Most people who have a glass of orange juice in the morning feel a halo rise above their head. Although orange juice can be nutritious eating the orange itself is much better for you than just the juice. At the turn of the century the average human was ingesting about 150 grams of fiber per day. In our fast pace modern society it has been estimated that the average person gets about 15 grams of fiber per day. Eating the whole orange is good for you because you are getting the fiber from the fruit but when you just drink the juice you are mainlining sugar. Fiber helps break down sugar so that it is digested more evenly in the system so as to not 'spike' your insulin. Is the vitamin C good for you? You bet, but its the balance of eating the entire fruit that allows the body to assimilate the nutrients better.
The best way to get your vitamins is to eat as many colors in the rainbow of fruits and veggies as possible. This will ensure that you are getting a wide variety of nutrition that you need every day.
What about supplementation?
Funny you should ask...most people are walking around with the most expensive urine in town. There are tons of vitamin sales people who will see you the entire store if you let them. The key is to find out what vitamins will give you the biggest bang for you buck. Supplements that have shown through random control, double blind studies to prove that they work. Try to avoid the "supplement of the month" club. Since I've been in practice there have been a new miracle supplement come on the scene about every 6 months or so.
Most recently a patient of mine came in to me to see if I would sell there product made from the acaie berry. It was a juice that "will cure everything." Just that phrase alone should have you running for the door. The person told me how amazing they feel after just taking this product for a few weeks. They told me it could cure everything from arthritis to bursitis. I asked the person that if you felt so good, why are you coming to see me for an office visit today? I didn't get much of a response.
So what works? Well they all work and if you eat like I mentioned above you will cover what your body needs daily. I have found some supplements that have shown to be clinically sound as far as when they were tested for their efficacy.
Here are my top 5 that I think most people need on a regular basis.
Vitamin D. This one vitamin is a sleeper. First of all it isn't truly a vitamin it's a hormone precursor. It has been shown to increase your immune system to the point where you don't need flu or other shots for protection. Most studies show that especially in the winter months most people are deficient in Vit. D which results in a lower immune system which make people more susceptible to colds and flu's. Most recently Vit. D has been shown to have anti cancer properties as well.
Krill Oil. Krill oil is a Omega 3 & 6 fatty acid that has been shown to be some 45 times more powerful than regular fish oil. It has shown to be a major builder of the heart and lower the inflammation rate in your body. Best of all it doesn't repeat on you.
L-Arginine & L-Cituline. These two amino acids have been shown to boost your body's level of nitric acid. Nitric acid allows for the vessels of your body to open and will help in softening the inside of the vessel walls. These two amino acids have been shown to drasticly reduce blood pressure and cholesterol with use over time lowering your chance of heart disease. Dr. Ignarro won a Nobel Prize for his work in this area. Another doctor by the name of Dr. Pendrengast showed that of his 8,000 patients in his practice not one of them every had any problems with heart disease after using these amino acids.
Co-enzyme Q10 has been shown to build the aerobic capacity of the mitochondria (the power house of the cell) in cells of the heart. Used in Japan for many years have used this product with success. If you are on any statin medication (lopressor, crestor etc.) you need to take this product because of the use of statins will reduce the levels of C0-q10 in your body.
Probiotic. This is a capsule that you can take that is made up of billions of strains of bacteria - Good Bacteria. Over time, use of sugar, use of alcohol, and taking medication over time you will lose the normal flora of your body. The 'flora' or good bacteria lines the lower g-i track of your body that is a main component of your immune system. It also has a lot to do with proper digestion as well. When you lose this good bacteria you can develop symptoms such as heartburn, bloating, indigestion, skin irritations, and increase colds and flu's. It is estimated that the average American has about a few million count of good bacteria and we need to have the good bacteria in the trillions to maintain good health.
There are other good supplements however the above listed can make a significant difference in someone who is dealing with compromised health.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions about supplements or any other health concerns.
drc@conwayclinic.com
