Just turn on the TV and you’ll see that health and fitness are important topics with just about everyone these days. This is evidenced by all the magazines, Web sites and TV and radio programs focused on health you see everywhere. I think all that health information has become more commonplace because people are trying to stay healthy in our fast-food society and they need good information to do that. I believe they’re confused because of the lack of emphasis on health now that fast food has entered the picture. Eating junk foods that deliver flavor but no nutrition has created a world filled with people who weigh more than they want to and are generally less healthy. That move away from what’s natural for us also means we don’t have the same intuitive understanding of what’s healthy for our bodies that our ancestors might have had, because accompanying the focus on empty calories has been a general shift away from rigorous everyday physical activity in our jobs. That combination has created the need to find other ways to stay healthy.

Looking at just the surface level, people look better and have higher self-esteem if they’re in good shape. But as you dig down into the heart of the matter, you’ll find there are many other reasons to keep the body in top shape. For example, people who focus on their health enjoy life more and usually live disease-free much longer. Being healthy simply gives them more quality time in their lives. Those are some pretty good reasons to work on your health. If you need even more incentive, though, consider your friends and family. I’ll bet they’d all say they want you to be healthy and fit so you can stick around for as long as possible!

One method people use to stay healthy is to take vitamins and supplements. But are nutrition supplements all they’re cracked up to be? I think you have to answer that based on your own experience but there have been quite a few studies that suggest there is great value in supplements. One good example of this are the studies inspired by  World War II RAF pilots whose night vision improved when they ingested the herb bilberry. Scientists studied the role of bilberry extracts on general eye health and found that there’s a strong connection. As a matter of fact, some recent research studies have indicated that bilberries or bilberry supplements can increase visual acuity in people who are healthy, and can also help people who have eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and glaucoma. There are also other substances that studies show have a good effect on vision care, like vitamin A and lutein. And these are just a few eye-related examples. There have been research studies conducted on every substance you can think of. Of course, I don’t know how many of these other substances had the same glowing research findings as bilberry. It’s important to do your own research, and make sure you get the latest research. Remember, supplements carry risks just like pharmaceutical medicine, so you should know what you’re doing before you take them. But don’t let that stop you either. Just be thorough with your research and then follow your instincts.

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