pgm I'm afraid I have to disagree with you about the vitamin C. Have you looked into the work of Linus Pauling? When the Mayo Clinic attempted to replicate his vitamin C experiments with cancer patients but didn't copy his protocols, and then decared vitamin C is useless in large doses, his reputation was sadly trashed. He was a brilliant man with a lot of good ideas and it's only now that these are slowly being re-addressed.

Pauling recommended 3-10 grams of ascorbic acid -- the plain old cheap stuff, doesn't have to contain flavanoids or anything -- per day, for healthy people. More for people who are ill. We know that a few million years ago, human ancestors lost the gene that manufactures vitamin C for them; presumably they were able to carry on getting enough from their environment. That's next to impossible for anyone now for a vartiety of reasons, and Pauling reckoned that most of the population has subclinical scurvy. Other animals make several grams of their own vitamin C a day, and why would humans likely be any different?

"Live Longer and Feel Better" by Linus Pauling -- one of the first natural health books recommended to me. That's probably why I've got a fondness for this vitamin. He makes a good case for it being vitally important and fortunately it doesn't tend to be an expensive supplement.

As far as diet and other supplements, I can say this. They erased some of the more troubling mercury symptoms I had. When I started them, my early-evening tiredness/early-morning waking went away. I kept on an even keel. The sleep problems only came back when I had my amalgams out. I feel noticeably worse when I tinker with my diet or don't take my supplements. Maybe the thing to keep in mind here is that supplements don't work like pharmaceuticals. They also work in synergy, Sometimes it helps to have a naturopath recommend what would be best for you, based on your personal circumstances. I was fortunate to have this done for me. I wouldn't have got here by guessing on my own.

There are some general ones that most everyone is deficient in, and I always recommend those; they include vitamin C, magnesium, and fish oil. But like Bex said, the first and foremost source of nutrition is your diet. Supplements are complementary to it.

Hope this helps <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />