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Health & Fitness

Supplementation: Choice or Neccesity?

An look at the decreasing nutritional content in our foods today and how and why to supplement for optimal health and performance.

Let’s be honest. We’re all getting a little older. The Westchase community may be
relatively young but I can assure you that you have thought at one point or
another that your former self would beat you in the Westchase 5k, dominate you
in a one legged backflip contest, obliterate you in a handstand while singing
show down, and may even beat you up after pushing your young self and telling them they are a punk. That being said, maybe things from your past are a little higher on the quality scale.

This is not only the case with your Def Leopard T-shirt wearing teenage self but
also with our foods.

“A Kushi Institute analysis of nutrient data from 1975 to 1997 found that average
calcium levels in 12 fresh vegetables dropped 27 percent; iron levels 37
percent; vitamin A levels 21 percent, and vitamin C levels 30 percent. A
similar study of British nutrient data from 1930 to 1980, published in the British Food Journal,found that in 20 vegetables the average calcium content had declined 19 percent; iron 22 percent; and potassium 14 percent. Yet another study concluded that one would have to eat eight oranges today to derive the same amount of Vitamin A as our grandparents would have gotten from one.”

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Yes, I am telling you that your Sunny D is not only chalked full of harmful
unnatural ingredients but that even if you took that processed smorgasbord out
of your tasty breakfast beverage it would still only be a fraction as
nutritious as it’s Great Great Great Grandaddy’s  juice.

As a whole, the typical American diet, full of processed foods and lacking in vital nutrients, creates a recipe for nutrient deficiency and disease. Processed foods contain more than enough of the macronutrients that are needed on an every day basis, but are devoid of the vitamins and minerals that are crucial to health. Food labels are ridden with dozens of unpronounceable ingredients that would send ESPN’s National Spelling Bee’s contestants into a mind numbing tizzy. These
ingredients provide no health benefits whatsoever and include lab-created
artificial sweeteners, dyes, flavor enhancers, fillers, binders, and
preservatives; many of which have been shown to cause tumors, rashes,
cholesterol issues, weight gain, behavioral issues, breathing problems, and
neurological issues in animal studies.

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Besides that, they are perfectly fine for us and we should give them to small children and eat them in droves ourselves.

Essentially, a diet high in processed foods and low in whole foods like fruits and vegetables provides calories, but starves the body of nutrition. Food is meant to be enjoyed but it is also fuel. You wouldn’t put oil soaked sand in your 5 Series
BMW, would you?

Even though many people are now making a conscious effort to cut processed foods from their diets and include more whole foods, our soils have become so foul with fertilizers and pesticides that they no longer contain the necessary components to properly fortify our plant foods. This means that the micronutrient profiles of foods have changed; fruits and vegetables contain less vitamins and minerals than they used to. It is estimated that a large percentage of the American population has mineral deficiencies due to the nutritional quality of our
foods. A deficiency in just one mineral can greatly impair body function.

Our inadequate foods have made dietary supplementation necessary.

For active individuals and athletes, proper supplementation is an
especially important aspect of any successful training regimen. Without
appropriate supplementation and recovery, individuals may experience hormonal
imbalance, decreased muscle quality, a suppressed immune system, decreased
sleep quality and diminished aerobic capacity.

Begin looking into proper supplementation with credible companies. A local
example from a nutrition standpoint would be Get Healthy. They are located on
Tampa Road in Oldsmar and have a really knowledgeable staff that can really
help you make the right choices for your personal goals. When it comes to
supplementation for performance, the TEN Institute is located in Westchase and
they offer the tools to help the body achieve balance and complete recovery
allowing for more intense workout sessions and better gains. They’re products
are sold in some local area gyms and their members are raving about the
results. This blogger can personally attest to the noticeable benefits of these
super clean products ranging from Deer Antler supplements for the hardcore
fitness enthusiast begging for better recovery and strength gains, metabolic
enhancers for those trying to shred up, hydration formulas for anyone in the
Florida heat and especially for endurance athletes, and the cleanest protein I
have ever seen with only 7 ingredients.

Well folks, in closing, ditch the processed cesspool we call our diets
and grow all your produce hydroponically in your basement lab. If you don’t
have a basement lab, do your best to find wholesome organic foods and
supplements at neighborhood staples like Get Healthy and add performance
supplements to your daily routine from an incredible company like the TEN
Institute.

-Jimmy Myers

Art of Strength Tampa Bay
Owner and Head Trainer

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