Why choosing Natural Supplements can be Beneficial to your Health

Oct. 20, 2015 - PRLog -- Supplements have been receiving some bad media coverage lately. One Toronto Star article mentioned one study done on 44 herbal products from 12 different companies found that 60% of these products contained unlabelled ingredients and more than 20% contained fillers such as rice and wheat which were not listed on the label. This would pose a health risk to those individuals with a wheat allergy such as celiac disease. In the same study a gingko biloba supplement was found to be contaminated with black walnut which would pose a health risk to those individuals allergic to nuts. However, the same study also found supplements that were not contaminated with unwanted ingredients and that properly labelled all the medicinal and non-medicinal ingredients. Unfortunately when it comes to supplements you get what you pay for.

In Canada natural supplements are tightly regulated by Health Canada and all natural health products sold in Canada are subject to the National Health Products Regulations which has been in effect since January 1, 2004. All manufactures of natural health products must have a product license and must meet certain criteria to obtain the site license. Manufacturers must meet specific labelling and packaging requirements; they must ensure that they are following good manufacturing practises and must provide proper evidence of safety and efficacy before the drug is marketed. Proper evidence can include clinical trial data or references to published studies. To meet good manufacturing practises, manufacturers must prove that they have proper standards for testing, quality assurance procedures, manufacturing processes, storage, handling and distribution of their products as well as have reporting procedures in place for product recalls.

As a Holistic Nutritionist I believe that we should get all our vital nutrients from the food we eat. However, good quality ethically sourced vitamins do play a vital role in restoring nutrient deficiencies such as magnesium, zinc, iron and B12 as well as contributing to overall health and well-being especially for those people that are not getting the proper vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential fatty acids from their diets. In a perfect world where we’re eating all organic produce and meats, eating 3 servings of wild caught fish per week, eating 7-10 servings of fresh vegetables and fruit per day, getting a minimum of 30 grams of fiber, managing our negative stress and getting a 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep supplements would not be necessary. However, in our modern society factory farming has depleted our soil of important minerals such as selenium and GMO foods are abundantly available exposing us to glyphosate and other carcinogenic and hormone disrupting substances.

The following supplements taken on a daily basis will offer added “health” insurance:

Ø A good quality multivitamin and mineral. Good quality multivitamin and minerals usually contain B12 in the methylcobalmin form, folic acid in the “methyl” or L-5-MTHF form, calcium and magnesium in the citrate or bisglycinate form. An even better form of calcium is calcium hydroxyapatite which is derived from bovine bones and is highly absorbable.

Ø A good quality Omega 3 fish oil that has EPA- DHA in a 2:1 ratio. Omega 3 fish oils have been clinically proven to reduce inflammation, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and improve memory, concentration and focus especially in children with ADD. Unless you’re consuming wild caught salmon, sardines, anchovies and mackerel at least 3x per week you’ll definitely benefit from an Omega 3 supplement. Omega 3 fats are essential components of all cell membranes and the myelin sheath that protects neurons and allows for proper cell to cell communication.

Ø A good quality probiotic to support intestinal health. Chlorine in our drinking water, antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), a poor diet consisting of packaged processed foods, excess refined sugar and x-rays all disrupt our “good” gut bacteria. Once our intestinal health is compromised we run the risk of developing other health related issues such as food allergies and sensitivities, autoimmune disorders and irritable bowel symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, excessive gas and bloating.

Ø A quality digestive enzyme to support proper digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. As we get older our capacity to digest certain foods decreases thereby decreasing our ability to extract nutrients from the foods we eat. Supplementing with a good quality digestive enzyme will also ease the burden on the digestive organs allowing them to heal. Look for a digestive enzyme that contains lipase for fat digestion, amylase for starch digestion and protease for protein digestion. Some digestive enzymes will also contain other beneficial enzymes such as lactase to help breakdown lactose.

Ø Resveratrol-is an antioxidant found on skin of red grapes. Known to speed up metabolism and prevent growth of fat cells. This antioxidant is also found in red wine.

Ø Coconut oil-contains medium chain triglycerides that are known to increase metabolism and promote weight loss.

Weight management is a life time commitment that involves making dietary and lifestyle adjustments. If you make an effort to eliminate packaged and overly processed foods from your diet and switch to natural whole foods such as fresh vegetables, fruit, good quality meat and fish, whole grains and nuts and seeds you’ll make dieting a thing of the past.

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