Why do we recommend taking nutritional supplements? We are often asked why we can’t get all of our vitamins and minerals from our food. We firmly believe in eating the best organic foods in order to get as much nutritional value as possible from them. However, there are certain factors that should be considered when thinking about how to best care for our bodies.

 

Our diets have changed. As a society, our dietary habits have changed. We know that a healthy diet consists of plenty of fresh (or fresh frozen) fruits and vegetables, lean meats, poultry and fish, dairy and whole grains. Few of us actually meet the daily requirements. We also eat out more often. Recent studies have shown that the majority of meals in the U.S. are eaten in restaurants or come from take-out. Foods prepared in restaurants tend to be high in fat and sugar.

 

We eat more processed foods. Convenience foods make up a much higher percentage of the average diet than they did in the past. In some instances, well over 60% of a person’s food is from “empty” calorie foods. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a low nutritional value.

 

We have more stress in our lives. The higher the external stressors, the higher the nutritional demands on the body. Eating a poor quality diet robs us of the nutrition necessary to help us stay healthy – especially in the face of stress.

 

We don’t know how to buy healthy foods. Many people are unaware of how to shop for healthy foods. Convenience and taste become the major criteria for food selection, while nutritional value may be given little attention. Become a label-reader!

 

We should never rely just on our food, or just on our supplements to provide us with everything our body needs to function at it’s best potential. We can all improve the quality of our diet, and then take our supplements to provide our body with a nutritional insurance policy.