Supplements
Our volunteers are now on their way down the mountain and well and truly into their diet plans. Of our six, two of them are using some form of supplementation, for very different and specific reasons.
Ray, being short for time during a busy work day is utilizing meal replacement shakes, whilst Matt, recovering from a knee injury is using a personalised collection of supplements to help the process.
Now, the UK supplement market is worth nearly £400 million annually, but is full of unproven products which at best do nothing and at worse can be very harmful!
Weight loss products designed to shut down natural processes in the body and cheap supplements packed with toxic fillers are far too easy to get hold of.
Remember, a supplement is there to enhance an already balanced healthy diet, to make up for a lacking nutrient (I.e. B12 and iron with veganism), or to address specific needs (folic acid during pregnancy).
Ray has been using a meal replacement shake called ‘Huel’. Why is this appropriate for him? On certain days of the week he finds that he is short on time to not only buy lunch but also eat it. Being hungry in a supermarket whilst short on time is a recipe for quick, easy, less than ideal lunch options (think standard meal deal options!).
Huel is nutritionally complete, meaning it has all the essential vitamins and minerals, can be made up in minutes and contains plenty of fibre to fill you up. Whilst I would promote a food first approach 99% of the time, in this situation it is a great choice.
Matt is suffering from a chronic knee injury which limits his sporting abilities. Supplementing for injury is an interesting topic. After a tissue has become damaged, part of the body’s natural response is to inflame the area which aids in the healing process and delivers essential nutrients to the wound. Aggressively trying to reduce inflammation at this stage can hinder the healing process.
Chronic inflammation on the other hand is not beneficial and can slow down and already tedious recovery period. In this phase using supplements can be very beneficial.
Omega 3: One of the most potent anti-inflammatories, which is lacking in most people’s diets.
Vitamin D: Beneficial for a broad spectrum of conditions which has also been shown to reduce muscular injury.
Creatine: A non-essential nutrient, but one which has lots of safety data behind and which can aid muscular effort and muscle mass.
Matt reports that (subjectively at least!) his knee feels better, and is not limiting his range of motion as much
Think you may benefit from a personalised supplement regimen? Call Reception on 01453 548119 to arrange a time to discuss how I can help you in meet your goals.
Ian will be hosting an Advanced Nutrition Workshop on Saturday 28th October. For those who want to know the finer detail. Topics will include:-