You may find the title of this blog a little weird, as to the uninitiated bacteria are either associated with disease or the dirty process of the decomposition of food.

In actual fact only about 30% of the thousands of types of bacteria cause disease directly and what is less known is their benefit to the Eco-system and human health.

What is less known is that without bacteria life on earth would not exist, they contribute to about 40% of the world’s oxygen via photosynthesis, along with other single celled organism classed as plankton. Bacteria are a large group of single-celled organisms. They are the most primitive organisms in existence outside of viruses, but there is some debate as to how to classify viruses. They were the first organisms to appear on the earth approximately 3 billion years ago.

Bacteria exist in practically any environment from the Arctic, to the bottom of sea sea. They exist in super hot geysers in Yellowstone Park and in the mouth of volcanoes. They have even been proven to survive in a vacuum, leading to speculation that life first arrived on meteors or asteroids from space.

A History

Bacteria began on Earth approximately 3.5 billion ago, about 2 billion years before other life forms appeared, appearing at a time when the Earth’s atmosphere consisted mostly of sulfuric acid, carbon dioxide and nitrogen, much like the atmosphere of Venus.

Approximately 2.5 billion years some bacteria evolved a step and became what are called cyanobacteria. Cyan means “blue/green”, they were the first organisms to produce food by photosynthesis and were the ancestors of blue/green algae, which are now favoured by many as a Whole Green Super Food.

Over the next 1.5 billion years there occurred what scientists refer to as “the first great mass extinction”. The cyanobacteria gradually oxygenated the atmosphere, rendering hundreds of thousands of species of bacteria extinct.

They did however create the atmosphere making it possible for all life on earth as we know it to exist.

More on bacteria

Bacteria are scientifically known as prokaryotes and are a group of primitive organisms that lack a cell nucleus or any other membrane.

 They differ from other more advanced single celled organisms such as amoeba, which have a cell nucleus.

Types of Bacteria:

Parasitic Bacteria: These are bacteria that enter the body and feed off it to the detriment of the person. It isn’t the bacteria themselves that harm a person, its just that they multiply rapidly and excrete toxins which damage the body tissues. The damage they do depends on the toxicity of the toxins and how important an area of body the bacteria favours.

Saprophytic Bacteria: Feed on dead things and break them down. Are generally harmless unless you ingest rotting food, then they can multiply in the body and secrete toxins.

Symbiotic Bacteria: Live inside a body and are of benefit to that organism. Probiotics are the best example of this. They live in the body and protect against harmful organisms, boost the immune system and help with digestion If you are interested Probiotics, visit this website:

http://best-probiotics.co.uk

There is lots more information there.

Bacteria as a Food Source.

One type of Cyanobaceria is edible, it is called Spirulina and is consumed in parts of South America and Africa, it is also widely sold as a super nutritious whole green food. For lots more information on Spirulina go to this website:

http://spirulina-powder.co.uk

Bacteria as a renewable fuel source

Cyanobacteria is rich in oil. It grows in almost any conditions and in the right conditions 3 crops a month can be grown. Once a viable way of extracting the oil is found cyanbacteria may be a source of renewable fuel for the future.

Body mass index is defined as the individual’s body weight divided by the square of his or her height.

This is a kind of rough but useful index of obesity. A BMI of 20 to 25 is ideal, lower than 20 a person is considered underweight, 25 to 30 is overweight and over 30 is obese. Over 40 is seriously obese and life threatening.

Being overweight or obese increases the chances of serious health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, so it is a serious condition.

While obese people should be treated with compassion and there are those that find obese people attractive, as a general rule it is viewed as very unattractive to most people, as is severe underweight (which is just as dangerous for health).

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in some Western Countries, particularly the U.S.A and United Kingdom. It is becoming a big problem among the more wealthy in some Asian and African countries where obesity is seen as a sign of wealth and status. 

While a “slow metabolism” and “hormonal imbalances” are responsible approximately three percent of obesity cases, as are a number of medical conditions and drugs, the usual cause is poor diet, excessive eating and a sedentary lifestyle. 

I gave up smoking 25 years ago and refined sugar 8 years ago, and I suffered different but equally extreme withdrawal symptoms on both. In some ways giving up sugar was harder than tobacco, nicotine is not in half the products on the supermarket shelves. 

For this reason willpower is the most important component of the program I am going to give you in this blog.

The first thing you will have to do is realise that certain foods that are all over your supermarket and shoved in your face relentlessly on a daily basis in glossy advertising are the foods you will have to give up and never eat again. What also makes it difficult is they are delicious.

It is possible to re-introduce some of the weight gaining items once you get to your optimum weight, providing they are consumed in moderation. If you return to gorging on chocolate cakes, custard and TV dinners, you will put on weight again, it’s a lot easier to put weight on than get it off.

If you are prepared to really do this program, you will lose weight. You might not notice much difference for about a month, but persist with it and your weight will go down. 

This the program: 

1. Take out of your diet everything with refined sugar. Remove potatoes, bread and white flour. Stop drinking alcohol, especially beer, stop eating takeaway foods, ready meals and TV dinners. 

2. Go to bed early and get up early. Get at least 7 hours sleep. 

3.  Go for at least 30 minutes vigorous exercise first thing in the morning BEFORE breakfast.. It must be brisk exercise that makes you sweat and the heart pump. Preferably it results in you being out of breath. Jogging, running or swimming are the best. But if you are the member of a gym that’s OK too.

4. Eat five small meals a day, four of which should contain exclusively fresh vegetables (50% raw vegetables), lean meat, and fish.

5. For the first meal of the day, breakfast make a Spirulina Porridge. Spirulina is a green superfood, very high in protein and rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. As a raw food it also contains enzymes and essential oils which are essential for health. The best quality Spirulina can be purchased here at: http://spirulina-powder.co.uk

Spirulina Porridge recipe:

Blend 1 large pot of greek yoghurt with 6 dessert spoons of wheat germ and 1 desert spoon of Spirulina and blend in an electric blender. If you don’t like the taste of this add 1 small avocado and half cup of apple juice and drink as a smoothey.

6. Don’t eat anything after 7pm.

If you do that, you will lose weight but persist with it, sometimes it takes a while. 

Good luck on losing weight!

While you can improve things by tinkering with the system the system doesn’t think or make decisions and the low morality really needs to be addressed. That’s what you get when you have a bunch of lawyers running the country- as long as something is legal that means it is moral, to a lawyer they are the same thing.

I remember having an argument with a barrister on this some years ago, and he just could not get it. To him, the law and ethics, they are the same thing. If it is legal then it is ok, even if a murderer gets away with it. So that is the kind of mentality people are dealing with here, kind of a different species lawyers.

The point of this article is that in the scramble by the politicians to look good and reform the political system the specter of Proportional Representation (PR) has once again raised its head This is mainly promoted by the Liberal Democrats, who cannot get enough votes in the First Past the Post System. PR is a fair system on paper but doesn’t pass close scrutiny, I don’t like it and this is why.

The Political system currently in use in the United Kingdom, U.S.A and many other countries is called the “First Past the Post System (FPTP). This is a system of democracy where a country is divided into districts and the candidate who gets the most votes in an election for a district wins a seat in the government, or the legislative assembly in provincial and territorial elections. The leader of the party which wins the highest number or seats, rather than the party with the highest percentage of the overall vote is asked to form the government.

Other country’s elections such as those in Australia and the EU are run on Proportional representation (PR) This is a system of democracy aimed at a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive. There are various forms of PR but they all conform to the principle that all voters should be represented in government according to the overall percentage of votes they obtain in an election. I am not a fan of this system.

Both systems are flawed in that they rely on accurate information being given to the electorate, and they also rely on all parties having equal access to communication mediums such as newspapers, TV, Radio and the Internet.

Some countries hold token elections every now and then, but the media is completely controlled by the ruling party. This gives them a big advantage and they usually get elected, but if the propaganda fails they simply fake the result. But these countries are really only pretending to be democracies for Public Relations purposes.

That bloke in North Korea apparently gets voted in every few years, not too difficult when you are the only candidate standing. The recent Iranian election results were faked. But these aren’t democracies; they are a one party system pretending to be a democracy.

But provided there is a reasonable equal access to the lines of communication and the media the first past the post system is the one that works best. This doesn’t mean it is the best possible system; it is just the best form of democracy we have now- but why?

On the face of it PR looks good, everyone gets a say, it is fair, but in government fair is not always the best.

Firstly government requires a certain degree of leadership. This is not possible in a government that attempts to represent every single view and base its decisions on this. It makes it very hard to get a good decision, and the decision process is too slow.

Legislation and vital decisions can be abandoned, making it very difficult to get any decisions about anything. As an experiment try putting a socialist, a capitalist, an anarchist and a fascist in a room together and tell them to come up with a coherent plan to run the country. One of two things will happen.

Either there will be violence as everything degenerates into a massive argument or they will “agree” on some sort of weird hybrid policy that they all agree on but it won’t actually work. This is what happens when leadership is replaced by the obsessive desire for consensus and fairness..

The second objection I have to PR is the voice it gives to nutty minorities.

The basic principle of PR is the idea that everyone who votes is proportionately represented. What this means is if 2% of the population are violent racists they should get a voice in government, or if 5% support the legalization of drugs (something the majority of the population is against) then they should get a couple of seats in government. It is quite plainly crazy and unworkable.

Just because a small minority are mad or evil it doesn’t mean they should get a say in how the rest of us are governed. Yet there are lots of people who actually believe this is the “fair” way of doing things. I wish people would stop being so politically correct..

Reform the electoral system by all means but remember that good government comes from following the wishes of the majority and by fast decisions and leadership and this is not possible under PR.

visit my website:

http://interesting-website.com

Vitamin:- definition 

Any of a group of organic substances that cannot be manufactured by the body essential in varying quantities for a properly functioning body.

Vitamins are vital for health. food grown in soil that lacks minerals and rotted plant matter can contain essential nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates and fats but will be lacking in vitamins, minerals and trace elements that have to be absorbed form the soil. Modern farming methods grow huge crops over and over again, the soil is not allowed to replenish it’s vital natural fertilisers by letting plant matter rot in in it and does not replenish it’s minerals through exposure to rainfall and allowing nitrogen rich grasses to grow.

for more information:

http://health-concious.co.uk

http://over-thirtyfive.co.uk

Research has been done into some of the Vitamins and minerals, but a lot still needs to be learned and research into trace elements is woefully inadequate. 

For general information, here is my first of 3 blogs that cover all the nutrients necessary for good health, which are: Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats, Water, Vitamins, Minerals and Trace Elements. This blog is free and summarises the main benefits of the frst 5 above.

 Proteins:

Proteins are fundamental components of all living cells and include many substances, such as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies, that are necessary for the proper functioning of an organism. They are essential in the diet of animals for the growth and repair of tissue and can be obtained from foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, and legumes.Proteins are extremely important components of all living organisms. The word protein itself means “primary importance” because of the many essential functions of proteins in cells. Much of our bodies’ dry weight is protein. Even our bones are about one-quarter protein. The animals we eat and the microbes that attack us are likewise largely protein. The leather, wool, and silk clothing that we wear are nearly pure protein. The insulin that keeps diabetics alive and the “clot-busting” enzymes that may save heart attack patients are also proteins. Proteins can even be found working at industrial sites.

Carbohydrates:

Provide the body with fuel it needs for physical activity and for proper organ function, and they are an important part of a healthy diet. But some kinds of carbohydrates are far better than others.

 Fats:

Vitamin A:

Vitamin A, also known as retinol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that is readily destroyed upon exposure to heat, light, or air.  

This vitamin has a role in the following:

a) Vision and is a component of a pigment present in the retina of the eye.

b) The proper functioning of most body organs

c) The proper functioning of the immune system.

Result of deficiency: 

a) Night blindness

b) Loss of sight.

c) Drying and scaling of skin

d) Defective bone and teeth formation.

d) Blurred vision and headache in adults

e) Nausea

f) Coarsening and loss of hair

g) Drowsiness and fatigue. 

h) Bone pain

i) Growth failure in children.

j) Nervous irritability in children

k) Enlargement of liver (in ridiculously large doses). 

Always stick to the advice on the label as to the dose. 

Vitamin B1, Thiamine. 

Vitamin D2 is created by the action of sunlight on the skin. It is then converted in the liver into vitamin D3, a much more potent form with additional health benefits. Supplement forms are available of both versions.

Vitamin D2. 

Benefits: 

a) Vitamin D is essential for promoting calcium absorption in the gut and maintaining adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations to enable normal mineralization of bone and prevent hypocalcemic tetany.

 b) It is also needed for bone growth and bone remodeling by osteoblasts and osteoclasts

c) Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen.

d) Vitamin D also helps protect older adults from osteoporosis.

e) Modulation of neuromuscular and immune function

f) Reduction of inflammation.

g) Many genes encoding proteins that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis are modulated in part by vitamin 

Vitamin D3

Benefits: 

All the benefits of D2, plus

a) Protects against muscle weakness.

b) It lowers the risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers. Immune system functioning is improved,

c) Regulates Blood sugar

d) Recent research indicates that in high doses it may be a useful treatment for Diabetic Neuropathy.

Deficiencies cause:

a) Rickets

b) osteoporosis,

c) falls and fractures.

d) new research is also associating a lack of this vitamin with increased risk of breast, colon and prostate cancer,

e) multiple sclerosis

f) Type 2 diabetes.

g) reduce cancers is related to its inhibition of cell growth and multiplication and its promotion of normal cell differentiation.

 Adequate exposure to natural sunlight on bare skin will usually supply enough of this vitamin. If you live in a climate where there is little sunshine it is advisable to supplement. All of the above conditions are more prevalent in northern climates.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that exists in eight different forms. Each form has its own biological activity, which is the measure of potency or functional use in the body. Alpha-tocopherol (α-tocopherol) is the name of the most active form of vitamin E in humans. It is also a powerful biological antioxidant. Vitamin E in supplements is usually sold as alpha-tocopheryl acetate, a form of alpha-tocopherol that protects its ability to function as an antioxidant. The synthetic form is labeled “D, L” while the natural form is labeled “D”. The synthetic form is only half as active as the natural form.

Benefits:

a) Vitamin E acts as a powerful antioxidant by neutralizing free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.

b) Contributes to a healthy circulatory system

c) Aids in proper blood clotting and improves wound healing.

d) Some studies have shown that vitamin E decreases symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and certain types of breast disease.

e) Plays important roles in male sperm production. It is known that a lack of vitamin E inhibits the formation of sperm.

f) Vitamin E helps support the integrity of red blood cells that carry oxygen to the tissues and organs throughout the body.

Deficiency Causes:

a) Damage to nerves.

b) Prevent the absorption of dietary fats and fat-soluble nutrients causing poor health.

c) Low sperm count and infertility if deficiency as a baby.

Vitamin F

Essential fatty acids are sometimes referred to as Vitamin F and are composed of two fatty acids – linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linoleic acid (LNA) – with linoleic acid being the most complete fatty acid. There are two basic categories of EFA’s (essential fatty acids) – omega-3 and omega-6 which include linoleic acid and gamma-linoleic acid. The body is not capable of manufacturing essential fatty acids, while the fatty acid arachidonic acid can be synthesized in the body from linoleic acid.

Benefits: (linoleic acid)

a) Important for healing the body and maintaining good health

b) Prevents clotting and decreases the inflammatory process.

c) Prevents arthritis.

d) Strengthen cell membrane integrity.

e) Repairs cellular and tissue damage.

f) Optimizes neurological transmission and brain function.

g) Help improve heart and circulatory function

h) Help produce supple, moist skin

i) Best sources of Omega 3 oil:

Very best: is Flax seed oil.

Good Source is Evening Primrose Oil.

Deficiency causes:

a) Increased risk of heart disease.

b) Obesity

c) Poor skin

d) Arthritis

e) Lack of energy.

Vitamin G:

This is the name given to Vitamin B2 before it was re-classified as a B Vitamin,

Vitamin H

This is the name given to Biotin before it was re-classified as a B Vitamin.

This is the name given to B7 before it was re-classified as a B Vitamin.

This is the name given to choline before it was re-classified as a B Vitamin.

Vitamin K

Benefits:

a) It is a co-factor in the synthesis of clotting factors II, VII, IX and X.

b) Vitamin K is also very important for bone health.

Deficiency causes:

a) Vitamin K deficiency is thought to cause impaired activation of bone matrix protein osteocalcin, and reduction of osteoblast function, resulting in impaired bone formation.2

 b) Impaired blood clotting ability..

c) Deficiency can occur in persons of any age but neonates are at risk of developing haemorrage disease of the newborn. This is because of a lack of Vitamin K reaching the fetus across the placenta, the low level of Vitamin K in breast milk and low colonic bacterial synthesis.

for more information:

http://health-concious.co.uk

http://over-thirtyfive.co.uk

 For great supplements http://health-concious.co.uk

Autism:

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder. Its symptoms include differences and disabilities in many areas including social communication skills, fine and gross motor skills, and sometimes intellectual skills. The severity varies. Sometimes an Autistic person can demonstrate genius in a certain area while lacking the social and communication skills to survive normally in society.

Antioxidant:

A substance, such as vitamin E, vitamin C, or beta carotene, thought to protect body cells from the damaging effects of oxidation (see definition of oxidation).

Bacteria

Extremely small and very simple organisms—usually 0.3 to 2.0 micrometers in diameter that exist in a variety of environments where there is space food and moisture. Some have adapted to the human body and harm it, some have adapted to the human body and benefit it, some live on dead things.

Bifidobacterium bifidum

A strain of probiotic which is believed to help to reduce colonisation of opportunistic organisms and therefore may be helpful in conditions such as candida. Has also been shown to enhance the efficiency of the human digestive system  and to enhance the efficiency of the human digestive system.

Additionallu it has been shown to have a role in immunoregulation, lipid metabolism and the reduction of cholesterol levels in the diet .

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is an infection caused by a species of the yeast Candida, usually Candida albicans. This is a common cause of vaginal infections in women. Also, Candida may cause mouth infections in people with reduced immune function, or in patients taking certain antibiotics . Candida can be found in virtually all normal people but causes problems in only a fraction. In recent years, however, several serious categories of candidiasis have become more common, due to overuse of antibiotics, the rise of AIDS, the increase in organ transplantations, and the use of invasive devices (catheters, artificial joints and valves)—all of which increase a patient’s susceptibility to infection 

Colitis:

Inflamation of the Colon.

Constipation:

Constipation is an acute or chronic condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual or consist of hard, dry stools that are painful or difficult to pass.

Dairy free

Free from milk or products made from milk such as cheese and yoghurt.

Diet

1. A general term meaning everything that you eat. There are good diets and bad diets.
2. Verb: To reduce food intake or certain types of high calorie foods in order to lose weight 

Dieting

The action of reducing food intake or certain types of high calorie foods in order to lose weight.

Digestion

The breaking down of the food in the body in order to release and utilise the butrients for health and metabolism.

Disease

Any condition that results in the body failing to function properly. Can be caused by organisms, defects in the body itself, or physical trauma. 

Enzymnes

Special type of proteins produced by a living organism that act as catalysts for important chemical reactions.

Fitness

How healthy the body is or how capable it is of engaging in physical activity.

Food

Animal and plant matter that can be digested by the body and provide nutrients for the proper function of that body.

Gut

Informal: The intestines and the bowels.

Health

The degree to which the body is functioning properly.

Herb

1. A plant whos main function is as a type of medicine and to heal.

1. A plant whos primary function is flavouring food.

(some herbs do both).

Hormones

A substance, usually a peptide or steroid, produced by one tissue and conveyed by the bloodstream to another to effect physiological activity, such as growth or metabolism.

Ibs

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common intestinal condition characterized by abdominal pain, and cramps; changes in bowel movements (diarrhea, constipation or both); gassiness; bloating; nausea; and other symptoms. Much about the condition remains unknown or poorly understood; however, dietary changes, and antibiotics may help.

Immune System

The system in the body consisting of many different organs and cells that defend the body against infection. 

Lactobacillus

A bacterium that is used to make yogurt and to supplement probiotics. 

Lactobacillus Acidophilus

acidophilus meaning acid-loving. This bacterium thrives in more acidic environments than most related microorganisms (pH 4-5 or lower) and grows best at 30 degrees Celsius. Helps protect the body against hostile organisms and bacteria.

Lactobacillus Bulgaricus

One of several bacteria used for the production of yoghurt. It can also be found in other naturally fermented products. Feeds on sugars and produces lactic acid, helps with digestion in general.

Large Intestine

The portion of the intestine that extends from the ileum to the anus, forming an arch around the convolutions of the small intestine and including the cecum, colon, rectum, and anal canal.

Malyoth

A super strength strain of Bifidobacterium bifidum.

Minerals

In organic compounds taken from the soil, plants and animals that are utilised by the body for various health benefits.

Multivitamin:

A capsule or pill containing a variety of different vitamins.

Multi mineral

A capsule or pill containing a varieyy of different minerals.

Natural:

Present in or produced by nature (as opposed to synthetic).

Nutrients

Substances that nourish the body and benefit health. Classifications of nutrients are: Proteins or Amino Acids, Carbohydrates, Fats, Vitamins, Minerals, Water and Trace Elements. 

Nutrition

1.  process of nourishing or being nourished, especially the process by which a living organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and for replacement of tissues.

2. The branch of science that studies the above.

Organic

1. Compounds that have a carbon base. from a natural source grown without chemicals. 
2. Methods of food production that preserve the integrity of the environment.

Oxidation

The interaction of something with oxidation in such a way that there is an adverse result. 

Phytonutrients

Nutrients present in food in plant form rather than extracted or artificially manufactured. Widely considered to be healthier and more easily digested.

Probiotics

Means “for life”. Organisms that exist in the body that benefit the body.

Protein

any of a large group of nitrogenous organic compounds that are essential constituents of living cells, they consist of amino acids. The body uses them to build living tissue. 

Protein Powders

Powders especially produced to have a high concentration of protein.

Small intestine

In biology the small intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract (gut) between the stomach and the large intestine, and comprises the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. It is where the vast majority of digestion takes place. …

Soil Association

A UK based charity that promotes organic growing methods and is dedicated to sustainable farming and quality of food. The Soil Association stamp on a product is highly prized in the organic food industry as a sign of quality.

Stomach

The enlarged, saclike portion of the alimentary canal, one of the principal organs of digestion, located in vertebrates between the esophagus and the small intestine.

Superfood

Any food with a high concentration of phytonutrients.

Supplements

Otherwise knows as “nutritional supplements”. Any type of vitamin pill, minerals, trace elements, superfoods or combination thereof used to add extra nutrition to a balanced diet where they is insufficient in normal food or to remedy a deficiency where there is not enough in normal food.

Synthetic

Artificially produced rather than from a natural source.

Trace Elements

A chemical element required in minute quantities by an organism to maintain proper physical. functioning. The study of these elements and their functions is very much in it’s infancy.

Vegan

A strict vegetarian who eats plant products only, especially one who uses no products derived from animals, as fur or leather.

Vegetarian

Someone who abstains from meat. Some vegetarians eat dairy products, others may eat fish. Vegetarianism is a lifestyle and health choice whereas with Vegans there are also moral issues.

Vitamins

Vitamins are organic (carbon based) components in food that are needed in varying amounts for growth and for maintaining good health. The vitamins include vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin K, or the fat-soluble vitamins, and folate (folic acid), vitamin B₁₂, biotin, vitamin B₆, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin C (ascorbic acid), or the water-soluble vitamins. Most vitamins are required in the diet in only tiny amounts, in contrast to the energy components of the diet

Weight loss

To lose excess fat on the body.

The most common misunderstanding in the field of food supplements is the word “supplement” itself.

This is the definition from the Oxford Dictionary:

“Something added to supply a deficiency; an addition to anything by which its defects are supplied”

Therefore we see that the purpose of health supplements, by definition are to supplement the defects in your normal diet.

You may have heard the mantra, oft repeated in medical publications and by the Drug Companies that “supplements are unnecessary where a person is eating a healthy and balanced diet”. Due to modern farmin methods this is false and can severely affect your overall health.

This statement  would be true if it wasn’t for one thing:

 What is not factored into this statement is the element of “soil quality”. In other words the plants have to actually absorb all the necessary Nutrients in order to pass them onto us.

To do this they have to feed on high quality soil.

Unfortunately the push for profit in farming means the use of artificial fertilisers, the over cultivation of soil (exhausting the necessary minerals and nutrients the plant needs to be healthy) and the use of pesticides all reduce the quality of food and the essential Phyto (plant) nutrients in the plants themselvesad therefore the food.

Nutrients are split into the following categories:

Water, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. These are the classes of nutrient that are generally considered vital for health.

There are, however, many trace elements that are also important for health. Science had discovered many of theese, but many others are yet to be studied and many more, I am sure are yet to be discovered. The only way to be really sure of receiving enough nutrients and trace elements is to consume a diet of food that has been fed on mineral and trace element rich soil.  If you live in a area where yiou cannot get this (as most of us in the west do) , then you need to supplement.  Some people prefer vitamins and mineral supplements, others prefer to buy special prepared superfoods that are rich in vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Superfoods are usually food concentrate derived from very healthy sources such as seaweed or barley.

The other thing I would say is don’t buy the propaganda line that Natural Health is somehow “unscientific”. This is complete nonsense there is an ancient scientific method of studying something known as “empirical”. Again the Oxford Dictionary defines this as:

“ Medical: of a Physician: That bases his methods of practice on the results of observations and experiments, not scientific theory. B. of a remedy , a rule treatment etc. : That is adopted because found (or believed) to have been successful in practice ; the reason for it’s efficacy unknown.

In other words if it is tried and observed to work and there are no ill effects observed then this is a valid form of scientific research. In fact for our ancestors there was no other way of doing it in the absence of labs etc. To dismiss this perfectly valid form of ancient science is, however, arrogant and stupid.

Don’t buy the line that Natural Health products have “dangerous side effects”. In actual fact it is necessary to distinguish between vitamin and mineral supplements (which are food) and herbal supplements (which are a natural medicine). There is no evidence of dangerous side effects for any vitamins or minerals, except where they are used in ridiculously high quantities. There can be side effects from herbs, usually these are well documented, so anyone taking herbs should check these before taking.

So, to summarise, supplements are not only a good thing, they are essential.

Don’t buy lies perpetrated by the medical profession and the drug companies. These are based on basic economics: Eestablish your market, establish a reputation, nullify or remove any competition by whatever means, gain the maximum market share.

 Lets not let a simple problem like people getting sick or dying get in the way of this. Realise that the health industry is still an industry, concerned mainly with making profit.

I have made some websites which have information on really good quality vitamins and supplements. They are at these links:

Different types of vitamins and superfoods:

http://health-concious.co.uk  

Probiotics (healthy bacteria) for a healthy intenstine and gut.

http://best-priobiotics.co.uk  

If you are a bit older, then the following website recommends
supplements for lack of energy and other conditions closely related to the over thirty fives.

http://over-thirtyfive.co.uk 

Have fun and be healthy

!Liam Jones

The author has spent several years in the natural supplements industry in sales. The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author alone. The Author does not represent any other individual, body, groups, organisation or company of any kind whatsoever. The statements in this blog are not intended to recommend the treatment if any illness,. if you are ill or are concerned about your health, see a qualified health professional, preferably one who Is qualified in both conventional medicine and natural health methods and takes a holistic approach.