Most of us believe in the value of good nutrition and know the basics. We generally have the best intentions to increase our fruits and vegetables, cut down on our fats and reduce our processed foods and sweets.  But the question is, are we meeting our own optimal nutritional requirements?  Achieving this need is essential for the healthy functioning of our body because without optimal nutrition weaknesses can begin to occur.  These deficiencies can cause subtle changes chemically and physically, potentially leading to a variety of health issues.

The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are quantities of nutrients in the diet that are required to maintain good health in most people. Some people do not meet this definition, including those who:

*Have chronic illnesses                              *Are taking medication
*Have heavy physical work stress            *Have digestive problems
*Have very high or low body weight       *Have metabolic abnormality

The RDA’s were designed to calculate food needed to feed schools and armies, not to compare individual diets. One must remember that there is great variability from individual to individual and that each person’s nutritional requirements are unique to that individual.

Food is just not what it used to be. Consider this: The Journal of Applied Nutrition compared the difference in nutritional value of organic food with commercial foods and found that there are significant differences between the two. Even those of us who eat fruits and vegetables on a daily basis may be getting short changed nutritionally.

Apples, pears, potatoes, corn, and wheat were purchased in the Chicago area and analyzed for 22 nutrients and 4 toxic elements over a period of two years. The analysis showed that “the organic pears, apples, potatoes, and wheat had, on average, over 90% more of the nutritional elements than similar commercial food.” Many factors, such as soil nutrients, use of chemical fertilizers, harvesting times, or post-harvest differences in handling, can impact the nutrient levels in food. Unless everything you eat is organic, which likely isn’t the case, you are not getting the nutrients your body needs from your food alone.

Studies have shown that only 9% of U.S. residents eat five daily servings of fruits and vegetables and up to 50% of the population was below the RDA levels for some vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

In short, we increase our risks of chronic degenerative diseases. In a country that boasts the very best healthcare in the world, why do we maintain the highest rates of obesity, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease anywhere in the world? It comes down to dietary imbalances.

The Public Health Service states that four of the ten leading causes of death in the United States (heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes) are associated with diet and nutrition. In 1989, the U.S. Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop, released a report entitled “Nutrition and Health” that linked two-thirds of all causes of deaths in the US to diet or lifestyle. The bottom line is those who eat a high-fat, low-fiber diet are at a much higher risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancer than people who eat a healthier diet.

Our world is different and more toxic today than it was 20 – 30 years ago. Exposure to pollution in our water and food supply along with the various increased stresses of life may actually increase the need for specific vitamins and minerals above even the RDAs. These stresses place an increased demand on our bodies and can lead to an increased demand for certain nutrients, such as antioxidants.

Moreover, modern food processing typically adds fat (usually unhealthy hydrogenated oils), sugar and salt to many products and often markedly reduces the fiber and vitamin/mineral content of cereal grains.

The foundation for a healthy lifestyle always starts with a proper diet. Try to get your nutrition from the food you eat. It’s recommended that you eat mostly vegetables, fruit, whole grains, healthy fat and healthy proteins. And try to buy organic whenever possible. It really does make a difference!

The foundation for a healthy lifestyle always starts with a proper diet. Try to get your nutrition from the food you eat. It’s recommended that you eat mostly vegetables, fruit, whole grains, healthy fat and healthy proteins. And try to buy organic whenever possible. It really does make a difference!

Check out the modern USDA “MyPlate”

Also, make sure you switch out sugary drinks for good old fashioned water. You should be drinking about around 50% of your body weight in ounces worth of water every day.  Keep your body hydrated

Exercise is also key to a building a solid nutritional foundation. I recommend trying high-intensity training, which calls for performing quality weight training repetitions to the point of complete muscular failure.  You can learn more about high-intensity training here.

Also, try to eliminate any smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, as well. These habits cancel out other positive things you may be doing for your health.

Do your best to reduce your stress levels. Take up yoga, a daily stretching program, meditation, prayer, or Tai Chi.

Fill in any nutritional gaps or any dietary indiscretions with a high-quality comprehensive multivitamin.  Multivitamins have a strong safety profile and potentially can improve your health and save you thousands of dollars in healthcare through prevention.

A report titled “Smart Prevention – Health Care Cost Savings Resulting from the Targeted use of Dietary Supplements” demonstrated that supplementation at preventive intake levels in high-risk populations can reduce the number of disease-associated medical events, representing the potential for hundreds of millions – and in some cases, billions – of dollars in savings.

This report examined four different chronic diseases and the potential for healthcare cost savings when US adults 55 years and older, diagnosed with these chronic diseases, used one of eight different dietary supplement regimens.