A Natural approach to “Micronutrient Top-Up”, “Wellness Performance” and “Convenience without Compromise”

The Nutritional supplement debate continues to rage on. This is intended to be just a brief outline of The Wellness Brother’s (TWB) position on what we believe is a very important issue. At the end of it though, you are still encouraged to evaluate the situation for yourself and come to a conclusion that will best enable you to achieve your Optimal Wellness and Performance Potential.

I) “Micronutrient Top-Up”

Some of the more common questions surrounding this unnecessarily confusing topic are as follows.

• Are supplements really necessary?
• What are they supposed to do?
• Do they really work?
• Are they safe?
• Should I be taking them and if so what should I be looking for?

TWB adopts a common sense approach to the entire issue, and it begins by considering the first of 3 basic questions.

1) Where was this supplement debate 100 years ago?

As far as we aware there is no indication that there was one. The reason is quite simple. The idea of “topping up” the nutritional value of your food would have been as “fruitless” as trying to fill an already full glass of water! Not only unnecessary but also messy!

Today we seem to be facing mainly the Messy. This despite the fact that the food of our generation is in genuine need of supplementation! You see, the vast majority of food eaten in the developed world today is quite different from the food that was eaten in previous generations. The agricultural practices, right from the soil and seeds to the timing of the harvest, compounded by modern food processing, packaging and storage methods have contributed to what we eat being both “More and less than before”. What we mean by this is that our food today is:

• Less in the sense that micronutrient and phytonutrient values are lower than what they used to be.
• More in that harmful substances and energy density (calorie content) both tend to be higher now than what they used to be.

Setting the “more” issue aside, the simple reality is that if we want to meet the essential micronutrient needs of our bodies, supplementation or “Nutrient Top Up” potentially provides a convenient and effective way of achieving that.

This brings us to the next important question:

2) What are the typical micronutrients that are deficient in our food?

We believe that there are potentially eight essential factors (possibly more) that tend to be deficient:

1) Vitamins

2) Minerals

3) Antioxidants

4) Essential Fatty Acids

5) Enzymes

6) Probiotics

7) Glyconutrients

8) other Phytochemicals (both known and yet unknown)

This naturally leads to the third question.

3) What constitutes a good supplement?

Again a common sense approach is best. It is safe to say that the majority of people are unaware that there is a difference between these 8 factors in their natural and synthetic forms. This is a vitally important distinction to make as “not all supplements are equal”. The difference ultimately comes down to their source. Naturally “Cultivated” or chemically “Manufactured”? If genuine nutrient top up is what is required, then every effort should be made to ensure that the supplements are an appropriate replacement for what is lacking. When it comes to vitamins for example, the goal should be to add complete or whole food forms to the diet rather than what are known as synthetic, chemically pure or sub-fractionated ones. The truth is that synthetics unfortunately make up the bulk of what is found on the supplement shelves of health shops and pharmacies. It is very important to note that it is not that these synthetic supplements have no effect. On the contrary, in the right doses they can have profound effects on the body, both beneficial and harmful.

Warning: “Synthetic Supplements” quite simply fail to meet the requirements for “nutrient top up” classification. With their action in the body more in keeping with that of a medication or a drug, it is probably more appropriate to consider them in these terms. It naturally follows that unlike natural whole food supplements which can be used for extended periods of time, synthetic forms are probably best taken with caution and limited periods of time. Attention should also be given to the dosage and indications for which they are taken in order to avoid potential problems.

TWB aims to demystify this supplement top up issue by drawing attention to the validity of the “requirement” and importance of the “form” that proposed supplements take. TWB is also intent on taking it a step further by providing the kinds of Essential Daily Micronutrient top up that our bodies require for Optimal Wellness.

We take this next step by bringing of the best existing supplements that we know of to the fore and we are also actively involved in the development of new products and the improvement of existing ones in order to ensure that the best quality and most effective “top up” supplements are available to those who recognize their need for natural, safe and effective supplement options.

II) “Wellness Performance”

When it comes to purpose and necessity, there is an important distinction to be made between a “Nutrient Top Up” form of supplementation and that of Performance Enhancement. There is no shortage of products that claim to boost athletic performance and many of them fall under the health supplement umbrella. In order to evaluate any potential product for the purpose of maximizing one's performance, one should consider the following questions:

• Legality: is the use of the product legal? This is applicable at both the judicial level as well as various sports governing bodies.
• Efficacy: does the product actually do what it claims?
• Safety: Is the performance boost achieved in a way that is safe?
• Wellness: Is the performance Boost facilitated in a way that either directly or indirectly contributes to greater wellness?

Lean95 is a great way to answer “YES” to all 4 of these questions. The product is in and of itself strongly health promoting and facilitates improvement in performance through one or a combination of improved strength, endurance and recovery, to fat burning, maintenance of muscle mass and immunomodulation. These performance related benefits are achieved in the following ways:

• Post workout nutrient replenishment
• Free Radical “mop up”
• Enhanced Fat Oxidation
• Less “downtime” through injury and Illness

Lean95 is really the ideal partner to a good mindset, nutrition and physical movement solution.

III) “Convenience without Compromise”

There are a number of people who view supplementation from the perspective of “replacement” as apposed to “top up” or “performance enhancement”. For these people, the issue revolves primarily around that of convenience. Whether a snack or a meal to be replaced, emphasis is most often placed on convenience and taste!

Let’s face it, convenience is, well…convenient! That’s not all bad as long as it’s not convenience at the expense of quality! The reality is that most convenience supplements and products on the market today are produced first and foremost to look, smell, taste and feel good. These are after all highest on the list of what most consumers demand! Unfortunately this is most often achieved at the expense of the quality and combination of the ingredients.

TWB’s efforts to achieve convenience are governed by our “Convenience without Compromise” promise.

We trust that this brief summary of the different perspectives on Supplements and products is helpful and that you will at least have a frame work within which you can do your own homework on the subject.

Every effort is made to ensure that those making use of the TWB system, programs and products do so in an informed way and one that is best suited to them. We hope that the product information that is contained on this website will be helpful to you.

Please note that this information is based on the training, personal experience and research of TWB and is not intended to substitute for personal consultation with your healthcare provider. As there is always some risk involved with anything you ingest--even food. Therefore if you intend taking any supplements (especially synthetic), you are urged to consult with a qualified healthcare provider who is familiar with the issues surrounding supplementation so that you might truly enjoy optimal wellness.