What is a dietary supplement?
A dietary supplement is any product containing vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids or enzymes, according to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Given the broad nature of this definition and vast spectrum of forms in which supplements are available, it isn’t a stretch to say that not all supplements are created equal.
Why is supplementation so important?
As you age, your body goes through major physical transformations and along the way can be introduced to some far-from-healthy environmental factors and unhealthy eating habits. Many people who are moderately health conscious may get the proper amount of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, however, are often underconsumed. Immune systems need all of these nutrient groups. Supplementation helps make sure your immune system has what it needs to function properly and fend off health threats.
Maintaining optimal cell health also requires additional means of absorbing nutrients. Supplementation with beneficial bioactive compounds can provide your cells with nutrition necessary to combat today’s environmental stresses and decrease your risk of chronic disease. Lunasin, for example, is a soy peptide that has been shown to work at the epigenetic level within cells to promote overall cellular health.
The benefits of supplementing are far-reaching. A recent study from The University of Melbourne and Swinburne University of Technology found women in particular receive an energy level benefit following supplementation. Participants of both genders reported a trend toward better sleep, improved mood and emotional state. Supplementation has also been shown to aid in motivation, exercise performance, recovery and the regulation of calories.
Supplements may boost heart health
Heart disease is the country’s number one killer. “Supplements can be very beneficial to heart health,” says Mimi Guarneri, the founder and medical director of the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in La Jolla, California, and the author of The Heart Speaks. Supplementing with these nutritional compounds in particular can benefit your heart:
-Omega 3 fatty acids
-Plant sterols
-Fiber (psyllium)
-B-complex vitamins (B3, B6, B12, folic acid)
-Coenzyme Q10
-Policosanol
-Lunasin
Note: All ingredients listed above can be found in Reliv products.
Supplements may slow a biological effect of aging
In addition to overall cellular health and increased immunity, your body can experience anti-aging benefits from supplements. Another recent study from The Ohio State University found that inflammation can be positively affected by Omega-3 supplementation.
“Inflammation in particular is at the heart of so many health problems,” said Jan Kiecolt-Glaser, professor of psychiatry and psychology at Ohio State and lead author of the study. “Anything that reduces inflammation has a lot of potentially good spinoffs among older adults.”
Additionally, supplementing with Omega-3s garners the potential to lower the risk for “a host of concerns associated with aging,” said Kiecolt-Glaser.
Takeaway
Bottom line: taking supplements, Reliv products in particular, can help you feel healthier, happier and more energetic. It is also a proactive approach to taking control of your own health. So the question is no longer “Why supplement?” but rather “Why wouldn’t you supplement?”
A Note from Dr. Carl: The Best Supplements Around
Reliv’s approach to nutrition focuses on bioavailability, that is, how effectively a nutrient is absorbed by the body. Reliv products, chock full of nutrients, come in easily absorbed shakes. While LunaRich soy powder features lunasin, a key peptide in soy, other Reliv products feature a cocktail of nutrients.
For example, Innergize!®is stacked with Vitamins A and C, ChromeMate® and OptiZinc® (the most readily absorbed forms of Chormium and Zinc available), as well as L-Carnitine and L-Glutamine to help transport fatty acids, release more energy, and promote lean muscle development. Cardiosentials has Policosanol, which helps reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and improve coronary blood flow, as well as CoQ10, which energizes heart function.
If you’re looking for the anti-inflammatory benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids, you need look no further than Reliv’s 24K™, GlucAffect®, ReversAge® and Reliv Now® for Kids. People of all ages will benefit, whether they’re children growing strong minds and bodies or adults maintaining their health and longevity. You can optimize your results by adding LunaRich X™—the most pure, concentrated form of lunasin ever produced—to your Reliv regimen. In addition to its own health benefits — from cholesterol reduction to overall cellular health — LunaRich X powers up the benefits you receive from other Reliv products.
We’ve taken people of all ages and from all walks of life into consideration when creating Reliv’s premiere line of supplements. You can feel good inside and out knowing that our ingredients come from the most reputable suppliers and undergo rigorous testing when they first enter our plant, and again at each step in the manufacturing process. And because we own our manufacturing facility, we are able to ensure product purity and potency in every can— guaranteed.
Reliv goes beyond the minimum daily requirements to follow the standard of optimal nutrition, developed by researchers who have shown that higher levels of key nutrients are essential to good health and well-being. We have a seat on the board of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, Australian TGA approval and are the first corporate partner of the Missouri Plant Science Center—affiliations of which we are proud!
To your health,
Dr. Carl W. Hastings
Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer
Sources
www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/supplementing-your-heart-health-omega-3-plant-sterols?page=6
www.learnwell.org/supplements.htm
www.wellness.ma/diet/why-supplement.htm
www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-important-is-supplementation-for-fitness.html
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Despite the important focus on breast cancer, heart disease is actually the leading killer of women in the United States. One problem is that heart attack symptoms in women aren’t always obvious or the same as in men. Less than 30 percent of women reported having chest pain or discomfort before their heart attacks, and 43 percent reported having no chest pain during any phase of the attack. 
Despite the abundance of food in most developed countries, our diets today are still sadly lacking. One key power nutrient missing? Omega-3, an essential fatty acid. And more studies are showing that increasing omega-3 in our diets can pay off in significant health benefits, from weight loss to decreased risk of heart disease. 
