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October 16, 2003 |
| Nutrients
Why Supplement? In an ideal world, our daily intake of food and beverages would meet all our nutritional needs, and supplements would be as necessary as snowshoes in Hawaii. But this is the real world, in which far too many of us survive on fast food, overly processed food, and junk food. Even whole foods, like vegetables and fruits and grains, are too often grown in nutrient-depleted soils, and don’t have enough of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need. Then there are the substances we consume, like caffeine, that actually deplete our store of vitamins and minerals. At the same time, our lives are overly stressed and overly hurried, increasing our body’s need for the critical nutrients our diets don’t provide. And the major chronic diseases and conditions of the 21st century, including PMS, heart disease, osteoporosis, fatigue, cancers, hypertension, high cholesterol, and depression, have several roots in nutritional deficiencies. That’s where nutrients come in. They’re a convenient, safe, and simple way to make up the nutritional difference you may not be getting from diet alone. A word about recommended dosages:
In clinical practice, there exists a wide range of dosage possibilities for any particular nutritient. The amount appropriate to each woman depends on many factors, including how much of a particular nutrient she may be getting from her diet. Anyone beginning a nutritional supplement program should begin at one-quarter to one-half the recommended dosages given here. They can then increase their intake slowly over the course of the next few weeks until they have reached either the full recommended dosage or a dosage that is therapeutic for them. Some individuals will experience therapeutic benefits at doses that are well below the doses recommended here. While the dosages provided in this website are appropriate for most people, there are certain groups who should continue to use less than the recommended dosages. Children, the elderly, and individuals with a frail constitution or who are extremely sensitive to drugs and nutrients usually do best at therapeutic dosages of no more than half the recommended levels. Consult your physician or nutrititional consultant if you have any questions about the advisability of using a particular nutrient or to determine the dosage most appropriate for you. As you wind your way through the list of nutrients on this site, keep in mind that when beginning a nutrient program, it’s a good idea to start at one-quarter to one-half of the recommended dosages, then increase the dosages slowly over several weeks until you reach the full recommended amount, or an amount that seems to work for you. Children, the elderly, and those with a frail constitution or who are extremely sensitive to drugs usually do best at dosages no more than half the recommended level. It’s also best to take your vitamins in split doses, whenever possible, twice a day, because your body can only absorb so much at one time. Always tell your health care provider about any nutrients you’re taking when you list your over-the-counter and prescription medications. For more on nutrients, read on: |
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