vitamins, etc

[NancyJ]

I was wondering if vitamins are considered medicine? Supplements?

Thank you.

[shelly]

From my understanding Christian Science works from the stand point that man is completely spiritual. Each person is living Christian Science to their highest understanding, but from my understanding, one would not use material remedies to find health. Health, holiness, wholeness are sincerely spiritual qualities, found only in a deeper understanding of God and her/his creation "man".

In Genesis we read that "man was made in the image and likeness of God." This likeness doesn't need to be supplemented with matter. Neither good matter or very very good matter. Futher in Genesis we read that God looked at creation and said "and behold, it was very good."

Through Christian Science, I understand this to mean that we are already complete, balanced, spiritual, sufficient, and whole.

[loris]

Hi Nancy,
That's an outstanding question! Vitamins seem to be added to every packaged food these days. Milk has Vitamins A and D added. Orange juice has calcium added. Many cereals have a whole multi-vitamin crushed up in every bowl! It's very difficult to avoid chemically prepared vitamins in our modern processed food culture.

Another way to look at vitamins is that they exist in all natural foods anyway. Chemists have just analyzed the components of edible plants and animals and used labels to denote these constituent elements. Then nutritionists determined how many of various elements an average human needs on a daily basis. Voila - the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowances) that you see on every processed food.

Then the dietary community started describing illnesses as a deficiency or an excess of certain nutrients.

Then food producers started adding these nutrients into common, everday foods, so ordinary people would be sure to get enough of all the hard-to-get nutrients.

Then advertisers started promoting their brand with super-sized, bold, bright-colored words, "100% VITAMIN C ADDED" or whatever. And the public bought into it.

On a more alarming note, American soils are being depleted, and there is some concern that commercially produced vegetables have only 1/3 to 1/2 of the nutritional content of a generation or two ago. It is another reason vitamins and supplements are being promoted so vigorously.

If you decide vitamins are medicine, and you want to avoid medicine, you'd have to give up eating food.
If you decide they are not medicine, you could do any number of things!

What is your motive for wanting to take vitamins or supplements. Is it to cure some ailment or ward off some problem? Then you are taking them medicinally. If you want to bridge the gap caused by a nutrient deficient diet, then perhaps you are taking them as food.

Of course, none of this is very spiritual. I've just fleshed out some of the background ideas in our culture at large, and Christian Science sub-culture about vitamins, food, eating, medicine, etc.

I like how Mrs. Eddy puts it: "The divine demand, "Be ye therefore perfect," is scientific, and the human footsteps leading to perfection are indispensable. ... To stop eating, drinking, or being clothed materially before the spiritual facts of existence are gained step by step, is not legitimate." (Science and Health 253:31)

Perhaps you are looking for the right human footstep regarding vitamin usage. This forum is certainly a great place to get ideas. A more spiritual approach to getting an answer would be to turn wholeheartedly to God and ask God to direct your path at this point in your life.

[NancyJ]

Thank you for the replies. They've helped.:)

I take a daily multivitamin, and have done so because I don't always eat healthy foods, or have felt a food group (is it five fruits a day now?:confused:) wasn't met.

After thinking about this further, it came to mind to work on this (eating healthier) and the thought of needing to take the multivitamin tablet will be obselete. It's 'easier' to pop the pill, but in the long run better to eat healthy.

Everyone's at different points regarding decisions about what they decide is necessary for today, so I don't think there is a 'wrong' or a 'right.' I agree, esp. after thinking about this more, that God will guide and answer each person.

And I think a lot of my questions come from years of following man-made religious laws. Hence, many questions begin with, "Is it okay...."

Thanks for your patience.
Nancy
Nancy