If we were to reside in an ideal world, we would not need any supplements; our food would supply us with all the vitamins, minerals and proteins that we need. In an ideal world we would have been growing our own food, milking our own cows and so on. Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world, do we?
Our soil is contaminated,
the ground water is contaminated, the fruits we buy are full of fertilizers and coated with pesticides and pass through various processes meant to enhance their appearance and shelf life. Fruits are pulped, converted into juice and packaged into tetra packs or plastic cartons totally devoid of its original nutrients (due to oxidization).
When the raw food arrives in our kitchen, whatever little goodness has remained in it,
will either be retained or destroyed by the way we store and cook our food. Also, some foods that contain essential trace nutrients may not be available throughout the year whereas we need the nutrients throughout the year. Little wonder then that most of us suffer from all sorts of deficiencies.
Our life today is accompanied with many things that make us cry out for supplements to our daily diet –
thick curtains, personal transport, air conditioning, takeaway lunch, little or no exercise, smoking, drinking and once a week clubbing on one side and frequent headaches, body aches, stomach aches, lethargy, irritability, insulin insensitivity, clogged arteries, depression and obesity on the other.
And despite what the doctor says…
With all due respect to them, doctors usually do not recommend supplements because they have little or no knowledge about them other than what the marketing reps are willing to share.
The supplements that we need on a regular basis are
vitamins like A, E, B and C and minerals like selenium, zinc, chromium and calcium. Read more about the vitamins and minerals we need and why.
I recommend you consult your nutritionist (and your doctor if you like) about what supplements you should be taking for your age, gender and lifestyle. Start taking care of yourself by reading these healthy eating facts and articles.