Say your prayers. Take your vitamins. This is one of Hulk Hogan’s catchphrases but was he correct? Specifically, is it necessary to be taking any additional vitamins or nutritional supplements in addition to what you get from your food? Well, do you remember the first time you were shown a food chart, with all of the basic food groups? There were grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy and meats. Maybe like me, you were told that you could get everything that you need from these 5 basic food groups. Well what if I told you this isn’t really true? Have you ever wondered why the strongest advocates of a healthy diet and those who seem to be following all the prescribed guidelines of healthy eating still come down with the same ailments as everyone else? Well, I invite you to keep reading as we explore the interesting realities of diet and nutrition.
So why do we need food in the first place? Contrary to what some may say, we do not eat food because we can’t say no to our mom’s excellent cooking. We eat food to supply our bodies with the carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals it needs to function optimally every day. Herein lays the startling reality that the food we eat everyday does not contain the same nutrition as it did 50 or even 100 years ago. The official report presented at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development at Rio de Janeiro revealed data showing that over the last 100 years, average mineral levels in agricultural soils had fallen worldwide - by 72% in Europe, 76% in Asia, 85% in North America and 76% in South America. The report concluded, “...there is deep concern over continuing major declines in the mineral values in farm and range soils throughout the world”. What this means is that the average carrot grown today has much less nutrients that a carrot grown 100 years ago because the soils in which most of our food is grown is minerally deficient.
Additionally, modern agricultural practices promoting the use of pesticides, kill the beneficial bacteria in the soil. These bacteria help to breakdown the minerals in the soil in order for the plant to be able to absorb it. Just like our small intestine, the root of the plant can only absorb the minerals once they have been broken down sufficiently. Therefore, even when the minerals are there, if the bacteria have been killed, the plants still won’t be able to absorb it.
There are many more points that can be explored to demonstrate the fact that the nutrition we need is just not sufficiently present in the food anymore and this is primary because of the lack of minerals. No wonder chronic diseases have been on the rise worldwide! For example, let’s take Type 2 Diabetes. The trace mineral Chromium is one of the most if not the most important nutrients that the body needs in the process of blood sugar metabolism. Well according to the U.S Department of Agriculture, 90% of all US Soils are deficient in chromium. Do we still need to wonder why diabetes is so prevalent now?
Linus Pauling, who was one of the most influential Chemist in history and won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry as well as the Nobel Peace Prize, after years of research concluded that every chronic disease can be traced to a mineral deficiency. Whether you may consider this an overstatement or not, the reality is that nutrition but especially the minerals are essential for health. If you are sick or trying to remain healthy is it crucial that you secure all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
What this means for us today is that supplementation is extremely vital to our health to make up for the deficiency in our foods. As important as supplementation is, it is even more important to choose the right supplements. The harsh reality is that most of the supplements available over the counter in the local pharmacies and health food stores, of or poor quality and also do not contain many minerals. So, then the question is, how do you choose a quality supplement? Well, stay tuned and in the upcoming article I will give you some useful guidelines.