Supplements can be useful to make up for certain gaps in your diet BUT food contains nutrients that you will NOT find in such supplements.
The fresh food we eat on a daily basis is filled with nutrients that are essential for our good health, such as magnesium, calcium, and vitamins A and C. However, many older adults are missing some of these essential nutrients in their diets.
The typical “modern” diet unfortunately includes many processed foods, refined grains, and added sugars which are poor in the nutrients we so badly need and are linked to inflammation and chronic disease.
Even if you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, your diet may still fall short on certain nutrients you may require, especially as you get older. As we grow older our body’s ability to absorb nutrients from foods decreases. Our appetites also decline, and this may result in lower calorific intake. That is a direct consequence of the aging process.
The question is whether we can turn to a supplement to make up the difference and the verdict is still out about this difficult topic.
A number of different studies have been conducted to try and understand whether there is actually any specific health benefits attributable to vitamin and mineral supplements and unfortunately, the evidence about their benefits are mixed and conflicting.
So the best recommendation would be to try to improve your diet and what you are eating before turning to supplements. The nutrients in food are more potent as they are also accompanied by other nutriments that may not be essential but provide significant benefits to the human body. These non-essential but beneficial nutriments exist in the hundreds, and include carotenoids, flavonoids, minerals, and antioxidants.
Another benefit of getting your nutrition from your food is the taste and cost element. Food can be tasty and appealing to the senses, and getting your nutrition from your food is often less expensive than getting them from supplements.
Ideally you should look at your diet to understand what could be missing – you may need the support of a nutritionist or dietician to help you identify these gaps.
If you find out that you really have a particular deficiency and cannot change your diet to make up for this, you may need a supplement to counter this deficiency. In this case, we would advise you to select a well-known brand that has been around for a while and is likely to have been well-tested.
Quality of life is determined by your health. Regular medical and blood screening is key for such diagnosis and we recommend annual screening tests for effective diagnosis to ensure that you can maintain your quality of life.
If you would like information about our Basic Check-Up Profile contact us today on +356 21221355, 9985 2404 or send an email on info@clinipath.com.mt for more information.
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