Pills and Shots, Health and Heart, Eat or Not to Eat

Clearly article after article has been written advocating for this or that…‘take me’ and you’ll feel better in days, ‘lose weight’ miraculously while gorging on ‘fat’ food; strengthen those aging bones with Boniva…Sally Fields’ does (she also gets paid to be their spokesperson).  Suzanne Somers (Three’s Company Fame) takes over 60 vitamins a day…talk about overload! 

Whole families are being deceived by the ‘quick fix’.  It doesn’t exist and in our heart of hearts I believe we all know it, which is why so many ‘flip flop’ from product to product…this for that and that for this.  Sleeping aids, pills to stay awake, energy additives etc…it’s crazy and it’s NOT healthy (this same excess sent Michael Jackson and Elvis to an early grave).

Look, genetics play a huge and crucial role in our ‘life’ plans and obviously that has to be considered first and foremost.  Have you thought out in detail the ramifications of the ‘synthetic’ effect on your body?  Does the ‘pill’ or ‘drink’ offer more than eating balanced will? The many ‘short-cuts’ to good health available on the market today are just a bunch of baloney.  I ask you to list all of the persons you know on fad diets, using skin care or anti-aging products, and/or taking synthetic supplements etc.  Then ask them what they eat (in real food) and how they exercise.  Did you have an AH-HA moment when the culprit to poor health was found out to be none other than ourselves?

Let’s not forget ‘over-the-counter’ aids.  I could have easily OD’d this winter when I got a two day case of the flu from my grandchildren.  Luckily I asked the pharmacist what all the different varieties of ONE cold product offered and why were they different.  In the end I left with one small package; greatly relieved that I had bothered to ask what all the package mumbo-jumbo meant (initially I didn’t want to disturb her; she looked busy).  I am sure she saved my life.  Have you ever felt foolish asking your doctor or pharmacist questions…do you feel pressured to ‘get in and get out’ because you know you are squeezed into a 15-minute (billing) slot?  Do you insist your doctor prescribe something…just because, well, how will you get better? 

Synthetic products are not the answer…and I would wager that more than half of the people ingesting or using these products are not receiving any ‘real’ benefits at all…in fact I am sure they ‘lose’ many pill solutions whole.  Why…because the pill needs to break up, and be absorbed into your system in order to release the ‘good stuff’, and many, many persons’ digestive systems do not absorb synthetics well, especially those in pill form!  Hence a lot of money spent for a placebo effect.

I am not denying that there are some (not all) ‘natural’ products that may offer a strong rationale for why you might want to contemplate taking them, but every person is different and everyone’s digestion and absorption rate varies.  How does your doctor determine if your bodily make-up can withstand whatever it is they may prescribe?  How do YOU make this decision?  For the record ‘natural’ is defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a product that does not contain any additives or substances that are man made or manufactured, including color dyes.  Yet, artificial sweeteners are considered ‘natural’.  Go figure!  Take it from me, the term ‘natural’ is still largely unregulated, although ‘all natural’ is as popular a sales gimmick as any I’ve ever seen!  If the product was processed with any preservative or additive it is not natural.  Honestly, organic is the closet you will get to ‘real’ natural and even that can get complicated.

So, what am I saying?  MAKE EDUCATED CHOICES…be resourceful and research the subject…make family eating a good thing and put ‘synthetic’ foods and vitamins in the trash and your children will take that with them to their children and so on and so on and so on.  Stop denying yourself the foods you like…eat everything!  Just be cognizant of the fact that ‘everything’ needs to be in moderation.  In a perfect world ‘natural’ would really mean natural and synthetic would be outlawed, but...what can I say, that world does not exist.

Keep in mind that over-eating or under-eating is NOT about eating too much or too little… it is more about something else, something psychological, feelings of inadequacy or low self esteem…the same rings true for those persons that are body-care perfectionists.  Expensive, pre-packaged products really do not offer any better results than those we can achieve by eating better and more balanced… dessert twice a week instead of everyday…scrumptious mashed potatoes or fries 3 days instead of 7…heck, knocking soda from your daily regime can cut 20 to 35 lbs off in a year if that is what you are looking to do. 

Not to be left out is the government’s (not helpful and voluntary) junk food guidelines, which quite honestly puts the ball back in your court also.  See Mark Bittman’s BLOG…he says it as well as I would have.  Plus this months health story; salt might not be that bad for you after-all. So, it’s safe to say that in the end, you ‘own’ the process. 

Lots of fluids, fruits and veggies, and rest most times will keep you ‘running’ on full…it sounds too simple but hey, it’s the truth.  Healthy foods and rest will keep you looking and feeling good, and your skin and hair will shine…heck even bad food in moderation will not harm you! Consider purchasing a juicer and you’ll eat more fruits and veggies than you can imagine.  Or buy the already cut up and ready to eat versions…honestly it’ll be cheaper in the long run…you won’t be paying for medicine, skin care products, vitamins, headache treatments or unneeded Doctor’s visits …

Exercise helps too, but that’s a topic for another day…