How independent? How researched? What sources? What qualifications do you have?
I have multipe degrees in health science (including postgrad) from a major university and spent a decade working for in public health research.
Frankly, everything you've said thus far is stuff that a junior high school student could've come up with. And the fact that all roads lead to Nutrilite (Amway), and defence of their corporate line....?
What "defence of their corporate line" are you talking about?
And you're right, a junior high student could come up with a lot of what I've said, because it's that obvious and that well known. Even a momentary effort can find a deal of research talking about declining nutrient content in plants and the poor eating habits of most people today, and increasing problems of nutrient depletion or deficiency.
quote]Again, wouldn't that have you asking questions if it was a discussion of religion and every single answer seemed to come from the Book of Mormon or be in defence of the Latter Day Saints? (I've got nothing more against the Mormons than any other religion, just using them as an example.)[/QUOTE]
Frankly I don't know what you're babbling about. I've barely said anything from any "corporate line" apart from what they claim about their quality control processes. You seem to be under the false impression the other stuff I've been talking about comes from Amway/Nutrilite. It doesn't. It comes from hundreds of articles from dozens and dozens of peer-reviewed journals. I simply don't have the time to write a treatise on it here for you folk.
Here's a quick summary article of some of the research on declining nutrient content of food due to modern farming practices. Little more than logic and basic biology of is needed to predict this, yet on this forum it's been denied it's happening. I have papers from the US, Canada, Australia, UK, Denmark, and Sweden all with similar findings - the nutrient content of food is decreasing. It's not rocket science, particular with regards mineral content. The minerals come from the soil, if it's not being replaced, how does it get in the plants? Magic? And what about anti-oxidants and other phytonutrients? If the plants use them to protect against disease, and they no longer need to do this because we protect them .... what does evolutionary theory say will happen to production of these substances? Again, 100% predictable.
It also requires little more than logic and basic knowledge to understand that for example, if people eat less fish and spend less time in the sun or getting UVB exposure, then Vitamin D levels will likely decrease. It's 100% predictable, yet the constant mantra is that there's no problem with vitamin deficiences. A mantra that ignores
the overwhelming research.
And then there's the little more than reactionary obsession about "over-priced vitamins" that smacks of bias and intellectual laziness. The research is overwhelming that diets rich in fruit and vegetables are healthier, and there's also an awful lot of research indicating that synthetic vitamins don't seem to to do much. But increase dietary intake of fruit and vegetable nutrients with the aid of a plant concentrates? Oh no, waste of money! Just buy the cheap synthetics! Please ... where's the logic in that?