Nutritional Supplementation
Hype or is it needed?
Our body has multiple ways of flushing out things it doesn’t need or that it doesn’t recognize, and there are many supplements on the market that find their way into the sewer system. And if our body rejects them, it’s probably a good place for it to be, rather than staying in us and causing toxicities.
Most recent estimates, in the United States are between $65–75 billion range annually and it continues to grow, (in 2010 it was estimated at less than $30 billion. This is a big business and as in years past you will see a lot of hype designed for these companies to get their market share in this lucrative business.
Our body was designed to absorb and process nutrients we need through whole food and whenever it gets processed foods or supplements that have ingredients in them that it recognizes as toxic to the body, it will separate them from the things it does recognize and will try to move the toxic ingredients out through one of our body’s elimination processes. If it is unable to eliminate these toxic ingredients (whether it be in processed food, vaccines, environmental, medications, supplements etc.) and if these toxins continue to build up, it can trigger an inflammatory immune system response. And a continued inflammatory response (chronic inflammation) is the source of most all chronic disease and chronic joint conditions.
Supplements are simply for replacing nutrient shortages in our diets and if we don’t have a shortage of a particular nutrient the body will oft times eliminate it through our waste. When we have a balanced diet, our body can pick through thousands of nutrients to get what it needs to keep in balanced, however if we are not getting adequate amounts of something in our diet, we can add in a supplement to help make up the difference.
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How to know you need a supplement: there are several ways to figure out what is missing in your diet, we need Macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbs) and we need micronutrients (vitamins, phytonutrients and minerals). If we are not getting any one of the above fairly regularly, we may notice a difference in our energy, strength, recovery, bone density and immune system. We can also have a blood profile done to see if we have nutrient deficiencies.
Reasons you may need a supplement(s): if you do not get enough fruits and vegetables in your diet, you may need a multivitamin or a fruit/vegetable powder mix. If you are very active in sports, exercise, and activities of daily living, you may benefit from protein or amino acids for muscle recovery. If you don’t get much dairy or calcium rich plant foods, you probably should supplement at least occasionally with calcium and vitamin D.
There are quite a few supplements on the market now that research has advanced and they’re great at helping bridge the gap between what we should be getting in our diet and what we’re actually getting, BUT we need to make sure that the product has at least a few credentials that checkout before trusting it enough to put it inside you!
How to find good supplements: you can checkout most reputable companies online, their background, scientific research on products, and years in business. The thing that I rely on the most (for my source of multivitamins and minerals) is years of scientific research. I also like staying a minimum of six months behind the curve after a new product is developed to give myself time to see positive or negative feedback.
Good quality food is always your best bet and a good way to get a balance is to find out which foods belong in each category and then make so you eat something from each group throughout the day and have a variety to choose from throughout a 7-day period. The main thing is to keep your blood nutrient levels healthy with the variety of nutrients your body needs to maintain maximum health.
Dietary supplements are simply designed to supplement a diet that is lacking in this particular nutrient(s).
Keep it simple: your body needs protein, fat, carbs, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, if you feel like you’re not getting adequate amounts from one group, you may benefit from dietary supplementation. Last but most important, research the company and the product…
To say that a dietary supplement is equal to another because it has the same supplement name is like claiming that a hamburger from Krystal’s is the same as one from Five Guys Burgers just because they’re both burgers.
