Nutritional products include any food or drink that supplies at least some or all of your daily nutritional requirements, whether that is in supplement form, fortified with vitamins and minerals like flour enriched with iron, or high protein drinks that include essential or nonessential amino acids along with other ingredients.
Dietary Supplements
Dietary supplements are products used to enhance nutrition by supplementing with additional vitamins, minerals, or ingredients not typically found in food. Dietary supplements come in the form of tablets, capsules, gummies, powders and liquids; all providing essential nutritional support if eating the appropriate variety is difficult or your condition causes malabsorption.
Dietary supplements include multivitamins, calcium, iron and Vitamin C supplements as well as some botanical products like echinacea or garlic that can be purchased without needing a valid prescription.
Some dietary supplements may have positive health benefits, but their use in excess or when combined with certain medicines could increase your risk. The EFSA monitors adverse event reports from consumers, healthcare professionals and companies as well as product complaints regarding common dietary supplements: Ephedra species, Yohimbe (Pausinystalia yohimbe), Hydroxyanthracene derivatives, Catechins and Monacolins from red yeast rice.
Herbal Medicines
Herbal medicine relies on plants to treat disease and enhance general health and wellbeing, using seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark and flowers from plant parts such as seeds, berries roots berries roots leaves bark flowers bark seeds bark bark flowers as remedies to promote overall wellbeing and treat disease. While herbal medicines may supplement existing medication it’s important to always consult your GP prior to starting any herbal regimen or discontinuing prescribed medications altogether.
Herbs come in various forms such as teas, syrups, oils and tinctures. Tinctures are created by soaking dried herbs in alcohol or glycerol to extract their active ingredients; tea is created by boiling dried herbs in water before straining to make an infusion; oils can be used for massage therapy as well as being added to creams and ointments for additional benefits.
Herbal medicinal products are classified as dietary supplements under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), meaning they do not undergo safety or effectiveness testing, making it impossible for them to be used to diagnose, treat or cure specific medical conditions.
Homeopathic Medicines
Homeopathic medicines are safe, natural remedies that can be used to treat various health problems without side effects. Concocted from plant extracts like red onion, belladonna (deadly nightshade), mountain herb and poison ivy; minerals (like white arsenic); or animals such as crushed bees – homeopathy treatments can take the form of sugar pellets under the tongue, gels creams or drops administered directly under your tongue. Homeopathy doctors “custom” treatments specifically tailored for each person so people suffering from similar illnesses may receive different approaches from homeopathic practitioners.
Since there is no scientific proof that homeopathic remedies work, they should not replace standard medical treatment. Furthermore, homeopathy may cause allergic reactions even when taken in small doses and interfere with certain medications; before making your own decision to try homeopathy consult your physician as they may provide assistance finding ways to safely combine it with traditional therapies to address your health needs safely; they could suggest other nutritional therapies or suggest ways to manage any side effects that occur from using it.
Other Nutraceuticals
Scientific research has given medical specialists an understanding of how much of each kind of nutrient will benefit the average person, so taking recommended dosages of supplements provides your body with essential raw materials to deal with daily wear and tear, heal wounds faster, and fight infection more effectively.
Diet remains the best way to obtain all the nutrients your body requires, but special nutrition may be beneficial depending on your circumstances. Pregnant women require extra folic acid in their diet in order to have healthy babies; those recovering from illness or surgery require specific nutritional assistance for recovery purposes. Nutraceuticals come in all shapes and forms — from single nutrients like Vitamin C or single iron-containing processed food products all the way up to sports drinks that contain electrolytes — however for optimal nutrition intake we recommend balanced eating, regular physical activity, adequate sleep time management as well as effective stress management techniques.
