We live in the wealthiest country in the world, a place where food is in abundance. We're bombarded with advertisements urging us to "supersize" our portions and take advantage of foods that are easy to prepare. We are also working more than ever, and even our children are overscheduled, so we often compromise and take a trip through the drive through rather than fix a home-cooked meal. The result? We're overfed but undernourished, meaning that we often don't get the nutrition we need to sustain our bodies and minds.



Given the hectic pace of lifestyles today, it's doubtful that we're going to suddenly have an abundance of free time on our hands. That means that we need to take steps to ensure that we and our families are getting the nutrition necessary to promote health and well-being. When you can't eat whole foods and clean protein, the next best thing is to supplement your diet with vitamins to ensure that your body receives the nutrition it needs.

Once you make the decision to supplement your diet with vitamins, how do you choose among the thousands of products on the market?

Capsule vs. Liquid

The first decision to make is whether to choose a pill supplement or a liquid supplement. Although most people are accustomed to popping vitamins in capsule form, research indicates that pills and capsules can travel through your digestive system with only minimal absorption. In other words, the capsule doesn't disintegrate where it does the most good, so you excrete most of the nutrients.

Research has shown that a supplement in liquid form is more readily absorbed into your system, maximizing the benefits of the vitamins contained in the liquid. So, if you've decided to obtain supplemental nutrition through vitamins, opt for the liquid supplement over the capsule or pill.

Single Vitamins vs. Multiple Vitamins?

Choosing a liquid supplement is one way to boost the effectiveness of a nutritional supplement, but what else should you look for? To make your life as easy as possible, it's best to choose a good multiple vitamin. After all, who wants to keep track of the dosages of a dozen or more individual vitamins?

A liquid supplement that has as its base aloe vera and sea vegetables is a great start. The combination provides important glyconutrients, which help your cells function properly and, in essence, "talk" to one another. The most powerful combination is one that incorporates vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, phytonutrients, and enzymes. This kind of combination will help sustain your energy level while promoting intercellular health and supporting your immune system.

Although taking vitamins isn't a substitute for eating whole foods, liquid vitamins act as an insurance policy to supplement the nutrition you get from your regular diet. Here's to your health!