Why Supplement?
By Dr. Damian Rodriguez, DHSc, MS
Dietary supplementation is one of the most hotly debated topics in nutrition, and that isn’ t likely to end anytime soon. Depending on the study you are examining or the person you ask, supplements are either absolutely critical for optimum health or are not likely to make a tangible impact on your health. What is not disputable is the fact that the average Western diet promotes nutrient deficiencies, which have a definitive impact on countless markers of health. Whether you are an elite athlete or Joe Average just looking for convenient and cost-effective ways to improve your daily well-being, there are few easier ways to accomplish this than by integrating dōTERRA Lifelong Vitality Pack ®( LLV) into your daily routine— and dōTERRA scientists have gathered the clinical data that explains why.
Let’ s examine why people take dietary supplements. According to data collected from the 2007 – 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey( NHANES), most regular users of supple ments state that they do so to maintain overall health, to sustain bone health, and to support heart health. Interestingly, the use of dietary supplements tends to increase with age, as recent research suggests that approximately 33 % of those aged 20 – 39 take daily supplements while 67 % of U. S. adults over the age of 60 do. The most common daily supplement? As of 2012, the National Insti tutes of Health reported that 31 % of American adults take a full spectrum multivitamin / multimineral, with an essential fatty acid supplement( such as xEO Mega ®) ranking as the most common“ specialty supplement” at nearly 20 %. This makes sense, as our concerns regarding bone and heart health tend to increase with the natural aging process and recent research suggests that full spectrum multivitamin / multimineral and omega-3 supplemen tation may be of benefit when addressing these issues.
Designed to be the perfect complement to a balanced, whole food diet, LLV is a product that everybody should be familiar with. Consisting of Microplex VMz ® Food Nutrient Complex, xEO Mega ® Essential Oil Omega Complex, and Alpha CRS ® Cellular Vitality Complex, LLV has a number of clinically supported health benefits. Accepted for publication in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, a two-month clinical trial showed that those who supplement their normal diet with LLV may experience significant improvements in several biomarkers of cardiovascular health, antioxidant status, inflammation levels, and blood glucose regulation.* Measured via blood sample, participants in the LLV clinical trial showed improvements in LDL / HDL cholesterol ratio, fasting insulin, and triglycerides.* Furthermore, they reported improved subjective measures of wellbeing, such as mental clarity, energy, motivation, and overall happiness.*
While there is no ignoring that the foundation of health is a healthy, balanced, whole food diet, there are a few reasons we could all benefit by integrating LLV into our daily lives.
NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES
According to the Centers for Disease Control( CDC), as much as 95 % of American adults do not meet recommended dietary allowances( RDA) for vitamins D and E, with approximately half of American adults also deficient in magnesium, vitamin A, calcium, and vitamin C. Even more alarming, as a side effect of the contemporary Western diet rich in highly processed foods, omega-6 / omega-3 ratio is typically 16:1( or more) while recommendations suggest, for optimum health, that we aim for closer to 1:1. The best solution is to change dietary behaviors, but that is often much easier said than done. LLV with breakfast and an evening meal can be a convenient and cost-effective means to address this issue.
CELLULAR HEALTH
Research has shown that daily multivitamin supplementation may improve cellular health in otherwise healthy individuals. The Physician’ s Health Study II, a random ized, double-blind, placebocontrolled trial involving nearly 15,000 participants over 14 years, found strong data to suggest that those who committed to daily supplementation
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