Supplements: Your Body’s Nutritional “Gap Fillers”
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By Mark Macdonald, ZEN Brand Ambassador & New York Times Best Selling Author
As a health professional for more than 20 years, a question I still get asked every day is, “Why do I need supplements?”
I love when people ask questions; it’s crucial to question everything and find the right answers that help you live your best health.
But for some reason the moment supplements enter the conversation, the questions are taken to the next level. Many times people think they’re being sold something they don’t really need.
My goal is to share 3 things:
- Why supplements matter
- The nutritional purpose behind supplements
- How the right supplement can help you achieve your health goals
The reality is that supplements should never be the foundation of your health plan. Supplements are designed to complement a solid nutritional program; in essence they are your “gap fillers.” Supplements fill the nutritional gaps where you lack food variety and don’t get the essential nutrients your body needs, such as omega-3 fatty acids, trace vitamins/minerals, antioxidants and protein.
There are three main components to winning with your health and achieving your goals, and supplements are an important piece of that puzzle:
1. Your Eating Plan
Food is your foundation, and your eating plan should be centered on eating PFC Every 3 to balance your blood sugar.
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2. Your Supplementation
Supplementation is utilized to fill your nutrition gaps where your eating plan falls short. I personally do this by taking two Reserve™ gel packs each day. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and keep your cells healthy.
Studies show you need to consume approximately 12–15 fruits and vegetables each day to provide your body with enough antioxidants to protect your cells from the damage of free radicals, caused by stress, pollution, lack of sleep, etc.
Now I love my fruits and veggies, but I also live a busy life. I definitely get in about 5–7 servings of fruits and veggies a day, but that’s not enough. This is why I supplement with Reserve, to easily get the antioxidants my body needs.
There are many more essential nutrients your body needs. Check out the info below about the two main types of supplements available.
3. Your Support and Community
We all have tough days and we all fall off plan. Your health success is determined by how quickly you get back on plan. Your support provides you with the education, videos and live interaction via webcasts, blogs, social media, etc. to quickly get back on plan when you fall off. Having a community in your corner lets you know that others are with you every step of the way and gives you a place to call home.
This is exactly why we made the ZEN Project 8® Facebook Community. Our ZP8 community includes thousands of members living ZP8 and helping each other win!
TWO TYPES OF SUPPLEMENTS
The media, health professionals and dieting industry pressure us by focusing on extremes — one moment they are touting miracle supplements and the next, they’re saying that you should never take supplements.
In my 20 years of experience, beginning as a 16-year-old physical therapy intern, moving on to a collegiate and professional soccer career, to becoming a natural body builder and fitness model, then a nutritionist and kinesiologist, bestselling author, media health expert and international speaker, what I’ve learned is that extremes only lead to long-term health failure.
Supplements are not miracles, but for 99% of the population they are essential to optimal health. So let’s dive into how to best choose supplements.
1. Everyday Supplements
These are the essential nutrients your body needs that many times you are not getting. The top four are omega-3 fatty acids, trace vitamins/minerals, antioxidants and protein.
Protein in particular is the key nutrient to helping maintain blood sugar balance, so getting equal grams of protein to carbs per meal is crucial to maximize your results.
This is the reason we made our cutting-edge ZEN Fuze™ Protein Shake. Click here to learn the science behind ZEN Fuze and how to choose the best protein shake for you.
2. Result-Oriented Supplements
These are supplements you take for a period of time to achieve a desired result.
Some examples include detox supplements, a stimulant-free fat burner, or additional amino acids to protect and improve your lean body mass, which is super important since your muscle directly affects the speed of your metabolism.
“How do I choose the best supplement for me?”
That is a loaded question and really depends on your goals, your lifestyle and your food variety. The key is to see where you have nutritional gaps, and fill them with products that meet your needs. I chose to partner with Jeunesse because we are fully committed to making products with a purpose.
All of the Jeunesse nutritional products are unique to the marketplace, all are natural, and all work in synergy with your nutrition and fitness plan, designed to make a difference and provide you with the necessary nutrients to fill your nutrition gaps.
This is also why I’m very excited about the ZEN product line.
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The ZEN product line is centered on 4 products that go hand-in-hand with the ZEN Project 8 program.
ZEN Fuze is the protein shake you’ve been waiting for. It’s the next level of protein shake, designed to perfectly fill your meal gaps. ZEN Fuze is a foundational product in the program and a crucial everyday supplement.
The three other ZEN products are result-oriented supplements: ZEN Prime™ to detox, ZEN Shape® to burn fat and ZEN Fit™ to protect your muscle.
ZEN Prime is a powerful cleansing supplement designed for your Detox Phase and to turbo-charge your results. ZEN Prime sets the standard for total body cleansing. It’s important to always remember you are what you metabolize, and the proprietary formula in ZEN Prime helps cleanse the most important parts of your digestive system. ZEN Prime contains liver-friendly milk thistle, full-spectrum plant enzymes, grapeseed extract, dandelion root and juniper berry. These key ingredients have long been used in herbal medicine and are each uniquely valued for their cleansing properties.
ZEN Shape is an incredible non-stimulant supplement that assists with fat burning. There are three main ingredients that help you achieve your results as you live your Ignite Phase:
- African mango seed extract — Shown to favorably impact a variety of metabolic pathways associated with body-weight management. Research has shown that this potent extract can produce significant improvements in body weight, body fat and waist circumference, as well as support healthy levels of C-reactive protein, leptin, blood glucose and LDL cholesterol.
- Green tea leaf extract — May boost metabolism and help burn fat. It is thought that the catechins found in green tea leaves are responsible for the herb’s fat-burning effect.
- Raspberry keytones — The compound responsible for raspberries’ sweet aroma, raspberry keytones may support healthy weight management.
ZEN Fit is a rich source of amino acids that assists in protecting your muscles. Your fat is primarily burned in your muscle, and the speed of your metabolism is connected with your muscle mass. This is why muscle, for women and men, is SO important.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. You get high-quality protein with ZEN Fuze, and then if your goal is to burn fat and build muscle (everyone can benefit from more muscle), ZEN Fit is a fantastic supplement to take. Simply take ZEN Fit twice a day, ideally before and after your workout.
Click here to check out more about the entire ZEN product line and the ZEN Project 8 program.
Now the next time you think to yourself, “Should I take that supplement?” you are empowered with the knowledge to evaluate the product and find the answer. This also empowers you to help educate your friends and family on the importance of supplements.
As always, be clear on your goals, ask every question and most importantly, get educated so you have the knowledge, support and tools to truly live your best health!
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