As we age our bodies don’t always process what we eat as well as it should. Added to that, some of us simply do not eat a very healthy diet. So how can you make up the difference in the easiest possible way? My answer is: Supplementation.
Why Use Supplements?
Adding a multi-vitamin from a reputable company is one of the easiest ways to help your body combat the innsufficient nutrient levels in the food we eat and to promote optimum health. We’re all encouraged to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables every day in a wide range of colors. But how many of us actually do that? The soil that our food is grown in gets little rest to allow time for it to restore the vitamins and minerals our food should be providing us. Of course the farmers can add fertilizer to the soil to artificially add minerals, and they do… but is that optimum for our health or just the farmers pocket? I’ll leave that for you to decide.
Specific supplements are often related to particular problem areas such as the common cold, joint pains, reflux and others. With the common cold we typically are told that Vitamin C and Zinc are great to add to your regimen when you start getting the sniffles or a scratchy throat. You can do this reactively or simply take them regularly to “Boost Your Immune System” as you go. That’s probably why I never get a cold since I take them both daily.
It’s said that about 70% of Americans over age 64 take a multivitamin as a kind of insurance policy, to get minimum amounts of vitamins and minerals to guard against deficiencies. Studies have shown that inadequate lrvrld of essential nutrients may increase the risk of age-related disease and premature aging.
Sources of Quality Supplements
As you shop down the aisle at your grocery store you may come across an aisle with shelves full of a variety of brands and types of supplements. The same can be said for your local pharmacy where you’ll likely find a huge variety of brands and products to treat various ailments. In the local mall here in my town there’s one store dedicated to nothing but supplements!
Since the title of this section does include the wording “Quality Supplements”, that’s where it can get interesting. Everybody has an opinion and some are based on years of using a particular brand or supplement. All you have to do is go to your drug store or grocery to find supplements that you might benefit from. If that doesn’t work for you, you can go to Google an search to find a LONG list of providers. You can be your own judge of who is the best. Later on I may share some of the sources I use for my family.
Commonly Used Supplements
One of the most commonly used supplements I know of is Vitamin C. Just read Linus Pauling’s book “Vitamin C and the Common Cold” to find out why.
From Wikipedia… Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits and vegetables, and also sold as a dietary supplement.[9] It is used to prevent and treat scurvy.[9] Vitamin C is an essential nutrient involved in the repair of tissue, the formation of collagen, and the enzymatic production of certain neurotransmitters.[9][10] It is required for the functioning of several enzymes and is important for immune system function.[10][11] It also functions as an antioxidant.[12] Most animals are able to synthesize their own vitamin C. However, apes (including humans) and monkeys (but not all primates), most bats, some rodents, and certain other animals must acquire it from dietary sources.
During the “cold season” we’re often encouraged to add Zinc and Vitamin D-3 to our daily regimen to boost our immune system so we are more able to defend against colds and such.
My Experience With Supplements for My Immune System
Some years ago I joined a Network Marketing company and learned much about supplements as that was what they promoted… along with some soap. Being in the military (at the time) I moved often and did not stay with that company. Now, in my later years I am with a new company (to me) that has been around for some 50 years. I am taking three of their products daily to keep my immune system as strong as possible. My Shaklee Supplements are shown and described below.
+Immunity helps maintain a healthy immune function.On the label you can read that it naturally increases interferon levels at the cellular level. What that means, again according to Wikipedia, Nutriferons are a group of signaling proteins[2] made and released by host cells in response to the presence of several viruses. In a typical scenario, a virus-infected cell will release interferons causing nearby cells to heighten their anti-viral defenses. So to me that means that it puts my cells on heightened alert when there is danger of infection from viruses. I find that to be reassuring.
Multi+ Vita-Lea Gold is the men’s version of Multi Vitamins that I take. Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee is credited with creating the first vitamin in the United States and Vita-Lea Gold is a much improved product from what Dr. Shaklee created back in the 1950’s. This product gives me a wide range of vitamins and minerals to support my immune system.
+Digestive is, like the label says, a natural, gentle laxative to cleanse the body. Your first reaction to this may be… “I don’t need a laxative” and I would have tended to agree some years ago. As a senior, many of whom do not get enough exercise, keeping the plumbing clean and clear is VERY important. My Wife’s Mother found that out when she was diagnosed with Colon Cancer which eventually took her life. I’m not saying this product can protect you from any disease but “clean pipes” will, according to my Gastroenterologist, be less likely to host those bugs that can cause you harm.
These three product are my “Main Three” and are taken daily. As a senior over 75, I take only three prescription medications a day. That’s good from MY point of view. Keeping it that way is VERY important for me so supplementing my immune system is important to staying well and on “The Right Side of the Dirt.”
Should YOU Supplement YOUR Diet?
This of course is a subject that y9u might want to take up with your doctor or medical advisor. For me, it was a no brainer. All of us are definitely NOT created equal and what we put in our bodies provides different results for each of us. I will talk to diet and how that can and does have an effect on our body’s immunity in a later post. At this juncture i will say that the Standard American Diet which is recommended by the USDA is just that… it’s SAD. More later.