

I would like to invite you to take advantage of the education, that your computer can give you in an unbiased manner. Do a search for PHYTOCHEMICALS! I used Google and 8290 references showed up with more information, then you will ever admit to challange your uninformed opinion.

In a short period of time, It should become clear to a serious student, how the KNOWLEDGE of what is contained in foods that can PREVENT CANCER, HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, INFECTIONS, and slow AGING! As well as, REPAIR and BUILD the body to healthier levels in a language, that a High School age person can understand.

This will only happen if you do not have an adversion to UP TO DATE Modern Scientific findings of the last several years!

You are free to treat or abuse your body as you see fit!

RS

Excellent! And hilarious.

R&R

Obviously, you haven't done a search for Phytochemicals to see how the mental functions are dependent on the same biochemistry as the rest of the body!

What basis do you have for those outrageous statements based on a supposed humor more then science?

QFF

R&R.

I'm sure before taking "desicated liver" you will have cleared it with your mainstream medical practitioner but if not, please do so. If by some rare chance (200:1) you have a condition called 'hemachromotosis' any liver or high iron product could lead to an early demise !

QFF

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Qa not Qu

R&R

You missed the point. Desicatted liver was a primitive supplement in the old days. I believe it stated 'started with desicatted liver.....'
And no, I HAVE NEVER seen or heard of a reaction to liver powder with many many guys taking it in large amounts at the gyms long before the more advanced supplements of current times! These days, I don't hear of anyone taking it. It seems whey powder is the HIGHLY marketed supplement of choice.

Hoc

OK, that's it. Buttered Croissants, jams and coffee for breakfast for me from now on.

milemission

On the vitimin bottle, there are always a big list of unknown ingredients. I wonder if those will hurt us.