VITAMINS!

So, we are facing a world of threats to life and limb. We are struggling with a world-wide epidemic. The media are screaming about the threat to continued human habitation on this planet, and the fate of our children and grandchildren. But most of us are taken up with the day to day battle to keep ourselves healthy. Those who want to live forever, line up at the right!

My Bride is wading among a multitude of internet presentations extolling the beauties and taste delights of a million concoctions that will test our resolve to pursue a healthier diet. When presented with these offering in the real world, it takes someone with a great deal more courage than I have, bulking up my moral fibre, to raise objections to consuming what’s presented.

But calories are not what it is all about in my readings of the literature we seniors are awash in. Yes, surely it’s about a balanced diet which will provide us with the wherewithal to realize our potential to challenge Methuselah. And aging as well as we can without pain and serious illness. And it’s about ensuring we consume all those crucial trace elements that we may in fact be missing in spite of the abundance of delicious entrees on our tables. And they are all haranguing us about less being more. What to do to square the circle?

So it’s vitamins, vitamins are what it is all about. That involves an encyclopaedia of research.

I can’t believe we are consumed with this stuff when the world is falling down around our heads. This must be selfish and unpatriotic! But if we talk about vitamins maybe we can gracefully avoid the deluge of calories we are faced with.

So, what are the facts in all this? Over 50% of Americans take at least one vitamin supplement. And a study showed that that of adults over 60, some 70% take a regular vitamin supplement. Multi-vitamins usually contain ten or more. Research has shown that B6 and B12 are important for fitness enthusiasts in converting sugar and protein into the energy they will need. It has also shown that folic acid and B vitamins can be important in reducing the incidence of strokes.

There are 90,000 of these products that consumers in America spend $30 billion on. But, there is only limited evidence that they can be beneficial, and too much anything can be bad for you. Everybody agrees they are never a substitute for a balanced diet.

Ok, let’s hear it for food, real food!

Latest bulletin: I can report that I am getting close to my objective of a 70 Kilo weight, that’s about 155 pounds in layman terms. (Actually, I slipped back a little after that!) Three years ago I weighed in at 183. Yippee! The secret! We eat about 1.5 meals a day, drink lots of water and take vitamins. Exercise is on the agenda at least three times a week.

I am writing a postscript to the above story. We are now in Mexico. As mentioned, while in Vancouver we exercise at least three times a week. We were eating less than twice a day. Now, I, at least, am a lazy bum. I nap every day after noon, and walk to the market and into town,( a few blocks,) everyday, go to the beach for a walk in the water, and eat anything, anytime, depending on what comes to hand.

We drink lots of fluids, with fruit salad at least once a day. Bulletin, we are getting more Vitamin D than we can handle every day, and there’s lime juice Vitamin C in everything and on everything we eat or drink. After two months all my trousers are falling off of me. I can hardly wait to stand on the scales again. And I’m getting my lowest fast-based sugar values for my type 2 diabetes of the last year. Vitamins, what are those?

So, I don’t know what’s happening! We feel great! Whatever the story is, we will face reality in another month or so when we complete the analysis of our latest experiment. I’ve no doubt we will return to our vitamin regimen whatever the outcome, but it has felt great to throw caution to the winds for at least a little while.

See you at the vitamin store! We will go there just after our session at the gym.