Vitamin Shops

So while 2010 is going to be the year of the pork, it also the year I eat a bit better and put heathier stuff in my gullet.

Which brings me to my trip to the vitamin store yesterday.  First if you've never been into one of these and you're going there to pick up one small item, find an employee and fast, tell them what you need. Otherwise you will wander around with the doe in the headlight look for long agonizing minutes.

I'm suppose to be taking all of these -

Good lord this is a small meal when you take into consideration all the liquid I'm going to need to get them down! Which will end up decreasing work production with all the trips to the bathroom I'm going to have to make.

Guys you're going for this little appetizer -

OoOoo look at all the blue ones! And no you can't use beer to wash them down.

There are pills, powders and liquids to pump you up, trim you down, speed up your metabolism, brighten your day, keep you focused, increase your memory, remove nausea (though I think taking all these might give me nausea). There are jars of liquid grass. GRASS! Freshly mowed and organic I'm sure. You can get bottles of chlorophyll. This is the stuff that makes plants green. At the vitamin shop it states "...called the "building block of life". Without chlorophyll there is no life..." If you're a PLANT! Eat a salad.  

All kidding aside this is crazy. Vitamins are a billion dollar industry. If I took as many pills as they recommend I would have to give up a meal along with 35% of my income due to the expense. And did they go to vitamin school? Cause the girl that helped me couldn't have been more than 19 years old. I mean if I want to teach nutrition or be a dietician I have to go to 4 years of school. So if Casey really wants to tell me what vitamins I should take, she should really be asking me a few perdinent medical questions don't cha think?

So not counting synthetic vitamins, where do all these "natural" vitamins get their ingredients from? **whispers** Food

What what? Food you say? Well let's see -

Calcium from bone and dairy. (which also covers Vitamin D)

Vitamin C from Citrus

Omega 3 Fish

Vitamin B's (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12) Turkey, liver, tuna, chili peppers, lentils, bananas, potatoes just to name a few.

Iron - Bran flakes (also makes a nice coating for chicken) oatmeal, cream of wheat, steamed clams.

It all comes down to eating right. Well balanced food, fresh food, seasonal food.

Now the question...why was I there? Yep I went for supplements. I got some arctic cod liver oil for the Omega 3's because we just cannot get good decent seafood where I live without taking out a loan to afford it. I also wanted pure cranberry juice. Not that "cocktail" that you get in grocery stores which is mainly sugar.

Granted there are times when supplements are needed, but before you spend $100's in the quick fix, take a look at your diet. Wouldn't you rather have a great meal than a fist full of pills?