As a partial result, nutritionally driven chronic diseases have reached epidemic proportions. About 95% of people over 40 will suffer from one or more of these chronic diseases by the time they reach retirement. Diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, loss of vision - to name a few. That's 95 people out of every 100.

This came as an eye-opener to most people who realized that our food contains much less nutrition today and yet our body needs much more vitamins and minerals than ever before in human history. The problem is two-fold. On the one hand, we have reduced the intake of vegetables in our daily diet; and on the other hand, whatever vegetables we do take are devoid of natural nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Let me explain the problem further.

This tells us that today our food contains MUCH LESS nutrition and yet our needs for vitamins and minerals are MUCH GREATER than ever before in human history. You'll discover, in this article, how this can be possible. And some simple steps you must take to protect yourself and your loved ones.

But the sad truth is that the soils are depleting at a very rapid rate. Commercial farming that came as boon for consumers who didn't have to grow their own vegetables has resulted in soils turning into sand. The same fields are used for commercial farming year after year, with the result that the soils have lost their rich nutrients, especially the vitamin and mineral content of the vegetables.

To increase the produce, chemical fertilizers were introduced to help plants grow in poor soil. However, there are many problems associated with this appraoch. Chemical supplements have brought in more problems. Though the vegetables look great they contain far less vitamins and minerals they once did and they also absorb some of these chemicals so that now our body needs even more vitamins to deactivate these toxins.

Moreover, many vegetables and fruits are picked before they're ripe, and treated chemically get them to the grocer's shelf quickly. This process eats into the nutrient content of the product though it is economically viable for the grower and grocer who can keep it much longer than the vine ripened fruits. No wonder, our bodies are succumbing under the pressures of higher levels of air and water pollution, lower oxygen levels in the air, and our fast paced, fast food societies of today. Our wonderful bodies are being taxed to the maximum and need more protection than ever before.

Some vegetables and most fruits you buy in the store are picked before they're ripe, and often chemically treated so they ripen on the way to the grocer's shelf. This gives the produce a lot longer shelf life - less waste. As you probably know, produce picked at it's ripe peak contain maximum nutrients - but spoil quickly. Vine ripened, fresh produce can be quite unprofitable for the grower and grocer.

Make fresh, whole fruits, vegetables, and grains a larger part of your daily diet. These are the absolute best quality vitamins and minerals you can buy. Eat them raw, uncooked as much as possible. If necessary, cook slowly at low heat to keep the nutrients at the highest possible levels. Simply put - the less processing the better. Most people do not eat even the minimum recommended amounts, yet we all need much more than that today.

Look for organically grown produce at your grocery store or health food store. Generally this produce will contain the much higher levels of nutrients - as they did a century ago - without the chemicals. They cost more but you get a LOT MORE nutrients and much more succulent flavor than commercially grown produce.

Grow some of your own produce - in a yard garden, patio pots, or inside the home in window pots. It's fun, very easy, decorative, puts oxygen in the air and the taste and nutrition is just tons better than store-bought. No matter how perfect our diet, we ALL need to invest in a GOOD vitamin supplement today. Even nutrition experts, who eat an "ideal" diet, take vitamin supplements. A good vitamin will require you to take 3 large tablets or six medium size tablets or capsules per day minimum. Anything less is a waste of money.

People near retirement should wake up to the need of vitamins for good health. Remember, if you don't have good health at retirement, nothing else will matter. It is better to be safe than sorry, and vitamin supplements are the cheapest health insurance and wisest retirement plan you can invest in.