As a sports medicine physician, I regularly see people who pay a lot of attention to working out, sports programs, fitness equipment, and personal trainers for themselves and their children. Unfortunately, with all of their good intentions, they often overlook a critical component in their quest for better health - the quality of the food they eat. Why is good nutrition such a blind spot? As I see it, there are two major obstacles standing in the way: the constant barrage of media messages for unhealthy food, and the easy availability of fast food. In addition, people are often encouraged to substitute isolated vitamins and other supplements for whole foods. Take all of this into consideration and it’s no wonder that people have difficulty focusing on the value of a healthy diet - a diet rich in fruits and vegetables - for fitness and long-term health.

Even when we "get it," it’s difficult to find restaurants that offer healthy choices. Can you imagine a "fast food" or even a "quick service" menu consisting of fruit and vegetable dishes with lean meats and non-fried foods? Yet, as it stands now, we can travel the globe and never be without the comforts of America’s favorite greasy fast food establishment. How tragic that two of the biggest health problems in the United States are heart disease and obesity - conditions whose incidence is rising across the world as we "share" our fast food craze. Are you contributing to the fast food movement or the health food movement?

One of the main reasons for the rise in fast food consumption is Food Marketers. These Food Marketers seem to turn a blind eye to the fact that their billions of advertising dollars are contributing to the poor health and obesity of our nation. Thirteen billion dollars annually is spent marketing food and drink to U.S. children and their parents¹. It has been shown that children view up to 40,000 commercials each year; 360,000 by high school graduation². How often do you talk to your kids about healthy food choices?

And, then there’s the overuse of isolated vitamins and other supplements that I mentioned earlier. This is the typical American solution to a problem - a quick and easy fix. But multivitamins give people a false sense of security that they can have an unhealthy diet and still be healthy. The rising rate of chronic adult conditions appearing in children underscores this reality. Even the American Heart Association no longer recommends synthetic vitamins as being protective for our heart, but that fruits and vegetables are. You see, we can’t possibly duplicate the thousands of nutrients found in fruits and vegetables that work together so beautifully to protect us from long-term health problems.

This is further supported by the lack of credible research to support the efficacy of specific vitamin supplements. It’s difficult to find scientific research to support most branded supplements. The research simply isn’t there. Yet there is a multitude of sound scientific research to support the profound health benefits of fruits and vegetables. But we just don’t pay enough attention to this evidence. We don’t consistently eat the variety and the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables our bodies need every day! Fortunately, there is peer-reviewed published research on the whole food based nutrition of Juice Plus+^® . Juice Plus+^® contains primarily fruit and vegetable juice powder concentrates. While Juice Plus+^® is not a substitute for fruits and vegetables in our daily diet, it is a support system for the fruit and vegetable food group. Juice Plus+^® enables children and adults to enhance their daily nutrition while eating as healthy as possible.

Do you need more nutrition from fruits and vegetables in your life? Don’t let anything stand between you, your family, and better health. There is overwhelming scientific evidence proving the incredible preventive health value of fruits and vegetables. Recommendations for daily intake of fruits and vegetables keep rising. Choose health. Choose to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. And if you, like most people, are having trouble getting the recommended volume and variety - remember that Juice Plus+^® is standing by to help. What are you waiting for?

Paul Stricker, M.D.
Youth Sports Medicine Specialist

Note: Dr. Paul Stricker is one of the many health professionals who share Juice Plus+^® with their patients and colleagues as a Juice Plus+^® distributor.

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