Nutrition in America is horrible*. This isn't because of a lack of nutritious food. It's because we have been conditioned to eating already prepared, pre-packaged food. Despite the fact that all of these products are required by law to post nutritional information on the package, most people fail to actually turn them around and read. The most surprising thing you'll find is the lack of vitamins - which our bodies need to function well. Ideally, this will be remedied by quitting cold turkey, buying fresh vegetables & meats not riddled with hormones, and cooking food fresh daily. But that's both time consuming and expensive. The latter is my obstacle. In the meantime, I am going to do what I can by supplementing with a multi-vitamin.
*Side-note: The food industry in America is atrocious, scary, & unhealthy. Do yourself a favor and watch the documentary Food, Inc. Like many films of this genre, it does have a feeling of slight-propaganda. But the facts are still facts. Do as I did, and watch with that lens. It's on both Netflix & YouTube. [click here to watch]To my adolescent despair, I was never a privileged Flintstones Kid. Nevertheless, to this day I've wanted to bite off Dino's head. But there are more benefits to regularly taking a multi-vitamin than just satisfying my carnivorous childhood needs. Here's some of those benefits [all of this I've collected from others work]:
Overall well-being: Taking a multivitamin is a way to improve you overall physical and mental well-being. When you take a multivitamin you not only receive the individual benefits of all the vitamins and minerals, but also the benefits of the vitamins and minerals working together at the same time. Research has shown that multivitamins can improve your overall health by improving brain function and even digestion.
Energy boost: By taking a multivitamin you won’t get an energy boost in the traditional sense, because multivitamins do not create energy. However, multivitamins aid in other processes that do give you energy. Multivitamins provide the body with energy because many of the vitamins contained in them are required for the chemical reactions that produce energy. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins release energy as enzymes break them down, and vitamins assist the enzymes in this process.
Disease prevention: Multivitamins can be an excellent ally in disease prevention. They can work to build up your immune system to fight off disease. Taking a multivitamin can also prevent vitamin deficiency. Many diseases are caused by mineral and vitamin deficiencies. Heart disease and heart attacks can be attributed to a deficiency in copper, selenium, and calcium. Blood disorders can be attributed to a deficiency of iron, and some cancers have been linked to a vitamin E deficiency.I have quite a way to go on improving my nutrition and this is just the first step in the right direction. It may be small but it's important. So, who's with me? And do any of you have tips on better nutrition?
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