Frequently Asked Questions About Supplements
Q. Why are supplements important?
A. In the fast paced world we live in it’s often difficult to find the time to prepare and eat the right foods often enough to meet our body’s nutritional needs. Nutrition experts agree that the typical diet today contains too much fat and too little fiber. This type of diet puts individuals at risk for many diseases including heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Supplements can be used to fill in gaps in your diet. Vitamin and mineral supplements do not contain many of the essential components that are available in whole foods including fiber, phytochemicals and other substances important for health. Therefore, supplements should not be seen as replacements for a healthy diet. Instead they should be viewed as a product that can provide extra insurance that you are consuming enough of the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to function optimally. As mentioned, there are many groups of people for whom it is almost impossible to obtain their vitamin and mineral needs from diet alone. For these individuals the availability of supplements is essential for optimum health. In addition to supporting optimum health, vitamin and mineral supplements may increase the functioning of our immune systems and work to help prevent disease and infections.
Q. Who takes supplements?
A. Due to today’s busy lifestyles, almost everyone can benefit from taking some type of supplement as a preventative measure. However, groups of people find them essential. As people age, health problems can contribute to a poor diet making it difficult to get the vitamins and minerals that the body needs. With age there is also a reduction in the body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals, necessitating the use of supplements to prevent deficiency. Postmenopausal women are at risk of developing osteoporosis, and may benefit from supplementation in order to obtain enough calcium and vitamin D for prevention of this disease. Individuals who smoke or drink alcohol excessively may also benefit from supplementation, as tobacco and alcohol can decrease and impair the absorption of many vitamins and minerals. Pregnant women are another group who have increased need for many vitamins and minerals, and may therefore benefit from supplementation. They need increased amounts of folic acid, iron and calcium to ensure a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
Many individuals also limit their dietary intake due to weight loss diets, allergies and intolerances. A limited diet may exclude entire food groups, and these individuals must rely on supplementation to get the nutrients they lack. Even athletes who eat well balanced diets have difficulty meeting their nutritional requirements through diet alone. Because they are exceptionally active, they have an increased need for vitamins, minerals and energy and rely on supplementation to meet these needs.
Q. Are supplements effective?
A. It is difficult to determine which supplements are effective for the general population, because each individual has their own unique diet, lifestyle and genetic makeup. There is a wide variation in the amount of vitamins and minerals that each individual needs, and for some of us these needs may exceed dietary recommendations that are based on population averages. People constantly guess what supplements they need, and conflicting studies on the effectiveness of supplements make it difficult to choose what to believe. The truth is that what works for one person may not necessarily work for others.
Another issue with supplements is that they focus on long-term health benefits and disease prevention, rather than immediate pain and symptom relief. Individuals seeking immediate relief may not find this from supplements especially when they are compared to pharmaceutical drugs that dull symptoms right away.
The bioavailability of different ingredients in supplements also varies from company to company. Unfortunately, due to poor product regulation some supplements fail to meet their label claims for dosage. Because of this, it is important to choose a supplement that guarantees the dosage stated on its label. Through our customized manufacturing processes One Person Health ensures that the ingredients it uses are of the highest bioavailability possible. Additionally, this unique process ensures that the requested dosage level is contained in your supplements.
Q. How do I know which supplements are right for me?
A. Many supplements are expensive so it is important to be sure that you are getting a supplement that will work effectively. In many multivitamin combinations, supplements you may be paying for may be vitamins and minerals that your body does not need. However, due to the media attention given to vitamins and minerals it is relatively easy to find information on these products. This may promote self- diagnosis and consumption of supplements that are not suitable. For these reasons it is important to make a well-informed decision, and choose a supplement that will enhance your unique diet and meet your lifestyle needs. Using nutritional assessment tools such as lifestyle and dietary assessments and genetic testing, you can ensure that your supplements are right for you.
Some supplements do have potential side effects and may interfere with some medications. Ideally individuals on medication would consult a doctor or registered dietitian before starting a supplementation program. Taking mega doses of supplements also may increase the chance of toxicity of some vitamins that are easily stored in the body; One Person Health ensures that none of its dosage levels will be toxic.
Frequently Asked Questions About Genetics
Q. Why are genes so important?
A. Your health is a result of various interactions between your genes and lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, stress, smoking and alcohol. It is your genetic make-up that determines which nutrients are used and how they are used, the way toxins are removed and how effective these key processes are within the body. However, by adjusting your lifestyle, you can have a great impact on how your genes work and compensate for areas in which your genes are not functioning at an optimal level.
Q. How can genetic research benefit me?
A. Using current advances in genetic science, you can now access the knowledge stored in your genome. By discovering your genetic secrets, which have until now, been locked away inside your DNA, you can obtain the knowledge necessary for you to take charge of your health. Everybody can map their own unique genetic discoveries and then take positive action based on the results.
Q. Why is testing important?
A. The genetic tests we provide give you a foolproof method of nutritional analysis. They can tell you how effectively your body uses certain nutrients, a result that will never change throughout your life. One genetic test now can save you thousands of dollars wasted on unnecessary supplements in the future. A test also gives you the concise knowledge you need to plan your lifestyle and diet. You’ll be able to focus on areas of diet and lifestyle that are especially important for YOU. A genetic test allows you to act on the facts!
Frequently Asked Questions About nutritional Testing
Q. Will you be able to tell if I’m ill?
A. No, we can only determine what type of genes people have and how they relate to certain metabolic factors in your body. In nearly all cases, these genes will be the same whether a person is well or ill. This is why we ask you in the lifestyle assessment whether you are under medical supervision. If you think you may be ill, you should consult your doctor.
Q. Can I find out if I’m going to get Cancer?
A. We are often asked this question. Your test will NOT tell you that you’re going to get cancer. However, it will tell you that your risk of developing certain types of cancer may be elevated due to your genetic make up and lifestyle. Your test results, along with our ONETestTM Report will provide you with personalized guidance and advice based on your unique genetic make up, as well as vitamin and mineral recommendations that can reduce the risk of disease.
Q. Will I need to take a blood test?
A. No, the testing procedure is non invasive and painless. A cotton swab rubbed against the inside of your cheek is all that is needed to provide us with a DNA sample. You then send us the test and wait for your results. Nobody will have access to your results and your sample does not have your name on it at any time.
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