Swanson Vitamins Blog

Dig a Little Deeper to Get the WHOLE Story

Posted by Kayla:

I am a self-described news hound. I probably watch, listen to and read more news than most people my age. I always start my day by turning on a morning news show while I’m getting ready. Last week, while watching Good Morning America, something caught my ear. A story about how vitamins and supplements could be bad made me stop eating my eggs and turn up the volume on my kitchen TV.

Government Releases New Guidelines on Cancer Screening

Posted by Ben:

We’ve got more news out of the world of modern medicine today. This time, instead of a reversal on prescription drug efficacy (as with the Zetia and Vytorin study released earlier this week), we seem to have a reversal on one of the most common cancer screening methods: mammograms. Nearly everyone has or will be touched by breast cancer, either personally or, like me, through family members who have or will fight it. Thus, this news affects us all.

Zetia & Vytorin Outperformed by Niaspan (Rx form of Niacin) in New Cholesterol Study

Posted by Ben:

In case you missed the headlines this morning on all the national news shows, a new study was released today that basically called out Merck’s Zetia and Vytorin cholesterol-lowering drugs. According to the researchers who conducted the study, these two prescription drugs don’t work...at least not as well as Niacin, a good ol’ natural B vitamin.
 

Symptom Checker: How Do You Know if You Have the Flu or Just the Common Cold?

Posted by Ben:

The cold and flu season is still going strong. Runny noses, sore throats and trips to the walk-in clinic are abundant, and there are few signs of a slowdown. But how do you know if you are suffering from the common (and annoying) cold, or if you’ve come down with a case of the flu...or worse, swine flu?

Dr. Andrew Weil Suggests Astragalus For Swine Flu

Posted by Ben:

The swine flu is the new Britney Spears, at least as far as media coverage. Every day brings a new story. Usually, the stories feature the latest news about the vaccine or how widespread it's going to be or the latest community to fall victim. Today, I want to share a story about one (natural) option that is being promoted by Dr. Andrew Weil, a well-respected proponent of prevention and natural health.

Dr. Weil recently appeared on "Larry King Live" to discuss the antiviral properties of Astragalus, also known as Astragalus root. With schools back in session and college dorm rooms filled with new roommates, both swine flu and season flu cases are starting to rise.

Click here to learn more about the potential benefits of Astragalus.

How Can You Help Lower Health Care Costs?

Posted by Ben:

Healthcare costs for Americans who get medical coverage through an employer hit a record $16,771 per family this year. To follow up on Wednesday’s post, I thought it would be a good idea to examine how we might be able to lower costs on an individual and family level. While many of you may be apathetic or cynical towards any health care changes coming from Washington, we can take matters into our own hands, lead better lives and have an impact.

The Gigantic Missing Piece to Genuine Health Care Reform

Posted by Ben:

This blog is dedicated to natural health, wellness, dietary supplements, organic foods, environmentally friendly products, etc. So why a post about health care reform? Because with all the plans floating around, all the ideas and suggestions being proposed, the root of the problem is being ignored.
 

The Side Effect of Drugs Even Your Doctor May Not Know About

Posted by Ben:

You’ve seen the drug commercials on TV. You know, the ones asking you to speak with your doctor about Lipitor, Zoloft, Cialis, etc. and all the benefits they will bestow upon your life. But do you listen long enough for the announcer to read through the laundry list of side effects?
 

While these prescription drugs may actually help you lower your cholesterol, balance your emotional health or achieve a greater degree of sexual intimacy, all drugs have side effects. Some are downright ugly (insomnia, sexual side effects, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, headache, rash, muscle and joint pain…).

Roll Up Your Sleeve and Put On Your Mask — The Swine Flu’s a Comin’

Posted by Ben:

Have you heard the news? As many as 90,000 of us may only have a few more months to live. According to the latest predictions, that’s how many Americans could die from the inevitable swine flu pandemic (wait…wasn’t there an inevitable bird flu pandemic, too? Did I miss that?).
 
 
Companies, schools and other institutions across the country are scrambling to put together action plans in preparation for the upcoming flu outbreak. But I, for one, am having a hard time making up my mind about the swine flu. Is it a major public health concern, or is it a lot of hysterics like we saw with the bird flu or SARS? Who else is struggling with what to do this flu season? Who else can’t decide?

Another Reason Why (Too Many) Americans Are Fat

Posted by Ben:

It’s a rough title for today’s blog post, but unfortunately it only hurts to read it because it is true. It’s no secret the American waistline has been expanding by the second over the past couple decades, and it is largely due to the good ol’ Standard American Diet…aka SAD.
 
There have been a few notable scapegoats behind the growing obesity epidemic, including trans-fat, hydrogenated oils, and even sodium. But according to a recent report issued by the American Heart Association, it isn’t just the fast food burgers and French fries that are to blame…

Is Magnesium Stearate Safe? Independent Toxicology Report Says Yes

Posted by Ben:

A couple days ago, one of our product developers sent me an email with some information he was asked to put together in order to respond to a claim made on another natural health website. The claim was in regard to the relative safety of Magnesium Stearate, which is found in several of our dietary supplements. While the particular website shall remain nameless here, it is actually a highly popular and well-respected site by most in the natural health industry…Swanson Vitamins included.

46% of Scientists Admit That They Know Their Fellow Researchers Alter Study Results

Posted by Ben:

If there’s one thing in life you can trust, it’s science and the studies they produce, right? Well, apparently not, according to an investigation recently completed at the University of Edinburgh. Researcher Daniele Fanelli conducted a comprehensive review of 21 scientific misconduct surveys carried out between 1986 and 2005. What he discovered should send chills down your spine.

The FDA Investigates Acetaminophen Safety

A government advisory panel organized by the FDA began voting today on various recommendations that would either cut down dosages of acetaminophen or completely pull combination drugs that contain acetaminophen off the shelves – immensely popular over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol and NyQuil.

So once again we are given an opportunity to evaluate the Food and Drug Administration and the relative safety this government organization provides for us and our families. Here’s an interesting fact to start the discussion…

FDA Sends Warning Letter to Makers of Zicam Cold Remedies

On Tuesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent a letter of warning to Matrixx Initiatives, Inc., the makers of the popular Zicam homeopathic cold remedies. The letter referenced two Zicam products in particular: Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel and Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs (including the kids’ size swabs). The FDA says it has received more than 130 reports since 1999 from consumers reporting a loss of smell, both temporarily and permanently (anosmia).  The following is an excerpt from a news release issued by Matrixx Initiatives, Inc., dated June 16, 2009:

Are Vitamins BAD for You?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, I am sure you have read about a recent study published in May that has been a hot topic in the news. According to researchers in Germany and Boston, exercising to improve your metabolism or prevent diabetes and taking antioxidant supplementation like vitamins C and E don’t go hand-in-hand. In fact, news outlets are publishing headlines such as “Vitamins Found to Curb Exercise Benefits” and “Wait, Now Antioxidants are Bad?”

However, being a part of the industry and knowing that media coverage is usually negative towards vitamins and supplements, my first reaction was to question the reports. Thankfully, after digging a little deeper and getting beyond the hype created by the media, I found I wasn’t alone.