Top Ten Nutritional Medicine Myths
I found this article today and thought it was interesting…
http://blog.naturallysavvy.com/2007/07/05/my-top-ten-nutritional-medicine-myths/
The overview:
Myth #1: Vitamin C Causes Kidney Stones
Myth #2: Stopping Vitamin C Suddenly Leads to Scurvy
Myth #3: Herbs are Dangerous and Require Doctor Supervision
Myth #4: Daily Drinking of Distilled Water is Beneficial to Health
Myth #5: Only Dairy Products Can Provide an Adequate Calcium Intake
Myth #6: Sugar, in Moderation, is Safe and Does Not Cause Any Disease
Myth #7: Eating Foods High in Cholesterol is Bad For You
Myth #8: Vitamin E Causes High Blood Pressure
Myth #9: Eating Yeast is Bad For You
Myth #10: Echinacea Should Not be Taken Longer Than Two Weeks
My only concern is that there are only two references mentioned by the author, Dr. Rona. This is not to say the research was not legitimate, I would just like to know what the sources are. For instance: “There is no clear proof of this claim since numerous studies conclude the exact opposite – that vitamin C supplementation prevents kidney stones.” I would have like to known more about the studies, but perhaps the author no longer has this information available at their disposal or simply did not find it necessary to reference?
This was a guest post by repowell
I found Myth #7 interesting.
[i]High blood cholesterol levels should therefore be regarded as a red flag indicating the presence of high levels of free radicals, oxidant damage and infestation of the body with fungi or other pathogenic microorganisms[/i]
After a medical check, my own cholesterol level was found to be slightly high. This surprised me since I didn’t think I eat high cholesterol food but I do drink too much alcohol. So maybe this is a warning sign for me?
Myth #1: Vitamin C Causes Kidney Stones
Myth #2: Stopping Vitamin C Suddenly Leads to Scurvy
Both are true.
Do understand, however, that this is more along the lines of doctor scare tactics.
In order for either case to be, the amount of Vitamin C being taken must be excessive.
Vitamin C is a water soluble Vitamin; meaning that it gets flushed from the body pretty quickly. Excessive doses of it means that much more is being flushed through the kidneys. Anything that is flushed through the kidneys stands a chance of leaving something behind; and this eventually becomes kidney stones if enough is left behind. The amount of Vitamin C for that to happen, though, would be quite excessive, to the point there is probably a better chance of you falling down a staircase in a building that only has elevators than to develop kidney stones from taking Vitamin C.
Another thing, though, that can happen from excessive doses of Vitamin C is that one can develop symptoms of scurvy should they suddenly stop taking it. Again, the regular doses would have to be high, but people have done this. It is a case where the body adjusts itself to the high doses, but once it is there, and the doses stop, there is suddenly a depletion of Vitamin C and the body reacts as though it has none, which is called scurvy.
Myth #3: Herbs are Dangerous and Require Doctor Supervision
Doctors are dangerous and require human supervision.
There are, however, some herbs which should not be taken lightly.
A common herb to find in a male virility formula (if you need it splelled out, it helps to get little willy hard) is Yohimbe. In an isolated environment, Yohimbe is perfectly fine and is the most effective natural supplement for getting a rise out of little willy.
If everything were an isolated environment, that would be great, but the constuant chemical in Yohimbe responsible for its effect is also a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAO).
Our bodies have a natural valve (using a metaphor) that regulates what kind of effect most any substance has on us. An MAO effectively inhibits, or shuts off the control to that valve and, when combined with other medicines, can have disastrous, even lethal, effects.
Unfortunately, there are doctors who are not aware of this themselves.
Myth #4: Daily Drinking of Distilled Water is Beneficial to Health
And what made you think it wasn’t?
Distilled water, or that filtered through a reverse osmosis system, has not only contaminants removed but insoluble forms of calcium and magnesium (the main reason for water hardness). The contaminants can collect in the kidney and cause kidney stones. As a matter of fact, the number one cause of kidney stones is tap water.
Still don’t want that glass of purified water?
Myth #5: Only Dairy Products Can Provide an Adequate Calcium Intake
Well, they got that one right. They forgot to add that milk and dairy products are poor sources of calcium.
What?
Too many idiots abound who recommend that all someone needs is to drink milk to get calcium. Though they will get calcium, they will not get any other necessary mineral that the body needs in order to absorb the calcium, of which magnesium is number one.
Dark, leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and brocholi, are better sources of calcium and they contain other minerals the body needs to make use of the calcium.
Myth #6: Sugar, in Moderation, is Safe and Does Not Cause Any Disease
What disease does sugar cause?
None.
There are sugars in most anything we eat. Different forms of sugar, but still sugar.
Myth #7: Eating Foods High in Cholesterol is Bad For You
Eating foods high in cholesterol are mostly good for the doctor and drug company who are going to make money from you.
Aside from that, putting anything into your body that interfere with circulation is not necessarily good for you.
Were these people high at the time this was written?
Myth #8: Vitamin E Causes High Blood Pressure
See entry on Vitamin C.
Myth #9: Eating Yeast is Bad For You
It can be. There really is no direct answer (not that I have anyway) as yeasts can have different effects on different people. If someone is digesting live yeasts, well, yea, it could have a negative effect as any live culture can.
Myth #10: Echinacea Should Not be Taken Longer Than Two Weeks
Been over that one in the Echinacea thread.