Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Re: [rosacea] supplements

On 29/11/06 00:33, "Ricky Butler" <classics_guy@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I think taking megadoes of supplements probably isn't
> good for anyone. But how many of us REALLy eat the
> 5-9 a day rule of fruits and veggies??
> I know, I don't!

Well, I do, but I'm weird! I think I probably manage 10 to 12 portions. I'd
find it impossible to eat less than 6, even on a bad day.

> I read to get the full 400 iu of vitamin E a person
> would have to consume huge amounts of food
> containing them ...

WHAT?!?!?!? What do you mean by "the full 400 iu"? That's a huge amount.
Apparently, there is evidence that too much Vitamin E -- i.e. 400 IU or more
-- actually increases our chance of dying. According to Johns Hopkins
University researcher, Edgar R. Miller III, the risk of death starts to
increase at 150 IU, but at 400 IU, the typical dose in a Vitamin E capsule,
the risk of dying from any cause is about 10 per cent higher than for those
not taking the vitamin. The very strong message of the research is: Don't
take Vitamin E supplements.
<http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/10/health/webmd/main654887.shtml>

The recommended daily allowance of Vitamin E for adults is only 20 mg --
that is, 30 IU. You can get that from just 3 ounces of dry-roasted sunflower
seeds or almonds. A diet rich in whole grains, dark leafy vegetables, nuts
(and nut butters), seeds, pulses, and vegetable oils -- as well as other
foods that contain small quantities, like mangos, kiwi fruit and grapes --
would easily provide more than you need. And those sorts of foods have other
benefits, too. If you really feel the need to take a supplement, then just 1
tablespoonful of wheat germ oil would provide 26.2 IU.

> But theres days, I don't feel like eating some of these
> vitamin C or A rich foods and citrus on a daily bases
> would give me cankers sores anyway! which im prone to.

I used to get mouth ulcers (I assume they're the same as canker sores)
before my diet improved! You don't need to eat citrus. If you eat a wide
range of the fruits and vegetables that you can tolerate, you'll get plenty
of Vitamin C and A. Food preferences are so much a matter of habit. If you
get into the habit of eating the 5-9 portions of fruit and veggies, then
after a while you'll start to miss them if you don't have them. You'll find
yourself salivating at the thought of a crisp green salad or a crunchy
stir-fry. Fantasising about collards and mustard greens ... ;-)

> Grape seed extract is a different antioxidant than the
> others, and supposedly more powerful than vitamin E and
> C. I know im not about to sit and eat crunchy grape seed's
> all day! as much as I love grapes!! the grapes here now
> aren't even that fresh. so a grape seed supplement makes
> sense to me, if I waited for grapes to come into season
> id be missing out ...

OK, fair enough. And it's a shame that proanthocyanidins in raisins are
undetectable. But there are decent amounts in red grape juice and -- Hurrah!
-- red wine. That'll do me. (See
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligomeric_proanthocyanidin>.)

Also, bear in mind that you can get other valuable bioflavonoids from a
variety of foods. There's an interesting article on the subject at
<http://www.nutritionreporter.com/Look_at_Flavonoids.html>. It concludes:

"Based on what we already know about the synergism of antioxidants, it's
more sensible to consume more rather than fewer types of flavonoids,
particularly if you're taking them preventively. Thus, instead of taking
tablets to get a lot of just a few flavonoids, it would be better to eat a
little of a lot of different flavonoids. The best way to do that is through
a diet with many different kinds of fruits, vegetables, and grains."

> grape seed extract and rosacea? well, I don't know.
> I see no difference to be honest. but then drinking
> tons of water doesn't make me breakout less either,
> though I do try and drink it. as at least it helps
> my urinary tract, if grape seed extract helps strengthen
> vessels, then why not? if it helps bind to collagen
> and thus helping skin stay elastic longer, then im all
> for it! ...

Yes, if it does those things then I can certainly see the advantage. And I
haven't ruled out taking grape seed extract. I have ruled out taking any
more French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol), though. I think it's a
rip-off.

> as for grape seed extract and vitamin C I will see
> thursday when I have my blood pressure checked, if
> its high, then I will make sure my grape seed extract
> is taken at different intervals than any kind of C,
> which I don't really take a super high dose of anyway ...
> looking in my cabinet,I could easily cut down to one
> multi vitamin one combined green tea, grape seed complex
> and 2 l-Lysine supplements a day and be fine and cut out
> the extra Vitamin E and the SOMETIMES Ester-C and
> selenium I take. id save money and in fact that's what
> I will do!

I think that's very sensible of you, Ricky. And try to eat more healthily
too, eh? ;-)

> ... but I am keeping the green tea and grape seed
> complex. one could do more harm smoking cigarettes, right?

I won't argue with you there!

Sorry to sound like such a bossy old busybody.

Emma

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