Researchers estimate that only about 20% of Americans get the recommended servings of fruit per day, and only 60% get the recommended servings of vegetables. These recommendations are the bare minimum and not nearly what our ancestors ate. The other problem is that the food we are consuming doesn’t have the same vitamin and mineral content that the food did even 50 or 60 years ago. Therefore, with less-healthful food and less of healthful foods, our bodies become depleted of essential minerals and vitamins. "Essential" means that our body cannot produce them, and they must be taken in from our diet. Therefore one of the supplements that we recommend every day for everybody is a multi-vitamin/multi-mineral. This vitamin supplement needs to be made from a whole food source, whereas chemical vitamins are not the same and not used by the body the same as those from a natural source.

That brings up a very important topic—the topic of the word “natural”. The word “natural” means “nothing”. It can mean that it is taken from something natural, but not in its natural state. Therefore, the word you are looking for is “organic” or “in a naturally occurring” which means that it is in the same state as found in nature. Don’t settle for any less in your nutritional supplements. We don’t for our patients, and I don’t for my family at home. Your health is worth it.