Before and after
While it's never "too late" to begin taking nutritional supplements, I was surprised -- and a little disappointed -- to learn recently that people often don't incorporate them into their daily lives until they've been diagnosed with a serious illness. According to a recent study conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), "having a chronic medical condition such as cancer is the primary factor in a person's decision to use dietary supplements." The looked at the records of over 9,000 people and found that those who had been diagnosed with a chronic illness were much more likely to be taking vitamins or other nutrients than people who were disease-free. As I said above, I find this disappointing -- and not because it could easily be construed as an attempt by the all-too-mainstream NCI to paint supplements as "last-ditch efforts" employed by people desperate to stop a deadly disease from stealing their future. What I find disappointing is that so many people wait until AFTER their health is in jeopardy before they explore the healing potential of nutrients. While vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other supplements can have amazing disease- fighting effects, most natural medicine physicians agree that their preventative benefits are far more important. And taking advantage of those benefits may very well keep you from ever needing to discover how well they can fight serious illness. I know that this eTip may not apply to many of you -- after all, you wouldn't be reading if you weren't "sold" on the health benefits of nutrients. But I'm sure you have friends and relatives who aren't (I know I do). So do them a favor and forward them this message. Even if just a few people take the time to read it and consider adding a multivitamin to their daily routine, it could mean a world of difference to their health in the long run. Source: "Connections between chronic disease and supplement use," Science Daily (www.sciencedaily.com), 3/3/08 | 
