March Meeting at Ocean

Everyone enjoyed an excellent heart-healthy lunch - especially the brownies, which disappeared quickly. Many thanks to our dietary department.

Bob Schenk was introduced - he is a clinical pharmacist and in charge of the Pharmacology Institute, which is located at OMC. At one time Bob owned his own pharmacy. He went on to become a clinical pharmacist - analyzing interactions of medications. We are fortunate to have such a well-educated and experienced pharmacist available to staff and members of the community.

Essential nutrients, for the most part, are not manufactured by the body and need to be taken daily. The essential nutrients include fifteen vitamins, twenty minerals, eight essential amino acids and two essential fatty acids.

A study by the Department of Agriculture shows that many people are deficient in many areas. Examples: B6, calcium, iron and vegetables that contain many vitamins and minerals.

Before a substance can be classified as a vitamin it must be shown that if it is removed from the diet a deficiency will occur, and when it is reintroduced it will cure or prevent the deficiency. Deficiencies can lead to possible disease.

There is very little regulation for vitamins or supplements. If studies are done, check who is giving the information or who did the study. You might be suspicious if the study was done by the manufacturer of the supplement.

The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council sets the RDA, or Recommended Daily Allowance, for each nutrient, which it first published in the 1940s and updates every five years.

Vitamin facts:

Vitamins and minerals have no calories.
They are all found in food.
You will develop a deficiency if you don’t have enough.
The best way to get them is in food.

Some essential vitamins:

Vitamin C 200 mg daily.
Vitamin E 400 IU (International Units) daily.
Vitamin D 600 IU if you’re over 70 years old.

A few essential minerals:

calcium,
magnesium,
potassium,
zinc,
iron.

Essential fatty acids:

Omega 3 and omega 6; they are essential because they are necessary to human health but the body can’t make them. We must get them through diet. We get them from:

cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel
flax seed oil
evening primrose oil.

Helpful hints:

Take supplements with meals.
Supplements are not miracle cures; they should not replace food.
Always check with your doctor before taking supplements (including herbs) because they may cause interactions with medications and they may cause side effects.

Look for this logo on supplements: a circle with “USP” across the middle and the word “VERIFIED” under that. USP (United States Pharmacopeia) tests the purity, potency and quality of dietary supplements. Only those supplements that meet its standards are awarded the use of the USP logo. Seeing this mark on a dietary supplement assures the consumer that the supplements they buy provide the expected value.

Bob Schenk has given us a tremendous amount of valuable information. I did receive from Bob a copy of his slide presentation and I hope to make copies for everyone at the next meeting at OMC.

If you are interested in having an analysis of your medications and supplements you can call or write to Bob and he will send the forms you will need to fill out and return to him. Phone number 732-836-4466; address: Bob Schenk, Meridian Pharmacology Institute at OMC, 425 Jack Martin Blvd., Brick, NJ 08724.