One of the questions Im asked in clinic:
One of the questions I’m always asked in my Nutritional practice is:
Should I be supplementing my diet?
Supplements are becoming increasingly popular as more and more people realise the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The mantra of a Registered Nutritional Therapist Practitioner (RNTP) is firmly around food first; a well-balanced diet is essential for overall health and supplements do what they say on the bottle, they ‘supplement’ not ‘replace’ a healthy diet. Yet with depleted soils and the rise in Ultra-processed foods in our diet, it can be difficult to reach a recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals. This is where supplements come in and can bridge the gap to ensure that your body is getting all it needs.
Here are some key things to keep in mind when considering supplementing your diet with supplements:
Consult with your healthcare provider
This means consult a practitioner that is certified in supplementation. RNTPs have studied vitamins and minerals, they know how to test for deficiencies and are also versed in whether supplements might interact with any medications, herbs or other supplements. Drug nutrient interaction can be a serious matter.
Go for supplements from a reputable and safe company
If you take a look at the high quality manufacturers, they will invest in research and their rationale for including certain vitamins, minerals and herbs will be based around independent research i.e. not funded by themselves.
Go for the targeted approach
If you know from a blood test that your iron is low, then go for a short term supplement before you ask for a retest. Blood testing is a topic on its own but make sure that the blood testing company is reliable. Are they recognised by the UK accreditation service. Don’t always make assumptions about what you think you may need as a supplement. The moral of this story is get assessed by a Registered Nutritional Therapist who is accredited by the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine, get checked, get tested and get personalised advice around supplements.
In conclusion, supplements can be a helpful addition to a healthy diet, but it's important to approach them with caution and make informed choices The moral of the story is where possible stick to eating whole foods first as its safer and its also tastier and consult for RNTP if this isn’t working for you.
Should I be supplementing my diet?
Supplements are becoming increasingly popular as more and more people realise the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The mantra of a Registered Nutritional Therapist Practitioner (RNTP) is firmly around food first; a well-balanced diet is essential for overall health and supplements do what they say on the bottle, they ‘supplement’ not ‘replace’ a healthy diet. Yet with depleted soils and the rise in ultra-processed foods in our diet, it can be difficult to reach a recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals. This is where supplements come in and can bridge the gap to ensure that your body is getting all it needs.
Here are some key things to keep in mind when considering supplementing your diet with supplements:
Consult with your healthcare provider
This means consult a practitioner that is certified in supplementation. RNTPs have studied vitamins and minerals, they know how to test for deficiencies and are also versed in whether supplements might interact with any medications, herbs or other supplements. Drug nutrient interaction can be a serious matter.
Go for supplements from a reputable and safe company
If you take a look at the high quality manufacturers, they will invest in research and their rationale for including certain vitamins, minerals and herbs will be based around independent research i.e. not funded by themselves.
Go for the targeted approach
If you know from a blood test that your iron is low, then go for a short term supplement before you ask for a retest. Blood testing is a topic on its own but make sure that the blood testing company is reliable. Are they recognised by the UK accreditation service? Don’t always make assumptions about what you think you may need as a supplement. The moral of this story is get assessed by a Registered Nutritional Therapist Practitioner, who is accredited by the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine, get checked, get tested and get personalised advice around supplements.
In conclusion, supplements can be a helpful addition to a healthy diet, but it's important to approach them with caution and make informed choices The moral of the story is where possible stick to eating whole foods first as its safer and its also tastier, and consult a RNTP if this isn’t working for you.
