For far too long we may have misunderstood the intent and action of supplements. It does not help matters since savvy marketers promise the world to get you to purchase their newest rescue pill.
Supplements are food. Food is supplements.
They are one in the same. Supplements just happen to be food in a capsule or gel.
Supplements are not designed or intended to be additions to alleviate a condition (as are medications). Supplements are designed to compliment or complete an inadequate food intake.
Before I go further, I must clearly state that if a person’s daily food intake is poor quality and high in processed foods, grains, breads, and sugar, it does not matter what supplements are taken. They will NOT work.
The aforementioned food intake or lifestyle will prevent/stop correct absorption/digestion of any added capsules or gels.
The real problem is one that must be corrected first: your lifestyle.
In other words, if we don’t stop the mess and trash going in, which creates internal chaos and disease, we are WASTING a ton of money buying expensive supplements or even any at all.
Our soil has been overused, not allowed to rest, and depleted of minerals and nutrients. Tweet Quote
Once the food intake is corrected (moderate protein, quality carbohydrates – low glycemic vegetables and fruits, and moderate fat), we have a NEED for supplements. They are not an option anymore but mandatory for complete body nutrition needs.
Why do I emphatically state this? It is because our soil has been overused, not allowed to rest, and depleted of minerals and nutrients.
It stands to reason that since the soil produces the crops and the crops get their nutrients from the soil, if the soil is deficient in quality, then the crops will be deficient in quality.
To that end, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): The consequences of agricultural practices on soil biota may be direct and far reaching. Organisms which are of benefit to agriculture and which may be affected include those responsible for:
- organic matter decomposition and soil aggregation;
- breakdown of toxic compounds both metabolic by-products of organisms and agrochemicals;
- inorganic transformations that make available nitrates, sulphates, and phosphates as well as essential elements such as iron and manganese;
- nitrogen fixation into forms usable by higher plants
Agricultural practices that use high amounts of external-inputs, such as inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, and other amendments, can overcome specific soil constraints to crop production. These practices have led to considerable increases in overall food production in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
However, especially in the most intensively managed systems, this has resulted in continuous environmental degradation, particularly of soil, vegetation and water resources, such as in the state of Haryana in India. Soil organic matter levels are declining and the use of chemical inputs is intensifying (Singh, 2000).
Any misuse of high external inputs for crop production has far reaching effects, which include:
- Deterioration of soil quality and reduction in agricultural productivity due to nutrient depletion, organic matter losses, erosion and compaction
- Pollution of soil and water through the over use of fertilizers and the improper use and disposal of animal wastes
- Increased incidence of human and ecosystem health problems due to the indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers
- Loss of biodiversity due to the use of reduced number of species being cultivated for commercial purposes
- Loss of adaptability traits when species that grow under specific local environmental conditions become extinct
- Loss of beneficial crop-associated biodiversity that provides ecosystem services such as pollination, nutrient cycling and regulation of pest and disease outbreaks
- Soil salinisation, depletion of freshwater resources and reduction of water quality due to unsustainable irrigation practices throughout the world
- Disturbance of soil physicochemical and biological processes as a result of intensive tillage and slash and burning.
Fruits and vegetables are less nutritious than they used to be 50 years ago.
Certainly when it comes to getting enough nutrients in your diet, one bit of information is pretty clear-cut: Everybody should be eating an abundance of different fruits and vegetables every day. Yet according to research, fruits and vegetables are less nutritious than they used to be say 50 years ago.
A number of studies have explored the phenomenon of declining nutrients in fruits and vegetables, but the one that garnered the most media attention was led by Donald R. Davis, PhD, at the University of Texas in Austin, and was published in HortScience.
Among Davis’s findings, one of the most consistent was that a higher yield of crops — in other words, more crops grown in a given space — almost always resulted in lower nutrient levels in the fruits and vegetables.
What’s more, the median mineral declines among a variety of fruits and vegetables could be fairly significant, ranging from 5 to 40 percent, with similar declines in vitamins and protein levels.
Supplements are necessary.
I believe that paints a very concerning picture and thoroughly explains my assertion that supplements (food) are necessary.
So as I begin another day of opening one by one each supplement bottle, I can feel confident knowing I am feeding my body what it cannot get through going to a farmer’s market or grocery store.
Does it cost to pay for supplements? Certainly! But, it costs far less to pay for them than it does to further funnel money into a healthcare system for doctor visits, surgery, hospital stays, ancillary services fees, and medications.
Who knows…I may be up to 21 bottles by next week!
Note: It is imperative to obtain your supplements from a reputable and professional source. The company should readily be subjected to any and all inspections to garner the labeling as a GMP facility. Many functional medicine, chiropractic, or naturopathic practitioners know the difference. Seek guidance and avoid buying on hype. If your practitioner lives it, listen. If not, consider others opinions.
Where to Start
The best place to start is with the “The Core Four” Supplements.
