Understanding Essential Nutrient Supplements.
Essential = If something is classified as essential in nutritional or biochemical terms it means that the body cannot make it and must therefore receive it from the diet.
Nutrient = A nutrient is something that the cells of the body require in order to function properly, express health and avoid sickness. You are probably familiar with nutrients such as vitamin, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
Supplement = Aimed at providing sufficient ingestion of essential nutrients which are not readily available from the diet.
Without these essential nutrients, proper health is impossible and illness is inevitable – they are literally that important in terms of determining quality and quantity of life.
Innate Chiropractic can discuss your individual health needs and provide nutritional supplement advice and products.
The Main Nutrient Deficiencies
In this day and age our diets have vastly changed from that of long ago and now include processed foods. These foods are low or lack many nutrients including these essential nutrients. Even if you have a balanced diet, it is just not possible with our lifestyle of today to get enough of these essential nutrients. On top of this, our current lifestyle choices are exposing our body to more physical, chemical and emotional stress, compared to that of the past.
Omega-3, Vitamin D and Magnesium deficiency is a casual factor in so many diverse health problems. These are essential nutrients that all humans require in sufficient amounts for health and the prevention of illness. Daily supplementation with these nutrients is not optional; it is essential for recovery, wellness and prevention.
Omega-3
The role of Omega-3 essential fatty acids (specifically EPA and DHA) in the promotion of health and the prevention of illness has been studied a great deal in recent years. Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) are some of the most crucial essential nutrients for human health ever identified. Omega-3 EFAs are extremely important in the structure and function of every cell in the body and the function of your cells is what determines your health. Your cells are what determine your, immune function, healing, hormone levels, heart function, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, digestion, moods etc.
Literally, the function and health of your cells determines every aspect of your health. EPA and DHA Omega-3 EFAs are part of every cell membrane and are required to maintain the proper shape, flexibility or fluidity, and “slipperiness” of cell membranes. Omega-3 EFAs play a role in virtually every human function including growth and development, digestion,brain and nerve function, immune function, hormone production and regulation, maintenance of skin and bones, regulation of healing and inflammation, heart function, vision, cholesterol levels, and even emotions and behaviour.
Vitamin D
Although most often categorised as a vitamin, Vitamin D is actually a hormone. Like all hormones, Vitamin D is involved in the genetic regulation of the production of proteins and enzymes which are essential for wellness and prevention. Many cells have Vitamin D receptors and many genes are influenced by the action of Vitamin D. Since vitamins cannot be produced by the cells in your body, they must be obtained from the environment, via the consumption of dietary sources.
Vitamin D, however, can be made by the cells in your body in a process that involves the conversion of cholesterol derivatives into Vitamin D using sunlight. Vitamin D3 is produced in the skin of humans (and other vertebrates) after exposure to ultraviolet B light (UVB). Vitamin D3 only becomes biologically active after two conversions; one in the liver (primarily) to 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 OHD), the circulating form of Vitamin D, and then in the kidney to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25 (OH)2D), the biologically active hormone form which is also know as calcitriol. Calcitriol or biologically active Vitamin D is often considered the most potent steroid hormone in human physiology.
Magnesium
Magnesium is one of the most important elements in the human body and is generally found in a wide range of foods, with good sources including green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Surprisingly, research suggests we are not getting enough magnesium in our diet to meet our body’s needs of today. This might be due to an increased demand for magnesium during times of physical or emotional stress, because of acute or chronic illness, or due to our diet, lifestyle, and medications, or our life-stage such as ageing, pregnancy and lactation.
Magnesium plays numerous fundaments roles in the body, as it is essential for every cell, and has been quoted as one of the most underrated minerals. Magnesium is a fundamentally important mineral and if our cells do not have enough, it affects the way our cells function, which is why it is essential for good health. Magnesium is necessary for our health because it is involved in over 300 enzyme reactions such as; muscle contractions and relaxation, nerve function, blood sugar control, hormone function, blood pressure regulation, making protein & DNA and energy production just to name a few.
Available Essential Supplements