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Supplements
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of supplements on the market today, presenting a bewildering array to those wishing to take them. Not all supplements are necessarily beneficial to you, a few are even harmful and your body may not necessarily need all the supplements you may be taking. A further consideration is that quality DOES matter - but the most expensive supplements out there are often not the highest quality. Without spending hundreds of hours researching the manufacturers and products yourself, what can you do?
As part of her Nutritional Counselling, Bernadette will help guide you through the maze of supplements to ensure you are taking those of the highest quality, reasonable price and which, most importantly, are specifically targeted to your bodily needs. Bernadette has an extensive knowledge of the supplement industry and knows which suppliers have quality products (and which do not) - this is not something you will find at your local health food store or down at the local supermarket or drug store. |
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Why do we need supplements? |
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I am often asked why we need to take supplements when we surely should be getting everything we need from our food provided we eat a reasonably well balanced combination of foods. My aim when working with you in a Nutritional Counselling session is to assist you in maximising your bodys utilization of nutrients so that supplements are not always required.
However, when someone is unwell or their bodily energy is out of balance, they may need the extra support provided by vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to help re-balance their body and to get biochemical pathways working that may be blocked due to low nutrient status, environmental pressures or a buildup of toxicity.
Nowadays, many people have minor (or even major) deficiencies which means they are not able to function at their best and often feel chronically rundown and low on energy. These deficiencies may be due to poor diet (such as a high intake of processed or fast foods), low mineral states in our soils, mal-absorption issues or a number of other factors including the low nutritional content of many vegetables and fruits and the irradiation of food, removing much of its nutritional value. |
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Nutrient Levels in food in 2002 compared to 1940 |
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Nutrient Levels in fruits, vegetables, meat and food crops have all declined dramatically in the past 50 years (a 5 to 35% average decline in concentrations of some vitamins, minerals and protein), primarily due to the way food is grown, processed and prepared. We have also seen the recent and growing use of irradiation in recent years in order to kill bacteria on vegtables and fruit.
A study carried out by Dr David Thomas in 2002 compared mineral levels in food from 1940 with food in 2002. It showed that modern fruits and vegetables were typically depleted in minerals by 20% over the 50 year period. Looking at 15 different meat items, Thomas found the iron content to have fallen on average by 47%, with some products showing a fall as high as 80%.
The iron content of milk had dropped by over 60% while for cream and eight different cheeses the iron loss was over 50%. The calcium loss from milk was onlys slight, but from cheeses it averaged over 15% - and in high-value Parmesan cheese the loss was 70%. Copper and magnesium, essential for enzyme functioning, also showed losses in meat products and dairy foods (typically a 25% fall in magnesium and a 90% fall in copper).
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| Supplements vs Good Nutrition |
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Taking a Supplement cannot erase the health effects of a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. Supplements are not magic pills. However, there is no question that supplements can compensate for some of the damage that we do to ourselves. There are many conditions that warrant the use of nutrients and supplements to assist in alleviating or eliminating them. |
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Research breakthroughs over the past few years have discovered things about these nutrients that are simply astounding. As more and more rigorous scientific studies accumulate showing the benefits of taking vitamin and mineral supplements, many people are thoroughly confused about what can help them. |
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When you make a trip to your local pharmacy or supermarket, you are faced with an overwhelming number of choices. Shelf after shelf of single nutrients, combinations, capsules, tablets and bottles. How do you decide what to buy? What to take? |
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As a trained Holistic Nutritional Practitioner, Bernadette can help you make the appropriate choices and assist you in determining what supplementation (and even which specific supplements) are suitable for your needs. |
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Many people use the taking of supplements to justify or excuse their poor choice of foods. One thing everyone, medical doctors, researchers and alternative health practitioners, all agree on is that taking supplements is not a substitue for good nutrition. |
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Good nutrition is the starting point on which you should build therapeutic amounts of vitamins and minerals. As a Nutritional Consultant, Bernadette will assist you in planning a nutritional approach which meets your bodies needs and fits in with your lifestyle and then recommend appropriate supplementation to meet your bodies needs. | | |
Supplements
