Foods and Vitamins that Help Brain Development Anyone use any of these?

Krunchi

This is from Foods and Vitamins that Help Brain Development

I have used the Omega-3 "Fish Oil Pills" and do notice an increase in memory does anyone else use any of the other Vitamins and notice any improvement?

"
At the Family Clinic we recommend a conservative approach to Vitamins and other Supplements. If you are trying to repair body tissue or brain tissue, then higher amounts of supplements may be necessary. For improving non-verbal I.Q., or regular functioning, then we recommend more modest amounts of vitamins. Remember that some vitamins and minerals can be toxic or harmful to children and adults. The more information you have about taking supplements, the wiser your decisions on how much and what kinds of supplements to take.
Always consult your physician, especially if you or your child takes medications. There always exists the possibility that the supplement could have negative effects if taken with certain medications. On the other hand, many supplements appear to work well with medication and with time, may help to lower the need for medication.
We always recommend obtaining supplements from food sources first. For example, we feel that the antioxidants from blueberries to be superior to antioxidants found in a supplement. Others might have different opinions. When considering supplements, we feel natural supplements are better than unnatural supplements. Try to obtain the highest quality of supplements first. If they work well, then to save money, you may wish to find less expensive brands. However, if you feel the less expensive brand is not performing as well as the quality brand, then you will want to switch back. Give diet and supplements time to work.
Finally, nutrition is a relatively new science and there is much left to be discovered. Years ago, nutritionist recommended supplements for improved growth and development. Every year more and more scientific research studies confirm that this was good advice.

Foods that are Good For Your Brain

Including certain foods as snacks can do much to improve brain functioning. Below are examples of healthy foods. Foods high in antioxidants (healthy chemicals that clean the brain from free radicals that cause cell deterioration) can dramatically reverse memory loss, restore motor coordination and balance. These foods are raisins, berries, apples, grapes, cherries, prunes, and spinach.
Another healthy group of foods contain Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help improve general brain functioning and restore memory. Foods high in Omega-3 include: salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, flax oil, and walnuts.
The whole body runs on carbohydrates. Too much of simple carbohydrates can be harmful to the body and brain functioning by creating a sharp rise in blood sugar. Complex carbohydrates digests well and do not cause sharp rises in blood sugar. Foods high in complex carbohydrates include peanuts, dried apricots, dried beans, yogurt, oat bran, All Bran cereal (be careful of the high sugar content in some brands), and sourdough bread. Including vinegar or lemon juice with your foods helps suppress a sharp rise in blood sugar.

Foods to Avoid

Some types of fat are not good for your brain. Polyunsaturated fats can set up chronic inflammatory responses in brain tissue and foster blood damage. They are also harmful to blood vessels and ultimately blood circulation. Foods with high polyunsaturated fats include: safflower, sunflower and corn oils. These oils are usually included in processed foods such as salad dressings, fries, doughnuts and most margarines. Even worse are hydrogenated vegetable oils. These oils are used in process foods such as micro-wave popcorn, boxed cakes, TV dinners, etc.
Sugar is another food to avoid. Eating too much sugar can lead to insulin resistance which upsets the glucose level in the blood. This may lead to permanent damage to brain cells. Simple carbohydrates turn instantly to sugar within the body. Some scientist feel that eating white potatoes or white bread is just like eating candy. Carbohydrates influence mood. There is a delicate balance of the right kind of carbohydrates. Eating complex carbohydrates and avoiding simple carbohydrates insures that the body's carbohydrates are in balance.

Supplements that are Helpful to Brain Functioning

Multivitamins: A modest dose of a variety of vitamins and minerals is regarded as excellent brain insurance. In several research studies, between one third and one half of school children who took a multivitamin-mineral supplement raised their non-verbal IQ scores as much as 25 points.
Antioxidant supplements: Antioxidants help clean up the brain. To explain we will use an analogy. Antioxidants are like rust cleaners that keep rust off our brain matter. Vitamin E and C, alpha lipoic acid, grape seed extract, coenzyme Q10 are examples of antioxidants. Children should take half of the recommended adult dosages. Researcher feel adults should take: 400 to 500 IUs of vitamin E, 500 to 1,000 mg vitamin C, 10-50 mg lipoic acid. While there is no established dose of coQ10, for adults, individuals with heart disease or degenerative brain disease should take 100-200 mg. The top 10 foods with antioxidants from most to least are: prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, garlic, cooked kale, cranberries, strawberries, raw spinach, and raspberries.
Omega-3: Omega-3s are found in oil and are believed to create new communication centers in neurons which help brain functioning and mood. Children who fail to get enough omega-3 in their early developmental periods may have lower IQs later in life. Again, Omega-3s are found in tuna fish, salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, oysters, walnuts, and flax seed oil. Recommended adult dosages are 650 mg a day of Omega-3s (DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid and EPA or eicosapentaenoic acid). The vegetarian form of DHA is specifically recommended for pregnant and lactating women to enhance fetal and infant brain development.
Selenium: This mineral is found in grains, garlic, meat, seafood (oysters, swordfish, tuna) and Brazil nuts. Reportedly, research participants felt clearheaded, elated, confident and energetic when taking 220 micrograms of Selenium daily for three months. It is a good way to naturally elevate our moods.
Vitamin E: Apparently there are two types of vitamin E. Researchers gave a combination of 100 milligrams of alpha tocopherol plus 240 mg. of tocotrienols to adults with severe narrowing of the carotid artery. 40% of these patients were able to avoid heart surgery with this combination of vitamin E. Good blood circulation to the brain means good brain functioning.
Folic Acid: Research suggests that up to 38% of adults diagnosed with depression have low blood levels of folic acid and respond less well to antidepressant drugs. Adding about 400 mcg. of folic acid to a daily diet may help. Low blood levels of folic acid triple one's risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Ginkgo Biloba: Believed to ward off age-related memory loss. It destroys free radicals and increases the circulation of blood and oxygen to the brain. Adults take 240 mg daily.
Phosphatidylserine or PS: Believed to stimulate production of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter used in memory). Older adults who took 100 mg of PS three times a day for twelve weeks improved on a number of memory and higher learning tests. The worse the deficit, the greater was the improvement.
Chromium: 200 micrograms of chromium a day helps suppress a sharp rise in blood sugar.
The B vitamins: These vitamins are very important for people under much stress. Middle-aged men with the highest blood level of vitamin B6 scored the highest on memory tasks than middle-aged men low in this vitamin. Taking B vitamins improve verbal memory and assists in brain development."

hiddenknight821

I am taking them too recently for the same reason, but most importantly, I want to make sure my heart is healthy. Sometimes, I feel like I forget a couple of things. Even the simplest things (not suggesting I have Alzheimer or anything). I read somewhere that taking them now at your age is probably not going to be as effective if you take them when you are a child or when you become elderly. That's what bothers me about it. You have to be honest with yourself. It's not like you're gonna notice the growth within two months. Remember, this is a recent new study, and it's our job to report since the data may be a little skewed. I also read somewhere that taking it alone may not help since you need to eat it with other high-fat food to absorb enough DHA. I could careless if I lost some as long as I plan to take them for the rest of my life non-stop. You also need to exercise too, since sitting around is not helping your blood circulating around the body fast enough for you to see desirable result. More oxygen intake, the better the result. Don't **** with the oxygen tank, btw You also should exercise your brain by doing some readings, play some puzzles, or critical thinking. Hey, I'm no doctor, so don't take my words for it completely, but you should consult your doctor if you want some definite answers. I'm not expecting results soon, but I will in 10 years. I don't expect to be smart like Einstein though. Just would like to remember every important things I need to know. One thing for sure I will do is to "force" the future bearer of my child to take some fish oils before contraception. My theory is that I believe my kid would be a lot smarter if I try this.

powerfool

I was actually very interested in this and the the move Limitless came out. While I would be thrilled with a safe NZT-48, I was on the hunt for small boosters. Do realize a couple of very important things about the brain:

1) It is comprised of mostly fat and neurons: So, you need to have good fats in your diet, which include Omega-3. Also, anything that is good for the nervous system is good for the brain. Salt is getting a bad rap lately just as the decades of research are being proven completely false. Neurons use electricity to function... thus you need electrolytes: salt and potassium. Read up on the Sodium-Potassium pump. Also, fat is used like wiring insulation for neurons. So, make sure your sodium-potassium balance is correct.

2) To protect from disease, there is a blood-brain barrier: many vital nutrients for your brain do not easily pass this barrier and must be changed in form and then reverted back once they pass the blood brain barrier. For many nutrients, it appears that double-molecules are created and then chemically cracked once they pass the barrier. Trust me, this is a good thing... you don't want to have Mad Human Disease, do you?

3) Don't starve yourself: your brain consumes tons of Calories when it is highly active. Starving yourself, for dietary purposes, actually has a similar effect to oxygen deprivation.

I take several supplements in the morning and then some others later.

Mornings:
4g of Vitamin C (immune system)
100mg of Zinc (immune system)
250mg of Choline (brain, liver, and cardiovascular system)
300mg Krill Oil [90mg Omega-3, 50mg EPA, 24mg DHA, 130mg Phispholipids] (brain and cariovascular system)
Balanced B-200 (all sorts of B vitamins, which include more Choline... good for cellular metabolism, and general energy)
595mg Potassium Gluconate (nervous system and muscular systems)
650mg Calcium w/ Vitamin D (bones and teeth)
3g of CLA (another fatty acid, good for cleaning the blood of excess lipids)

Evenings:
2g of Vitamin C
10mg Melatonin (natural sleep aid)
Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc [1g calcium, 400mg magnesium, 15mg zinc] (best blend for absorbing magnesium, magnesium deficiency is linked to improper sleep)

Sleep deprivation has been considered more detrimental to daily mental fatigue than food deprivation.

I also try to keep a dream journal and catalog my dreams and find commonalities in my dreams which can help me recognize that I am dreaming... for the purposes of lucid dreaming.

Also, I have a few others things that I take when I am looking for an extra mental boost:

200mcg Huperzine A (increasing the half-life, or longevity, of Choline in the brain)
1mg MethylCobalamin (specially designed B12 to pass the blood-brain barrier)
4g Piracetam (a mental stimulant that has a 40-year track record of being safe)

And on the rare occassion, sometimes not for decongestant purposes:
30mg pseudoephedrine (alertness)

If I have an important day, I will take the three mentioned cognitive boosters... and if I didn't sleep well, I may add in the sudafed.

As far as diet... I try and stay away from sugars... but my self-control doesn't always win. I try to generally maintain a low carb diet, but not to the extremes of doing so for weight loss purposes. Meats, especially red meats (yes, they have a bad rap... but for men they are especially important, and eggs, and lots of vegetables. I will occasionally eat blueberries and strawberries, as well as, Brazil Nuts (high in selenium... you need some, most are deficient, but too much is really bad).

Lastly, there are those that are using drugs for other than their intended use. I have not gone this route... not because I don't want to, but simply because I haven't researched it enough to make a decision.

Adderall - for use with ADD/ADHD... many college students use it for focus
Modafinil - narcolepsy drug... many use it for alertness and has enhanced memory capabilities... this is used by a TON of people... named the executive drug of choice.

Those two are by prescription only.

Adrafinil - a non-prescription altnerative that is turned into modafinil in the body... same effects, just a 30-45 minute delay.

hiddenknight821

I had no idea we have an IT farmacist here with street cred. How do you know all of this stuff? Now I know who to go to when I'm looking.

powerfool

hiddenknight821 wrote: »

I had no idea we have an IT farmacist here with street cred. How do you know all of this stuff? Now I know who to go to when I'm looking.

I have a lot of interests... and when I have an interest, I dive pretty deep.

I have been on this regimen for several months now. When you first jump into Vitamin B supplements, you can feel jittery. Now, I don't notice them at all, but it is a good thing... it means I am no longer deficient. Now, if I skip a day, I don't feel drained.

Honestly, if we had DIY surgery kits, like an off-the-shelf knee replacement kit, I would be the type of guy to use it.

Also, another motivation I have is to keep my cognition as long as I can. My great-grandmother had Alzheimer's and my great-aunt (her daughter) was just diagnosed with it as well. My grandpa is pretty shaken up by it right now, and I find myself looking for small hints... he seems pretty lucid so far. So, anyhow, I figure, work hard and play hard and try to get everything you can out of every day. Honestly, I wish I could stop time for a couple of hours a day and get ahead... making my brain function better and more quickly is the only alternative I have found...

Xcluziv

As powerfool stated, there are countless things about the brain that we as IT should always be aware of.

Well, here are some things I have been taking for a while now.

Multi-Vitamin/Mineral/Phytonutrient

These supplements offers superior health protection. It was shown to improve blood nutrient levels to provide your cells with the energy they need to support a healthy heart, brain, eyes, skin, bones, and immune system

The vitamins help improve the following:

Heart and cardiovascular health.
A mix of vitamin E, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, copper, and selenium help to support your heart.
The supplement also adds natural plant nutrients, or phytonutrients, from apples, grapes, cranberries, and pomegranates for added heart protection.

Healthy bones and teeth, and calcium absorption.
Vitamins A and D, calcium, and magnesium support a strong skeletal system.
Vitamin D helps your body more easily absorb calcium to keep bones strong.

Eye and skin health.
Vitamin A and lutein, a phytonutrient found in high doses in spinach, support vision health.
Vitamin A, niacin, and grape extract help bolster the condition of your body’s largest organ – your skin.

A healthy immune system.
Make sure your body is ready for anything. Vitamins A and C, zinc, selenium, and phytonutrients from citrus fruits help support your immune system.

Also, I have a few gummies a day...usually at work packed full of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Quick Fact:

Omega-3 fatty acids are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are the building blocks of every living cell in the human body and required for optimal function of the cells. Our bodies don’t make omega 3s, so if you or your kids aren’t currently consuming at least two meals of fatty fish per week, you may benefit from a supplement rich in DHA. DHA helps support optimal memory, learning, and concentration.

What about omega 3s and my brain?
A brain cell’s specialized job is to pass on electrical impulses quickly and to make exact copies of itself when it reproduces. Every move you make, as well as what you feel, think, remember, and dream is connected to these electrical impulses. Wouldn’t you rather nourish your brain with key omega-3 nutrients, so your plump, healthy, flexible cells can communicate and copy themselves?

Turgon

Krunchi wrote: »

This is from Foods and Vitamins that Help Brain Development

I have used the Omega-3 "Fish Oil Pills" and do notice an increase in memory does anyone else use any of the other Vitamins and notice any improvement?

"
At the Family Clinic we recommend a conservative approach to Vitamins and other Supplements. If you are trying to repair body tissue or brain tissue, then higher amounts of supplements may be necessary. For improving non-verbal I.Q., or regular functioning, then we recommend more modest amounts of vitamins. Remember that some vitamins and minerals can be toxic or harmful to children and adults. The more information you have about taking supplements, the wiser your decisions on how much and what kinds of supplements to take.
Always consult your physician, especially if you or your child takes medications. There always exists the possibility that the supplement could have negative effects if taken with certain medications. On the other hand, many supplements appear to work well with medication and with time, may help to lower the need for medication.
We always recommend obtaining supplements from food sources first. For example, we feel that the antioxidants from blueberries to be superior to antioxidants found in a supplement. Others might have different opinions. When considering supplements, we feel natural supplements are better than unnatural supplements. Try to obtain the highest quality of supplements first. If they work well, then to save money, you may wish to find less expensive brands. However, if you feel the less expensive brand is not performing as well as the quality brand, then you will want to switch back. Give diet and supplements time to work.
Finally, nutrition is a relatively new science and there is much left to be discovered. Years ago, nutritionist recommended supplements for improved growth and development. Every year more and more scientific research studies confirm that this was good advice.

Foods that are Good For Your Brain

Including certain foods as snacks can do much to improve brain functioning. Below are examples of healthy foods. Foods high in antioxidants (healthy chemicals that clean the brain from free radicals that cause cell deterioration) can dramatically reverse memory loss, restore motor coordination and balance. These foods are raisins, berries, apples, grapes, cherries, prunes, and spinach.
Another healthy group of foods contain Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help improve general brain functioning and restore memory. Foods high in Omega-3 include: salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, flax oil, and walnuts.
The whole body runs on carbohydrates. Too much of simple carbohydrates can be harmful to the body and brain functioning by creating a sharp rise in blood sugar. Complex carbohydrates digests well and do not cause sharp rises in blood sugar. Foods high in complex carbohydrates include peanuts, dried apricots, dried beans, yogurt, oat bran, All Bran cereal (be careful of the high sugar content in some brands), and sourdough bread. Including vinegar or lemon juice with your foods helps suppress a sharp rise in blood sugar.

Foods to Avoid

Some types of fat are not good for your brain. Polyunsaturated fats can set up chronic inflammatory responses in brain tissue and foster blood damage. They are also harmful to blood vessels and ultimately blood circulation. Foods with high polyunsaturated fats include: safflower, sunflower and corn oils. These oils are usually included in processed foods such as salad dressings, fries, doughnuts and most margarines. Even worse are hydrogenated vegetable oils. These oils are used in process foods such as micro-wave popcorn, boxed cakes, TV dinners, etc.
Sugar is another food to avoid. Eating too much sugar can lead to insulin resistance which upsets the glucose level in the blood. This may lead to permanent damage to brain cells. Simple carbohydrates turn instantly to sugar within the body. Some scientist feel that eating white potatoes or white bread is just like eating candy. Carbohydrates influence mood. There is a delicate balance of the right kind of carbohydrates. Eating complex carbohydrates and avoiding simple carbohydrates insures that the body's carbohydrates are in balance.

Supplements that are Helpful to Brain Functioning

Multivitamins: A modest dose of a variety of vitamins and minerals is regarded as excellent brain insurance. In several research studies, between one third and one half of school children who took a multivitamin-mineral supplement raised their non-verbal IQ scores as much as 25 points.
Antioxidant supplements: Antioxidants help clean up the brain. To explain we will use an analogy. Antioxidants are like rust cleaners that keep rust off our brain matter. Vitamin E and C, alpha lipoic acid, grape seed extract, coenzyme Q10 are examples of antioxidants. Children should take half of the recommended adult dosages. Researcher feel adults should take: 400 to 500 IUs of vitamin E, 500 to 1,000 mg vitamin C, 10-50 mg lipoic acid. While there is no established dose of coQ10, for adults, individuals with heart disease or degenerative brain disease should take 100-200 mg. The top 10 foods with antioxidants from most to least are: prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, garlic, cooked kale, cranberries, strawberries, raw spinach, and raspberries.
Omega-3: Omega-3s are found in oil and are believed to create new communication centers in neurons which help brain functioning and mood. Children who fail to get enough omega-3 in their early developmental periods may have lower IQs later in life. Again, Omega-3s are found in tuna fish, salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, oysters, walnuts, and flax seed oil. Recommended adult dosages are 650 mg a day of Omega-3s (DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid and EPA or eicosapentaenoic acid). The vegetarian form of DHA is specifically recommended for pregnant and lactating women to enhance fetal and infant brain development.
Selenium: This mineral is found in grains, garlic, meat, seafood (oysters, swordfish, tuna) and Brazil nuts. Reportedly, research participants felt clearheaded, elated, confident and energetic when taking 220 micrograms of Selenium daily for three months. It is a good way to naturally elevate our moods.
Vitamin E: Apparently there are two types of vitamin E. Researchers gave a combination of 100 milligrams of alpha tocopherol plus 240 mg. of tocotrienols to adults with severe narrowing of the carotid artery. 40% of these patients were able to avoid heart surgery with this combination of vitamin E. Good blood circulation to the brain means good brain functioning.
Folic Acid: Research suggests that up to 38% of adults diagnosed with depression have low blood levels of folic acid and respond less well to antidepressant drugs. Adding about 400 mcg. of folic acid to a daily diet may help. Low blood levels of folic acid triple one's risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Ginkgo Biloba: Believed to ward off age-related memory loss. It destroys free radicals and increases the circulation of blood and oxygen to the brain. Adults take 240 mg daily.
Phosphatidylserine or PS: Believed to stimulate production of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter used in memory). Older adults who took 100 mg of PS three times a day for twelve weeks improved on a number of memory and higher learning tests. The worse the deficit, the greater was the improvement.
Chromium: 200 micrograms of chromium a day helps suppress a sharp rise in blood sugar.
The B vitamins: These vitamins are very important for people under much stress. Middle-aged men with the highest blood level of vitamin B6 scored the highest on memory tasks than middle-aged men low in this vitamin. Taking B vitamins improve verbal memory and assists in brain development."

You dont need vitamin supplements or Omega-3 pills. Shop for fresh good food that hasn't got the transfats or affected by all the other additive process. Eat that, get some regular hard exercise outdoors, sleep properly, drink plenty of water. Cut down on sodas, caffine, alcohol. Thats all you need.

UnixGuy

I read a lot about Omega-3 . I think cud fish oil pill isn't enough. I've been using organic flaxseeds. I add it to my food almost everyday...

Turgon

The corporate food companies have been taking our money and our health for years. People are much fatter today with heart disease, diabeties, allergies, infertility and various neurosis on the rise. Now they want to take your money with supplements because of the rubbish they try and pass off as food. The irony of it.

Find good sources of healthy food. Cook in the right fats and eat that. You dont need pills.

krjay

Turgon wrote: »

The corporate food companies have been taking our money and our health for years. People are much fatter today with heart disease, diabeties, allergies, infertility and various neurosis on the rise. Now they want to take your money with supplements because of the rubbish they try and pass off as food. The irony of it.

Find good sources of healthy food. Cook in the right fats and eat that. You dont need pills.

While it is true a balanced diet is the best way to get the basic vitamins and minerals you need everyday sometimes that is just not possible for some people including myself. I take a multivitamin daily, ,knowing that I will most likely not hit the amount of different vitamins I need from my diet alone.

I also take fish oil and a protein shake in the morning. Now I do this simply because I'm in the process of gaining 20 pounds and have a hard time eating when I wake up, even though I'm basically in a state of starving having just slept for at least 8 hours.

Anyway back to my main point.. I think some people mistakenly use supplements in place of a solid diet plan. When in fact they should use them as intended, to 'supplement' a proper diet.

powerfool

Actually, it is pretty darn difficult to get your nutrients from just diet... even if you are opting for the "best" food. There are so many factors that go into the quality of food that it would cost an arm and a leg just to test foods for nutrients based on their source.

For instance Omega-3.... naturally, it is found in grass grazing beef. That is easy enough, as the cattle produces it from the nutrients in the grass. However, selenium is also found in grass grazing beef... but, they are dependent on that grass being grown in soil that has selenium in it. So, the beef, the grass, and the soil would need to be tested to check for selenium.

Many times, soil can become depleted of nutrients.

While I agree that it is better to get nutrients through diet, it is going to be nearly impossible to rely on diet alone.

Plus, dietary requirements are all over the board. When you look at the labels on foods that are purchased, the daily recommended values are "socialized". They really don't accurately depict the accurate daily requires for just about anyone. Some people need far less... some people need far more. When it is difficult for someone to meet those basic requirements and they happen to need more because they are taller than average height and lift weights, it is going to be ridiculous, and dangerous, to attempt that with only diet. I would have to imagine that is one of the factors contributing to a wrist break that I had (along with poor form).

powerfool

On another note: my mother-in-law has been doing a "juicing" diet lately. I think they are great as a part of the diet, because she is getting way more nutrients out of it... mainly because she wouldn't be able to eat all of the vegetables and fruits that she is juicing. She has eczema and it hasn't been apparent in over a month.

Now, the big problem I have with the juicing diets is that they recommend doing juice-only for at least a month. That is crazy and can do great damage to your heart. Your heart is a muscle and it needs all of the same nutrients as any other muscle in your body... which include proteins. And non-meat proteins just don't cut it. The three most essential amino acids in the human body are not produced by our bodies and can only be found in animal protein. So, take a whey protein shake, or drink a glass of milk, for some fish each day and use the juice to replace a meal or two, and then have it along with the protein source. If you could get an unflavored whey protein (Whole Foods carries it or can order it for you upon request), just add it to the juice.

RobertKaucher

Turgon wrote: »

The corporate food companies have been taking our money and our health for years. People are much fatter today with heart disease, diabeties, allergies, infertility and various neurosis on the rise. Now they want to take your money with supplements because of the rubbish they try and pass off as food. The irony of it.

Find good sources of healthy food. Cook in the right fats and eat that. You dont need pills.

How do you expect companies to be able to market that!?!?!

Before I make a total case of agreement with Turgon I will reveal that I also take dietary supplements, but I use them as supplements for a very active lifestyle - they are not replacements for real food. Several days during the week I exercise twice per day and on 2 of the remaining days I workout once and all my sessions are close to an hour, so I need a little extra. I am a firm believer that your body is better able to absorb and use nutrients in the form and environment that we were intended to consume such things - by eating real food, not by taking pills or drinking shakes.

The more highly processed the less effective it is. That being said, supplementation has its place - as a supplement. The vast majority of people can get more than adequate benefits from changing their diets to where they consume large amounts of minimally processed meats, fruits, veggies, and nuts.

Turgon

krjay wrote: »

While it is true a balanced diet is the best way to get the basic vitamins and minerals you need everyday sometimes that is just not possible for some people including myself. I take a multivitamin daily, ,knowing that I will most likely not hit the amount of different vitamins I need from my diet alone.

I also take fish oil and a protein shake in the morning. Now I do this simply because I'm in the process of gaining 20 pounds and have a hard time eating when I wake up, even though I'm basically in a state of starving having just slept for at least 8 hours.

Anyway back to my main point.. I think some people mistakenly use supplements in place of a solid diet plan. When in fact they should use them as intended, to 'supplement' a proper diet.

You can easily get the vitamins and minerals you need from a healthy balanced diet. You don't need supplements unless you have some special medical requirement. This may apply to yourself. 8 hours is a perfectly reasonable and good period of sleep. I doubt you are in a state of starving after that but it would be a good time to get something to eat.

Turgon

powerfool wrote: »

While I agree that it is better to get nutrients through diet, it is going to be nearly impossible to rely on diet alone.

The food companies, what they do to food and what they have put in food have made it difficult I accept that. It can also be difficult to source the right ingredients. But if you can source them and are prepared to cook appropriately you can get what you need from diet easily. We all do at home.

pitviper

In addition to what powerfool said (GREAT post by the way!) Google “nootropics”. He touches on a few in his write-up. Some really good cognitive enhancers/boosters out there but like anything else supplement related you have to find what works best for your body. Piracetam (when it was available), Huperzine A, and Choline are among my favorite brain supplements.

rsutton

I know of no down sides to taking a multi-vitamin every day. I agree that it is possible to get your daily nutrient needs from a balanced diet but in the not-so-perfect world I live in I don't always have time to plan out 3-4 balanced meals every day. Vitamin supplements fill in the gaps for me. It's really only a very, very small part of my diet however. Being healthy is all about making lots of small, important decisions. Getting plenty of rest, exercise and eating right is what counts.

Xcluziv

Turgon wrote: »

The food companies, what they do to food and what they have put in food have made it difficult I accept that. It can also be difficult to source the right ingredients. But if you can source them and are prepared to cook appropriately you can get what you need from diet easily. We all do at home.

Well, if you pay up front with high food costt and/or take vitamins and supplements, the key thing is we are going to have to pay to be healthy...regardless. As you stated, what companies due to food is even a better reason why you should supplement although being one of the younger people on the forum, I maintain a healthy diet outside of taking vitamins so it will benefit me better in the long run.

Turgon

RobertKaucher wrote: »

How do you expect companies to be able to market that!?!?!

They can't. But they have been pretty successful at marketing what they do offer fattening people up like pigs for the slaughter house the last 26 years. Moms dont shop and cook at home like they used to as a consequence.


Mediterranean Diet .tv - USA Obesity Trends 1985 to 2008 - YouTube