The other day I decided that I should start taking a multi-vitamin. I've never taken them before, and I've certainly never bought any before, I've always eaten in a pretty healthy way, but you know, I'm getting older and I am thinking that it certainly wouldn't hurt to zip out and get some sort of One-a-Day thing.

Well. Who knew there were 35,000 types of vitamins, all in one aisle? 7 or 8 thousand different companies and at least a few hundred multi-vitamins. But, the thing is, there are so many other mineral supplements and vitamin complexes and compounds that I instantly, upon reading the boxes, could feel myself lacking almost everything, and wilting away, right there in the Superstore.

I was squinting my eyes, obviously I need something with lutine, vitamin A and beta-carotene. My knees and back were sore as I hunched down to see the bottom shelf, so of course I have to get something with glucosamine, boswellin, chondroitin, maybe some Omega 3 and Omega 6 as well...those are all needed for healthy joints.

I was feeling stressed at this plethora of packages, so I should look for something with niacin and riboflavin and perhaps a bit of thiamin as well...they all help the nervous system. I had better get some pantothetic acid; that keeps the adrenal glands going, I'm not sure what the adrenal glands actually are, but I'll bet I still need mine.

There are eight...EIGHT kinds of vitamin B and I would imagine I need every one of them, as well as A through K too. I better get some choline because that prevents a fatty liver, and God knows I sure don't need that...I wonder if they have one that prevents fatty thighs? I'd buy 2 bottles of that one.

There's some manganese, bromelain and inositol, they all sound pretty good too, I should get those, and wait...what's that? Lycopene? We need that too? And selenium? And chromium? And the health food folks say that I can't live properly without echinacea, evening primrose oil, black cohosh and some binko boolaba or jingo colaba or ginko biloba.....Arrrhhhgghghgh!!

Ummm...stop. You know what? My mom was right; eat your fruits and vegetables, get some sunlight each day, and go for a walk. Laugh as much as you can (Readers Digest even tells us that "laughter is the best medicine") The hell with all this bottled garbage, I'm just going to go and get some broccoli and oranges and a yam. Meet you at the check-out, and guess who's bill will be waaaay less?

~Never hurry. Take plenty of exercise. Always be cheerful. Take all the sleep you need. You may expect to be well.
~James Freeman Clark.