OTC Daily Supplements: Centrum

This article was written by Josh Gitalis, clinical nutritionist and Functional Medicine Specialist, and posted on Meghan Telpner's blog under the title "The Truth Behind Centrum: Supplement Or Chemical Cocktail?" After 20+ years of taking OTC nutritional supplements, from Centrum to GNC and all other in-between, still getting sick and seeing no benefit, I believe people are wasting money on drug store, grocery store or most any OTC supplement. I am aware that many people take these sub-standard daily supplements without any thought, without any analysis on how or if they are improving their life. Unfortunately many will find the cheapest supplements,...and that's the results you get!

"The Truth Behind Centrum: Supplement Or Chemical Cocktail?"

One of the most popular supplements on the market is the multi-vitamin Centrum. What many people don’t realize is that this multi-vitamin is probably doing more harm than good. Is Centrum a vitamin supplement of synthetic chemical cocktail?

A Few Centrum Facts:

• Centrum is a product produced by the company Pfizer, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.

• The dosages of most of the nutrients in Centrum are negligible and not even close to therapeutic levels.

• The forms that the nutrients are provided in are the cheapest and the least absorbable forms.

• Supplements that come in tablet form are often hard to digest and contain binders and fillers (more on this below).

• Water-soluble nutrients (vitamin C and the B-vitamins) are either used or excreted within about 4 hours. Thus, a one-a-day multi is completely useless and a sure sign that it is of poor quality.

The Ingredients In Centrum:

• Calcium Carbonate This is the least absorbable forms of calcium on the market. A very small percentage is actually absorbed.

• Ferrous Fumarate This form of iron is incredibly constipating.

• Pregelatinized Corn Starch This is used as a binder to hold all of the ingredients together. It most likely a genetically modified corn which presents a number of problems for sensitive people.

• DL-Alpha Tocopherol This is vitamin E and they are using two forms. The “D” form which is natural and the “L” Form which is synthetic. The “L” form is used to “water-down” the more expensive more bioactive “D” form.

• BHT Butylated hydroxyanisole has been shown to be toxic to the liver, thyroid, kidney, lungs, and affecting blood coagulation. BHT can act as a tumour promoter.

• FD&C Yellow No. 6 Aluminum Lake Why is there food colouring in a health supplement?

• Gelatin Vegetarians watch out!

• Hydrogenated Palm Oil Hydrogenating any oil turns the oil rancid and makes it into a strong free radical. Free radicals promote cancer and heart disease.

• Nickelous Sulfate and Tin I have never come across any nutrition book discussing a nickel or tin deficiency. Have you? We most likely don’t need to supplement it.

• Sodium Benzoate A preservative that may cause organ toxicity.

• Talc Has been shown to cause cancer.

• Sodium Aluminosilicate Used as a food additive for its anti caking effect.

One of my rules when shopping for nutritional supplements is to never buy supplements in a drug store. Centrum is only available in drug stores and is advertised as the “#1-recommended doctor multivitamin” (doctors receive no more than 40 hours of nutrition training). When it comes to a multi-vitamin I recommend going to a health food store and talking to to a trained health practitioner in the supplements department about a good-quality multi-vitamin.

Tips For Choosing A Multi-Vitamin:

• Looks for a multi where the dosage is at least 2-3 capsules per day.

• You pay for what you get. The more expensive the multi is, the better the product.

• Don’t buy it if it says “doctor-recomended” on the label or if a pharmaceutical company distributes it.

• Consult with a certified nutritionist to determine the right multi-vitamin for you.

For Information on the Products I recommend, click here, to contact me.

Kidney Detoxification: 7 Ways to Detox the Kidneys Naturally

Knowing how to detox the kidneys naturally should be common knowledge. Our bodies are constantly exposed to toxins. And while our kidneys are well equipped to handle the removal of harmful impurities, these two bean-shaped organs can be overloaded. When that happens, they cease function properly, putting us at risk for tumors, kidney stones, and a variety of other problems. In severe cases, they may even shut down. This is why kidney detoxification is necessary.

1. Drink More Water One of the best ways to detox kidneys naturally. According to experts, most of us don’t consume nearly enough H20, and water obtained through the foods that we eat is not enough to maintain proper kidney function. How much water is enough? There are different opinions, but health authorities generally recommend eight 8-ounce glasses daily, which is the equivalent of about half a gallon.

2. Add Barley to Your Diet If you’ve been thinking about how to detox your kidneys naturally, consider incorporating barley into your daily diet. This cleansing whole grain is known for preventing urinary tract issues. It’s also been shown to regulate insulin levels in diabetics. Replacing refined flours with barley flour is one way to work in barley. Alternatively, you can try barley cereals or prepare barley waters or teas.

3. Cut Out Junk Food and Stimulants Eliminating unhealthy foods and drinks from your diet is another way detox the kidneys naturally. Foods to steer clear of include those that are processed, fried, and/or high in sodium and sugar (careful, sugar is hidden in lots of foods you wouldn’t expect), while it is best to avoid beverages such as sodas and alcohol. Actually, all of these should be avoided even when you aren’t detoxing.

4. Limit Foods High in Protein Limit the amount of protein you consume when you decide on a natural detox for kidneys. Actually, the body needs protein (between 56 and 75 grams daily), but diets high in foods like red meat and full-fat dairy have been shown to negatively affect kidney function. This is because digesting and metabolizing these foods produces high amounts of wastes like creatinine, which the body struggles to filter.

5. Eat Potassium-Rich Fruit Want to know how to detox the kidneys naturally? Eat fruits high in potassium – bananas, cantaloupes, grapes, oranges, apricots, and kiwis. Prunes and sweet limes are also good options. These fruits help to maintain electrolyte levels in the blood, keeping the kidneys functioning optimally. Note, however, that having too much potassium can be dangerous. To be safe, aim for 4.7 grams daily.

6. Snack on Berries Berries are an excellent choice when you want a natural kidney detox, especially cranberries. Why? Because cranberries are loaded with fiber and quininic acid (quinine), which converts to hippuric acid in the liver. Hippuric acid facilitates the removal of impurities like uric acid and urea in the kidneys. Want to keep your kidneys functioning as they should? Have a cup of cranberries each day.

7. Explore Alternative Medicine You have several options when opting to detox your kidneys naturally using alternative medicines. Dandelion, for example, is a potassium-rich herb that works well as a kidney cleansing agent. Uva ursi and gokshura are other good detoxers to explore. These may not be suitable for everybody, though, particularly people who are on antipsychotic medications. Be sure to check with your doctor first.

Article from Reinventing Aging.org

For Information on the Products I recommend, click here, to contact me.