Posts Tagged Supplements

Is Your Multivitamin Toxic?

In episode #33 of the second season of Crime Scene Investigator a woman poisons her husband with the chemical sodium selenite. Strange as it may sound this exotic murder weapon is found listed as a “nutrient” on the labels of most mass market vitamins. In fact, most mass market vitamins contain chemicals which the Environmental Protection Agency does not allow in our public drinking water above 50 parts per billion. According to the EPA’s -Maximum Contaminant Level standards (MCL) the highest allowable level of selenium in public drinking water is 50 parts per billion. To get a sense of how small an allowable limit this is, 50 part per billion is equivalent to a tablespoon of water in an olympic-size swimming pool or 25 seconds of time in approximately 16 years.

How can vitamin manufacturers advertise something as being a “nutrient” when the EPA – out of concern for our health – has barred it from our drinking water at all but infinitesimal levels? Has sodium selenite really been shown to be toxic? A brief perusal of toxicology reports from the Hazardous Substances Databank (toxnet.nlm.nih.gov) and PUBMED (pubmed.gov) shows that sodium selenite can be carcinogenic, genotoxic and may cause reproductive and developmental problems in animals and humans.

A word should be said here about the differences that exist between inorganic minerals and biologically active ones.

The selenium which exists in foods like brazil nuts, mustard seeds, and fresh produce grown in selenium rich soil, is infinitely different from this biologically inert forms being put in some multivitamins. In fact the difference can be as great as that which exists between life and death: i.e. sodium selenite can cause cancer, whereas the selenium found within food, or chelated forms like selenomethionine have all been shown to prevent and combat cancer. The basic principle which explains this difference is that when you isolate a “nutrient” or “vitamin” out of the food complex within which it is naturally found, and whereby it is inseparably bound to thousands of known and unknown food factors (e.g. enzymes, amino acids, etc.), it becomes a chemical isolate and therefore no longer beneficial to life (especially vertebrate mammals who are equipped to get their minerals from plants who do the job of biological transmutation from baser forms to living ones for us).

The primary reason why sodium selenite is preferred by some vitamin manufacturers over safer, more beneficial forms like chelated or yeast-grown selenium is because it is less costly to use lower quality raw materials, and therefore much MORE PROFITABLE to the manufacturer.

“You Get What You Pay For,” is a saying which almost always rings true for dietary supplements. Buying industrial waste products, or chemicals which are considered hazardous waste and repackaging them as “dietary supplements” can be extremely profitable.

Indeed, this is not the first time in American history that such a hoax has been perpetuated on the public. The FDA approved uses of flouride in our drinking water and nuclear waste as a means of “cold pasteurization” of conventional food illustrates how industrial waste products with known toxicity are eventually converted into commodities or technologies “beneficial to health. Whereas initially these substances have very high disposal costs that take away from the bottom line of the industries that ultimately excrete them into our environment, through the right combination of lobbying, miseducation and “checkbook science,” the liability is converted back into a commodity, with the environment and consumer suffering health and finances losses as a result.

Unfortunately Sodium Selenite is not the only problem with mass market vitamins. Take the multivitamin Centrum, for instance, whose manufacturer Wyeth is one of the 10 most powerful pharmaceutical companies on the planet. This vitamin contains the following chemicals:

Chemical: amount found in Centrum/ EPA Maximum Allowed Limit in Drinking Water

  1. Sodium Selenite: 25 mcg/ 50 parts per billion
  2. Nickelous Sulfate: 5 mcg/ 100 parts per billion
  3. Chromic Chloride: 150 mcg/ 100 parts per billion
  4. Sodium borate (borax): 150 mcg/ 600 parts per billion
  5. Stannous Chloride: 10 mcg/ 4 parts per million
  6. Ferrous Fumurate: 18 mg/ 300 parts per billion
  7. Manganese Sulfate: 2 mg/ 50 parts per billion
  8. Cupric Oxide: 2 mg/ 1.3 parts per million

So, if these chemicals are actually toxic, how can they be marketed as beneficial to our health?

The actual reason why a company can get away with using potentially harmful chemicals as “nutrients” has to do with the FDA’s “Weight of Evidence” standard for determining the toxicity of a given substance. Within this paradigm inorganic, synthetic and biologically unprecedented substances are considered safe until proven guilty. Throwing out the “precautionary principle” it places the burden of proof on those who challenge the use of substance by direct laboratory tests, from not one but from many epidemiological studies. The substance must be shown to not only cause disease, but that it will cause that disease in its allowed dosages. The inherent insanity of this approach hinges on the fact that proving toxicity in humans requires that we perform very costly and potentially dangerous tests on humans in order to prove that the substance we are testing isn’t toxic! This borders on immoral behavior, and is at the least, incredibly impractical. Moreover, since so much of the research done on synthetic chemicals is funded by the companies and industries whose interests are to find the substance safe, the likelihood of finding this toxicity is very small – that is, until, after years and years of use in the marketplace the chemicals are eventual shown to contribute to disease. Because the toxicities may be low, and take many years, even decades to manifest in a clinically discerned symptom, it may be impossible to separate out any particular chemical as dangerous.

Ultimately, we need to use common sense in our purchasing decisions and realize that sometimes companies will intentionally mislead the public – with the complicity of regulatory bodies like the FDA – and will advertise a product that has no health benefits; or worse, may actually detract from our health. The fact that Centrum may or may not be “the #1 doctor recommended brand of vitamin” is irrelevant considering that one does not go to a doctor to seek wise counsel on nutrition. It is simply not their specialty.

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Key to Optimal Health

Optimal health means more than the absence of pain, sickness and disease. As important as it is to be physical healthy it is equally important to be mentally, emotionally and spiritually healthy as well. Optimal health, therefore, in context of what is being written here, is a balance of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of health. Let us take a look at each of these aspects, beginning with physical health.

Physical Health

So much has been written about the subject of physical health in the categories of health and wellness, diet and weight loss, fitness and bodybuilding etc. In this article I will primarily deal with physical health in its internal aspect which includes building a healthy immune system, detoxifying the body, healthy and quick elimination, and nourishing the cells with proper nutrition. Aging itself can be slowed down by keeping the internal aspect of our physical health up to par. Wouldn’t you love to have a healthy, youthful, energetic, strong, lean body which is free of disease, sickness and pain well into adulthood beyond the age of 40? It all narrows down to what type of food we put into our bodies – either food filled with toxins and poisons, or healthy, living, vital food.

Mark and Patti Virkler, in their inspiring book “Eden’s Health Plan – Go Natural” write:

“Food is intended to furnish the body with all the live elements needed for the regeneration of its cells and tissues. If the body fails to be healthy, the lack or deficiency of regenerative elements in the food is the cause of, and the responsibility for, whatever ailment, sickness or disease overtakes it. Our bodies seek homeostasis, equilibrium, balance. This equals health. When given the right building blocks to work with, the body maintains itself in health.”

These building blocks can be found in whole, unbleached, organic grains, rice (wild rice, brown rice etc.), beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, various seeds and herbs etc. Large portions of these building blocks can be found in the “super-food” family in such foods as Spirulina and Barley Grass. (A super-food is extremely rich in a large variety of vitamins, minerals, trace minerals and amino acids, and can be assimilated by our bodies very easily. Spirulina is a complete protein and is known to be very healthy.) Look in your local health food store for super green foods in powdered form. I personally sometimes use Garden of Life Perfect Food Super Green Formula.

Super-foods are known to:

  • Deter Aging
  • Massively Boost Your Immune System
  • Aid Weight Loss
  • Lower Your Cholesterol
  • Radically Improve Your Energy
  • Enhance Your Mental & Emotional Well-being
  • Boost Your Libido
  • Alkalize Your System
  • Protect against Toxins and Pollutants
  • Beautify Your Skin
  • Cleanse and Fortify Your Blood
  • Nourish and Revitalize your Systems

Fight and Protect against numerous diseases including Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart Disease, Stroke, Cancer, Arthritis, Cataracts, Osteoporosis, Acne, Obesity, High cholesterol, Age-Related Blindness…And Much More!

Again I quote Mark and Patti Virkler:

“By taking just a bit of a super-food (in capsule or powered drink form) as a supplement to your diet, you will find many wonderful things happen to your body. Essentially, the nourishment will give your body the needed resources to rebuild any broken or damaged parts and improve your body’s chances of returning to homeostasis. Testimonies of its power range from improved eyesight, to relief from back pain, to better scores in sports by world champion competitive athletes. Generally, one will experience feelings of increased energy and vitality; reduction and alleviation of stress, anxiety and depression; relief from the discomforting symptoms of fatigue, hypoglycemia, some allergies, poor digestion and sluggishness; and improved memory and mental clarity. People also experience elimination of mood swings, toxin elimination, better sleep, reduced cravings for food and sweets, lower blood pressure and many other health benefits. Then there are many specialized health problems which have disappeared as people’s bodies receive adequate nutrition through super-foods. Prostate problems have been normalized, as well as triglycerides, arthritis and diabetes, and many other severe and degenerative diseases. Basically, any and every disease will be fought off by your body, if it has the right tools to fight with. Super-foods give it the right tools. You just need to try it for thirty days and see what it may do for you. I recommend taking a product that includes several kinds of super foods, as they work together in a synergy that can have a profound effect on your health and vitality. If your body needs detoxifying first, you may experience a bit of a “tissue cleansing” during the first few days or weeks of taking the super-food as your body cleanses itself.”

Basically if we put the wrong food (and drink) into our body it weakens the immune system and opens the door for us to be susceptible to health problems of whatever sort (whether it be frequents colds and sicknesses, flues, aches and pains, sores and ulcers, weakness, sluggishness, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, heart problems, diabetes, cancer or psychological disorders such as malaise, apathy or memory problems etc., etc., etc.) Looking on the bright side a healthy immune system that is not swamped with toxins can fight off diseases successfully!

It is preferable to never be unhealthy to begin with and to eat nothing but healthy food from day one. Unfortunately it is not this way. Many have been conditioned to eat unhealthy, fattening, artery clogging foods from childhood to the grave. Many of us think it is a normal part of the aging process to start getting weaker, fatter, having more pain etc. after age 30 and onward. In many cases (definitely not all) premature aging and bodily weakening is the result of years of poor eating habits from childhood to adulthood. Due to many years of wrong eating habits it may be best to detoxify.

In the process of nourishing our cells with foods high in fiber such as vegetables, fruits, super-foods, and whole grains our body naturally detoxifies itself in the process, which in turn strengthens our immune system and slows, or in some cases, reverses the aging process. The key to optimal health as far as the physical aspect of our health goes, is to:

Eat plenty of Grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, super-foods, herbs, being sure to get plenty of exercise, pure water and clean air, excreting waste from the intestines quickly (which is a byproduct of eating plenty of fruits, fiber and vegetables). There are also natural supplements you can take such as Vitamin C, vitamins and minerals, and various antioxidants unless you are getting plenty of these from your regular diet.

I left out other important factors which contribute to overall optimal health. They included, but are not limited to, being healed of emotional traumas, maintaining a calm mental attitude, living in a spirit of prayer, faith, hope and love towards others in general, and towards God, Spirit, Higher Power in particular.

Next, I hope to share a little about the three remaining categories of health – mental, emotional and spiritual.

Mental and Emotional Health

Mental and emotional health are so closely related it is hard to separate the two. Having a healthy mind is not limited to having a keen intellect and an excellent memory. Someone can excel at this level of mental health but still be an emotional wreck, not to mention being spiritually ignorant at the same time.

Negative mental attitudes or emotions can have a direct effect on our physical health even if we are eating healthy food. Emotional traumas, anger, rage, hate, stress etc., when persisted in day in and day out, weaken the immune system and manifest in ill physical health. A negative mind, over time, often erases all the good that healthy food does for us.

Some forms of sickness, disease, and illness, as well as bad habits like smoking, drinking, drugs etc., are often external symptoms of something deeper. They are effects of a deeper cause. And until that cause is addressed and healed the symptoms will keep coming back like fruit on a tree whether in the form of ill health, disease, anxiety, bad habits of one sort or another, or in the worse case scenario cancer. Luckily there are warning signs when all is not well within.

The subconscious part of our mind is the storehouse of our emotions and memories and it is here where we need healing as far as our mental and emotional life are concerned. Sometimes negative or uneasy dreams (some of which originate from the sub conscious) are manifestations of our own fears and internal wounds. Some dreams are also messages, clothed with images we can comprehend, from our highest level of mind – the super conscious level – warning us when we are making wrong decisions, or heading in a wrong direction. In those rare cases where we are susceptible to the healing energies of the super conscious level of mind we can experience internal healing quicker than we ever imagined. More about this in a minute when I get to the spiritual aspect of health.

Along with a healthy diet it is important to think positive thoughts and maintain a positive attitude, avoiding anger and bitterness towards others. But, thinking positive thoughts and making an effort to be happy, loving, and optimistic, are only part of what is involved when it comes to the healing of our emotional life. We can only go so far by exercising will power alone, as important as it is to use our own efforts when attempting to make a change in our emotional life for the better. All our ethical standards, our rules and regulations for leading an acceptable moral life, all our positive thinking formula are a means to an end, the end being the opening and revelation of the spiritual aspect or our mind – the super conscious level of mind. This brings me to the last category of health, the spiritual category.

Spiritual Health

I have written about this subject elsewhere and will be repeating some of the information here. Keep in mind when reading this that being spiritual is not to be confused with being religious. Someone who is religious can be operating from a physical, emotional, and mental level only, but be void as far as being spiritual goes. A pseudo religious life (not to be confused with a genuine religious life) that is lived in pride, elitism, self righteousness and egoism is completely opposite of spiritual life. In context of this article being spiritual means living your life from the level of your super conscious mind, and living a harmonious life naturally from that level. This is easier said than done because our pride and ego often get in the way and cause us untold pain and suffering. But by living in harmony with the super-conscious level of our mind, and accessing the spiritual grace and energy which flow through (from God and Spirit) that same level of mind, our mental and emotional health, as well as our physical health, all fall into place and are balanced.

All our moral, ethical, religious or merely human efforts at trying to be a more loving, positive, optimistic person are a feeble way of (often unconsciously) aligning, or attempting to align, ourselves with that ever present flow of energy, light, grace, and Spirit permeating throughout all creation.

This ever present, but often unperceived and untapped, spiritual energy upholding all creation is the source of a truly happy life even when we find ourselves in the midst of negative external circumstances. It is the ultimate key to optimal health. Some call this ever present energy cosmic consciousness, super-consciousness, Christ consciousness, God, Spirit, a Higher Power etc. Some people personalize it and clothe it with a human form and then worship the person it manifests through. Ancient writings say the heavens and earth were made by the word of God and by the breath of his mouth. This is a human way of trying to accommodate a spiritual truth to the limited understanding of the human brain, using analogies, parables, particular genders, and concepts that can be understood by the rational brain. This often results in misunderstandings and even war and bloodshed in the name of religion.

The naked truth is intuitively perceived by the higher aspect of human consciousness called super consciousness. And it is this level of consciousness (Christ consciousness) that wells up from within to “save,” change, deliver, and heal us when the thick layer of ego, all the emotional blockages, wounded memories, and wrong thinking, are thinned out enough by our own efforts at self improvement. This is the truth of the “Messiah” or Savior figure often mentioned in ancient writings. Eventually we have to let go of our own strivings and let God take over.

Or, we can continue to resist the inner pull and instead live an unnatural life with the end result of disharmony on all levels physical, mental and emotional. (This is the truth about the so called wrath of God. It has nothing to do God or Spirit being angry at us. But it has everything to do with us bringing suffering upon ourselves by choosing to go our own way, not heeding the whispers and impressions of the super conscious mind either within ourselves, or speaking through dreams, visions, other people, or even through writing, art, and so on.)

Once we tap into the spiritual flow of grace then a truly changed person is the result, from the inside out. Children are closer to this level of being than adults who have been conditioned and brainwashed throughout life via peer pressure, upbringing, culture and so on. Humility is key, not pride and ego. Attaining to the spiritual level of healing consciousness is the end of all religions.

Conclusion

When we are physically, emotionally and mentally healthy in the true sense of the word we are spiritually in tune with the highest level of our consciousness – the super consciousness – so that there is a steady flow of life and energy from that level of consciousness flowing into us as we allow it to flow through us cleansing and vivifying us. This even reaches to ones decisions on what to eat, motivating one to exercise and to joyfully do what is best for the body, to forgive others. By choice we finally willfully chose to move in a joyous harmony with the impressions, counsel, advice and wisdom forever emanating from the inherent harmony within the spiritual energy upholding all creation. The ego fears this and sees it as death to its pride and rebellion. This is the truth behind the often repeated idea of dying on the cross, worshipping God, obeying God etc. There is no true God who has an ego so inflated that he demands worship on pain of sickness and death if he is not worshipped. Instead, for our own sakes, the ever present holy Spirit encourages us (without interfering with our freedom of choice) to choose to move in the flow and harmony of the ever present spiritual energy upholding all creation so we can experience the true key to optimal health, and lasting harmony even after our brief stay in this world is over, and our temporal physical shell is dissolved into nothingness. The end result is a truly healthy and whole person.

The Buddha tapped into this source. Lao Tsu, in words and language accommodated to the understanding of people in his day and age, wrote about this in the Tao Te Ching. In the Christian religion Jesus was the personification of this spiritual grace, energy, Spirit, the eternal Tao, which many call God, or the Power and Word of God. The esoteric or mystical side of all religions emphasize this same point in so many different words. Some have experienced glimpses of this level of consciousness and try to share what they perceive through writing, some paint, some sing, and some dance etc. Everyone has their own unique way to bring that light and love to the world which they sense in the silence and stillness when the emotions, reasoning and physical body are calm and collected. Yoga and meditation in particular teach someone how to get in touch with the highest aspect of their being.

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Herbal Medicine Programs Today

Find Herbal Medicine Programs in the United States and Canada. While there are several herbal medicine programs from which to choose, each one is as individual as the school that offers these healing arts courses. Ranging between introductory classes given through a holistic workshop or seminar, to more comprehensive studies entailing more than 300 training hours; herbal medicine programs may qualify students to earn professional certification in the field. These (courses) are also a welcome supplement to any established holistic practitioner’s field of expertise and services.

Typical subject matter in herbal medicine programs entails practical training in anatomy and physiology, botanical medicine, identification of plants, herbal medicine formulation, anatomy and physiology, holistic nutrition and diet, herbal pharmacology, aromatherapy, essential oils and supplements, and Bach flower remedies, among other studies.

Additionally, there are unique Chinese herbal medicine programs that are offered through acupuncture and Oriental medicine schools. These certification/diploma courses include much of the aforementioned studies, in addition to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theories and philosophy, Eastern medicine philosophies, Chinese herbal formulation and diagnostics, Chinese teas, and more.

Supplementary education and electives offered through herbal medicine programs may include but are not limited to training in organic gardening, herbal plant cultivation, first aid, and organic foods and preparation, among other related topics.

As a prospective student, it is good to know that while there are many stand-alone herbal medicine programs, individuals have the opportunity to learn about herbal remedies and therapies through a number of alternative medicine schools, including naturopathic colleges, homeopathic schools, and even home-study courses for the self-healer.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding herbal medicine programs, let professional education within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore herbal medicine programs near you.

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