At 05:24 PM 7/5/97 -0400, Dean wrote:
>I do think people tend to go way overboard on vitamin and mineral
>supplements, and some people megadose themselves in an unhealthy manner.
>But I've long thought that good basic supplements are cheap insurance and
>shouldn't be a health threat unless you're megadosing.

One of the reasons why I liked the idea of switching to
Neanderthin was because I was sick and tired of taking
all the suppliments Atkins recommends. I was taking
20-30 pills a day, didn't know what I was doing, didn't
know if the dosages were right, didn't want to "give in"
and buy the suppliments Aktins sells, and just didn't want
to do it anymore. I think most of the suppliments Atkins
says are "needed" are only needed because of all the
crap allowed on the diet. Dairy, maltodextrin, soy in
all kinds of forms, MSG, chemicals up the wazoo.
That said, I really have nothing against the diet. Atkins
probably realizes that if he were any stricter, people
wouldn't be as hot to try the diet. I also think that
Atkins is a good starting point that makes it much
easier to ease into Neanderthin. Once you toss grains,
starches and sugar and get used to that, it's just a few
steps away from paleo.

Even though Ray doesn't encourage any suppliments, I
still find myself going through cycles of not taking any
and feeling a vast freedom, and getting scared because
I know I don't eat enough variety of foods and taking
Natrol's "My Favorite Multiple" (the most comprehensive
multiple I've found) for a few days until I get sick of
taking pills. I also haphazardly (if I happen to think of
it and feel like it) take C, E, garlic and amino acids.
I never feel any different before or after taking *anything*
and just mainly take them because I, right or wrong,
think I "should".

You'd said:
> some people megadose themselves in an unhealthy manner.

And I was reminded of flipping the TV channels a few years
ago and coming across some program (I have no idea what
it was) that seemed to be about aging and how people are
trying to fight that. There was a couple who were demonstrating
all the suppliments they were taking (*TONS*) and what they
were for and what they were supposed to do. They were
also vegans, and I believe they were in their 40s. The horrifying
thing was, they both looked like Death Waiting To Happen!
They were way too thin, they looked pale and sickly, they
both seemed lethargic and "foggy". It was amazing. They
were the worst people to be touting the benefits of veganism
and suppliments. The program next showed a guy who was slightly
older than the couple. He was your average Joe, with a desk
job. He looked healthy and *at least* 10 years younger than
the couple. That's all I remember about the program, but
I'll never forget that sad-looking couple.

Vickie