Posted on: Tuesday, November 2, 2004

Balance diet before trying supplements

By Dave Patania
Cincinnati Enquirer

Q. I am a 65-year-old man and have had a lot less energy the past year or so. I always feel so worn down. What supplement do you recommend?

A. To be on the safe side, see a doctor to make sure that you are in good health. I highly suggest that you also try a consistent format of eating whole foods.

I recommend many nutritional supplements to clients but recommend that they first master the art of eating balanced meals for a solid foundation. My mother and I were recently talking about how as she has become older, she eats less and less. Since she got into her mid- to late-50s and now early 60s, I have seen her lose weight and suffer from low energy.

I first sent her cans of protein, told her to get more sleep and eat more food.

She followed my advice for a few weeks and noticed a positive difference. However, she was still a little frail and underweight.

She finally admitted she hadn't been eating meals but rather drinking the protein shakes and eating only junk-food snacks here and there. I sent her an easy-to-follow meal plan that had her eating three simple, balanced, meals a day, with a protein shake in between.

Week after week, she noticed an increase in her energy levels and healthy weight. This is a real-life example of how supplements without a consistent, healthy eating format are not as effective.

Your first step is to eat a balanced meal every two to three hours, exercise at least four days a week and get ample sleep. This will get you all the nutrients needed for increased energy and a healthy, vibrant body.

As far as supplements go, don't get too caught up on them, because nothing is better than quality food.