It is true that we read, on a regular basis, about over-the-counter supplements that are of poor quality. These supplements are criticized for the following reasons:

Do not contain the specified herb or nutrient.
Are not bio-available.
Contain harmful contaminants.
Contains a nutrient that is ineffective or harmful.

Looking at these problems, it seems clear to me that the only way to avoid poor quality over-the-counter supplements is to buy from a company you can trust. Trust a company! When is the last time you felt you could do that? What should you look for in a company?

Look for a company that enjoys an outstanding reputation and is stable. A guarantee is of no value if the company won’t be there tomorrow.

Look for a company founded on a philosophy. A lot of companies start because somebody thought they had a neat product idea and wanted to make a lot of money from it. Or because another company made money, and they wanted to try to copy the idea.

If you can even find a company that has a mission, or a philosophy, how much of what that company does has been shaped by it? Has the company has put its philosophy into action by continually evaluating its product development and business practices?   And has it been recognized for that commitment with multiple honors and awards.

Look for a company that offers products that are always safe, always green, and always work. A lot of companies offer products, or even just a single product, with a lot of romance behind their well-crafted marketing story, but no real scientific substantiation. Look for an unblemished history of offering safe, sound, scientifically-based products that provide true benefit to the consumer.

Find a company with a track record of keeping promises. Many companies come into being, explode into momentum on a promise that doesn’t quite come true, and then fade into obscurity. Companies that don’t keep their promises, don’t last. And stability is proof of a quality company.

I know this is a lot of research to do. I felt overwhelmed myself when I started my research. When I had it down to one company, I went so far as to drive two states over to tour their manufacturing facility.

If you are interested into looking into the company I picked, follow this link.

Back soon to discuss the last reason why experts advise not to supplement your diet

I believe that they are referring to the bodies excretion of water soluble vitamins into the urine. The body does this to protect itself from problems related to overdose and toxicity. More to the point, I believe, they are talking about B vitamins.

The B vitamins are eight water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism. All B vitamins are water-soluble, and are dispersed throughout the body. Most of the B vitamins must be replenished regularly, since any excess is excreted in the urine. This is what causes your urine to turn bright yellow when supplementing with the B vitamins.

So you might be thinking, if I take B vitamins and my body is just going to pee them out, why should I take B vitamins?

• Well first of all, unless you are eating a diet rich in B vitamins (refer to my first post about how great our diets are), then you are more than likely not getting enough B vitamins.
• Next, some groups of people have a higher need for B vitamins than others. Some of these groups are women (for hormone production), athletes (for energy production) and the elderly (support the nervous system).
• Lastly, it is because our body does not store B vitamins, but has a constant need for B vitamins, that we should supplement.

So this is the other side of the ‘expensive urine’ argument. Ask you doctor if taking B vitamins might be harmful for you (people taking Parkinson’s medication need to especially be careful). He will probably tell you it’s a waste of money, but ask if it’s harmful.

Back in a few days.

How many people eat a healthy diet? Go ahead, try to guess. According to FindArticles.com:

during 1999-2000, the mean Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score for the U.S. population was 63.8; that is, the score indicates that the American diet needs improvement. Ninety percent of Americans had a diet that was poor or needed improvement. Only 10 percent of Americans had a good diet–one that mostly met recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Food Guide Pyramid, and other recommendations for healthful eating.

They also stated that:

Less than 50 percent of the population met the dietary recommendations for the other 8 HEI components. Seventeen percent of people consumed the recommended number of servings of fruits per day; 24 to 30 percent met the dietary recommendations for the grains, vegetables, milk, and meat components of the HEI; and 32 to 41 percent met the dietary recommendations for total fat, saturated fat, and sodium. In general, most people could improve all aspects of their diets.

So what does this mean?  this means that most of us are not eating a diet that supplies our bodies with vital nutrients.  So knowing these statistics, why do experts warn against supplementing?

They state:

1. Produces expensive urine.
2. Poor quality of over-the-counter supplements.
3. Unproven health claims.

My next blogs will address these issues.

Thanks for visiting, and come back soon.

P.S. I am hoping to start a podcast series soon, so keep checking back.