Supplements

A lot of people nowadays seem to think that to lose weight, build muscle, or rid themselves of aches and pains, supplements are the answer.

Spending a small fortune on multi-vitamins, joint supplements, protein powders, energy drinks, fish oils, and even steroids for the really desperate (and lazy), you have to wonder if they’re working or not.

Most of the food now available to us is lacking in vitamins and minerals due to the over-farming of the fields, meaning that the soil doesn’t get the chance to replace it’s depleted nutrients – and since you are what you eat (this applies to plants too) – there will be no nutrients in the soil for the plants to absorb, which in turn means no nutrients in the plants for us to absorb.

This isn’t just limited to our plants either; our meat is also mass farmed meaning the suppliers are constantly looking for cheaper ways to provide MORE meat with less effort and expense. So they turn to factory farms where animals are packed together as closely as possible, not able to move and probably never even seeing daylight.

Obviously this causes the animals to get sick, and the only way to keep them alive long enough to make it to slaughter is to pump them full of antibiotics and other drugs to make them grow quicker. Their food is also lacking in any sort of nutrition – again, no nutrients in the animals food means no nutrients in the meat when we eat it.

Check out the video below to get an idea of how our foods are being produced. This is the tamer version that I thought everyone could watch. If you’re a bit braver, head to my links page at http://www.markonefitness.co.uk and check out the video “Meet your meat”.



Eating antibiotics in our food every day means we grow a resistance to antibiotics (ever had a course that didn’t work...?). This also breeds new strains of germs that are resistant to antibiotic treatments.

So what can you do about it?

The best thing you can possibly do for your health (along with exercise) is to eat healthy, nutrient rich foods; which means buying fresh fruit and veg from local producers – if you get it from your supermarket then the chances are it’s been treated with chemical preservatives and has been in cold storage for anywhere up to 6 months before it reaches the shelves.

Organic foods are not a fad for the rich; they are a necessity for everyone who wants to be healthier. How much cheaper is it really to buy non-organic food when you have to spend a small fortune on supplements to make up for its shortfalls?

However, I understand that it DOES cost more to eat everything organic, and in the current economic climate cost is an issue. So my advice is this:

Eat as much organic as possible – particularly meats as these can actually cause you harm with some of the chemicals they contain.

Get your fruit and vegetables seasonally from local farms (look around for farmers’ markets, there are more around than you think) – or alternatively, grow your own, you’ll taste the difference!

And as a lot of your food will still be lacking in nutrition, yes, I do recommend that you consider taking a good quality supplement to ensure you are meeting your daily requirements for essential nutrients.

So what supplements should you take?

Personally, I recommend taking as few as possible. Many of the supplements available are, again, unfortunately made as cheaply as possible (these companies are businesses after all), so remember: If it’s cheap to buy, it’s cheap to make. And if it’s cheap to make, it has cheap ingredients.

All this being said, I would recommend taking a good multi-vitamin, an omega-3 supplement, and (if you struggle to eat breakfast or to get protein in every meal) a protein supplement.

The price ranges for these vary dramatically, so get the best that you can afford. Nothing’s more expensive than buying something that doesn’t work, so avoid going for the cheapest stuff available – it won’t save you anything in the long run.

If you’d like to know where to get top quality organic, natural supplements, contact me through my website www.markonefitness.co.uk and I’ll be happy to give you some good companies that sell high-quality products.