Are We Running On Empty?

Fueling your body for optimum health.

In the media today, we are inundated with fad diets that claim to be the “best way to eat”, the “only right way to diet” and a mind-boggling amount of advertisements about supplements and diet products.

Every major food manufacture seems to be jumping on the health bandwagon, with their fortified foods and beverages. I have seen everything from Organic Macaroni and Cheese to Vitamin Enhanced Water, but how many of these so-called health foods are actually healthy? Well, I am not here to say don’t eat these things, only to stress the importance of getting the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.

Much research has gone into the health benefits of various supplements and “health foods” however there is a great deal of bias when research is funded by the manufacture of these products. So to dig down into the un-bias research requires a bit of work, but the results turn up some pretty startling facts.

When I worked in the Health Supplement Industry, I became aware of the effects of synthetic supplements verse whole food supplements and it is truly horrific to me that the general public is quite literally flushing there money and their health down the toilet. Our bodies are not machines and they do not know how to process synthetic supplements, some of these synthetic supplements are actually harmful to the body. And yet all of these new and improved healthy versions of foods are fortified with synthetic vitamins.

Luckily because of my nutrition background, I’ve been exposed to the importance of whole food supplements and the value they contribute to our well-being. I can honestly say that for the past 10 years I have religiously taken my regimen of whole food supplements and have endorsed the positive benefits to multitudes over the years.

There are a lot of very respectable manufactures of organic whole food supplements that really do care about the well-being of their customers and it is not my intention to plug names, but I think it is wise to do your research and get on a good regimen. Our bodies require vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, healthy fats (omegas), amino acids, enzymes, and water. All of these basic categories can be broken down, but for the sake of this article I am going to generalize.

There is a lot of promotion of antioxidants and super-foods, which are also very valuable to your health. Many people have their favorites and that is great, but the basics are the most essential and should always be covered first.

I personally have my favorites and those include greens as one of my main sources of vitamins and minerals, bee products (which are excellent for your health, but you must test yourself first for any allergies), garlic and several others.

It is unfortunate how for the sake of money we are often mislead by large and small companies, but with a little education you can regain control over your health and well-being. Proper supplementation is one of the corner stones of good health. It is not the only component to your well-being, but should certainly not be ignored. And as I said earlier, I do not suggest that you stop consuming fortified foods, only that you become aware that it is not a reliable source for the necessary nutrients your body requires. Invest in yourself by honoring the amazing body God gave you and fuel it with natural foods and supplements.