What Are Nutritional Supplements?

By Clifford H Woods 

Sometimes referred to as dietary supplements or even food supplements, nutritional supplements are substances or products that you can consume to add nutrition in your diet. These substances include nutrients beneficial to the human body and they include: vitamins, Amino acids, minerals and herbs among others. 



You can also find products, such as fish oils, glucosamine and Probiotics in these supplements. 

 There are many reasons why people use nutritional supplements and these include:

• To boost the immune system
• To improve mental and physical performance
• To support healing
• To enhance the overall health
• To reduce risks of age-related illnesses and other conditions
• To supplement inadequate nutrition

While supplements are mainly to improve one’s health, they are not treated as medicinal drugs or regulated, and this is why they are labeled as dietary supplements. They come packaged in form of pills, tablets, capsules and also come in liquid form. Taking supplements does not substitute for an unbalanced diet, however, they do come in handy when you have shortfalls and could provide your body with the nutritional support you lack from time to time. 

With that said, it is important to reiterate that they do not substitute your nutrients and you cannot compare the value you get from fresh fruits or vegetables with vitamin supplements. 

Who Should Be Taking Nutritional Supplements? 
We could all benefit from nutritional supplements. However, there are certain groups of people who definitely need these supplements more than the rest of us and these are:

• Infants
• Seniors
• Adolescents
• Expectant and breastfeeding mothers
• Strict vegetarians
• The chronically ill
• People with dire food allergies
• Alcohol and drug dependent people

The reason why these groups of people could benefit more from nutritional supplements than the rest of us is because they are more prone to nutritional deficiencies. A good example is infants and adolescents. These supplements could come in handy to support their greater need for nutrients because of their rapid growth. Women who are expectant or breastfeeding also require supplements to provide for adequate development of the child and provide health maintenance for themselves as well. 

People with dire food allergies and vegans compromise on certain nutrients due to dietary restrictions and these nutritional supplements could help them nourish their bodies from the low intakes of various nutrients. 

People who are on drugs, including those on medication, such as the chronically ill and elderly; tend to have lower absorption rates of nutrients. This could be due to changes in dietary regime or interference from drugs. 

 As you can see, nutritional supplements can help encourage a healthier body. Remember that the word supplement simply means ‘in addition to’ and this means that nutritional supplements should be taken in addition to a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. 

 It is always recommended that you follow the intake prescription and most importantly, you talk to your doctor or a nutritionist, so as to identify which supplements will be most beneficial for you. 

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Author: Clifford H Woods is the Executive Director of Vibrant Life.
We Provide Great Products, Excellent and Useful Information with Exceptional Customer Care Service

Problems Brought About By Weight Issues

By Clifford H Woods

The problem of obesity and overweight matters affecting people around the world is becoming an epidemic. More and more people are suffering from obesity in the US specifically, in the West and also around the world. There are many reasons why this problem keeps getting worse. 

The main concern that health professionals have is that obesity and weight issues affect the health of individuals concerned. Such individuals are predisposed to lifestyle diseases and chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary and heart conditions and diabetes.

According to latest statistics available, up to two thirds or 66% of adults in the US are overweight. Also, up to one third are obese. This is a very serious trend and governments as well as individuals need to wake up and take action. In children, statistics indicate that about 20 per cent of teenagers across North America are obese while 20% of kids aged between 6 and 12 years are overweight and obese.

These statistics are almost similar in Europe, with about 50 % of the adult population aged 20 and above being overweight. Such concerns in the West have come to the attention of the national governments. The local health care facilities are being weighed down by the increasing demand to address problems of obesity and overweight patients.

There are various reasons why this problem has been growing across the US and generally in the West. For one, individuals and families are leading very busy lives. They therefore have no time to prepare meals and rely solely on processed and deep fried foods purchased at local stores and restaurants.

Processed foods are not at all healthy to the body as they have all their nutrition taken out. When families purchase these processed foods, they get very little nutrition. On the other hand processed foods are full of unhealthy fats and salts which promote obesity. The busy lives that people lead also take them away from gym and the playing fields. Rather than engage in healthy exercises on a regular basis, most people will ride in their cars, use and elevator and sit on a chair all day. Sedentary lifestyles are just as bad as processed and deep fried foods.

The best way to curb this condition is to create awareness with the general public. Children need to be taught the benefits of a healthy diet and the benefits of playing and exercising on a regular basis. However, adults should ensure they provide their kids with healthy foods and healthy snacks.

A deliberate change in lifestyle is very important. A healthy lifestyle will definitely result in reduced number of obesity and overweight cases. Families, communities and schools should endeavor to provide their members with playing fields and gyms where they can work out and get rid of excess weight.

Another important lifestyle adjustment that can be made is use of a healthy diet. Consumption of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, greens and others is very important. There are plenty of healthy foods that families can consume. 

These few changes will ensure there are fewer problems and cases brought by weight issues in the society. 

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Author: Clifford H Woods is the Executive Director of Vibrant Life. We Provide Great Products, Excellent and Useful Information with Exceptional Customer Care Service