Supplements ........ (was:Re: Low-Moderate Protein Diets Lacking Carnosine)

[Guest guest]

Hi Terrie:

Largely for historical reasons (I haven't run out of them yet!) I

still take various supplements. But Ca+D is the only supplement I

take daily. All others only weekly.

Since becoming acquainted with the wealth of information available

from people here I have studied my nutrient intake a lot more closely

and came to realize I am supplementing nutrients that I am already

getting multiple times the RDA from food. So taking those

supplements is likely a waste of time and money.

HOWEVER, I also discovered there are some nutrients which for many

years I have been running 50% below the RDA, which is not a good

idea, at all. In my case those nutrients were calcium and zinc, but

individual deficiencies will depend on what it is one habitually eats.

In addition there are other nutrients where I get only just the RDA -

probably a good idea to supplement a bit (weekly?) - and other

nutrients, vitamin D especially, where I was getting the RDA ONLY

BECAUSE I eat some fish almost every day. Most people don't.

So, my suggestion is to analyze everything you put in your mouth for

a month on nutrition analysis software (even after just a week you

will get a pretty good idea of which your problem nutrients are) and

find out what your deficiencies are. Then supplement by the amount

you need to get your intake comfortably a bit above the RDA. You

will often find one tablet a week is all you need.

As regards supplementing other chemicals, those that are not

recognized as 'official' essential micronutrients: carnosine, for

example. You are on your own. No one really knows for sure whether

they are beneficial (or harmful?). So we are all, essentially,

placing our bets.

You can also supplement foods. By that I mean to add methodically to

your diet things like raw garlic (I chop a garlic clove into pill-

sized pieces about once a week and *swallow* it with tea, which gets

around the 'breath problem'); oat bran; wheat bran; wheat germ; soy

protein; cinnamon; clove; oregano ................ . I do this

because I **suspect** based on apparently serious evidence posted

here (this may turn out to be incorrect) that they may be helpful,

and am pretty darned sure (this may be incorrect also, hopefully not)

the risk of harm is negligible. But we all have to make our own

decisions about this stuff.

FIRST, cut out the junk. SECOND, put your new, healthier, food

intake into nutrition analysis sofware and find out how many calories

you are eating and what your deficiencies are. THIRD, cut your

caloric intake, first step, by 100 calories. (More steps to follow

later.)

Rodney.

>

> Any more information on this subject by any on this list would be

most

> welcome.

>

> Terrie

>