Too Much of a Good Thing

This is where we should get our nutrients from!

Cultures that consume a diet primarily made up of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, with less emphasis on red meat, refined starches, and sweets have lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and hypertension.
It is really best if you can get your nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals, which help prevent disease and obesity) from whole foods.  Eating a balanced diet promotes optimum health.  Of course that is not always possible.  There are times when a  supplement might be in order.
 I know that I was extremely Vitamin D deficient so I took a Vitamin D supplement.  Honestly, my prescription has run out and I am overdue for a blood test to see what my level is right now.  Hopefully I have not undone all the weeks of taking the supplement.

Don't overdo it!

Yet there are times when people can overdo vitamin and mineral supplementation.  There are risks that are associated with excessive supplementation.  Following is a list of potential medical complications:

• B-3 (niacin) can cause flushing, redness of the skin, upset stomach.
• B-6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine) can cause nerve damage to the limbs, which may cause numbness and pain.
• C (ascorbic acid) can cause upset stomach and kidney stones.
• A (retinol, retinal, retinoic acid) can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, clumsiness, birth defects, liver problems and possible risk of osteoporosis.  
• D (calciferol) can cause nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, weight loss, confusion, heart rhythm problems, and deposits of calcium and phosphate in soft tissues.

So, this does not mean that taking supplements is a bad thing, but everything in moderation.  Don't overdo it!

This article was taken from "Focus On Health", Volume Three,  North Shore LIJ