It is important to supplement your diet with health supplements. Although there are still people who may question the importance of taking health supplements as part of their diet, you might want to consider the points that I am going to provide in these articles before you come to your own conclusion. The reasons to take health supplements are varied but they are credible and should warrant your attention nevertheless as the factors that we are going to give you are valid.
7 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE HEALTH SUPPLEMENTS
1) Fill in Gaps in Nutritional Value of Our Food
If you go down the aisle at your supermarket and you are shopping for fruits, you would notice that the fruits are picture perfect. I mean all clean, with smooth skin and very little flaws at all. Now, why is this so? The answer lies in the fact that these fruits have been selectively bred and some genetically bred to look good. The increased visual appeal is supposed to help increase consumer’s confidence in the product. They are also bred to increase crop yields and not to increase in nutritional value. In consequence this results in fruits and vegetables that are lesser in nutritional value and differs greatly from the fruits and vegetables that our ancestors once consumed. Hence, health supplements play that crucial role in filling up the gaps in nutritional value that these “modern” fruits and vegetables created.
2) Nutrient Deficiency in Soil
The soil that the fruits and vegetables are planted in may be experiencing nutrient deficiency due to improper agricultural practice and other factors. This results in low yields and plants that look stunted and discoloured. Nutrients play a vital role in the growth of plants and these nutrients include calcium, nitrogen and phosphorus. A lack of nutrients in the soil and it will affect the plants as well as their produce. This in turn affects your own nutrient intake as the lack of these nutrients in these plants and their produce is inherent in the fruits and vegetables that you eat.
3) Long Term Exposure of Foods Leads to Fall in Nutrient Value
Sometimes, fruits and vegetables in the supermarket have to travel long distances. The distance that they might have to travel might even average about 1,500 miles. The travelling that the fruits and vegetables have to go through affects the nutritional value of the produce. On top of that, exposure to a certain amount of light and heat can also affect the nutrients available in the produce and the nutrients that are more greatly affected by this are vitamins C and vitamin B (Thiamin).
4) Produce Not Given Ample Time to Ripen
Most produce are selected and picked before they become naturally ripe on the plants. This is done so that they are firm and strong enough to undertake the transportation and the travelling without them becoming spoilt and later discarded. It is also done that way so that when they arrive on the shelves, they still look fresh and have some shelf life. The fact that they are picked before they ripened on the plant means that the produce will never have the full spectrum of precious nutrients as they were not given ample time to accumulate these nutrients compared to produce that were left to ripen naturally on the plant.
5) We Need More Nutrients as we Age
As we progress in life, the need for certain nutrients to be present in our body increases. This is especially true when we face specific health conditions like a women in who just gave birth for example. Women in postpartum require a certain amount of calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin B6 and folate and many consume less than the recommended amounts. Getting the required nutrition also becomes somewhat of a challenge as we grow older. Our need for extra calories decline and the body becomes less efficient at absorbing the nutrients that it needs. Hence it is important for seniors to supplement their diet with health supplements that can help them remain healthy and energetic.
6) Pollution of the Environment
Pollution of the environment have also increased the need for most of us to take in health supplements. There are health supplements that acts as antioxidants and they help us to eliminate harmful substances in our body. Three major antioxidant vitamins are beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E. You can take these supplements to help your body clean itself from the pollutants that is slowly creeping up in quantity in our environment.
7) Food Processing
Last but not least is the effect of food processing on the nutrients in the food we take. Cooking, food processing and preserving of food can lead to nutrient depletion in our food. This makes it difficult for us to get an adequate supply of nutrients from our foods alone. As such it will be helpful if we take supplements in conjunction with the diet that we are already taking.
IN A NUTSHELL
From the above pointers, we know then how important it is for us take supplement our diet with health supplements. It can act as a deterrent to diseases and to problems associated with nutrient deficiency. Nevertheless, it is important that before you take in any supplements that you consult your doctor or a qualified medical practitioner so that there is no drug-nutrient interactions. Professional advise is important here as your doctor needs to be aware of the health supplements that you are taking in order to prescribe the right medication and also to offer the best medical advise for you.
Disclaimer: The information contained on this site which includes articles, excerpts, studies, etc is intended for educational purposes only. The information should not be used as a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment by a licensed physician. It is also not meant to cover all possible precautions, drug interactions, circumstances or adverse effects. You are advised to seek prompt medical care for any health issues that arise. You are also advised to consult your doctor before you attempt to use alternative medicine or making a change to your health and medical regimen.