We live in a world with instant everything: instant photo sharing, instant messaging and instant food being just a few examples. As we grow less and less tolerant of waiting, new products and methods emerge to lure money out of our pockets; all promising instant results. Gone are the days when people believe in working hard to attain their goal. They want immediate results with minimal effort.
When it comes to good health, supplementary food is often perceived as the magic cure for everything. Want to boost your immune system? Take vitamin C. Want to look younger? Take antioxidants. There's a fix for everything in the form of a capsule.
Supplementary food is still debatable as the fourth pillar of optimal health, adding to the tripod known as exercise, nutrition and rest. While the extent of its role in good health is still a topic for discussion, many researchers agree that supplements do contribute to good overall health.
Lesley Braun, director of Blackmores Institute, the research, education and advisory arm of Blackmores, Australia's leading natural health brand, said that it actually takes about three months of taking supplements regularly to notice the effect. Additionally, what you take and how you take it also plays an important role in its effectiveness.
"You need the right dose of the right product to get the effect. One of the misconceptions is that if you buy supplements on the internet, it's better. I know that there are consumers who think buying on the internet from the US is a better idea. I don't believe it is," said Braun, who is honorary associate professor of integrative medicine at University of Western Sydney.
Aside from the quality of the supplement, it also matters how you take it. Braun explained that if you take the best supplement pill available in the market in the wrong way, it won't do much good to the body. "For example, if you take multivitamins with a cup of tea, the tannin in the tea binds to the iron and you don't absorb the iron very well. People usually don't realise that."
Refrigerator full of food
Another misconception regarding supplements is that everyone has the same nutritional needs. Even the same person at different times in his or her life will need different nutrients. It is better, therefore, to consult an educated pharmacist or nutritionist before taking supplements.
"Anyone who's going through a major lifestyle [shift] should have a look at what they need. If you become pregnant, or are sick, it connects to your nutritional needs. If you're going through a life change, it's a good time to reassess what nutrients you need," said Braun.
It is important to understand that supplements are no replacements for good food. Master trainer and founder of NewMoves fitness centre Rob Cook said supplements are there to supplement a deficiency in a diet and aren't necessary for those who already eat well.
"If you are very busy and struggle to consume the nutrients you need each day, then supplements can play a role in that. However, what we actually focus on first is changing the diet. Try to get what we need through our diet first. Even things like protein powder — we don't sell them at our centre for a reason — we don't think are necessary. These powders are full of chemicals and things that aren't very good for the body. Instead of buying pills and powders every week, let's look at the diet first. I think real food is the best," he said.
He also doesn't believe in "instant" results. His logic is simple — if they actually worked, personal trainers and fitness centres would have gone extinct.
"Everyone's looking for a magic cure and quick fix. This is why things like slimming centres, body wraps and anti-cellulite massages are so popular — because they promise quick results with very little effort. The reality is anything worthwhile in life takes effort," he confirmed.
In his experience as a personal trainer, another quick fix that people often look for is signing up for a personal training programme and expecting the trainer to do all the work. While a personal trainer can help people exercise correctly, Cook believes that as most people only see their trainer a few hours a week, what happens outside the exercise sessions can easily outdo the workout. Some drop out of the programme after a session or two because they haven't seen results.
NewMoves has thus come up with a new concept of personal training — a 24/7 relationship with the client. He believes that personal training can only be effective when the trainer can really help the person balance his or her lifestyle even outside the gym. The trainer stays in touch with the client through phone calls, texting, e-mails, meeting up for coffee, or even grocery shopping — whatever the client is most comfortable with.
"Personal training is an ongoing support network. We stay in contact with our clients all day, every day, instead of just one hour per week. Maybe when you're travelling, we create an exercise programme with no equipment. We can make a video and upload it on YouTube for you to follow when you can't come to the gym," said Cook.
The reason behind this programme is that he wanted to create a sustainable change, instead of drastic transformation that may later fall apart because it is so unrealistic.
"One of the problems of the health industry is that people relapse into their old lifestyle once they have attained their goal. So, we should really be focusing on creating a lifestyle change," he concluded.
There is, however, one "quick fix" that works like a charm every time — a good sleep. He advised having consistent bedtime every day, even on weekends.
"The way to do this is, for 30 days, go to bed at the same time and set the alarm clock at the same time for 30 days. During those 30 days, some days it will be painful to get up, but by the end of these 30 days, you will have put your body into a rhythm. You will wake up at the same time and feel fresh," Cook recommended.
