Healthy individuals should meet their vitamin and mineral needs through diet alone; however, supplements may be helpful when diet lacks specific nutrients, or during critical life stages like pregnancy.
Supplements are regulated differently than medications and should only be obtained from a reliable source. Search for products with third-party testing results that have been clearly labeled on the product packaging.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic substances necessary for our bodies’ normal function and can be found naturally in food sources, though supplemental forms may also provide necessary support if your diet lacks an abundance of them.
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) are stored in liver and fatty tissue stores while water-soluble ones (vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folic acid and cobalamin) are excreted through urine. Therefore it’s essential to know your daily vitamin needs as well as what foods provide excellent sources of these essential nutrients. Family nurse practitioner Gloria Orellana of La Vida Health in Temple Terrace FL shares more insight into this aspect of medicine. She explains this further by sharing her knowledge.
Minerals
Minerals are solid inorganic substances formed through natural processes that form crystal structures with fixed dimensions and possessing unique chemical composition. A mineral must also possess some easily measurable physical characteristics such as hardness, lustre, colour, streaking, cleavage diaphaneity specific gravity or radioactivity that allow its description.
Minerals can be divided into groups based on their chemical constituents and crystal structure, for instance silicate minerals and oxides. Furthermore, they can also be classified according to their atomic arrangement; trigonal and hexagonal crystal systems being amongst these classifications.
Minerals are essential for human health. Iodine plays an integral part in producing thyroid hormones; antioxidants like beta-carotene, lycopene and selenium help protect cells against damage; while magnesium, potassium and sodium help maintain electrolyte balance in our bodies.
Herbs
Herbs have long been used by various cultures as part of a holistic health strategy. From using them directly (fresh or dried) to extracting them into teas, syrups, tinctures, ointments, oils, salves and capsules – herbs can provide great solutions for targeting specific health concerns with combinations designed to target them directly.
Herbal remedies are generally considered safe when prescribed by a qualified naturopath and can help address many conditions and symptoms. Furthermore, they may act as a useful companion medication.
Third-party testing
With antiquated legislation that limits the Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory power and a supplement industry filled with potentially hazardous products like Ephedra (which was linked to heart attacks, strokes and ultimately Steve Bechler’s death), third-party testing can help minimize sales of potentially contaminated products. Companies such as NSF and USP provide programs designed to monitor company facilities and test products before being sold commercially.
Reputable supplement manufacturers will display certification stamps from one of these organizations on their product labels to reassure their consumers that it is free from contaminants, contains what the label promises, and produced in an environment free from environmental hazards and hazardous processes. It also reduces the chances of making misleading claims about their product lines.
