Three areas of nutrition you might be neglecting

You plan your meals so that you consume all of your macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) every day. Yes. You take a multivitamin. Yes.

But, according to research, you may be missing out on three major nutritional elements… elements that are important for physiological functions, including digestion, energy, mood and brain health, healthy aging, disease prevention, and overall resilience, but which, unfortunately, are not easy to obtain through diet.

Phytonutrients

Plant foods are amazing; they have so much more to offer than just micro- and macronutrients. They also contain thousands of different bioactive compounds, called phytonutrients, which offer physiological benefits, including fighting free radicals, reducing inflammation, and nourishing gut bacteria! But, you might be surprised to learn that diet alone doesn’t provide all the phytonutrients you need. Here's why:

1. We don't eat enough plant-based foods. According to the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, most Canadians have a low intake of fruits and vegetables, which is where all these phytonutrients are found.⁴
2. We eat the same fruits and vegetables. When we do manage to eat a few fruits and vegetables, they are often the same options!
3. Plants are less nutritious today than they used to be! Over the last 50 to 100 years, in developed countries, the concentration of several nutrients has decreased due to a series of factors, including agricultural practices and soil fertility.¹

Diversity is KEY when it comes to phytonutrients. Each unique compound has a particular set of functions. To ensure you benefit from these nutrients, it's important to consume a wide variety. Colors often indicate a certain set of phytonutrients in a fruit or vegetable, which is why we emphasize "eating the rainbow"!

Between work, school, and all our other obligations, it's harder than ever to take the time to ensure we're getting all the nutrients we need. Genuine Health's greens+ helps check all these boxes. greens+ is made from 23 colorful, phytonutrient-rich superfoods. It is the only superfood backed by 9 studies and proven to be a rich source of antioxidants, balance pH, and energize the body.

Probiotics

The digestive system is directly linked to many other parts of the body, including the immune system and cognitive function, which is why it's so important to take care of it!² We need probiotics now more than ever; stress, over-sanitization, and dietary habits are just some of the ways microbial balance can be disrupted. At first glance, the market seems saturated with probiotic-fortified foods and supplements! Here are a few things to consider if you're interested in probiotics and probiotic foods:

1. Are the probiotics standardized? Often, foods containing probiotics, especially yogurt, do not standardize their probiotic content, meaning the CFUs (colony-forming units) and the bacterial strains used!
2. Are you getting a therapeutic dose? The official definition of "probiotic," according to the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics, states that the quantity of bacteria is important and necessary to achieve a therapeutic benefit.⁵
3. Do the probiotics reach your intestines alive? You want to find probiotics that ensure targeted release into your intestines, where the majority of your bacteria live.

By keeping an eye on a few key features, including delayed-release capsules, packaging that minimizes exposure to oxygen and moisture, and multi-strain formulas like those in Genuine Health's advanced gut health probiotics line, you'll get a therapeutic dose of beneficial probiotics that your gut (and body) needs to thrive.

Omegas

When we think of omega-3s, we think of fish oil. The use of omega supplements is not a new concept, and for good reason! Omega-3s are an important category of fatty acids, and they are considered an essential nutrient. However, we cannot create them in our bodies and must obtain them from our diet!

Restoring balance by supplementing with omega-3s is good for our health! Omega-3s have been associated with improvements in cardiovascular disease markers, including thrombosis, blood pressure and heart rate, blood lipid levels, and vascular function. Omega-3s can also contribute to healthy cognitive function, mood and mindset, brain health, and even gut microbiome health by strengthening the intestinal wall and increasing the diversity of bacterial populations.

1. Our modern diet exposes us to inflammation! There is evidence to suggest that humans evolved eating omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in a ratio of approximately 1:1. This ratio would have been obtained by consuming whole foods in their natural state – fish, grass-fed meat, certain vegetables, nuts, and seeds. But our modern diet provides us with more omega-6 than necessary – and the typical Western diet now provides an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of approximately 16:1, a ratio linked to inflammation!
2. Purity can be an issue. It's no secret that fish has a reputation for being contaminated. At the same time, the general population is recommended to consume about 150g of fish per week to ensure adequate omega-3 intake. Many useful resources can help you navigate this, and supplementation is also an excellent option!³
3. The ratio of fatty acids can support different health goals. EPA and DHA are well-known for their physiological benefits, ranging from anti-inflammatory actions to cardiovascular health, and the very important gut health. Different ratios of EPA and DHA can be used to achieve different health goals!⁶

It's interesting to learn that, overall, in North America, we consume the recommended dose of fish oils, but not adequate amounts of EPA and DHA!⁷ Taking an omega-3 supplement with high EPA and DHA content is an easy and effective way to get these missing nutrients in a way that is safe and clean. Genuine Health's omega3 line offers an omega-3 supplement to meet all needs. The products are made from wild-caught and sustainably sourced fish, purified and verified through a process of over 200 steps, and whose formulas have a high EPA and DHA content to meet your needs.

So, what does this mean for us? We need nutrients more than ever! While we can't get everything we need from our food sources, it's comforting to know that we can rely on supplementation for that extra support.

References:
1. Davis, D. R. (2009). Declining Fruit and Vegetable Nutrient Composition: What Is the Evidence? J Am Soc Hortic Sci, 44(1), 15-19. 21273/HORTSCI.44.1.15
2. Durack, J. and Lynch, S. V. (2019). The gut microbiome: Relationship with disease and opportunities for therapy. J Exp Med, 216(1), 20-40. 1084/jem.20180448
3. Health Canada. (2019). Consumption Advice: Making Informed Choices about Fish. Minister of Health Canada
4. Health Canada. (2016). Evidence Review for dietary Guidance: Summary of Results and Implications for Canada’s Food Guide. Minister of Health Canada.
5. Hill, C. et al. (2014). Expert consensus document. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol, 11(8), 506-514. 1038/nrgastro.2014.66
6. Russel, F. D. & Burgin-Maunder, C. S. (2012). Distinguishing Health Benefits of Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acids. Mar Drugs, 10(11), 2535-2559. 3390/md10112535
7. Sheppard, K. W., & Cheatham, C. L. (2018). Omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid intake of children and older adults in the U.S.: dietary intake in comparison to current dietary recommendations and the Healthy Eating Index. Lipids Health Dis, 17(1). 1186/s12944-018-0693-9
8. Welch, A. et al. (2010). Dietary intake and status of n–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in a population of fish-eating and non-fish-eating meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans and the precursor-product ratio of α-linolenic acid to long-chain n–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: results from the EPIC-Norfolk cohort. Am J Clin Nutr, 92(5), 1040-1051. 3945/ajcn.2010.29457