New diseases like COVID19 are emerging left and right, adding to the burden of dealing with existing illnesses. This setting pushes people to a panicking mess. Who would want to include hospital bills, required check-ups, and prescription drugs into their financial burden? So to avoid this monetary disaster, some choose to invest in boosting their immune system. One of the most available resources for that are health supplements. They usually come in the form of pills, capsules, tablets, liquids, softgels, etc.
You’ve probably taken a lot of multivitamins. Yet, at some point, you’ve still fallen sick and wondered why. The confusion comes from the idea that these food supplements are all you need for your body to be flourished and strong. This isn’t always the case. Often, most people have misconceptions about what these vitamins are. Here are three things you’ve probably mistaken for your dietary supplements.
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Not a Do-It-Yourself Thing
Combining the fact that these health supplements are actively advertised in television commercials and are widely available in local drugstores, a lot of people have access and capacity to purchase them easily. You may have even had an experience where your parents insisted that you take one pill before you leave home and start your day, or maybe before you retire to bed and sleep. While it is a sweet gesture, a sign of them caring for you and your health, it also has a downside. Each person has different bodily demands concerning the kind of nutrients he or she needs. For you to know the specifics of your body, it is best to consult a health professional. Taking these supplements without supervision and qualified advice poses a danger to your body, may it be in terms of overdosing or combining certain pills.
Not a Substitute for Healthy Lifestyle
Dietary supplements are made based on the dilemma that not all kinds of nutrients are taken sufficiently. People who are lactose intolerant may need supplements containing calcium and Vitamin D, or they can purchase tablets containing lactase enzyme to help break down dairy food. Another example is when women take supplements with iron, and Vitamins B and C when they are on their period to prevent anemia.
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This implies that food supplements only have supportive mechanisms. Just because you’re taking these capsules, it doesn’t mean that you’re good without a balanced diet, enough sleep, and adequate workout. The nutrients you get from choosing to live healthily far outweigh those that your pills can provide. Various kinds of diseases usually result from failing to have a healthy lifestyle, and no amount of supplements can remedy that.
Not a Medicinal Drug
Because dietary supplements only give aid in equipping us with enough vitamins and minerals, it is also logical to conclude that they don’t have curative purposes. Anything related to diseases is out of the scope of food supplements. To illustrate, taking in vitamins and minerals from these pills and tablets will neither directly help lower your cholesterol nor treat your heart disease. For cases like this, you should not favor dietary supplements over medicinal drugs, of course, prescribed by your physician.
Despite all these claims, it is unnecessary to claim that food supplements are detrimental to you. They indeed have their fair share of benefits and are helpful to our bodies. However, believing in misconceptions about them can also cause you harm. To avoid this tragedy, have regular check-ups, consult a doctor, and live a healthy lifestyle.