Someone asked me what kind of vitamins
I take, and he was shocked when I said,
"I don't take vitamins."
"I thought you were into all this health
and nutrition stuff," he said.
"I am."
"Then why don't you take vitamins?"
I waved my arm toward the back yard.
"Look outside," I said.
The entire back yard -- as well as the
side yard -- is a garden. We have a bunch
of raised beds, which are filled with all
sorts of green stuff. The beds are filled
with the best soil you can find. I've spent
the past couple of years adding soil
amendments (compost, kelp meal, crushed
egg shells, leaves, cover crops that I
cut and turn under, etc.) and it's packed
with vitamins and minerals.
Vegetables are like people. They need
good nutrition in order to grow strong
and healthy. That's why you need to work
the soil to make it as nutritious as
possible.
Many people take food supplements to help
get all the nutrition they need. I give
the supplements to my garden. The soil
amendments are food supplements for the
garden.
Later, I harvest and eat fresh vegetables --
and that gives me a one-two knockout
punch of great taste and great nutrition.
For breakfast I had a big omelet made with
four eggs (purchased from the farmer's
market, and raised by a local farmer who
raises free range chickens). I added one
cup of fresh chopped parsley and one cup
of fresh chopped kale from the garden. For
extra flavor, I threw in some chopped basil
and dill.
That's pretty much what I have for breakfast
every morning, although I vary what greens go
into the omelet. Yesterday it included arugula,
several kinds of lettuce, a different kind of
kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, and
two kinds of mustard greens.
The nutritional content is off the charts.
Today's breakfast gave me the following
percentages of my vitamin and mineral
needs for the day:
327 percent of my vitamin A
267 percent of my vitamin C
1,914 percent of my vitamin K
56 percent of my riboflavin
16 percent of my vitamin B12
24 percent of my folate
29 percent of my calcium
47 percent of my iron
21 percent of my magnesium
47 percent of my phosphorus
27 percent of my potassium
22 percent of my zinc
26 percent of my copper
35 percent of my manganese
23 percent of my selenium
Plus 9,217 mcg of beta carotene and
26,786 mcg of lutein and zeaxenthin
(high-powered anti-oxidants) -- along
with high quality protein and omega 3's.
And that's just one meal. Lunch and
dinner pack a similar nutritional punch.
In fact, they're usually a lot higher.
So, no, I don't take vitamins -- unless
you count my meals as vitamins!
Anyhow, I think of it as vitamin power
for breakfast. Throw in some serious Dino
style strength training, and you'll be
unstoppable.
And hey -- if you WANT to take vitamins,
that's fine. But focus on food first --
and on eating as well as possible. If you
can do it, grow your own (or as much of
your own as possible). If that's not
feasible, find your local farmer's market
or see if there's a CSA program (Community
Supported Agriculture) in your community.
Every step you take to improve your diet
will improve your health enormously.
As always, thanks for reading and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a
good one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. As you can see, my approach to diet and
nutrition is PDS -- pretty darn simple. But
it's also PDE -- pretty darn effective. So
is my approach to building strength and
muscle. Learn about it in Dinosaur Training,
Dinosaur Bodyweight Training, Gray Hair
and Black Iron, Chalk and Sweat, and
Strength, Muscle and Power -- and in
my DVD's and training courses:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Thought for the day: "You are what
you eat -- so eat the best food possible."
-- Brooks Kubik
