There is never any absolute certainty about what the nutritional requirements are for the human body of a certain age, size and gender. Scientific research on the subject takes a long time, and results are often not that clear. But, at least scientific research into the subject of vitamins, minerals and other nutritional requirements is being undertaken seriously, and taken seriously by governments.
That was not always so; at least, if it was, it never reached through to the medical profession at the sharp end. I took an interest in diet and health in the late 1970s and 1980's and have had a personal interest since. My reason then was firstly because of my own severe, and crippling, arthritic problem, and in the later 1980's because of my son's food allergies, or intolerances. Doctors in that era generally dismissed any link between health and diet as nonsense, and were even more dismissive of such things as allergy as a cause of any behavioural changes in a child.
The difficulties we had then caused me to do a lot of reading on the subject of diet and health, and nutritional requirements. I started taking a multi vitamin and mineral supplement at a time when doctors were very dismissive, and I have done so ever since. At least, in public they were dismissive; but I wonder how many were taking such supplements themselves? They must have known the evidence was mounting up even then.
These days, though, doctors are a bit more aware of the links between diet and health, and the possible benefits of some nutritional supplements. Much of their information is disseminated from central governments, and all we can do is judge our own nutritional requirements based on the latest research. We do so, though, in the knowledge that recommended daily allowances (RDA's) can change at any time with later research.
People who are on a diet and trying to lose weight need to be especially careful about nutritional needs. There is not much point losing weight to prevent one health problem, only to cause another by being nutritionally deficient elsewhere. If you are dieting, the chances are that if you are following any restrictive diet plan, you may be missing some important vitamins or minerals. Any diet that heavily emphasizes one food group while completely restricting others is, by nature, lacking in some essential nutrients.
A common conception of dieting is that, when we feed our bodies less calories than it needs, it will begin to take nutrition from the fat that it has stored. While that is true, it is a basic fallacy that your body can derive all the fuel it needs that way. Part of the problem with that assumption is that there are many nutrients your body simply cannot store. The body uses what it needs, and excretes the rest. The nutrients which cannot be stored need to be consumed daily in one way or another, and if your diet doesn't allow for that, your body will show the effects.
If you are on a diet that severely restricts your intake of any particular food or food group, you may benefit from adding a nutritional supplement to your daily menu. In fact, many doctors recommend that dieters take, at the very least, a complete, high-quality multivitamin to make up for any deficiencies caused by the restrictions. Other supplementation might be recommended depending on which diet you follow.
Below are some specific suggestions based on particular diets, for you to discuss with a nutritionist or dietician before you go too far with your diet:
Supplements For Any Diet
A full-spectrum multivitamin should be part of your daily routine no matter what you're eating or not eating. It will help even out the ups and downs of your diet, and supply some valuable nutrients that are difficult to get.
It is also important to remember the sun as your source of vitamin D, which is not derived from any food source. While doctors often say that as little as 20 minutes of full sun per day can supply your daily requirement of vitamin D, they also caution that it depends on your climate and geographical location. So, local advice is very helpful here.
Supplements For A Low-Carbohydrate & High Protein Diet
If you are on a low carb diet, antioxidant vitamins found in vegetables are particularly important. Scientists are learning more and more about how important it is that our diets contain a full spectrum of vitamins, proteins, minerals and acids. If your diet cuts out most grains and vegetables, you should be replacing the lost nutrients with supplementary vitamin A, C, B (all the B's), E and K. You should also supplement your intake of folic acid, and if you're not getting a significant amount of your protein from fish products, you'll need omega 3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, shellfish and flaxseed oil.
Always bear in mind that the best diet is one that gives you a balance of nutrients, and that supplements should be exactly that - a supplement to your daily nutritional intake through food and liquid. And, be sure you discuss this with your doctor, nutritionist or dietician.
This weight loss supplementation article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner and part author of the Routes To Self Improvement website.
It's a sad comment on human nature that prejudice and... Read More
You and I know that getting plenty of support from... Read More
Control that sweet tooth. Remember that sweet things generally mean... Read More
Please feel free to comment, to provide good information and... Read More
1. Quit snacking in between meals. Do not fall for... Read More
Body Mass Index (BMI)Body Mass Index is an accurate indicator... Read More
Be Prepared. For the Boy Scouts it means you are... Read More
Perhaps you've had them too, nightmares about rice cakes, granola,... Read More
Metabolism is the process by which your body changes food... Read More
Unfortunately, obesity is reaching epidemic proportions, with over 60% of... Read More
Have you ever received those tempting ads that seem to... Read More
Many gastric bypass patients report frequent spells of dizziness. In... Read More
Acupuncture for weight loss is a modern application of this... Read More
Let's face facts; obesity is ripe today in America and... Read More
The Government of the Australian state of Victoria has started... Read More
The problem isn't that you don't have enough will power... Read More
Many people (especially on the net) claim that you can... Read More
Telling yourself you have to "struggle with this weight issue... Read More
Have you ever stopped to calculate how much time you... Read More
A distorted body image is one of the symptoms that... Read More
In many cases conventional dieting wisdom simply doesn't work for... Read More
There are several theories on the origins of Valentine's Day.... Read More
We in the diet and exercise industry have our own... Read More
Diet is a dreadful word for most of us because... Read More
Having just returned from a week of basking on a... Read More
Diet information is everywhere. In advertisements, on TV, in magazines;... Read More
Cellulite ? a word most women are very familiar with.... Read More
Don't get discouraged. I, too, have found myself in this... Read More
The term 'thermogenic' refers to a group of drugs or... Read More
Contrary to common belief, your weight is not really the... Read More
Many women want to be slim. Maybe you're one of... Read More
There are many factors that cause us to increase body... Read More
There are numerous ways to make a bad weight loss... Read More
Just the facts on bodybuilding weightloss strategies that work. No... Read More
When it all comes down to losing or gaining weight,... Read More
This is the second article in the series, Weight Loss... Read More
If you're a low carb diet enthusiast, you've probably tried... Read More
If you're like most people who tried losing weight on... Read More
Congratulations on waking up each morning and greeting the day... Read More
Going away for your holidays will also bring with it... Read More
I want to talk to you about cows and what... Read More
Resistance training, also known as strength training, does not require... Read More
These days, most everyone has heard of low carb diets... Read More
Weight loss plans come in all shapes and sizes. Some... Read More
While low-fat dieters and non-dieters may want to avoid chicken... Read More
With obesity and disease increasing dramatically, many fitness experts are... Read More
Gaining up to 20 pounds over four years can significantly... Read More
Diet PillsTaking diet pills is definitely not an effective weight... Read More
What to Do with the Leftovers?Okay, tell me if you've... Read More
Of all the possible exercises there are to help you... Read More
No One I Know Looks Like a Bathing Beauty, so... Read More
Who really wants to lose weight? None of us, right?... Read More
Most of us are aware of the AA axiom of... Read More
At the beginning of December, WeightWatchers.com announced the release of... Read More
Cellulite ? a word most women are very familiar with.... Read More
Have you ever decided to take a trip somewhere relatively... Read More
As I become acquainted with many of our LivingAfterWLS.com community... Read More
Many of enjoy sitting down at Starbucks and enjoying a... Read More
1. What is Atkins Diet? Dr. Atkins diet, first introduced... Read More
I had 14 weight/health-oriented newsletters in my inbox this morning.... Read More
One of the difficulties with dieting is the well known... Read More
Have you been surfing the web trying to find a... Read More
The best exercises for quick weight loss in my opinion... Read More
I have tried many "diets" here in the USA and... Read More
Weight Watchers inspired me to change my eating habits, lose... Read More
What is the advantage of these new half sugar and... Read More
Weight Loss |