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The best way to benefit from the nutrients found in foods is to well, eat them – according to a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

“Nutrient sources in their original packages – food – have shown the greatest benefit,” explains Natalie Ikeman, PA at Hennepin Healthcare’s Golden Valley Clinic. “Investigators found that the use of dietary supplements did not lower one’s risk of death. And in fact, in some instances, excessive use of supplements like calcium were associated with a higher risk of cancer-related death.”

Nothing can beat a well-balanced diet says Ikeman, and combined with adequate exercise and activity it has a proven record for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers.

“Staying healthy involves more than taking a supplement or pill,” she says. “It’s making positive lifestyle choices that impact your mental and physical health and motivate you to be the best you can be. Eating sensibly and enjoying nutritious meals gives us the benefit of seeing, touching and tasting the intelligent and delicious choices we’re making about the fuel our bodies need.”

“No easy pill or powder can replace our food’s natural packaging. And once we start processing food to isolate nutrients and put them some other form, we’re losing the full benefits of how they were meant to be absorbed in our bodies.”

Natalie Ikeman is the founder of The Great Slim Down weight loss program, a one-on-one program that provides counseling once a month for 12 months on a healthy diet and exercise ideas to prevent chronic diseases caused by increased body weight. For more information go to hennepinhealthcare.org/greatslimdown.