Supplement Intake: Yes or No?

Vitamins and minerals help us to grow, produce energy, fight disease, repair injured tissue, and maintain normal health. Many of these important nutrients are available in quality, wholesome foods, but supplements are sometimes helpful, especially if we are reducing our calories to lose weight. However, as we adopt better eating habits, our need for supplements should be reduced.


* Notes

• In this age of quick fixes, many women try to become healthier or lose fat through prescription medications, diet pills, and supplements like so-called “fat burners”, but there is no magic pill to ensure good health, weight loss, or a long life.
• Supplements can be taken to make up for a genuine or possible deficiency in your diet, but they should never replace healthy eating nor are they an answer in and of themselves.
• Relying on supplements can be harmful—you can overdose on some vitamins, minerals, and fat burners if you’re not careful.

* Supplement Intake Rules

• We at MY DIIVA DIET do not encourage excessive pill-taking, but we do realize that it can be difficult for you to get the exact amount of nutrients you need each day in your diet, especially as you attempt to reduce fat.
• If you are not sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals from your food, we do recommend that you take a good multivitamin and some additional supplements.
• If you are under stress, you might consider taking extra vitamin C and B complex since these are water-soluble.
• Calcium helps maintain bone density and/or offset any bone loss you may experience, especially as you grow older and/or are lacking in exercise.
• As you age you may need to supplement with other vitamins and minerals.
• Acidophilus (found in yogurt and cultured milk) is recommended to help balance bacteria in the intestinal tract and counter the potentially damaging effects of antibiotics or other medications.
• Make sure you take your vitamins and minerals with meals rather than on an empty stomach.

* Special supplemental intake circumstances

• Other than daily vitamins and minerals, some natural supplements (when they are warranted) have their purpose: but only after you have carefully evaluated your reason for taking them and the product you about use—consult you doctor and nutritionist and use cautiously. For example: supplements that help with immune function (e.g. Alpha-lipoic acid), joint function (e.g. Glucosamine), nutrient deficiencies (e.g. fish oil and flax seed oil), chemical deficiency (e.g. 5-HTP-amino acid), brain health (e.g. Gingkoba) as well as disease fighting, muscle building, energy producing, and fat loss supplements (like amino acid, enzyme, antioxidant, vitamin, mineral, and herb supplements) – and this is the abbreviated list!

* Special Notes on Natural vs. Synthetic Supplements

• There is much debate over whether natural vitamins are better than synthetic.
• Natural is always best if you can find the right product and afford it, but it’s even better if you eat wholesome foods in their natural states. Then you will get all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, and enzymes straight from the safest and most pure source possible.
• Designers, manufacturers, and distributors of supplement brands tend to market their products with exaggerated and sometimes false claims, especially when supplements are labeled as miracle pills. Be cautious, even if they are labeled “natural.”

So before you start poppin those pills (vitamins) make sure your diet is corrected first!