Supplements That are Actually No Good for You

We tend to worry more about obesity than anything else, when we should be concerned with maintaining good health. To that end, we often supplement our diets with products that we believe may help us lose weight. Supplements can be good, but some of them can actually be dangerous.

Read the Label Before You Buy

It’s difficult to know which health products or vitamins to take. Between diet trends and in-vogue vitamins, we get a lot of misinformation. Informed decisions are best.

• Aconite – Also known as (aka) aconiti tuber, aconitum, angustifoliate, monkshood, radix aconti, wolfsbane. Can cause (cc): vomiting, paralysis, breathing/heart problems, death
• Caffeine powder – aka trimethyl xanthine. cc: seizures, arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, death
• Chaparral – aka creosote bush, greasewood, larrea. cc: kidney problems, liver damage, death.
• Coltsfoot – aka Coughwort, farfara folium leaf, foalswort. cc: liver damage, cancer
• Comfrey – aka blackwort, bruisewort, slippery root, Symphytum Officinale. cc: liver damage, cancer
• Germander – aka teucrium chamaedrys, viscidum. cc: liver damage, hepatitis, death.
• Celandine – aka Chelidonium majus, chelidonine herba. cc: liver damage.
• Green tea extract – aka camellia Sinensis. cc: dizziness, high blood pressure, liver damage, death.
• Kava – aka piper methysticum. Exacerbates depression, cc: liver damage, death.
• Lobelia – aka Asthma weed, lobelia inflata, vomit wort, wild tobacco. cc: vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, seizures, hypothermia, coma, death.
• Methylsynephrine – aka p-hydroxyephedrine, oxyephedrine. cc: cardiac arrest.
• Pennyroyal Oil – aka hedeoma pulegioides, mentha pulegium. cc: liver/kidney/nerve damage, convulsions, death.
• Read yeast rice – aka monascus purpureus. Cc kidney/muscle/liver problems, hair loss.
• Usnic acid – aka beard moss, usnea. cc: weight loss, liver damage
• Yohimbe – aka pausinystalia/ corynanthe johimbi. cc: high blood pressure, seizures, liver/kidney/heart problems, death.

The ABCs of Vitamins: Eat Spinach

Almost everyone takes multivitamins. Today, taking vitamins every day is as ingrained as brushing your teeth before bedtime, and it’s something we train our children to do. After all, taking vitamins might help and it can’t hurt, right? Wrong. Haphazardly taking random or mega-doses of certain vitamins can hurt you.

• Multivitamins – The extras in your multivitamin can increase the risk of death with long-term use.
• Vitamin A/beta carotene – Too much vitamin A can cause visual/skin changes, bone pain, and can lead to liver damage.
• Vitamin B6 – High levels of vitamin B6 can cause severe nerve damage.
• Vitamin C – Doses of 2,000mg or more can increase the risk of kidney stones. It doesn’t prevent or cure colds, either.
• Vitamin E – Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic studies summarized their findings by saying, “High-dose vitamin E may increase the risk of death from all causes.”

What is a great way to get vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, K, calcium, choline, copper, fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, protein, and zinc? Eat spinach.

Be Good to Yourself
At Holmes Place, you’ll discover a luxurious – and unpretentious – atmosphere staffed by caring and engaging wellness professionals. Some of the amenities include:

• Diet consultation
• Fitness classes (Floatfit, Pilates, Les Mills, Zumba, etc... )
• Nutrition guidance
• Relaxation techniques and advice

Taking the time to take care of yourself is a necessity, not a luxury. To find a club or for more information, contact us today!