In 390 BC Hippocrates (the founder of modern medicine) said:

"Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food"

This Greek scholar was way ahead of his time, a great physician and surgeon who studied patients symptoms to determine the cause of his/her ailment. He did this 2400 years ago (at a time when it was common belief that if a person fell ill it was the will of the gods) and his methods are still followed today. It is a shame that his philosophy of natural medicine is not more widely adhered to. He studied the patients environment and dietary intake before coming to any conclusions. Many ailments can be treated more effectively when taking into account these influences (toxins, nutrient deficiencies etc). And with natural "medicines" - such as constructing a balanced diet and re-establishing optimum nutrient levels, a patients immune system can be enhanced, which in turn will fight the original "disease". In fact many "medical" problems can be directly attributed to poor nutrition, especially the lack of adequate essential nutrients (which are required by the body to sustain life).

This is partly due to an in-bred ignorance as nutrition is not taught in schools, at home, by the media or even our doctors! It is up to the individual to take the initiative to learn, to gain knowledge on the complexity of optimum nutrition and its wide range of benefits. Use this knowledge to improve your health, increase your vitality and even expand your life - expectancy. We must be open-minded to changes and contradictions of what we at present accept as true.

In Western society we assume we have a healthy, balanced diet. This is not so! An estimated 80% of our population do not even receive the minimum recommended daily allowances (RDA's, now known as RNI's) of essential nutrients, of which there are fifty. RDA's themselves are grossly inadequate for optimum health - they are devised to prevent a person from contracting a deficiency related disease such as scurvy, beri-beri etc. We need much higher (or maybe I should say "realistic") doses to achieve and maintain a high level of health. In not reaching this level we are in effect malnourished!

This is confirmed when you consider that two in three people die from diet related diseases. Many others will die from lifestyle induced diseases (maybe a "sensible" bodybuilding/fitness lifestyle isn't such a bad thing !?).

Well - the healthier our bodies are the better it will perform. We are not merely a "machine" to run on a basic fuel, we are a complex amalgamation of interactive systems, which have evolved over millions of years. To get the most from our bodies can be a full-time occupation. Synergy (the whole is greater than the sum of the parts) is the way to approach our lives. How we live and exercise should affect our diet, when each variable is at its optimum level the overall result can far exceed our expectations.

We are all unique individuals with unique individual requirements (so maybe following the "average" routine and diet-plan is not such a good idea!). Our genes will determine more than just our ability to grow muscles or run fast - they determine how we interact with our environment (pollution, exposure to viruses, toxins etc) and how we digest and utilise our nutrients. We cannot (hopefully!) play god and alter our genes so it is important we make the most of what we have - be it in lifestyle, training or diet. What we take into our bodies can dramatically affect our health as well as the way we look (why not be proud of both?).

So stay tuned into the nutritional world and learn what it means to have "optimum nutrition":

• Increased Energy
• Reduced Risk of Disease
• Increased Fitness
• Enhanced Immune System
• Sharper Mind and Memory
• Protection from Pollution
• Resistance to Stress
• Increased Fertility
• ...and much more.

All-in-all a longer and healthier life!!