Healthy Living Makes a Difference

As this is often a heated and controversial debate, we believe it is necessary to shed some light on this very relevant issue.  Whether one was raised believing in and using natural remedies, has recently begun incorporating supplements into their daily regime or are against the industry as a whole, this information is important to everyone and their personal health.  Just as there is a time and a place for everything, the same holds true for using natural health and it is important to understand what it is, why we need it and how it can and should be used.  It should not be seen as a competition with any other aspect of health but as an important component that has its rightful place in the grand goal of wellbeing.

Supplements are for the most part natural ingredients that we get from the earth.  They are sold either individually or in combinations.  They are often concentrated/extracted forms of food and herbs. It should be noted that certain supplements that can be obtained naturally are sometimes sourced synthetically depending on the manufacturer.  This factor makes it important to ensure that one is purchasing a high quality brand based on natural ingredients, where very little heat is used during processing and minimal fillers/additives included in the formulas.  When taking supplements, using a reputable source is just as important as choosing healthy ingredients in an everyday diet.  These companies have taken the time and effort to provide an optimal quality product that the body can recognize and absorb, as easily as it should natural, whole foods.

Ideally, we are meant to get 100% of our nutrients from our food.  There should be no need for supplementation if we all lived in a perfect world.  Unfortunately, due to the chemicals that have been added to our food/environment and the refining and processing that ingredients face before being consumed, depletes their nutritional value.  This would require us to take in many more calories than necessary in order to meet these demands, which is not ideal in such a sedentary society. In addition to this, in the highly stressed, fast-paced, and toxic world full of illness, bad eating habits and food sensitivities, our bodies are demanding more nutrients than ever before to function properly. These factors and conditions further deplete us of the actual nutrients we do attain.

Supplements serve a multitude of purposes:

a) Prevention/maintenance

Examples of this includes vitamins and minerals, greens, protein and omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils.  These are essential nutrients that we should ideally be getting from our diets by eating organic food and ensuring that we consume the correct amount and variety daily.  However, due to the many factors mentioned above, this is not always a possibility, and these types of supplements should be considered to make up for whatever we are lacking in order to stay healthy and prevent deficiency and related symptoms.

b) Used as a part of treatment (alone or to complement modern medicine)

Although natural health products are not always as fast acting as modern medicine, there are many that can be used to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi with fewer side effects, such as grapefruit seed extract and oregano. Depending on the situation, these are sometimes used on their own or they can be used alongside pharmaceuticals to increase their effectiveness.

Other examples include immune boosting supplements such as Vitamin C and Echinacea that will help our bodies fight off disease and assist in the success of conventional treatment.  This is also a way of preventing illness during certain key seasons.

Also, certain supplements are used to re-build or re-store aspects of ourselves that have been worn down through aging, genetics or excessive use.  Examples of this would be collagen which has proven to be beneficial to those struggling with deterioration.  It is used to repair and rebuild tissue in the body.

c) Counteracting side effects of modern medicine

Certain drugs and antibiotics have side effects and deplete us of certain nutrients and good bacteria. When pharmaceuticals have been used, it is often a good idea to use natural supplementation to build up what has been destroyed or used up.  A perfect example of this would be using probiotics during and after taking antibiotics to replenish the good bacteria in our guts that are responsible for maintaining a wide range of bodily functions.

d) Taken in order to increase, improve or enhance a certain structure or function

These supplements are “extras” that people may want to take to boost up a certain aspect of their health.  This includes products like gingko biloba that may enhance memory and brain circulation, biotin that has shown to help hair growth, maca which is helpful for energy and hormone balancing, as well as white willow bark which is often used as a natural pain reliever.

Having argued the importance and use of natural supplementation it is important to mention a few key disclaimers.

Firstly, supplements in no way replace a healthy diet.  Optimal nutrition is an incredibly important key to good health.  However, we have to acknowledge the fact that it is becoming more and more difficult to get everything we need to function from our food and consider the possibility that supplements may be helpful in achieving the level of health we desire alongside eating well, exercising and managing stress.

In addition, supplements in no way replace modern medicine.  Although natural medicine can offer positive results when treating certain illnesses and condition, it is not always an alternative to conventional treatment as pathogens are consistently growing stronger.  We must accept that each situation is unique and that some instances require us to seek medical help.  As previously mentioned, natural supplementation can often enhance the effectiveness or help offset some of the side effects from modern medicine and are often used in conjunction with pharmaceutical treatment.

Lastly, everyone is unique and has different needs.  What one person lacks, another might be abundant in.  Depending on an individual’s genetics, lifestyle, emotional state, illness/condition and eating habits/limitations they may range in what and if they are needing to supplement.  It is important to acknowledge that all people have various interplaying factors that determine their overall health and that it is up to each of us to decide what works best for us.  In order to do so, we need to find out what we as individuals need to survive (better yet, thrive), determine if we are getting enough of it and then find the best way to meet those requirements for our bodies to run as efficiently as possible