Nutritional products include pills, capsules, tablets, powders or liquids that contain essential vitamins, minerals, herbs or amino acids for supplementation purposes. They are regulated differently from prescription or over-the-counter medicines.
Proteins are essential components of our bodies. Each gram provides four kilocalories of energy for our daily activities as well as supporting bone and muscle development as well as conducting most chemical reactions in our cells.
Proteins
Protein is essential to life. Its presence in every cell of our bodies provides essential building and repair mechanisms, supporting an active immune system and maintaining fluid balance and hormone production. Protein is composed of amino acids sourced either from animals (meat, fish, poultry eggs and milk) or plants such as lentils beans soy quinoa that provide all of these amino acids necessary for human consumption; some plants must be eaten together to obtain all essential amino acids.
Consume lean meats, skinless chicken, low-fat dairy and seafood as a source of high-quality proteins, while limiting red meat intake which contains higher concentrations of saturated fats and methylmercury levels. High protein supplements may be helpful to ensure adequate protein consumption.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic compounds the body requires in small doses for proper functioning. While most vitamin sources come from food sources, some individuals need supplements in order to get enough.
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) can be stored for months before being excreted via urine; water-soluble vitamins like the B complex and vitamin C however are excreted via pee.
Enhancing energy levels – This nutrient works with protein to break down amino acids into energy, providing more of it to our bodies as energy. Plus it promotes good mood by helping regulate brain chemicals that regulate emotions.
Supporting bone health – Calcium from this vitamin moves directly into bones, helping ensure strong teeth and bone structure.
Vitamin D is also vital in supporting skin health and immune function, found in fish, milk products and fortified cereals.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic substances essential for our bodies’ functions. Found in many foods ranging from meat and dairy to vegetables and grains, minerals play a pivotal role in maintaining healthy cells, bones and teeth as well as maintaining appropriate fluid balance and producing enzymes.
Physical properties of minerals are determined by their crystal structure and atomic composition, with different minerals having various shapes, colors, and cleavage surfaces due to this ordering of their atoms arranged repetitively; hence their unique physical characteristics such as cleavage or symmetry.
There are two groups of minerals: major minerals and trace minerals. Our bodies require larger amounts of major minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium potassium chloride. Iron iodine zinc fluoride selenium copper are also needed in smaller amounts for good health.
Herbs
Herbs can add incredible flavour and colour to savoury meals and beverages without adding fat, sodium or sugar – not to mention they often come with additional health-promoting benefits!
Fresh herbs are commonly known as culinary herbs; parsley and thyme leaves add delicious flavour to meats and vegetables while bouquet garlands of sage, parsley, bay leaf and peppercorns tied in cheesecloth are frequently used in soups and stews. Other parts of plants such as bark (cinnamon), berries (curcumin), seeds (cumin) or roots (turmeric) may also be considered spices.
Herbs provide many beneficial phytoconstituents to support our bodies’ immune responses, such as antioxidants, polyphenolics, and nitrogen-containing compounds that provide powerful benefits to health. Healthcare professionals should encourage individuals to include more herbs into their diet!
Homeopathic supplements
Homeopathic remedies operate on the principle that “like cures like,” using small doses of natural substances such as stinging nettle, red onion, poison ivy and belladonna (death’s nightshade). Such substances would produce symptoms similar to those caused by your disease – for instance stinging nettle can relieve sore stingers; red onion has antifungal properties; poison ivy can relieve poison ivy symptoms and belladonna can treat its symptoms.
Homeopathic products contain ingredients derived from plants, animals (healthy or sick), minerals or metals and are produced according to international pharmacopoeias guidelines. Homeopathy products are considered safe without side effects.
However, they should not be used as a replacement for immunizations that have been shown to help protect children and adults against serious diseases. Furthermore, it’s essential that one complies with recommended conventional immunization schedules; homeopathic preparations do not undergo the same stringent safety testing procedures conducted by Health Canada or Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), therefore making their effectiveness unguaranteed.
