Imagine living in a perfect world, where you get plenty of sleep, always hydrated, and nourished by eating all your fruits and vegetables. Would your body still be needing supplements? The answer is YES. We do not have an ideal environment which can supply all vital nutrients. With the constant pollution and repeated cultivation of crops, the amount of nutrients available in the soil will lower down. Hence, taking supplements is being considered for improved health.
No matter how healthy your lifestyle may be, there are powerful reasons why you should still be taking supplements.
We need to fill in that Nutritional Gap. Supplementation is intended to bridge the nutritional gap. Many of us fail to meet the dietary recommendations because of poor appetite, strict diet, or changes in our nutritional needs. When we have a proper balance of nutrients from food and supplements, it will enhance the density of our diet and will ensure that we are obtaining the right amount of nutrients suited for our dietary needs.
As we age, our nutrient absorption declines. Malabsorption becomes a problem as we age. It is because our body doesn’t have the same capability to break down and absorb nutrients as it was when we are at a younger age. The older we get, the naturally it begins to decline.
Prevention is better than cure. We are being encouraged by healthcare providers to invest and look for disease prevention instead of disease treatment. Hence, taking daily supplements will play a big role in helping us in preventing health issues from arising in the future. This should be taken of course with proper diet and exercise.
It is difficult to get all the nutrients from food to combat all the toxins our body can get from stress, inadequate sleep, industrial solvents and food toxins. Vitamins and supplements can support our detox in dealing with these toxins. Also, there are pesticides being used to farm our food. There are chemicals in the water supply and external environment problem like pollution. These factors create free radical that can attack our digestive and immune system. Taking of antioxidant supplements will help fight those free radicals.
In our daily physical activities, especially if you exercise, you body uses up the energy and nutrients stored. It is but important to replenish these essential nutrients and taking supplements will be of great help to promote recovery after an intense activity.
Supplements are not shortcuts to prevention of chronic disease or event to better health. It can surely be beneficial, but the main key to good nutrition is eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. It is very important to keep in mind that taking supplements should never replace food as they cannot take up the primary food functions in our body. Supplements cannot replicate all the nutrients and benefits of fruits and vegetables. There are healthy stuffs contained in real food which supplements cannot give us. Also, when taking a nutrient out of a food and concentrate it in a pill form, the process itself will make it a little different. So it is still best and will always be an utmost priority to get nutrients by keeping a well-balanced diet.
The message here is simple, supplements can be helpful and beneficial especially when prescribed by a healthcare professional. It aids to fill in the nutritional gap. But it is critical to note that supplements alone will not compensate the nutrient gain we get from eating healthy foods. We still need to live a healthy lifestyle which involves proper diet and exercise in order to stay in a tip-top shape.
