It is said that SARS invented copper wire when they tried to grab the last penny from the pockets of South Africans. Maybe you are one of those hardy South Africans pinching the other end of that last penny as tightly as you can.
It’s the end of Janu-worry (at lo-o-ong last) and your purse is thinner than the tread on a minibus taxi’s tyres. You’ve paid (some of) Dezember’s holiday debts, you’ve taken a second mortgage on the house to pay for the kids’ education. For tonight’s dinner, you opened the last tin of Baked Beans (1994) and you’re busy heating it over your last candle stub (also 1994 vintage).
Woza Payday, woza!
Did anyone mention SUPPLEMENTS?
When times are tough, supplements are the first thing you chuck from the budget. And indeed, if you’re using supplements like a reverse version of Russian roulette, a kind of magic charm “just in case”, then there isn’t much sense in paying for a lucky charm in desperate times.
However, if you understand the concept of “rational supplementation”, then supplements form the bedrock of your ability to earn income in the first place.
“Rational supplementation” means, you supplement only what you really need, in the correct dosages. In other words, you are informed about your body’s needs, you understand how to supply those needs and you know how much to give to address those needs. Clear-headed thinking, not a random, shot-gun approach.
Your health is your single biggest asset. Health is not quantifiable. You can’t measure it with a device. Still, without it, you cannot earn income and you struggle to participate in society. Your health is not your doctor’s responsibility. It is not your medical aid’s responsibility. It is fully your responsibility. The results of not looking after your health come home to roost right here, inside your very own body. Ouch.
So, what to do when funds are low?
First things first: Stop buying useless supplements that promise you the world. Almost every multivitamin out there contains too little good stuff to be of much use, and often in a poorly available form. You can save yourself the cos of buying these.
Secondly, don’t eat garbage. Anything that comes in a slick wrapper or a box should be suspect. If it needs a factory to make it, it’s likely got stuff in there that’s not good for you. As far as possible, stick to food that looks the way God made it. Make sure this includes animal products (not insects, mind you). Keep the distance between farm and fork as short as possible. Where possible, find a bio-farmer you can trust. You cannot out-supplement a toxic diet.
Third, get sunshine on your skin as often as possible. For most of us, weekends are the only chance of getting into the sun. Make the most of it (but don’t be silly and burn your skin).
Now, what do you add to the above?
At the very least, you need Vitamin D.
Vitamin D is the kingpin (queenpin?) of health. IT is crucial for bones, muscles, nerves, immunity and more. You cannot get enough of it from food, even on a healthy diet. Unless you are a surfer, lifesaver or farm worker, you don’t get enough of it via the sun, either. To add insult to injury, pollution, wifi and mobile radiation drain Vitamin D levels even more.
If you cannot afford any other supplement, at least make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D. The officially recommended intakes are ridiculously low. Research has shown, over and over again, that adults need doses between 5,000 and 10,000 IU daily That’s about 10 times more than what your friendly doctor will tell you (if she tells you anything at all). For children, the requirements are less clear, but about half of those numbers should be sufficient. Do not worry about overdosing on Vitamin D. Very few people in the history of medicine actually managed to overdose themselves on Vitamin D. Medical literature records only one case of death after Vitamin D overdose. The unfortunate 89-year old gentleman had blood levels in excess of 150 ng/ml, which is about double what Do Frank recommends as optimal.
Tens of thousands have died due to aspirin, yet you never see governments warning against aspirin. Why the fear about Vitamin D? Maybe because it works too well…
Just to be sure no one dies, the dear South African government limits Vitamin D in supplements to 1,000 IU per dose. So, buying an off-the shelf product will not help you.
Also, when buying a Vitamin D supplement, make sure the Vitamin D is in the D3 form (= cholecalciferol), not the D2 form. If it does not say “D3” on the label, you can assume it is D2, which is much less effective than Vitamin D3. Don’t buy it.
At Integrow Health, we offer a variety of Vitamin D3 solutions to select from:
Mega D3: One to two capsules a week is all you need to take. At a cost of little more than R1.00 per day, this is our most cost-effective form of Vitamin D3.
D3Light Drops: Each drop contains 1,000 IU of Vit D3. There are 300 drops per glass bottle. Ideal for kids who don’t like taking pills. About R1.00 per drop.
Daily D3Light Softgels: Each softgel supplies 5,000 IU Vitamin D3 in an oil matrix, for best absorption. This is perfect for people who want to take their supplements daily, instead of weekly.
Next week, we will discuss the second most important supplement you need in your cupboard.
To your (radiant) health!
The Team at Integrow Health
