If you could only pick one supplement

If you could only pick one supplement

Are you getting your money’s worth when buying health supplements? Are there scientific studies backing up the claims?

by Debbie Williams — 

With thousands of supplements out there, each touted as the latest and greatest, it can be very frustrating to determine which ones you should take, let alone how to afford their high costs. It can be very expensive to get healthy. But I congratulate you on your quest for health because you would not be reading this newspaper if you were not interested in helping yourself naturally.

The big question is: Are you getting your money’s worth when buying health supplements? Are there scientific studies backing up the claims? It is equally frustrating to question if the product you are buying is truly beneficial and whether it is even being absorbed into your body.

The Washington Post on February 3, 2015, had this to say: “A warning to herbal supplement users: Those store-brand ginkgo biloba tablets you bought may contain mustard, wheat, radish and other substances decidedly non-herbal in nature, but they are not likely to contain any actual ginkgo biloba.”

That discovery comes from an investigation by the New York State attorney general’s office into store-brand supplements at four national retailers — GNC, Target, Walgreens and Wal-Mart. All four stores have received cease-and-desist letters demanding that they stop selling a number of dietary supplements, a few of which were found to not contain the herbs shown on their labels and many of which included potential allergens not identified in the ingredients list.

“Contamination, substitution and falsely labeling herbal products constitute deceptive business practices and, more importantly, present considerable health risks for consumers,” said the letters, first reported by The New York Times.

These companies are all trusted household names. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to have products you purchased certified and know they will do what they are supposed to do? There is a way, so read on.

My husband and I made a conscious decision a few years ago that we would spend money on supplements and organic food, rather than pay for prescription drugs to prevent diseases we would most likely get later. Thus far, it has been a good decision, considering most of our friends take prescription drugs. We now only buy supplements that have a high absorption rate and are certified to be what they claim.

Pharma is winning and winning big. Doctors prescribe amphetamines for obesity. (Mine did, and the weight came right back on when I quit taking them.) Many people take steroids, diabetes and high blood pressure medication, use antibiotics regularly, have machines for sleep apnea, take statins and have an unhealthy belly. But there is a better way. Give your body what it needs and the results are remarkable. Your body wants to be healthy — it just needs help.

If I could pick one supplement, it would be beta glucan. My family and friends have been taking beta glucan for nearly four years with significant health benefits. It is one supplement I never forget to take and for good reason. If I miss one day, one-third of my fighting army is gone. What do I mean by that? Most people do not know that white blood cells only live for three days.

Beta glucan is the most effective and powerful immune modulator on the planet. Beta glucan is a polysaccharide. You can find it in grains, Japanese mushrooms and seaweed, but the most powerful beta glucan comes from the walls of baker’s yeast. It has been studied for 50 years. If you go to pubmed.gov, you will find nearly 13,000 peer-reviewed studies on beta glucan. If you wonder why you have not heard of it, one reason could be that it was cost prohibitive about 13 years ago at $200 a capsule.

Beta glucan works by attaching to the receptors on white blood cells. Some of these white blood cells are not naturally killer cells, but when beta glucan connects to them, they become a killer cell, meaning they will destroy non-self cells. Essentially, trillions of cells are helping to keep you healthy. But the immune system needs help. It is under attack from pesticides, pollutions, toxic chemicals, and processed foods and drinks.

If you suffer from any of the following immune issues, you might consider joining the thousands who have turned their health around. These include: cancer, glaucoma, diabetes, allergies, AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, Crohn’s, IBS, stress, asthma, psoriasis and eczema.

A healthy immune system keeps you free of disease and healthy. You will not get those seasonal “gotchas,” like the flu, colds and allergies. Eighty percent of your immune system is in your gut.

Everyone can benefit from taking beta glucan. It works on children, pets and plants, and in more than 50 years of study, no known side effects have been found. Buyer beware: I was at a seminar several years ago when a university expert on beta glucan declared that most beta glucan found on health-food store shelves is worthless. Our brand is university tested and certified to be the best in the world. This manufacturer actually rejects 90 percent of the beta glucan coming into its lab, while other resellers purchase those rejects.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If pregnant or lactating or if you have had an organ transplant, please consult a physician before using.

Debbie Williams is an immune health coach and is studying to be a certified nutrition coach. vitalityforlife.youngevity.com, debphoenix@aol.com or 623-444-0557.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 34, Number 3, June/July 2015.