Many people still question the importance of taking supplements at all. Here are ten reasons to consider supplementing your diet with high-quality nutrients:
1. Current commercial agriculture techniques leave soil deficient in important minerals, causing the food grown in this soil to share the same mineral deficiencies.
2. Many foods are shipped long distances and are stored for long periods of time, both of which cause the depletion of vitamins in these foods, including the important B-complex and C vitamins.
3. Food processing, cooking, and preserving leads to nutrient depletion in our food supply that makes it difficult to obtain adequate nutrition from foods alone.
4. Many fruits and vegetables are genetically bred to improve visual appeal and crop yields, not nutritional value, which frequently results in lesser nutritional values than our ancestors’ food supply.
5. Erratic eating habits, insufficient chewing of food, eating on the run, and stress contribute to poor digestion, and make it difficult for our bodies to extract all the nutrients it needs from food.6. Pharmaceutical drug use has escalated over time. Most medications deplete essential nutrients, making people more vulnerable to deficiencies.
7. Specific times in life and health conditions may result in higher needs of certain nutrients. For example, folic acid needs tend to be higher during pregnancy, while menopausal women may be vulnerable to calcium deficiencies.
8. Increasing levels of environmental pollution in our air, water and food may cause our bodies to use more nutrients than normal to detoxify and eliminate harmful substances. This is especially true of the antioxidant vitamins, some of which include: the “ACE Vitamins:” Vitamins A, C, and E.
9. We all have genetic weaknesses, including higher needs of some nutrients, higher rates of depletion for certain nutrients, and an increased likelihood of genetic expression of some illnesses if vitamin or mineral deficiencies are present.
10. Many nutrients have been proven to prevent or aid in the treatment of health conditions like high cholesterol, arthritis, birth defects, and cancer. Check out my articles on the vitamins and minerals that help prevent cancer.
Of course, you should always consult a qualified health professional first to avoid any drug-nutrient interactions. And avoid supplements with sweeteners, colors, artificial flavors, preservatives, or fillers. Children should always take supplement formulas designed for their needs.
Michelle Schoffro Cook, RNCP, ROHP, DNM, is an international best-selling and seven-time book author and doctor of natural medicine, whose works include: The Life Force Diet, The Ultimate pH Solution, The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan and the upcoming book, The Phytozyme Cure.
