THE VITAMIN SCAM

I don't know when this blog became so health-focused, but I'm away from home and all my DIY projects so there's not much else to write about for the time being.

Lately, I've been a little vitamin-crazed.  It all started a couple years back when my doc discovered my Vitamin D and B levels were literally at zero...most likely because I'm lactose intolerant and wasn't eating a whole lot of red meat.  I began taking a daily supplement of both, started eating a ton of beef and, lo and behold, my levels improved.  The increase in Vitamin B is more likely a result of my diet than the actual supplement since it can't really be absorbed by ingesting.  (I keep taking it anyway just in case.)  I've always taken a multi-vitamin, two Vitamin C gummies and fish oil along with my high blood pressure meds so that brought me up to 9 pills every morning. Then a few months ago, a facialist recommended I start taking primrose and flaxseed oils for my skin so I added four more to my cocktail.  And then I got worried about getting sick over the holidays so I started popping zinc tabs for a grand total of 14.  Thats a lot of vitamins.  And a lot of money.  And after some dedicated reading on the subject, I have a sneaking suspicion I've been quite literally flushing both down the toilet.

The multi-vitamin debate is a pretty boring one, but I'm beginning to side with those claiming they're a scam.  How could I be taking One-A-Day for years and still not have a shred of B or D in my system?  The minute I changed my eating habits and popped a daily Vitamin D, my levels changed.  Very suspect.  So that's the first to go.  I'll probably nix the Vitamin B gel too since its more likely that my diet has fixed that problem.  Then there is the question of whether the zinc and the vitamin C is actually doing anything worth while.  I haven't been sick yet this winter (knock on wood) so I'm not bailing on them yet...but I wouldn't be surprised if I've been popping glorified gummy bears all this time.  There's some compelling science behind the fish oil so  I'll keep that going and I have noticed a difference in my skin since taking the primrose and flaxseed oils. Not bailing on that homeopathic garbage yet!  So I'm down to 12.  Which still seems like a lot to me.  But whatever works.

Man.  I need to get another project going already.