Beware the snake oil salesman

          Diet Pills and Supplements are not a quick fix or suitable substitute for proper nutrition gained from fresh foods. The herbal supplement industry is a $5 billion dollar industry in the United States. It is also an unregulated industry. From multi-level marketing to supplements sold by GNC, Wal-Mart, and other stores, if you take supplements, do you know what is really in them? What about the people who push them?

Let’s look at some of these snake oil salesmen.

Kevin Trudeau is possibly the most known salesman. He’s currently in jail until 2022, but he originally got in trouble in the early 1990s with his weight loss book and false health claims in his infomercials. His 30-day supplement sold for $100, yet the ingredient list wasn’t readily available, nor were independent tests. That is a huge red flag.

[Insert name of Mult-Level Marketing company here]…just pick a name. Really, do it. Then go look at their website. They all claim that their supplements will improve your health. They also have a disclaimer that the supplements are not FDA approved and not meant to prevent, treat, or cure any diseases. Although not FDA approved, many of them claim independent testing and creations of specific formulas for weight management, sleep issues, energy, and more.

One company even goes as far as to state, “Our team of researchers, nutritionists and scientists (Edit: That’s the company’s team, not some independent researchers), can include supplements that can help relieve symptoms of a variety of a medical conditions you might have.” Again, not FDA approved. They claim to base their individualized program on a HIPAA Compliant online assessment that the individual takes. All I can think of is the show House when he states, "Everybody lies." Looking at their team page, they don’t list any board certified medical professionals, nor truly independent testing on their products. Oh, I can’t forget to mention that the CEO of this particular company has been involved in a few lawsuits regarding pyramid schemes and false advertising pertaining to his previous ventures.

               MLM supplements are EXPENSIVE to boot. They are marked up about five times higher than retail supplements.

Don't even get me started on the quack Joseph Mercola. He's worse than Kevin Trudeau. Mercola has already been in trouble with the FDA several times for making false health claims of his supplements.

Key point here: Do your research and be cynical.

What about the actual ingredients?

 As a generalization, a lot of people will try anything that seems like as quick, easy fix to a complicated problem. Supplement companies prey on this behavior and it is paying off for them. Unfortunately, it is harming their customers physically and financially.

In a study published in BMC Medicine in Canada, 30 out of 44 tested supplements had product substitutions. Only two of the 12 companies had zero substitutions. The majority of the supplements consisted of poor quality ingredients in the first place and substitutions consisted of nothing more than powdered rice or weeds. For instance, bottles of St. John’s Wort was actually found to be 100% powdered rice and one bottle had Alexandria Senna, a powerful laxative. Gingko Biloba had black walnut added as a filler. Fillers consisting of wheat, rice, and soybean were also found in other supplements. These were not listed on the ingredient label of the supplement.

The study can be freely accessed at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/11/222

            People spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a year on supplements and take thousands of pills, powders, etc. They may feel good for a while and may see results, but ultimately, it is a band-aid.

Let me add this about supplements. Not all supplements are bad. For instance, I take a specific vitamin pack that my neighbor sells through an MLM company. Now, I did have my primary care doctor check it out before I took it, and she says it’s a good one. I also see a naturopathic doctor, because I had been on so many different big pharmaceutical medicines over the years, I started fearing negative side affects on my body. They were also just giving temporary relief. A friend recommended naturopathic medicine and so far, I don’t have any complaints. The supplements the ND prescribed cannot be bought online, off store shelves, or through MLM. Before taking them, I did extensive research on the manufacturers and they are higher quality. They can only be obtained through prescription. Oh, and my ND went to medical school and obtained her medical doctorate. Naturopathy may not be for everyone. It’s up to the individual.

So, if supplements are not necessarily good, what can I do?

            In short, exercise and put all that supplement money towards healthy, fresh foods. A lot of people would say, “But it is so expensive to eat healthy and organically.” Let’s do the math:

Average monthly cost of high quality supplements – around $180, because most people don’t take just one. That’s $2,160 annually.

Cutting out some processed foods and replacing them with fresh/organic foods per month might add $60-$70 per month to your grocery bill if you budget and plan properly. That’s $720-840 per year. Realistically, a person isn’t going to replace all processed foods in one fell swoop. It’s a gradual change. I’ll be honest, we haven’t completely eliminated processed foods. I also still eat fast food or eat out on occasion.

That’s still an annual savings of up to $1,320.

My personal gradual changes have included adding fresh, wild Salmon and Halibut in place of beef products (I still eat grass fed beef, not as much though), more fresh fruits, free range chicken, and certified organic oatmeal. Fried foods and gravies have been cut back a lot. I stopped buying lunches from the food trucks and cut down on eating out. It only increased my grocery budget a little, but my eating out budget was decreased substantially so it evened out. Other than the recent supplements from my ND and a vitamin pack, I’ve never been one to take supplements because it is just a money sink. 

TL:DR – Don’t rely on supplements. Eat healthier and exercise. The nutrients in fresh/organic foods help your body heal and repair itself better than an over-priced pill or powder. 

If you are determined to take supplements, please consult your physician beforehand so they don’t have adverse effects on any pre-existing conditions or counteract any medications you may be taking. Also check food labels so you don’t overload on a specific supplement. Too much can cause liver damage, kidney failure and other health issues.

Ditch the Scale and Check Your Pants

In America, an estimated 66% of the population is classified as overweight and 32% is classified as obese. I bring this up because in January I started a personal journey. I started a course for personal training and nutritional consultant. Not so much for a career, but to get back in shape, and possibly help others. Over the last few years, I had let myself go. It wasn’t dramatic and most people didn’t see it, but I felt it.

In my previous long-term career, I would swim and do military mandated exercise three times a week. I left the military and went, “Woohoo! I’m free!” I realized that I had made a mistake when I was walking up a small hill and got winded from being out of shape. That wasn’t cool.

Growing up my metabolism had been a rocket firing on all burners. I could eat whatever I wanted and not gain a pound. My mom, bless her heart, worried about me being anorexic one month and bulimic the next. I just didn’t gain weight. In Basic Training, I was put on two meals each meal because I was underweight when I joined. I gained exactly one pound in Basic Training. The other girl in my flight on the same plan had gained 15. She was still tiny though. Even my instructors had me get weighed a few times because they thought the scales were off.

I was blessed, yet cursed, with great metabolism. I say cursed because of all the people who kept telling me that I was too thin and needed to put on some weight. For my height and body composition, though, I was where I needed to be. For the longest time, I stayed where I needed to be….until the last few years.

 I started eating poorly and would snack constantly. I never really weighed myself since we didn’t own a scale, but my pants size kept increasing, albeit slowly. It was that trip up a small hill that did it, though. I stopped snacking and started eating a little better with smaller portions. I also slightly increased my activity when I started training my service dog.

Suddenly, my pants were getting too loose. My metabolism had been kick started after being dormant for awhile. For Christmas, I treated myself to two new pairs of jeans that fit perfectly and were comfortable. I started my class in January. In February, my new jeans were starting to get loose. I ordered a couple of pairs of jeans from a new company called Barbell Apparel. I was planning on waiting until after my course was over, but I broke down and ordered them anyways.

It is the end of April now and the newest pants are loose on me. I’m definitely waiting until after my course it over to order more, though. I’m pretty sure I’ve plateaued, but with three months left in the course, I’m not taking any chances. 

The long-windedness was to make a point. DITCH YOUR SCALE!!!! It’s not what the scale says, but how your pants fit. So many people focus on what the scale says in the bathroom. One thing to keep in mind is that if you’ve been working out regularly and eating even a little bit better, body fat has most likely reduced and lean body mass has increased.

I read something recently where a person was complaining that they’ve been eating healthy and working out for weeks, but only lost three pounds. They were also weighing themselves everyday, which I don’t recommend. The scale is evil and only meant to de-motivate you. If you’re going to weigh yourself, do it first thing in the morning before you’ve had your coffee and eaten. As we go throughout our day, our body carries more and more water weight. At night, that water weight burns off. For instance, you weigh yourself at 4pm. The scale reads 127. You feel dejected and like all your hard work has been for nothing since it is only reading at two pounds less than your starting wait. You wake up the next morning and remember the advice to weigh yourself after waking. You step on the scale and low and behold it now reads 124. This is your true weight, so you’ve really lost five pounds in five weeks. Great job! You are on track!

Here is a timeline of my journey:

- June 2010, I was at 120 pounds when I left the military. 

- July 2010, I started working as a manager at a popular coffee chain.

- May 2011, I went to the doctor and found out that I weighed close to 130 lbs. Still in my range for height and composition.

- May 2011-Jan 2014, I was still working for the coffee chain and on my feet all day. My Dec 2013 doctor appointment weighed me in at 135.

- Jan 2014 - November 2014, this was the time period where I found myself getting winded going up a small hill, spiraled into a deeper depression, was working a desk job, my dog passed away, my uncle was killed, and then beginning of November, I was laid off. 

- October 2014, doctor’s appointment weighed me in at 142 lbs. I felt all that weight. I wasn’t feeling good.

- April 2015, I'm now at 115. My lean body mass is now higher than my fat percentage. 

Now, I’ll be honest and say that part of cutting out the snacks and soda was mostly for budget reasons. With only a measly single income from my fellow curmudgeon, we had to cut back on some things. November 2014 was the same month that I was placed with a Dobby, my service dog, so training her got me out of the house and moving again.

Everything happens for a reason and we've been truly blessed. If I hadn’t been laid off, I wouldn’t have gone to a job fair and met the director of the school I’m currently in. Yes, in the two months before starting school, I lost a good amount of weight. Yet, since starting the personal training course, I’ve been able to tone up and get back in shape. I feel better and have more energy.

You don’t need fad diets, supplements, weight loss shakes, special cleanses, or other gimmicks. These are just things made for profit. Just reduce your portions, eat a little healthier, and get even a little more active. Even walking 30 minutes a day while watching your diet can improve your health. You don't need fancy, expensive gym equipment. Get creative. Various sized water bottles and milk jugs filled with sand can be used for pseudo-dumbbells. 

There is no easy solution. It takes work, patience, and some pain. It is 100% worth it.

Join me on this journey. You’re worth it. Just remember, ditch the scale and check your pants.