Did you know that 76% of American adults, that is, more than 170 million people take dietary supplements? The most commonly consumed supplement is vitamins and minerals.
If you haven’t ever taken dietary supplements, you might be wondering what all the fuss is all about. Well, in this article, we will tell you what is a dietary supplement, and why you need to start consuming natural dietary supplements to boost your health. Let’s get started!
What Is a Dietary Supplement and Why Are They Necessary?
The term “dietary supplements” refers to a wide range of products including vitamins and minerals, enzymes, herbs, amino acids, and more. And they come in many forms, like gummies, pills, liquids, teas, and bars.
The main thing to remember about dietary supplements is that they are not medicine. They are not meant to cure any illness or ailment, but to supplement your diet.
The reason why dietary supplements are becoming more popular is that our natural diet, as it is now, cannot take care of all our daily needs. There are many reasons for it such as:
Our Land Isn’t as Fertile Anymore
Firstly, the soil that our food grows in isn’t as fertile anymore. That’s why the same carrot that’s eaten now, versus when it was eaten 20-30 years ago, doesn’t have the same nutritional value. If you wanted to eat a healthy diet, with all your vitamins and mineral needs satisfied, you would have to eat a lot more food to satisfy your body.
A person can’t eat all that food in a single day. That’s why dietary supplements are used to compensate for the lack in our diet. This is when a person is eating a healthy diet.
Healthy Eating Is Uncommon
Secondly, most people are not eating healthy diets, since the modern American diet has become inundated with fast food, fried foods, and other unhealthy foods like that. Despite the health food craze that’s pervasive throughout our society, most people are still eating burgers and fries for their main meals (or other terrible foods like that).
A lot of these fast food meals are eaten on the go and in a hurry. They have nil to no nutritional value and are laden with fats, sugars, and salt. Not only are folks eating terribly, but they are also way too sedentary.
People Want a Quick Solution
Finally, people are lazy. They don’t want to hear that they need to eat better, exercise more, and spend less time watching TV.
This is not the solution Americans want. It’s easier for them to hear that they can take a dietary supplement and that will solve some if not all of their health problems. Of course, that’s not true in some cases, but that lie is spread because the dietary supplement industry isn’t as regulated as the medical or pharmaceutical industry.
If you are eating a poor diet and you want some help supplementing it, then taking vitamins or minerals or some other supplement is a great idea.
Benefits of Dietary Supplements
Each dietary supplement on the market will come with its promises of what it can solve for you. Always take these promises with a grain of salt. Not to say that all those claims are false and should be ignored.
Some dietary supplements do what they say. For example, if you take organic Curcumin tablets, these are great for reducing inflammation in the body and helping with anxiety. And deer antler velvet is supposed to counter the effects of stress, boost immune function, and help recover faster from an illness.
Always do your research before taking any dietary supplement. Also, speak to your medical professional if you are taking several different medications, to ensure that you don’t have any complications from adding this supplement to your diet, and no unwanted side effects.
It’s also a good idea to take a little bit of the supplement to start with and see if you have an adverse reaction. If you do, stop taking the supplement right away. Don’t risk it!
Be extremely careful when taking any dietary supplements that help with weight loss. Many have been shown to interfere with heart function and can cause high blood pressure and lung problems. Again, do your due diligence before picking up a dietary supplement and putting it into your body.
Do not give children or teenagers dietary supplements before consulting with a doctor. They are much more sensitive to these supplements as they are highly concentrated and could be in a dosage that’s too high for a young person.
Taking Natural Dietary Supplements Is Best
A lot of dietary supplements that you will see online or in grocery stores are touted as being ‘natural’. Now, it’s always a good idea to take natural supplements over something that’s manufactured or artificial. This is because natural supplements are easier for your body to digest as they are naturally found in nature and were probably consumed by our ancestors.
But a lot of these claims about the supplement being natural might be falsified. They might contain only 1% of the natural substance and the rest could be made of unnatural substances.
Whatever the supplement might be, it’s your prerogative to do research on the manufacturer and the ingredients to ensure that it’s what they say it is.
Take Dietary Supplements To Boost Your Health
Now you know what is a dietary supplement. Dietary supplements, when taken right, can be extremely viable for your health. They can completely transform your mind and body for the better.
But as with everything health-related, don’t just believe the manufacturer blindly. Use your critical thinking and research skills to ensure everything is above board.
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