A dose of nature: health supplements boost your body and the economy.

• Author: Little, Candace M.
• Position: Executive Health

When the recession hit, many businesses changed plans, refocused marketing campaigns, conducted layoffs, pay cuts and many other strategies to get through the toughening economic climate.

Just as our business health depends on planning and budgeting, so does the health of our bodies. The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) daily consumption recommendations for the average adult include 2.5 to 3 cups of vegetables, 2 cups of fruit, 3 cups of low fat milk, 5 to 6 ounces of protein and 3.5 ounces of grains. These recommendations provide vitamins, protein, calcium, iron and other nutrients our bodies need to function properly. But if your only vegetable serving comes from french-fries and your fruit from a Diet Coke with lime, your body may be experiencing nutritional mini-recessions every day.

While the best way to get nutrients is through food, nutritional supplements offer a good alternative, and may be the first step to a healthier body no matter how close you are to meeting USDA's recommendations.

Nutritional supplements come in all forms--pills, granola-like bars, juices, teas, gels and creams. According to Loren Israelson, executive director of the United Natural Products Alliance, there are about 100 direct selling health supplement companies in Utah--so it shouldn't be too hard to get your hands on some product.

A Healthy Trend

One out of five Americans use some form of alternative medicine every day, and Israelson says new users of health supplements are searching for ways to improve their health.

"A first time mom, someone hearing bad news about their own heath and someone hearing bad news about the health of a loved one--all trigger people to ask what changes they need to make to their lifestyle, and many turn to nutritional supplements for part of their answers," Israelson says, adding that in such cases, they are not deterred by the economic climate.

The recession may have caused people to reevaluate their spending, but people take health supplements to improve their quality of life--to be calmer, sleep better and get them through illness, Israelson says. And that is something they aren't willing to cut from their budgets.

"For people who use health supplements, it has become a belief structure and a lifestyle," Israelson explains. "It's a commitment to a way of living. They'll change vacation plans or scale back on groceries, but they will not stop using supplements. They may not buy the most expensive brand anymore...