 Why
Supplement? Understanding Good Health & Proper
Nutrition
By Noortje Vanderelst of Reiki RocksShocking!
According to the Canadian Cancer Society there will be 145,500 new cases of
cancer with an estimated 68,300 deaths occurring in 2005. That means on the
day you are reading this, 187 people will die from cancer. Statistics also
show that 80% of Canadians will have some form of heart disease. A chart
about risk factors from the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation states that
62.4% of heart disease is due to inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption
(66.8% for Alberta). In addition, over two million Canadians suffer from
diabetes, which puts them at a higher risk for heart disease and stroke.
The functioning of our immune system has deteriorated by approximately 30%
in the last twenty years and continues to drop at an alarming rate of about
3% per year. Is there a connection between health and nutrient consumption
and absorption?
Everyone has busy lifestyles, whether we choose it that way or not. Our
bodies are constantly under physical, emotional and environmental stress. To
make matters worse, we starve ourselves by not providing our bodies with the
nutrition necessary to function properly. We get little nutrition from food
for a variety of reasons. The very convenient processed, ready-to-serve
foods available at your corner store, such as cereals, pasta sauces, white
bread, canned foods and pop, etc., are far from nutritious.
We live in the age of science. The food industry makes our foods easy to
prepare and inexpensive, but with little thought about the nutritional value
of the product. Canning, pasteurizing, milling, and refining -- you name it;
brand name products are created for profit. Lots of sugar, salt and
countless additives and preservatives (chemicals) are added, not only to
make the food taste better, but more importantly from a business point of
view, to extend the shelf life. This market is still growing. These
additives can seriously disrupt the natural chemical balance in our body,
especially long-term. No wonder cancer and heart disease are on the rise to
epidemic levels.
Even when we eat fresh fruits and vegetables, nutrient levels are
considerably lower than fifty years ago. This is due to the fact that they
are mass-produced, genetically modified, picked prematurely (due to storing
and transportation issues), treated with an excessive amount of pesticides,
and grown on eroded and nutrient-starved lands. Most nutrients (phytonutrients)
of fruits and vegetables remain in the roots until they mature. During
ripening, the phytonutrients move from the roots into the fruit, slowing
down the aging process. This is what makes strawberries turn red and bananas
turn yellow. Naturopath Dr. Steve Nugent’s research showed that we need to
eat about 52 peaches to get our daily recommended Vitamin A, where in 1951
we only needed to eat about two to get the same amount. Try to fit that into
our already busy lifestyles. Once the fresh produce has made its way into
our house, we kill most nutrients by preparation -- boiling, micro-waving,
freezing, etc. Steaming would be the better alternative.
Our health is related to nutrient consumption and absorption. The body
protects, repairs, restores and defends itself through nutrients. You have
to add supplements to your diet to get enough for your body to do all this
work. Regular maintenance is a major key for longevity. Supplements are not
intended to replace the need to eat a healthy diet, exercise and maintain a
healthy body weight. However, a good supplement system gives your body the
basics to keep the immune system up to speed, so that our body is able to
defend itself against illness, even just the flu. Also, keep in mind that
pharmaceutical drugs deplete your body from vital nutrients, which means it
is even more crucial to take supplements.
What should you look for when buying supplements? Your body needs to
recognize the nutrients as food in order to absorb them and send them to the
proper systems of our immaculate structure. Synthetic vitamins are NOT
absorbed in the body and can even do harm. This is yet another form of
processed, test-tube created supplementation. Look for supplements that are
food-based. You will more likely find them in a health food store than at
the local drugstore.
One way to test if your vitamins dissolve properly is to mix warm water
(about 8 fl. oz.) with eight tablespoons of white vinegar (an equal test to
that that stimulate stomach acid.) Then add one of the tablets and check
every five minutes. After fifteen minutes, it should be completely
dissolved. If not, you are better off trying another brand. Also, keep in
mind that vitamins are only one category of nutrients the body needs.
Drinking filtered water is also paramount to health. You require 50% - 75%
of your body weight in ounces, depending on your activity level. Every cell
in your body must be bathed in water to carry nutrients through your system,
to regulate temperature and to help eliminate waste. Drink your water in
small sips so your body gets time to absorb it. Small sips of warm water
during your meal aids in digestion. Chew your food thoroughly to mix it with
saliva for better absorption.
Good health and proper nutrition can be yours if you just follow some simple
rules; drink lots of water, eat a healthy diet, take food-based supplements,
exercise regularly, get plenty of rest and live with a positive mind set.
Credits: Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation,
Canadian Diabetes Association, Mannatech Inc., Heal-thy (Canmore), Steve
Plog, Glycoscience.com, Healthrecipes.com
Noortje Vanderelst, owner of Reiki Rocks, Canmore, offers deep
relaxation, health support & Reiki jewellery. Noortje may be contacted at
403.688.1137 or
www.reiki-rocks.ca |
