Supplements - What are they and why do you need them?
What are supplements? Do I need to be taking one? This is a question I asked myself when I started to feel sluggish toward mid-day everyday for awhile. I knew I wasn’t eating the greatest, but I was exercising. I asked a trainer and he told me I was not eating right. He asked me if I was taking any kind of supplements and I said no. He told me he takes a couple different ones each day. I decided maybe multivitamins would be the best for me. This would cover all the basics. Well so far so good. I feel pretty good in the afternoon and I have started to eat better. This is sometimes really hard to do when you have children and they want cookies and ice cream at the store. How can you say no to that. Among the different kinds of supplements, I was able to find some natural supplements. I did not go this route. Here I will give you some free information that I did research on before. I was concerned about my health and decided to do a search for a product or products that would be right for me. In the end I did learn a lot about supplements and I never had to leave my home.
So what are supplements? It is a nutrient or a group of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fats and oils.)That is meant to be supplemented. They are not however a substitute for a healthy diet. The supplements come in various forms such as pills capsules powders liquids and even gel. If you are wondering if you should be taking a supplement ask yourself these questions. Do you eat a healthy diet rich in whole grains with the right number of proteins fats and carbohydrates. And even if you do there are still several reasons why supplements will benefit you. For instance if you have a stressful job, family, relationship or any stressful situation, it will cause your glands to work overtime. This will make you fatigued and cause headaches. If you take A and B complex, vitamin C and E it will help support your glands. Another reason to take supplements is catching the common cold. Your immune system may need a boost. Try taking vitamin C zinc and magnesium. If you are a smoker not only are you at risk for a number of prolonged problems but smoking eats up your vitamin c.
There are people who need to take supplements because of certain family history, allergies or because their body is unable to obtain the needed nutrients
You need to take in 1200 mg of calcium if you are between 19-24 years old. Which are four eight ounce servings of calcium fortified products a day?
If your body has a low iron count you will probably need to take an iron supplement. If you drink orange juice tomato juice or strawberries it will increase the absorption of the iron.
Folic acid supplements are what many pregnant women take during their pregnancy to prevent certain types of birth defects. It is also linked to heart disease prevention and depression.
Of course I have only touched on a few supplements found on the market. You always want to check with your doctor before taking any kind of medication. Only your doctor knows what supplements are the best for you.