Q. If I eat reasonably nutritious meals isn't that enough?

A. Enough for what? Reasonably nutritious meals may not be good enough to support your brain and immune system. According to dietitian, Elizabeth Somer, speaking at the Nutrition Alert '96 conference in New York City,

Only one in nine people consumes the recommended number of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Somer recommended nutritional products as a viable option since so few people are meeting even the RDA for most essential nutrients. According to a Harris poll, seventy-seven (77) million Americans use nutritional products.

There are good reasons for including appropriate nutritional products as part of your high-level-wellness lifestyle.

• As the body ages, it tends to absorb vitamins and other nutrients less efficiently

• With exceptionally busy/stressful lives, people sometimes skip meals, eat on the run, or settle for fast foods—all of which can contribute to a decrease in sufficient nutrients

• High levels of unmanaged stress cause the body to burn copious amounts of specific nutrients

• Chemical pollution in the world can help to deplete the body of specific nutrients.

• Depleted or contaminated soil conditions can contribute to the production of less nutritious food supplies

• Many foods are refined, ove-processed, or cookedmeasures that destroy enzymes and other nutrients (cooking can account for food-value losses of up to 50% according to USDA Bulletin #2)

• Some individuals (especially females) limit calories judiciously in an effort to maintain desired weight limits, and thus may not ingest sufficient nutrients on a daily basis

• Even nutritious meals (so-called) may not contain the variety of foods needed to obtain the necessary enzymes and other nutrients required for optimum wellness.