Quality Nutritional Supplements

Nutritional products and the source. Yes, you know people always looking for a good quality vitamin, or herbal product. You enter a gym, health food store, or spa, and believe that they wouldn’t possibly sell items that are unhealthy, right? Think again. NEVER be afraid to question the ingredients in your health supplements! Take a look at some of the leading protein shakes, and energy drinks, and notice the contents including artificial sweeteners, or "little" to "no caffeine", yet contain one or more herbs that are natural sources of substantial amounts of caffeine!
I had the opportunity to take part in sales of supplements and products at a gym I worked in, but felt odd about it. At surface, it seemed like a good line of products, but when I reviewed the contents of some protein drinks, energy drinks, and the vitamins, I learned that artificial sweeteners were a source in some, and not enough dosage was available in the vitamins.
Active people need more than the 100% RDA, and even a great diet isn’t enough when limiting yourself to such a minimal vitamin/mineral supplement. You need to take control of your nutrition, and find what you need.
I think it’s fair to say that artificial sweeteners are just trouble waiting to happen, considering all the scientific data that has come back on their adverse effects on the body. Do we really need to beat a dead horse?
Aspartame
An artificial sweetener. Known by the trade name NutraSweet, it is an artificial sweetener. Certain people should avoid products that contain Aspartame. They are people who cannot metabolize the amino acid Phenylalanine, which is an ingredient in aspartame; and people who are suspectable to headaches. It is nearly 200 times sweeter than sugar. Aspartame is produced from the amino acids L-asartic acid and L=phenylalannine. It has been approved for use in certain goods since 1981. Heat causes aspartame to lose its sweetness, therefore, you can't bake with it. Unlike some sweetners, it has no aftertaste. An analysis of peer reviewed medical literature using MEDLINE and other databases was conducted by Ralph G. Walton, MD, Chairman, The Center for Behavioral Medicine, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine. Dr. Walton analyzed 164 studies which were felt to have relevance to human safety questions. Of those studies, 74 studies had aspartame industry-related sponsorship and 90 were funded without any industry money.


Your best bet, use Stevia if you can’t have sugar. It is completely safe, all natural, and doesn’t effect the blood sugar! YAY! Don’t talk yourself into using a product with artificial sweetener because it’s this "one" product. Really? Do you read ALL the products you consume? Even in restaurants? I didn’t think so. But, if you do...good job! You are a nutrition animal! I had a client who didn’t like the way Stevia tasted, but was diabetic. I explained that it was the safest, most natural alternative to real sugar. She opted for the artificial sweeteners. Can you possibly imagine how much of that stuff she consumes? In drinks, food, and just adding it straight? If you’re already sick, shouldn’t you try harder to take better care of yourself? Or is it just me?
I also talked to her about vitamins, and her daily activity, and workout schedule. She was a nurse, and that is a busy job! She was physical most of the day, and coming to workout, so needed a good vitamin with good bio-availability . She opted for a vitamin of much lesser quality, sighting cost and the fact that it said"100% RDA" after each vitamin. She got the source from a personal trainer, who was trying to make a sale.
There are personal trainers that offer great nutritional education, but not all are "nutritionally savvy". They can tell you a basis for weight loss in a protein/carb/fat ratio, with observance of caloric intake versus expenditure, but may not know about vitamins, minerals and who needs what or why. Ask...and don’t assume. Even your doctors, ask them how educated in nutrition they truly are. I have trained doctors and nurses, and they are just as frustrated about it as the average gym goer.
The truth is, most of the food is polluted, irradiated, or genetically modified in some way -seriously. Organic foods don’t even have enough of the needed nutrients due to lack of minerals in the soil. That, by the way, has been an issue since the turn of the 20th century...nearly a century ago! Concerned? You should be. Supplements are necessary for helping the body get what even the freshest food here can’t give it...nutrients. So when faced with finding what you need for supplements, and what has the best quality ingredients, don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Be happy and healthy!