Supplements were the problem!

[Atheria]

I just have to quickly post this since I know Dr. McDougall is against vitamins, minerals, and other supplements (except B12).

My friend's elderly mom has been having horrible headaches and other scary medical issues like vertigo, etc. for FIVE YEARS that tons of doctors...both MDs and alternative...couldn't figure out. Her quality of life had plummeted and they spent truckloads of money trying to get help. Anyway, her current doctor asked her what supplements she took. She took standard stuff like multi vitamin/minerals, extra calcium and magnesium, extra B vitamins, Vitamin D, turmeric, and some essential oils. He said, "Quit all of your supplements." SHE'S CURED! My friend said that within 24 hours her mom was like a new woman! All of her symptoms are gone.

Wow!
Atheria

[f1jim]

Just as a point of clarification. Dr. McDougall is not anti-supplement. He believes they can be important tools in treating various conditions. He believes they should be taken under the care of a medical professional. He also believes B12 should be taken by someone completely adherent to this diet if they intend to follow the program long term.
He does not believe in taking supplements as a prophylactic.
f1jim

[Atheria]

Thanks, Jim. I really thought he was anti all of them except B12.

I just bought a pricey new bottle of stuff too....and threw out the receipt!

Atheria

[Poison Ivy]

I just have to quickly post this since I know Dr. McDougall is against vitamins, minerals, and other supplements (except B12).

My friend's elderly mom has been having horrible headaches and other scary medical issues like vertigo, etc. for FIVE YEARS that tons of doctors...both MDs and alternative...couldn't figure out. Her quality of life had plummeted and they spent truckloads of money trying to get help. Anyway, her current doctor asked her what supplements she took. She took standard stuff like multi vitamin/minerals, extra calcium and magnesium, extra B vitamins, Vitamin D, turmeric, and some essential oils. He said, "Quit all of your supplements." SHE'S CURED! My friend said that within 24 hours her mom was like a new woman! All of her symptoms are gone.

Wow!
Atheria

Was she not having these symptoms before she jumped on the supplement bandwagon? Like f1jim said, I would not take any of this stuff as a prophylactic if I felt well. Usually IME, most ppl have an annoying medical problem and can't get rid of it via traditional western medicine, and then they turn to trying some of the alternative stuff.

[Atheria]

I'll ask my friend (her daughter). I think she'd been on a lot of them before the symptoms started, but am not sure. I'll follow up.

Atheria

[Atheria]

I just heard back. My friend's mom was taking a bunch of vitamins, minerals, essential oils, turmeric, etc. prophylactically...and that she felt stressed all the time trying to keep up with her daily pill schedule.

Atheria

[ChewsWisely]

I wonder if this may be the reason why so many people seem to have a problem when eating wheat products, but they think it's the gluten. Aren't all processed wheat-based products such as bread and pasta and even white rice fortified with vitamins and minerals?

That's a question I have for Dr. McDougall or anyone who knows. If supplements are bad and should be avoided unless you have a diagnosed deficiency that can't be fixed by diet alone, then isn't consuming whole grain starches that are fortified with cheap low-quality synthetic vitamins and minerals also a potential problem?

[f1jim]

Which whole grain starches are we talking about? I buy brown rice bulk and there is no fortification in my rice. We also buy bulk legumes, never fortified.
f1jim

[sirdle]

If supplements are bad and should be avoided unless you have a diagnosed deficiency that can't be fixed by diet alone, then isn't consuming whole grain starches that are fortified with cheap low-quality synthetic vitamins and minerals also a potential problem?

I buy whole wheat pasta which is not fortified. Also, oats, rice, barley, corn, sorghum, quinoa, amaranth, millet, buckwheat, and teff. Bob's Red Mill sells all of these without added vitamins or minerals.

Cheers,

[Atheria]

My dad has Celiac Disease and my sister and I both have real gluten intolerances. My suspicion is that GMO wheat is the problem. The wheat we have in 2017 is not what wheat was 2000 years ago. It's been so hybridized to increase the protein content, etc. that it's been ruined. I think I heard somewhere that spelt is what wheat was LONG ago.

Atheria