Why Supplement?
There are so many reasons why supplementing your diet with critical nutrients is essential to your health today. For starters, we live in a high-stress, high-toxic, highly-processed, fast-food, over-medicated, over-farmed, nutrient depleted modern world.
Today’s refined high-fat, high-sugar diet alone contributes to major nutrient deficiencies that leads to irritability, stress, lethargy and sleep disorders. In addition, more than 80 million pounds of antibiotics are consumed each year in the U.S. and not just from prescription drugs! Residues of antibiotics are detected in livestock, farm-fed fish and commercial eggs. Antibiotics kill friendly bacteria in our intestines. We need these friendly bacteria help our bodies to absorb nutrients – especially B-vitamins. Such deficiencies can result in a variety of nervous and digestive conditions.
Our nation’s soil is often nutrient depleted from over-farming and poor crop rotation. In one U.S. government survey, levels of essential nutrients in crops have declined up to 68% over a four-year period. And when you consider that over 90% of the population doesn’t eat the way the Food Pyramid Guide suggests, the need to supplement one’s diet with high-quality whole food supplements becomes obvious.
In determining a good nutrition program you’ll want to factor in unique lifestyles and different age groups as everyone faces their own dietary and nutritional challenges. For instance…
- Are you indoors most of the day? Invalids, shift workers and computer “nerds” often need more Vitamin-D. Most fair skinned people need at least 20 minutes of direct sunlight at noon on 25% of your total body surface each day to maintain adequate blood levels of Vitamin D. If you’re mostly indoors, then a high quality multivitamin which contains 100% of the RDA for Vitamin D, as well as 22 other essential vitamins and minerals at clinically proven levels, would be a good choice for you. Find more information on the world’s most complete multivitamin/multimineral.
- Are you an athlete or do you do physical labor? Athletes and those with highly physical jobs perspire more, leading to a loss of key minerals and nutrients. Plus, because of their activity levels, some folks need to consume larger amounts of nutrient-rich foods. Additional nutritional supplementation is usually required. Find more information on supplementing for athletes and sports nutrition.
- Are you a teenager? Teenagers experience rapid growth spurts that place high demands on nutritional resources. And the teenage diet, which often consists of fast foods and high-sugar sodas, doesn’t offer the proper nutritional support. Data shows between 30% and 50% of adolescents aged 12 to 16 have dietary intakes below 2/3 of the recommend daily averages for Vitamins A, C, calcium and iron. Find more information on teen health, including recommend supplementation programs for children of different ages.
- Are you a woman of child-bearing age? Women who are pregnant have significantly higher demand for nutrients to ensure the healthy growth of their baby. And in non-pregnant women, research has shown that up to 60% of women suffering from symptoms of PMS such as headaches, bloating, irritability and lethargy can benefit from supplementing with B-Complex, GLA, Alfalfa, Soy Protein, Calcium and Magnesium. Find more information on Women’s Health and how supplements needed change over time.
- Are you over fifty years old? As you age, your body loses its ability to fully absorb nutrients, particularly iron, calcium and zinc. Fiber intake is often lower and chances are, the older you get the more prescription drugs you are taking – all of which highlight the need for additional nutritional supplementation. Shaklee provides Vita-Lea Gold a specially formulated version of Vita-Lea that takes into consideration the nutritional needs of people over 50.
- Do you smoke? Chew tobacco? Drink Alcoholic beverages? Take Oral Contraceptives? Eat meals of microwaved food? All of these lifestyle factors dramatically increases your need for nutrients that diet alone just can’t provide including a greater need for antioxidants. Find a powerful anti-oxidant supplement,
- Finally, there is simply YOU and your genetics, your unique lifestyle and environment. Who you are genetically, how you live your life and where you live your life can greatly impact the nutrients your body needs to maintain good health. Wide and significant fluctuations in individual nutrient requirements from the “official” Recommended Daily Allowances are common with each individual. Use the Search Box on this page to get recommendations on different products to consider. Just type in a condition or topic and see what products come up. Then talk to us about helping you put together a personalized nutrition program that’s right for you.
