Comments on: As Economy Is Down, Vitamin Sales Are Up http://www.medminded.com/2009/04/as-economy-is-down-vitamin-sales-are-up.html Musings on Health, Medicine, and the Art Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:41:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Aaron B. Hicks http://www.medminded.com/2009/04/as-economy-is-down-vitamin-sales-are-up.html/comment-page-1#comment-47 Aaron B. Hicks Mon, 04 May 2009 04:43:59 +0000 http://www.medminded.com/2009/04/as-economy-is-down-vitamin-sales-are-up.html#comment-47 I totally agree. The importance of a balanced diet can't be overstated. But supplemental vitamins and minerals are still important. For instance, vitamin D is mainly in dairy (fortified) and fish. Plant foods, however, do not contain vitamin D, so vegetarians and vegans need supplement their intake. Skip the middleman and go straight for the brussel sprouts, you say? Here's one better: skip the middle of the grocery store. The foods in the perimeter of the store have no preservatives, lower sodium, and are much more nutritious than their processed alternatives. Thanks for the comment. I appreciate the humor and your constructive criticism. "I mean, hey, why eat those dark leafy antioxidant rich vegetables when I can just pop a couple Flinstones Chewables and wash them down with a cold PBR?". Ha ha. I totally agree. The importance of a balanced diet can’t be overstated. But supplemental vitamins and minerals are still important. For instance, vitamin D is mainly in dairy (fortified) and fish. Plant foods, however, do not contain vitamin D, so vegetarians and vegans need supplement their intake.

Skip the middleman and go straight for the brussel sprouts, you say? Here’s one better: skip the middle of the grocery store. The foods in the perimeter of the store have no preservatives, lower sodium, and are much more nutritious than their processed alternatives.

Thanks for the comment. I appreciate the humor and your constructive criticism. “I mean, hey, why eat those dark leafy antioxidant rich vegetables when I can just pop a couple Flinstones Chewables and wash them down with a cold PBR?”. Ha ha.

]]> By: Benjamin Cade http://www.medminded.com/2009/04/as-economy-is-down-vitamin-sales-are-up.html/comment-page-1#comment-46 Benjamin Cade Mon, 04 May 2009 04:43:42 +0000 http://www.medminded.com/2009/04/as-economy-is-down-vitamin-sales-are-up.html#comment-46 I find your conclusion a bit lacking, in that you promote the importance of exercise and vitamin consumption (albeit in moderation), yet have nothing to say about keeping a healthy diet in general. (And considering your affection for preventive care, I can't believe you didn't give a shout out to celery and carrots.) Isn't it safe to say that one could eliminate multi/mega/awesome vitamin and mineral supplements from his/her daily regimen, simply by keeping a healthy diet? To me, multivitamins have become in some cases an excuse or shortcut towards not maintaining a healthy diet, while moderation and disciplined eating usualy occupy the road less taken. I mean, hey, why eat those dark leafy antioxidant rich vegetables when I can just pop a couple Flinstones Chewables and wash them down with a cold PBR? To this extreme, vitamins can operate as an enabler for other unhealthful practices. Moreover, in tough economic times shouldn't we want to cut out the middleman all together? Next time you are in the grocery store skip the vitamins and go straight for the brussel sprouts (okay fine, brocoli.) I find your conclusion a bit lacking, in that you promote the importance of exercise and vitamin consumption (albeit in moderation), yet have nothing to say about keeping a healthy diet in general. (And considering your affection for preventive care, I can’t believe you didn’t give a shout out to celery and carrots.)

Isn’t it safe to say that one could eliminate multi/mega/awesome vitamin and mineral supplements from his/her daily regimen, simply by keeping a healthy diet? To me, multivitamins have become in some cases an excuse or shortcut towards not maintaining a healthy diet, while moderation and disciplined eating usualy occupy the road less taken. I mean, hey, why eat those dark leafy antioxidant rich vegetables when I can just pop a couple Flinstones Chewables and wash them down with a cold PBR? To this extreme, vitamins can operate as an enabler for other unhealthful practices.

Moreover, in tough economic times shouldn’t we want to cut out the middleman all together? Next time you are in the grocery store skip the vitamins and go straight for the brussel sprouts (okay fine, brocoli.)

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