Nutritional FAQ

Why can't I get everything I need from my diet?

There are several reasons for this. First, remember that as a society, our dietary habits have changed over the past couple of generations. A healthy diet consists of plenty of fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Fruits and vegetables should be preferably fresh. Fresh frozen is still good, but not as good as "off the farm" fresh! Recent studies indicate that the majority of meals in the U.S. are eaten in restaurants rather than in the home. Restaurant food tends to be too high in fat and sugar. Additionally, convenience foods now make up a much higher percentage of the average diet than they did in the past. In some people well over 60% of their food is from so-called "empty" calorie foods (candy, sweets, chips, or other highly processed foods that contain very little real nutritional value other than calories). Remember that the more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a low nutritional value.

Another factor is the high stresses found in today's fast-paced and busy life. The greater the external stresses, the higher the nutritional demands on the body. Eating a poor-quality diet robs you of the nutritional factors necessary to help you stay healthy.

Lastly, many people are simply unaware of how to shop for healthy foods. Convenience and taste become the major criteria for food selection, while nutritional value is given little attention, if any at all.

Many nutritional researchers point to the rising problems of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other diseases of modern society as evidence of the deteriorating quality of the diet most people consume. If you have questions about your diet, it is important that you discuss them with your healthcare provider on your next visit.

Why do some supplements cost more than others that look like they contain the same ingredients?

Simply looking at the ingredients does not necessarily provide enough information to assess value. For example, the same amount of elemental calcium can be found as, among others, citrate or carbonate, but have significantly different absorption dynamics. Carbonates are much cheaper, and so are often used by supplement manufacturers, even though the more expensive citrates are better absorbed. Frequently, higher quality comes with a higher price-but is ultimately a better value if it provides reliable outcomes. A product that doesn't work-even at a lower price-is still too expensive.

Why is it necessary to take vitamin supplements to be healthy?

The simplest answer is because most people eat a poor diet. Studies show that the average diet in the U.S. consists of too much fat, too much sugar, not enough fiber, and not enough fresh fruits and vegetables. We are eating plenty of calories, but they are often "empty" calories, meaning that they have very low levels of the essential vitamins and minerals we need to stay healthy. Since the majority of meals in the U.S. are currently eaten in restaurants or "on the run" it makes good sense to take a vitamin supplement to fill in the gaps in our diet.

While it is important to remember the value of a nutritional supplement in maintaining health, we should never think that taking a supplement replaces a good diet. In other words, the first and most important step is to improve the quality of the diet, and then take a supplement as a nutritional insurance policy.

In order to stay healthy, what is a good basic supplement program?