Does The Stress of Divorce
Add the Need for Nutritional Supplements?

Divorce is stressful. Stressful for the parents and stressful for the kids. Even a divorce that is “harmonious” is stressful. Why? Well, for one thing, it’s a major shift in lifestyle for everyone involved. Not only is it stressful for the immediate family, it’s frequently stressful for friends, neighbors, and relatives.

Handling that level of stress may also call for additional supplements.  Many people who are handling just normal levels of stress find that nutritional supplements can improve mental clarity and day to day energy.

If you’re under the stress of divorce or any other major life event, a nutritional supplement can be even more critical. However, they’re not just for extremely stressful times. Properly used, nutritional supplements can be vital to your health for years info the future. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s nearly impossible. So we turn to nutritional supplements as the fuel to keep our body balanced and healthy. They give us energy and help keep our thinking clear.

In fact, many health conditions can be helped with nutritional support. Take macular degeneration, for example. There is no known cure for macular degeneration, but the vision loss it causes can be slowed down and even prevented through the proper use of nutrition. Many doctors recommend daily supplementation with antioxidants such as lutein which help prevent or slow eye damage.

Others that have been shown to help fight macular degeneration include Vitamins C and E, selenium, and zinc. Of particular note are the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil and fish oil supplements.

Please understand that we’re not suggesting that all health issues can be resolved with health supplements. We’re just suggesting that they play an important role. An equally important role is played by the basic nutritional needs that are simply met through healthy eating.

You can take the best vitamins in the world, but if you don’t do other things to keep yourself healthy, you’re just wasting your money on the supplements. You need to see your physician for regular checkups; you need to maintain a regular exercise program; you need to get the proper amount of rest; you need to learn what causes stress in your life and either eliminate or reduce those stressors.

Not only that, but you can’t look just to supplements as your sole source of nutrition. Look at your diet. Do you make a habit of eating junk food all the time? Don’t expect to counter that with a couple of well-chosen supplements. Eat well. Look at the ingredients on the foods you purchase at the store. It’s not necessary to live an austere life to be healthy, but you do have to use a little common sense.

Of course, some health issues come with age. Prostate issues for example. As men grow older, the prostate gradually enlarges. The prostate is a small gland that is part of the male reproductive system. Because the prostate gland surrounds the urethra, this enlargement can eventually cause problems with urination, or pain. This is the most common prostate problem among men over fifty.

Problems with the prostate can cause urinary difficulties and even impotence in men. Some prostate problems are serious and life threatening – such as cancer. Others – such as an enlarged prostate – can affect your daily life to the point of obsession.

To look after your prostate health, stay in touch with your doctor. A doctor can often detect prostate cancer and other non-symptomatic conditions with a simple examination. If you’re over 50 or approaching 50, have a regular exam to check for prostate health.

One of the natural health supplements that enjoys wide-spread popularity is Saw Palmetto. It’s been widely used for years in Europe to treat BPH (benign protostatic hyperplasia). Its active ingredient is an aggressive anti-inflammatory which may prevent the buildup of cholesterol in the prostate, and thus prevent the enlargement and painful symptoms that come with an enlarged prostate.

As with so many other conditions that affect our health these days, proper nutrition seems to promise prevention and treatment of prostate conditions. A daily health supplement that contains beta-sitosterol, Lycopene and other phytonutrients that have also proven beneficial in improving prostate health would be helpful to take.

For women, the health condition that comes with age is menopause. It’s part of the natural and to-be-expected process of aging in women. Over the course of a few years, a woman’s body gradually reduces its production of estrogen, resulting in hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and memory loss. However, many women report success with natural means of combating the more common symptoms of menopause.

Another important health supplement to consider is calcium. It’s one of the most important minerals your body requires. Of particular interest, is Coral Calcium. Coral calcium is one of the more bioavailable forms of calcium.

Over the past few years, coral calcium has attracted a great deal of negative attention thanks to a few promoters who made outrageous and over-exaggerated claims for its benefits. The unfortunate fallout is that the very real benefits of coral calcium have also been called into question.

Simply put, coral calcium is a highly available and easily digestible form of calcium, which your body requires for healthy functioning. It’s needed by most of the body’s systems – not just the bones and teeth. According to chemical analysis, coral calcium from Okinawa contains trace minerals and elements that may enhance the body’s ability to absorb and use calcium.

According to the National Institutes of Health, many Americans do not eat a diet that provides enough calcium to ensure strong, healthy bones and teeth. In addition, lifestyle factors such as smoking and drinking coffee can diminish calcium levels, and diets deficient in one or more other nutrients can prevent the body from making full use of its calcium stores. Because calcium is such a vital nutrient for so many of the body’s processes, most doctors recommend calcium supplements to make sure that their patients get enough calcium for optimal health.

There are three health conditions in particular that studies show can be helped with herbal supplements – cholesterol, depression, and stress.

Let’s look at Cholesterol first. Most people think that cholesterol is bad. That’s not the case. Cholesterol is simply another substance in the body. The problem occurs when there is too much cholesterol. Some people prefer to use prescription medication to control high cholesterol and others prefer natural supplements. If high cholesterol is a concern, you need to make your own choice.

Another condition that many people find can be mitigated with natural supplements is mild depression. There are a number of supplements that have been used for years in Europe to fight depression which have now made their way to North America in recent years. One example, you’ve probably heard of in this regard is St. John’s Wort. It’s been widely used in Europe and has helped many combat depression.

Where to get all of these supplements? Many health advocates like to buy vitamins online. They find that they can research their needs, look at the alternatives, and make their decision in the comfort of their home. If you haven’t tried it, you might check out a couple of good online sources who have comprehensive information on the different options available to you.

Should you run right out and load up on vitamins simply because you’re going through a divorce? Of course not.

Should you cram extra vitamins down the kids throats because you’re concerned about the stress on them? Of course not.

But if you’re concerned about your health and their health, then you should look carefully at what nutritional supplements might help – both now and in the future.

Obviously, decisions about any health condition should be made in consultation with a knowledgeable health care professional.