Learning the benefits of taking supplements helps you decide what supplements are important to take and why you should be taking them.
Supplements are a necessary evil. Evil, because who actually likes taking several pills a day, as well as having to pay for them. Necessary, because they help our body get well again.
The benefits of taking supplements depends on the person. With that being said, most people fall into at least one of the three categories. The first, needing to restore what is missing from the diet. The second, enhancing detoxification. And lastly, treating specific health conditions.
Determining why you are taking a supplement can help you feel more confident in your choice to take it. It can help ease the burden that supplements may feel because you know there is a specific reason that you should be taking it. Read below to learn about the common reasons why supplements are recommended and how they can be beneficial to your health.
RESTORE
One of the main reasons I recommend supplements in my practice is to restore what is missing from the diet. A majority of people are deficient in at least one nutrient, if not many more. Common deficiencies include magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids, Zinc, Vitamin D, and Vitamin Bs. The causes typically vary per person, but include the depletion of nutrients from the soil, consuming highly processed foods, poor digestion, genetically modified foods, and the use of pesticides and antibiotics in modern farming practices.
Farming
Farming practices over the years have significantly changed from small family farms to large corporations. This means that it is more important to have a solid crop every year. Plants and animals need to be free of bugs and diseases. This leads to more and more pesticide and antibiotic use.
The need to create products that are more genetically capable of handling these difficulties is more important than ever. Soil is not given the break between crops like it use to, leading to fewer and fewer nutrients remaining in the soil. This means even if we are eating a diet full in fruits and vegetables, it is likely you still aren’t getting enough vitamins and minerals that your body needs.
Digestion
Nutrient depletion is often made worse by medications. This includes heavy antibiotic use, acid blocking medications, and oral contraceptives. Medications such as these directly reduce the ability to absorption nutrients, proteins, minerals and vitamins. Further conditions within the gut contribute to poor absorption. Leaky gut, celiac disease, low stomach acid, and pancreatic enzyme deficiency are the most common conditions I see clinically.
Digestive practices also contribute to poor nutrient absorption. This includes eating quickly without chewing, and eating when working or driving. Not taking the time to eat food makes whatever food you are eating larger. It is more work for your body to break down larger pieces of food. Your body ends up working harder on breaking down the food instead of absorbing nutrients. Drinking a lot of fluids with meals also reduces absorption by watering down the digestive enzymes use to digest your food.
DETOX
Detoxification is an important step in healing the body. The idea behind detoxification is that we live in a toxic world. One full of pollutants and chemicals that start to build up in the body. This causes damage in the body. It is important to help with natural detoxification within the body improve elimination of these toxins.
The most important way to help detox is to support the emunctory organs in the body. Emunctory organs are organs in the body that help with excretion. This includes the skin, the urinary tract, the digestive tract, and the respiratory tract. Examples of excretion would include a daily bowl movement, urination, and sweating through the skin. Without these organ system, toxins would continue to build up in your body and never be removed. Supporting elimination is foundational to supporting the detox process.
Another example of supporting detoxification is on a cellular level. Environmental chemicals can damage our cells, leading to genetic mutations. Antioxidants and specific nutrients can be used supplementally to help protect cells from damage. The is essential to reduce damage that leads to genetic mutations of detoxification enzymes.
TREAT
Lastly, a benefit of taking supplements is to treat specific health conditions. As research learns more about the negative effects many pharmaceuticals have on the body, people are seeking alternatives to treat their health conditions. Supplements, combined with diet and lifestyle, are a great option to treat numerous acute and chronic health conditions.
The type of supplements available vary widely and tend to be helpful for specific health conditions. When it comes to using supplements to treat specific health conditions, I do recommend seeking naturopathic care. It is important to choose the appropriate supplement to support your health, not somebody else’s. We provide individualize care, to treat your body on a holistic level.
Wanting to know the best place to purchase supplements? Check out my supplements page! You can easily order through Fullscript or Wellevate, which are both online practitioner grade supplement dispensaries.
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