Living Magazine English Living Magazine V4 | Page 24

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 many diets promote nutrient deficiencies , which have a definitive impact on countless markers of health . Whether you are an elite athlete or Average Joe 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 supplements state that they do so to maintain overall health , for bone health , and to support heart health as they age ( 1 ). The most common daily supplement ? While overall use of dietary supplements varies greatly between countries , specifically with higher use in northern European nations , a full spectrum multivitamin / multimineral is the most common with an essential fatty acid supplement ( such as xEO Mega™ ) ranking as the most common “ specialty supplement ”( 2 ). 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 supplementation may be of benefit when addressing these issues ( 3 ).
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 KORA-AGE study , a population based examination of multiple factors of health in Europeans , more than half of European adults are deficient in vitamin D and nearly one-third are deficient in vitamin B12 ( 4 ). Even more alarming , as a side effect of the contemporary 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 ( 5 ). The best solution is to change dietary behaviours , 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 ised , double-blind , placebocontrolled trial involving nearly 15,000 participants over 14 years , found strong data to suggest that those who committed to daily supplementation had fewer nutrient deficiencies and negative markers of cellular health . If you want to support health and well-being at the most fundamental level , there is evidence that daily supplementation is one way to do it .
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