The most important part about taking supplements is to make sure you actually need them.
Seems like an odd question to ask if you’re in the business of selling supplements, but in the many years I have been in this industry I find many people are looking for a quick fix. A supplement is a useful tool for topping up or assisting with good nutrition.
Here are some useful questions to ask yourself before purchasing supplements:
1 – Have I and Do I eat all my meals? Do you skip breakfast, lunch or dinner?
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and Tea with biscuits does not constitute a stable and nutritious breakfast. Oats make a great breakfast choice and option which is also cheap and healthy. Weet bix, wholegrain toast with avocado and eggs. Along with more energy, there will be more fibre and protein going in compared to the traditional Chai breakfast and most probably less sugar also.
2 – Do I drink enough water? And how much is enough? If you weigh 50kgs or 100kgs your bodies requirements will almost definitely be different. Make sure you are drinking enough water. Often times being dehydrated can make you feel hungry and if you’re having trouble with excess weight that might be a quick easy and effective fix, simply double check your daily water intake.
3 – Am I eating enough fresh produce – Fruits AND vegetables? If so how many? Is there variation to get different vitamins & minerals? It’s a great idea to involve the children in making a salad to go with dinner every night. Not only is it healthy but it helps with keeping the bonding for the family around dinner time.
4 – Fibre. How much fibre am I getting? Am I regular in the bathroom?
Majority of Indian diets rely on flour and white rice. If possible it is a good idea to replace some of these simple carbohydrates with more complex and slower burning carbohydrates.
Such as Oats, Brown Rice, Kumara
which have a lower GI and also are high in fibre. You can also add chick pea flour to chapatti flour to increase the protein percentage. Fibre is very important and a quick Google search for high fibre foods will give you an entire range of foods which are high in fibre.
5 – Sugar, Energy Drinks and Alcohol
Do you drink tea of coffee? How many cups a day? How many spoons of sugar? What about energy drinks? Soft drinks? Alcohol?
Most people don’t sit down and actually work out how much sugar is going in. Not only is it sugar it’s also processed sugar. Although I don’t know you personally I urge you to look at your diet as I really care. Having too much sugar and alcohol can be damaging to your long term health.
Once you have asked yourself these simple questions most people are usually ready to decide. Do they need to adjust their diet, water intake and fibre or fruit intake? What I usually recommend to most people after sitting down with them and trying to figure out what they could benefit from, is as most Indian’s work very hard, long hours but are usually not having enough water or food needed to fuel their busy lifestyles, a multi vitamin and a protein powder can be useful as a supplement after a workout, gym or as a morning smoothie for those who do not have breakfast.
If you are in the market for any supplements please do visit our website: www.MySupps.co.nz
Amit Sharma