Choosing quality nutritional products can be very confusing and overwhelming for many people. It seems as though people are either against taking nutritional supplements or they sell their health to the cheapest bidder or best sales pitch. Let’s begin with the two most basic questions: Do we really need to take nutritional supplements and is there REALLY a difference among products?
Do we really need to take nutritional supplements?
Based on a review of 38 years of scientific evidence, Harvard researchers, Drs. Robert H. Fletcher and Kathleen M. Fairfield broke a long-standing silence on the benefits of supplementation. This led to The American Medical Association rewriting their policy guidelines regarding the use of vitamin supplements. It recommends that given our nutrient-poor modern diet, supplementation each day with a multiple vitamin is a prudent preventative measure against chronic disease.
The reality is that most of us do not eat a lifestyle full fruits, vegetables and legumes, but opt for the low-nutrition and highly processed convenience foods. Even those of us that feel we have a “balanced lifestyle” are not getting the optimal amount of antioxidants and minerals in the foods we consume to combat the bombardment of stress, pesticides, additives, preservatives, pollution, radiation, etc. that we are exposed to on a daily basis.
Dr. Fletcher and Fairfield point out that more than 80% of the American population does not consume anywhere near the five to eight servings of fruits and vegetables required each day for optimal health. In an ideal world, we would be able to consume foods that contain all of the vitamins and minerals our body needs to function optimally and prevent degenerative diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The reality is that even if we are eating high amounts of fruits and vegetables, our nutrient-deficient soils lead to nutrient deficient foods. If it’s not in our soil, it’s not in our food so it’s definitely not getting into our bodies.
How to choose a quality supplement
The confusion lies in HOW to choose a quality supplement for yourself and your family. In the United States, nutritional supplements are considered a food by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and therefore are regulated according to these standards. There is a HUGE difference between “food” manufacturing standards and manufacturing standards of “pharmaceuticals”. This leaves the supplement industry unregulated in many respects in terms of quality, potency and safety of products.
The scary reality is that what is listed on the label of many supplements IS NOT GUARANTEED to be in the actual product. The first criterion is to find a company that follows pharmaceutical manufacturing practices. Not only do they SAY they follow these standards, but do they offer a written potency guarantee on their products? Do they guarantee that athletes can take their products with no fear of being tested positive for a banned substance due to contamination of the product? These are all additional questions to ensure that the standards they say that they follow are actually being adhered to.
The Comparative Guide
The Healthy Edge recommends checking out: “The Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements” by Nutrisearch as a great third-party validation to the quality of products. In this publication, twelve independent, leading authorities in nutritional science created a “blended standard” that serves as the basis for comparing nutritional supplements. Eighteen criteria such as completeness, potency, mineral forms, bioactivity of Vitamin E and potential toxicities were used to reach the final product scores located in the back of the publication. Four products, out of over 1500 tested, received the top ranking from this publication and also match the criteria set forth by The Healthy Edge. Learn more about the criteria.
April and I were introduced to this publication less than a year after losing our mom to breast cancer. We watched our mom ingest thousands and thousands of dollars worth of supplements throughout her 8 year battle. After reading this publication and seeing the score for the product she (and we) faithfully used, April and I felt cheated. We vowed to find the best products for ourselves and our families based on science, not hype and share this knowledge with others. We have been faithfully taking a quality supplement for nine years and it has become a part of our health journey and commitment for life. We want to provide you with the knowledge we have gained on our own personal quest for quality products.
Choosing a Nutritional Product Company
The Healthy Edge does not recommend a specific company or products. If you are working with an independent facilitator, please contact them for more information on products. If you are not working with a facilitator, contact The Healthy Edge with your specific questions!
What About Convenience Products?
Shakes and Bars
For many of you reading this site, the major objection you have to adopting a “healthy lifestyle” is the amount of time you believe it will take to prepare, shop and cook healthy. You have a hard time finding five minutes to yourself in a day, let alone trying to feed yourself and your family healthy…oh and eat every 2-3 hours. Trust me, we get it. We understand that people are going to need quick and easy options in order to stay on track during their day.
The Healthy Edge suggests finding a quality, low-glycemic meal replacement shake and a low-glycemic snack bar if you are an individual who is nervous about being prepared to eat every 2-3 hours or who has a situation where they need something very quick and simple to eat throughout their day. This is also for those of you who have a tendency to skip breakfast and go long stretches of time without eating.
Not a Protein Shake
A very important distinction is the difference between a protein shake and a meal-replacement shake. Our bodies do not need a protein shake (as the media would lead you to believe); it needs the full array of low-glycemic and high quality carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. This is a true meal replacement that will keep your insulin levels stable, your metabolism pumping and create freedom from cravings. This is a tool that can be used to replace breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The danger of protein shakes is that there is a low amount of carbohydrates and usually no fat. Carbohydrates and fats are two essential nutrients for your body to function properly. Because there is a lack of carbohydrates, many protein shakes add in artificial sweeteners to improve the taste. Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, acesulfame-potassium and aspartame will be present to improve taste, but the side effects of daily consumption of these additives can be extremely detrimental to your health. We explore the full ramifications of these and other additives/preservatives in week 4 and 5 of The Healthy Edge program.
Nutrition Bars
The same distinction needs to be made when choosing a quality nutrition bar. You want to look for a bar that has a balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, not a protein bar. The bar should also be CERTIFIED low-glycemic and not contain any artificial sweeteners as listed above. Many nutritional bars will contain high fructose corn syrup as the first, second or third ingredient. Other bars will contain a sweetener as the first ingredient. This means that the sweetener is the ingredient that it contains the most of. Even if the sweetener is evaporated cane juice or brown rice syrup, this should not be the first ingredient. Another pitfall is when products contain enriched flour or any type of flour that indicates a high-glycemic ingredient.
5-day Jumpstart
People who are experiencing insulin resistance find themselves with uncontrollable carbohydrate cravings, fatigue, nighttime eating and weight gain around the middle. The Healthy Edge addresses the issue of Insulin Resistance in week 1 of the program because this is a MAJOR factor as to why people cannot release weight. This is a physical condition that needs to be addressed and overcome.
Some companies offer “jumpstart” programs that provide a structured eating regiment to overcome the carbohydrate cravings that are holding people back from being successful. This can be an incredible tool to your Healthy Edge lifestyle. Many people will find it difficult to stay on track for 2-3 weeks as the cravings subside, so a jumpstart program can speed up the process and get people on track from the very beginning of their Healthy Edge journey. We have found that those who have the most success complete the jumpstart program along with taking a high quality pharmaceutical supplement. More details about the jumpstart program are covered in “Get Started” and “Week One” of The Healthy Edge. You can get access to these two lessons by signing up for the 14 day free trial.
Products found in a jumpstart program should follow the guidelines outlined for choosing high quality supplements, shakes and bars.
