Food is my medicine. Nutrition is not just about eating well, it's about health. In my last blog post I talked about the importance of protein intake and the role it plays in my eating regimen. Another aspect of my nutrition is what it provides for my overall health. Different foods provide different vitamins and nutrients that are crucial for our well being. I currently do not take any supplements to support my health; alternatively, I try to eat a vast variety of foods so that my body has access to all the vitamins and nutrients it needs.
There are 13 essential vitamins, each playing a role in our body. Four of these are fat soluble, vitamin A, D, E, and K. The other 9 are water soluble and therefor need to be replenished more often. The best way to obtain all 13 essential vitamins is to consume a balanced diet containing a variety of nutrient dense foods.
When a nutrient is taken out of a food and concentrated into supplement form, it is not the same thing as eating real food. Whole foods offer main components that are not present in a supplement. They contain a variety of the micronutrients your body needs. For example, fiber and antioxidants are two components obtained from food that are beneficial to your health along with vitamins and minerals. Those who battle diseases or health conditions may find that they need assistance obtaining more of a specific nutrient. While they should still be encouraged to get their nutrients from real food sources, a supplement can help make up for what they can not obtain. For example, a pregnant women may need to take folic acid or an iron supplement to help the growing fetus. Supplements are out there to help us when we need it and I believe they should be used as a secondary source to food. I have taken many supplements in my past and found they helped support my health in the aspects it needed at the time. I have been supplement-free for the past two years and it's refreshing to use food as a source of medicine.
If you are taking supplements of any kind, it's wise to be cautious of where you buy them. In the United states, supplements are not required to be FDA approved. Supplement manufacturers ship their products straight to the shelves with consumers risking the consumption of toxic or harmful ingredients. Thorne is a company that provides uncontaminated supplements in their purist form. Whenever I felt the need to use a supplement, I would buy them from Thorne’s online shop. https://www.thorne.com/products
A common vitamin deficiency is Vitamin B12. B12 is an important vitamin for the body to make red blood cells, nerves, DNA, and carry out other bodily functions. This specific b vitamin is easily obtainable from all animal products. Vegans and vegetarians often purchase vitamin b12 supplements since they are at higher risk for a deficiency. I eat meat often, but not everyday. So, I like to incorporate other foods with vitamin b12 to make sure my body gets what it needs. Nutritional yeast is an ingredient high in vitamin b12 that I like to incorporate into my cooking. It can be used in many ways to add a cheesy flavor to food; sprinkled on top of eggs or popcorn. Nutritional yeast is a great option to add into your diet especially if animal products are not present.
Vitamin C is another popular vitamin that is bought as a supplement, especially when feeling under the weather. The recommended daily intake of this vitamin is around 75mg. Supplements of Vitamin C are often sold in very high dosages such as 500mg. Unless for medical reasons or conditions, my preference is to get my daily vitamin C from the foods I eat. It is easier than you may think. A 3/4cup of orange juice has 60mg, a cup a strawberries has 98mg, half a cup of red bell pepper has 95mg. Since vitamin C is water soluble, I try to eat vitamin C rich foods throughout the day. In the morning I like to eat fruits such as an orange, banana, and or berries. With all of the other fruits and vegetables I eat throughout the day I am sure to get my daily dose of vitamin C.
I like to eat fish at least once or twice a week. I enjoy eating fish and it also contains many wonderful nutrients for our body. Fattier fish, like salmon, contain fat soluble vitamin D. If you live in a cold place during the winter and don’t see the sun very much, chances are that you will have lower levels of vitamin D. During those grey winter months I try to eat more foods with vitamin D; one being salmon. Another great benefit to fatty fish are the omega-3 fatty acids. These are crucial for your body and brain to function optimally. To reach the recommended requirement of omega-3s, simply incorporating fish in your diet once or twice a week will get the job done. Instead of reaching for a fish oil, omega-3, or vitamin D supplement, I eat fish and enjoy it!
Along with the 13 essential vitamins, there are also many minerals that are beneficial to good health. Some other important minerals for our body are calcium, potassium, iron, sodium, and magnesium. Just like vitamins, minerals aid in your body's growth, development and staying healthy.
Zinc is another supplement that is commonly purchased to keep us feeling healthy and away from those pesky colds. It is advised that vegetarians consume almost twice the recommended dose because zinc is naturally obtained through meat and fish. Beans and nuts contain good amounts of zinc, so those are a good options for anyone who avoids animal products.
The last supplement I want to discuss are probiotics. I used to take a probiotic, but found it can be quite a costly supplement. To cut down on my expenses, I felt I could achieve the same goal by eating foods high in good bacteria and aid in digestion. Foods like yogurt, kimchi, Tempeh, kombucha, and some cheeses provide healthy doses of natural probiotics. All of these foods are incorporated into my eating regimen so I felt confident giving up a probiotic supplement. Other foods that are a great source for probiotics are sauerkraut, kefir, pickles, miso, or anything fermented. I like to get different sources of good bacteria foods throughout the week.
I read an article that talks about the inconsistency of probiotic supplements and their reliability. I encourage you to read this article which I’ve shared below, if you have any interest in over the counter probiotics’ impact.
I am fortunate to have zero food allergies which allows me to freely use food as a natural source to many aspects of my health and nutrition. Remember that whole foods are the root of all supplements and can provide so much for your health.
Article on Probiotics:
https://www.statnews.com/2019/04/02/probiotics-are-touted-as-good-for-the-gut-they-may-be-trouble-for-the-immune-system/?fbclid=IwAR0HxR-VWouaurFwtJJrcCz6stTJk9o4uhDwN42Ca-X3VXgQImaXMwCZmsQ