REAL FOOD vs. SUPPLEMENTS
By Betty Albert, N.D.

First off, "eating right" is a relative term depending on each person's perception, experience and knowledge. So is a good multivitamin - a little comparison is quite revealing. Likewise, "everything you need" depends on each person's weight, build, activity level, and a number of other factors, one of the most important being individual metabolism and digestion. It is a very huge subject, justifiably confusing, often contradictory. The long and the short of it is that in our hectic lifestyle, we often really can't seem to justify the time to plan and organize for our health's sake, and often look for whatever shortcuts might suffice. It's often easier to recall hearsay rather than conduct our own research or work with a qualified health practitioner.

On thing is certain: If our body chemistry is not in balance we are not absorbing nutrients, despite the quality of our diet and supplements. A simple urine/saliva chemistry test can reveal your range of acidity/alkalinity, how your body is handling sugar and carbohydrates, salts, and protein digestion. Once your body is back in balance with the specific calciums suggested, you have more assurance that you are assimilating properly, and your body will let you know in the form of increased energy, better digestion, elimination, circulation, etc. This is part of what naturopathic, or preventive, medicine is about.

The other reason we can't eat well is largely due to the food itself. Much of our produce is imported. It may or may not be chemical/pesticide free. It may have been picked green, in which case it has not had a chance to receive the minerals from the soil that complete the vitality of the food (providing the soil it is grown in is rich in minerals and organic itself). It arrives looking robust and hearty in the store and may even sit on your counter for weeks without spoiling (attesting to the fact that its natural enzymes are slim or non-existent); more "empty" foods in our diet. Our best bet is to grow our own produce, our second best best is to find a certified organic farmer's market, and a third choice is to shop at a market that provides quality, local organic produce.

Much of our other foods consumed from the shelves of the local grocery store may be devoid of true nutrition because they are processed, cooked, added to, subtracted from, and in most ways made into something so far from the natural product they started out as, that they, too, are "empty" of the nutrients our body depends on for optimal health. The list of ingredients on any box, can, or package attests to the chemicals, preservatives, refined oils, processed flours, and sugars that have been added to the product in the name of taste and shelf life. So, do we need supplements? Let's put it into perspective by using the journalist's who, what, when, why, and how to focus our answer.

The Why seems covered above. Who needs supplements? Healthy children are born with huge reserves of enzymes in their bodies that can take them through into their adult years, often with a less than optimal diet. But that's when the trouble starts. "The less than optimal diet" is showing up in younger and younger clients who complain of a rash of symptoms ranging from migraines to infertility. Fifty percent of the new diabetic cases in America are in children under the age of 19, according to the Center for Disease Prevention. So to make a long story short is impossible here. We would have to analyze each supplement individually, with each person individually, to determine if there might be a deficiency.

Medical doctors often brush aside the whole issue, suggesting you eat "a balanced diet" and get "plenty of exercise and rest" which leaves all aspects of the issue open to the individual's perspective - a dangerous method of interpretation. How, when, and what supplements to take? Ditto the above. Working with a health practitioner who can help you pinpoint those body systems which may be in need of support seems like a more reasonable approach than a neighbor's opinion or a TV advertisement for the most recent/popular drug. Too many people rush into health food stores for the latest "hot" product they have heard about, and, after paying good money, are left wondering where the results are. Few realize how long it takes the body to get back into optimal health after years of abusive dieting and poor lifestyle habits.

After half a bottle of pills and no results, they claim, "it doesn't work." A larger perspective may be that the herbal formula selected doesn't address the problem at all. In fact, the underlying health problem rarely gets addressed because today's society seems programmed to reach for "a quick fix" solution. When the first "solution" fails to work, we reach for another, and then another, and so it continues until, perhaps, another symptom more demanding of attention takes over and the cycle starts all over again. Far better to consult a qualified health practitioner who can help you find the true underlying causes, rather than satisfy your urge to blot out the symptoms.

This information is for educational purposes only, and should not to be used as a substitute for medical advice. Send your comments, questions, concerns, and requests for more info to healthnaturally@earthlink.net or call (925) 964-1958.

Topics covered in future articles include:

• Organic food; is it worth it?
• Environmental hazards and our food
• Herbal Diets, Colonics, Fasts; are they beneficial?
• Vitamin C, Echinacea, Zinc, Aspirin, now what?
• Anti-oxidants, what are we oxidizing?
• The Ozone layer, nuclear contamination, polluted water, where do we go from here?
• Revelations; why do we eat anything - Mad cow, hoof (foot) in mouth, and Legionnaire's Disease?

Why are we still fat?

Betty Albert, N.D., is a naturopathic practitioner, workshop leader and Danville business owner of Natural Health Center . . . your resource for life balance.