If you are one of the millions of Americans who take nutritional supplements daily, you might think you are doing yourself and your health a great favor. But the reality might surprise you. Those nutritional supplements might just be wasting your money or even causing damage to your health. There is certainly a better way.
Problems with Synthetic Vitamins and Minerals
Many nutritional supplements contain cheap and often ineffective synthetic vitamins and minerals. This is a serious problem because many of those ingredients cannot even be absorbed and used by your body. Plus, the cheaper the nutritional supplements are, the lower in quality they typically are.
Many of these supplements contain problematic additives, fillers and allergens. Products purchased in places like grocery stores and drug stores tend to be more likely to be like that. Look for food-based rather than synthetically based nutritional supplements.
Not a Full Range of Nutrients
Not only do nutritional supplements pose a problem when they are made from synthetic vitamins and minerals, but they also oftentimes do not include a full range of nutrients you need and in the proper format of various nutrients.
Meanwhile, food, especially when it is organic, contains a range of constituents that are beneficial to health. In fact, there are still many unknowns as to what constituents are even in various foods and how specifically those constituents benefit our health.
Foods that are Rich in Nutrition
It was not too many years ago that most people got their nutrients from whole foods that grow in nature rather than through capsules and tablets of nutritional supplements. Follow our ancestors’ lead by striving to get much more of your nutritional needs met through food rather than through supplements.
There are so many wonderful foods that are both nutritious and delicious. For example, fresh fruits and vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, wild-caught fish, free-range eggs, grass-fed beef, and free-range turkey and chicken are powerhouses when it comes to nutrition. Oils like coconut oil, olive oil and flaxseed oil are great choices. Choose organic food whenever possible, and support local farmers by buying their food at farmers’ markets or through community supported agriculture (CSA) groups.
And try growing as much of your own food as possible. Even a small herb garden on your patio or your windowsill indoors can be a great start at cultivating your own healthy foods. And consider learning to sprout in your kitchen, as foods like broccoli and alfalfa sprouts are inexpensive and easy to grow, and they grow quickly.
Even better, they are powerhouses when it comes to nutrition. And they are versatile, as you can enjoy them in everything from a crunchy salad to a tasty sandwich.
Better Options for Nutritional Supplements
Supplements are supposed to be just that – supplements for a diet that contains the bulk of nutrients you need. But when it is not possible to get all of your nutrients from the food you eat, whether that is because you have unique needs due to a chronic medical condition or because fruits and vegetables are not readily available during the current season of the year, it makes sense to add nutritional supplements to your daily routine.
But just make sure that the supplements you take are high in quality, pure and free of nasty ingredients like fillers and additives. Certain brands, such as the ones that tend to be sold through health practitioners’ offices, are typically higher in quality. They might also be more expensive, but the price is well worth the improved health you can receive by taking better-quality nutritional supplements.
Working with a Health Practitioner
You will be maximizing your health and budget when you opt to work with a qualified health practitioner who can advise you on the diet and nutritional supplements that are a great match for you and your specific needs. A nutritionist, acupuncturist or functional medicine doctor are just a few of the types of practitioners who can help.
Invest in your health by putting your money, time and effort into eating a nutritious diet. Rotate through a variety of foods, as each food offers different nutrients from what other foods provide, and you will be better covering your bases by ensuring you are consuming a large range of nutrients. Make sure you eat as much organic food as possible, as those types of foods have been found to be higher in nutrients than their nonorganic counterparts.
