Do You Need A Vitamin Supplement?

Fact # 6 People are consuming more processed, refined, junk, fast foods, artificial sweeteners and ‘fake fats’ than ever before. When we process, refine and pasteurize our foods, we take out the majority of the nutrients in the food, in order to give it a longer shelf live. This only exacerbates the deficiency problem. Refining our flours and sugars eliminates almost all of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are supposed to be there. Pasteurization removes all of the live enzymes and beneficial bacteria that is found in unprocessed milk, yogurt and butter. Artificial sweeteners and ‘fake fats’ (trans fats) are really chemicals and don’t provide the nourishment our body needs to properly function. All of these chemicals have to be broken down and excreted, which only further taxes our liver and kidneys. Ultimately these things can cause harm to our brain, thyroid, liver, lungs, reproductive and immune system.

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Fact # 7 We are under so much more stress today. This alone is reason enough to add a few good supplements to your daily plan. Stress depletes our body of specific nutrients, just as water is depleted when we exercise. Yes, the good Lord designed our body to handle stress, but we’re talking about ‘acute’ or short term stress, not constant, prolonged stress that lasts for weeks, months or years. In the old days, when night time came, people would read or talk or do simple things around the house. They would unwind and get a good night’s sleep. Not today! Our family schedules are so over-booked – this is prolonged stress. Our ancestors worried about ‘saber-toothed’ tigers. Today, we are being attacked by ‘paper-tigers’ …the constant go-go lifestyle, from the moment you wake, until the time you fall asleep. This depletes our body!

How can you not say “Yes”

I’ll let the facts speak for themselves. If we still lived in the “garden of Eden” we probably didn’t need to take anything extra, but in today’s time with today’s stresses, the type of foods we eat, the type of toxins we are exposed to, we need to be supplementing our daily diet, just to maintain good heath. Let me also add that just adding a good multivitamin is probably not enough. Think about it – a good multi has a little bit of everything, and depending on your life and your stress level and your dietary choices…you may need a few more things. You might need some additional good fats (omega-3’s), enzymes, fiber, antioxidants or good bacteria to ensure your optimal health.

One final thing, not all vitamin or supplement manufacturers are equal. Some manufacture to a targeted price point, others towards a certain quality. I know I always tell my mom, you can’t always shop on price, some of the lowest priced products are made with the lowest quality nutrients. So be discerning when you shop for you and your family.

Let’s not lose focus that it was HIM who gave us all these foods to eat and drink and we need to be taking care of our temple, the temple that was given to us. We are given one body to take care of. Do you do a better job of taking care of your car than you do your body?
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Dr. Len Lopez is a nutrition and fitness expert and author of “To Burn or Not to Burn, Fat is the Question” and the host of “Action Steps for Health.” His approach to health is “treat the cause – not the symptoms.” For more information and to learn more about health and wellness listen to his broadcast shows and go to www.DrLenLopez.com and read his health blog www.HealthTipsWithDrLen.com.