A random thought came to me one day about supplements, hence the title. I've always had the approach that supplements are more of a luxury; something only reserved for those with the spare buck to spend on improving that one aspect of life which truly matters - health. However, I'm getting more and more convinced that supplements are becoming increasingly important. Especially so in the urban setting, where quality of food is restricted by budget (as is the quality of everything else), pollution levels ever increasing and non-stop work-related stress. Top it off with mooring news of food shortages and how the nutritional value of food these days ain't like they used to be due to soil depletion, poor animal husbandry, diseases, etc; and you know it isn't a pretty picture for the one joy of life: eating. Nevermind the joy, most people these days just eat to be satiated. 3 meals a day. 365 days a year. Just eat to live on not conciously minding the quality of food till one day, all that char koey teow screws them over with cardiac arrest 30 years down the road.
Back to the topic. Having had a go at supplements for awhile now, my opinions are:
Pros
- Convenient. In so many ways. My stomach's a black hole and I can eat every 3-4 hours. Supplements keep the hunger pangs away till I get to solid food.
- Nutritional facts readily available allows for better diet management. I know this is starting to sound serious but honestly, if you give a damn about supplements, then you need to give a damn about this.
- Concentrated nutrition. Keeping in mind my earlier rants, how much real food does one need to take to get your daily requirements in both macro and micro nutrients? Supplements (good ones) are engineered and laboratory tested to provide as they should.
- Price factor. Supps ain't cheap and any decent gym-goer or sportsperson can attest to that. But it's all about being savvy to manage this.
- Delusions of grandeur. Gotta be wary of products claiming to do this and that. Rome wasn't built in a day and no amount of supplements will make you Mr/Ms Universe tomorrow. Also, it's a good idea to find out what you're gonna put into your body. Some ingredients are meant to illicit a physiological response and if you have any existing conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, etc then you're heading for an early grave.
Well, not too bad in my books. Cons are manageable and pros are justifiable. I would encourage anyone to take supplements provided that they genuinely want to lead a better lifestyle. A couch potato is just that. Forever damned to a life (if you can call it one) of fitting into every crease of the sofa.
