BIOLOGY: WEEK 12





I think that we tend to use supplements as an alternative magic pill rather than putting in the effort to eating a balanced diet.  Whether we blame it on not having enough time in our schedules or addressing an issue such as weight loss,  supplements are being used in lieu of focusing on supplementing our diets with healthful foods.  The human body best absorbs most vitamins, minerals and micronutrients from foods and not supplements.

The big business of supplements uses marketing to appeal to the consumers by proposing cures for everything including aging, disease and longevity.  The magic pill mentality appeals to people because it offers an array of easy solutions.  Consumers are attracted to this because it is easier to pop a pill than to reshape one's own diet to accommodate longterm healthy choices.




Can one aspirin a day dramatically cut cancer risk?  Studies that encourage the use of aspirin to prevent cancer should be taken with a grain of salt.  The daily use of aspirin can actually lead to the  build up of salicylic acid in the body, which can be highly detrimental to liver function.  Is it better to take aspirin on a daily basis to prevent cancer but end up with liver complications?  I think we need to balance our use of pharmaceutical drugs based on the sole idea that it might be a cure all for cancer.







Comments

  1. Gina MarksAugust 1, 2018 at 2:12 PM

    I tend to be one of those people that buy supplements and watch them expire on my shelf. They are sitting next to my herbal formulas, which are also collecting dust. I think people may have the right intent in adding a nutritional supplement, trying to be proactive with their health using their resources. Unfortunately, not all supplements are created equal and many are just talc. I agree, a balanced meal/diet is much better and is easier to do with following a meal prep plan. Although, I just finished a Lean Cruisine, which probably did nothing nutritional wise. I think it is interesting that our society so readily gives kids vitamins, sort of priming them to always to a pill to balance out their nutritional needs.

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  2. UnknownAugust 1, 2018 at 8:18 PM

    I agree, the pill popping culture we have developed in our society is a reflection of just how far we've gotten in refusing to own up to our own self care. We have developed unrealistic expectations of our health in relation to our lifestyle. We want to be healthy, but we refuse to make the changes and put in the sacrifice and efforts to be healthy. Our Western healthcare system needs to start prioritizing the individual rather than their bank accounts and start learning from our older generations about taking care of our health in a more holistic manner rather than this "magic pill" mentality we have developed.

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