In magazines and blogs from the health and wellness community, there are many opinions regarding the importance of dietary supplements. There are obvious benefits to supplements, but the main question many people want to know is: can’t someone get enough nutrition through a balanced diet?
Some say that supplements are unnecessary because with the right diet, there should be no need for supplements. The problem with this logic is that the majority of the American population does not have a proper nutritional diet.
It is certainly true that incorporating whole foods into a diet lowers the need for taking supplements as often and in such large quantities. However, a balanced diet is difficult to achieve, especially with so many people realizing that they have food allergies. A simple gluten intolerance can make a routine grocery shopping trip into a maze of searching for gluten-free groceries. Thankfully, there are now many substitutes for gluten, but it is still difficult to maintain a balanced diet. The same goes for vegans and vegetarians. With any dietary restrictions, there is a challenge to make up for the nutrients lost with substitutes that may be unfamiliar.
Supplements essentially fill the gaps in a person’s diet. Let’s face it; we’re just not that great at sticking to meal plans. Life – work, running errands, and taking kids to and from school – become obstacles to balanced diets. The excuses continue and what was one skipped or thrown-together meal turns into three meals, and before long, it’s a lifestyle. Grabbing food on the go and skimping on meals becomes an everyday, and possibly even every meal occurrence.
Supplements can be a potential solution to this. Vitamins should not act as a replacement for food, but rather as a “supplement” (hence the name), filling in some of the deficiencies in a daily diet. Plus, there are hundreds of supplements that can be useful for fulfilling daily requirements for relatively healthy individuals as well as for those dealing with some kind of stress or illness.
Take a look at your diet over the next week and think about the nutrients that may be missing from your diet. We have a variety of different supplements to help fill the gaps and support our patient’s health. Schedule an appointment with us to discover what supplements your body needs.
