Here's one of the posts from our new blog, "Weekly Green" by Meg. See the blog section for a new post every week!

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Hey everyone,

I felt today that I should address a recent published report that’s been swirling around telling everyone that vitamins will “kill you.”

The conclusion to a recently published study (linked here), essentially said that women who take vitamins have a higher mortality rate than women who do not. The news media of course has jumped all over this conclusion, once again deeming supplementation unnecessary. This couldn’t be further from the truth, ladies.

Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D., addressed this study for popular culture blog, The Huffington Post. I HIGHLY recommend that you read his rebuttal to this study which can be found by clicking here.

Why did I find it necessary to bring this up? Personally, I feel like deciding to “go green,” is not only a commitment that you make to the environment, it’s also a commitment to your own health and the health of your family. Much of what makes “going green,” so important is the elimination of chemicals and unnecessary additives in the products we use every day. This of course includes the supplements that we’re putting into our bodies. When you take a regular over-the-counter multivitamin, you are subjecting yourself to preservatives, fillers and binders. These additives may not be natural or tested for purity.

Exhausting, right? What CAN you trust? Here’s a few tips to supplement safely:

1. Look for a company that produces all-natural products. No artificial sweeteners, binders, fillers, colors or additives.

2. Make sure this company has independent clinical tests done on its products, not just on the ingredients in the products. If these studies aren’t readily available on the company’s website, you can email their PR/Customer Service department to ask for some. Be sure not to confuse independent clinical studies on the efficacy of the products themselves, with studies done on other products that companies use as support in the formulation of their own products.

3. Look for a company who tests its raw materials for impurities before production, and then re-tests the finished good again for impurities. Look for quality control tests. Would you put grapes in your mouth if you know they traveled over conveyor belts with exposed lead pieces?

4. Does the supplement you’re taking now make you FEEL a difference? If not, why are you taking it? A great multivitamin will give you more energy, help you get sick less, and your skin will get a great hue to it. Plus, you will pass all of your blood tests with flying colors because good multivitamins get the nutrients where they are best absorbed in your body.

5. Sometimes, you get what you pay for. But NOT ALWAYS! Don’t automatically assume that something coming from a specialty store is better than something coming from the drug store. If you follow the above steps and find a $7 product that fits the bill, by all means, go for it!

6. Make sure anything you try has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you don’t like it, you should get every cent back of what you paid for it.

I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about vitamin supplementation, in the comments section.

Take care of yourselves, and each other!

Meg

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