Thursday, July 5, 2007

Are Your Nutritional Supplements "Junk Supplements"?

We all know that optimum health is now achievable through the
vast categories of vitamin nutritional supplements available
off the shelf and even over the Internet. We also know that
these nutritional supplements are needed to replace the
vitamins we know are lacking in the modern diet. It's true that
many foods today are lacking in nutrients - are junk food - but
what about the nutritional supplements we take? Is there such a
thing as a "junk supplement"? That is, something that fills our
need for optimum health, just as junk food fills our need for a
full stomach, but that doesn't actually provide the health we
crave. The answer is yes: and this is why all health consumers
should be informed in how to choose the correct nutritional
supplements or vitamins for them. The key is to think healthy,
and particularly think in the same way you do when buying
healthy foods. After all, if we can choose a healthy diet, we
can choose a healthy vitamins regimen.

Read the Label of Your Vitamins

We are constantly becoming more conscious of the ingredients in
our food, looking for hidden ingredients and scrutinizing every
"fat-free" claim with cynicism. But how much do we do the same
for our nutritional supplements? There are many vitamins
companies out there who would try and falsify claims in order
to make a quick buck. At the moment, nutritional supplements
are not as strictly regulated by the FDA as food and medicines
are. Always check the labels, claims, and "gold-standards" of
every health-vitamin or nutritional supplement you are thinking
of buying.

Check Your Vitamins' Expiry Date

Food has a shelf-life and so do multivitamins. Nutritional
supplements, especially those containing herbs or other
botanical ingredients can lose their potency with time. Many
vitamins, especially vitamin C, are also prone to being
degraded with time.

Make Sure You Get Fresh Vitamins

Even ignoring a product's expiry date, we all know that fresh
food is better than pre-packaged meals stuffed full of
additives and preservatives. Vitamins are the same, and it
might surprise some people to find out that a large number of
store-bought nutritional supplements contain preservatives for
a longer shelf-life. Freshly made health supplements do exist,
but are not as common as the mass-produced multi-vitamins, so
shop around. Many minerals and vitamins that get exposed to
light and air lose their health-giving attributes and are
rendered no good to us. So make sure that when you do by fresh
vitamins and other nutritional supplements that you keep them
in cold, dark place and in an airtight container to retain
potency.

Custom-made or Off-the-Shelf Vitamins?

Eating healthily often costs more in time and money, yet we all
know that the investment is worth it in terms of overall health.
Nutritional supplements are the same: there are a lot of "junk
vitamins" out there that do not work properly. Getting a
custom-made nutritional supplement is like getting a
home-cooked meal using fresh ingredients. It's better quality,
better suited to what you want, better tasting, and ultimately
better for your health.

Check that You aren't Allergic to Your Vitamins

There is nothing wrong with dairy products, and they contain
many health benefits. However people can still be born with, or
develop, allergies to common-place foodstuffs making them
something to be avoided. While allergies to vitamins are not
possible, it is possible for people to react badly to certain
herbs that show positive health benefits when taken by others.
Make sure you're not allergic to any botanical or herbal
ingredients in your nutritional supplements.

Don't Overdose on Vitamins

Overeating can lead to weight gain and related health problems
such as heart disease, liver disease, and high cholesterol.
Excessive use of nutritional supplements can have an even more
dramatic effect on the body so care should be taken. In fact,
it is better to compare vitamin supplements with medicine: both
have side-effects, and with both there is a danger of overdose.
Always consult your physician or health practitioner about safe
usage of nutritional supplements for your personal health.

Today's mantra is "you are what you eat." But it is also true
to say "you are what you take". Don't just practice healthy
eating; ask the experts about healthy supplementation too.

About The Author: Mitamins team bd@mitamins.net Convenient: All
Your Vitamins in 1 Bottle; Choice: 680 Health Concerns Covered;
Safety: Avoid Overdose and Drug Interactions; Quality: Made
Fresh with Brand Ingredients. Vitamin health and Customized
supplements(http://www.mitamins.com)

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