When making healthier lifestyle + nutrition choices, the following question undoubtedly always comes up:
“Which supplements should I be taking?”
We scan the aisles at our health food stores, trying to decipher what we need amongst what seems like the never-ending the sea of options: multivitamins, calcium, folate, fish oil, probiotics, and every other vitamin under the alphabet sun. And if you are like me, you cringe at the thought of having to remember to pop a bunch of pills everyday for the sake of health.
Unfortunately, a lot of what I see is people over-doing it on the vitamins, and under-doing it on the REAL FOOD they should be putting into their bodies first. Yes, this means I am talking about those 24-day challenges and other supplement MLM companies who claim rapid fat-loss. This might not make me win a popularity contest, but taking a bunch of “vitamins” along with a poor diet is honestly a waste of your health, time + money because there is no “quick fix” that is going work for the long-term.
Even though I have been trained to determine your body’s deficiencies, and can provide you a list of vitamins + minerals that would work for you, they are still called supplements for a reason. They are meant to SUPPLEMENT a healthy diet. NOT REPLACE IT. You want to get these vitamins + minerals in their purest, most natural + un-processed form: REAL, WHOLE FOOD. I encourage you to focus on fully maximizing your nutrition first, and then supplement where you might have holes in your diet.
How do you know if the food you are eating covers all the vitamins + minerals you need? Check out the most common taken vitamins + their good food alternatives below, and then READ TO THE BOTTOM TO SEE MY TOP 5 SUGGESTED SUPPLEMENTS!
OMEGA-3’s: wild-caught fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, as well as walnuts + flaxseeds/oils.
- WHY? — They are full of DHA + EPA, which helps lower triglycerides, reduce inflammation, and improves cognitive function, which can be beneficial to baby’s neurological developments and those suffering from symptoms of ADHD, depression, Alzheimer’s + dementia.
- BUT WHAT IF… I don’t like fish or my system can’t handle it? This is a problem I’ve dealt with the last few times I’ve tried eating salmon. Even though I grew up eating it regularly, something changed in my system to where I haven’t been able tolerate it anymore. 🙁 This makes me SO SAD! so currently, I find ways to sneak in flax seed every chance I get, as well as taking a high-quality plant-based omega-3 supplement to ensure I’m getting what I need in my diet!
CALCIUM: dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, turnips + collard greens as well as homemade bone broth.
- WHY? — It is a vital nutrient to keeping your bones + muscle tissue strong. This is especially important for preventing osteoarthritis + osteoporosis, and helps increase muscle recovery time.
- BUT WHAT ABOUT… Dairy? Calcium-fortified foods? If you are trying to heal your gut (from digestive issues, bloating, illness), I encourage you to cut out dairy completely for 2 weeks and then adding it back into your diet to see how your body reacts. I don’t sit and chug a glass of milk, but I do enjoy organic full-fat yogurt, grass-fed butter + cheese from time to time. You can get MORE calcium from your dark leafy greens than a glass of ultra-pasteurized, nutrient-deficient milk. And those calcium-fortified foods? PLEASE. That’s just another marketing tool by big companies to get you to buy their products. Stick to the REAL stuff!
VITAMIN C: peppers, dark leafy greens, broccoli, citrus, berries.
- WHY? — Helps boost + protect our immune systems, as well as our eyes, skin + most importantly, our hearts!
- BUT WHAT ABOUT... Orange juice? If it is fresh squeezed, nothing added, it could be a good source of vitamin c, however, the natural sugars (fructose) can cause rapid blood sugar spikes, which is bad news for our metabolisms and too much over time can create insulin resistance! Have a whole orange instead to get some added fiber, or eat more of those dark leafy greens for a full multi-vitamin combo!
B COMPLEX: dark leafy greens + other vegetables, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts + seeds.
- WHY? — Provides us with natural energy, supports our cell growth + nervous system.
- BUT WHAT ABOUT… Whole grains? The yolks? The “whole grains” you see advertised on food products have still been highly processed + refined. They are pretty much nutrient-empty items that your body ends up processing as sugar (again, more blood sugar spikes!). And as far as egg yolks go…DO NOT FEAR THEM! That little golden nugget contains ALL the vitamins! Eat up!
VITAMIN D: salmon + tuna, and good ol’ sunshine.
- WHY? — Helps prevent chronic inflammation + diseases, supports our cell, muscle + bone health.
- BUT WHAT ABOUT… Skin cancer? A little sun exposure (especially on areas that don’t see much sun often) is a good thing. As little as 15 minutes will get you what you need — but be sure to consult with your dermatologist first!
OTHER SUPPLEMENTS/FOODS:
- digestive enzymes — These are very beneficial in helping the body digest and assimilate your foods nutrients properly. Shots of raw apple cider vinegar before meals help, too! You could have the most perfect diet, but if you can’t break down that gorgeous grass-fed steak properly, you can’t build those beautiful buns you’ve been squatting so hard for. Digestive enzymes win, y’all. #gainz
- bone broth/meat stock — Homemade bone broth + meat stock are EXTREMELY HIGH in mineral content, collagen + amino acids. This is something that is easy to make, have on hand in your freezer, and sip on daily. Great for boosting your immune system, healing your gut, repairing your muscles, and improving your bone, joints, hair, skin, nails…(seriously, y’all, it’s a superfood.)
- magnesium — It is a VERY helpful mineral that we should be getting through our food, but because our soil is very depleted, our lives are full of stress and we are running on caffeine, we need to supplement with magnesium. It works WONDERS for fatigue, restlessness, anxiety, muscle cramps/recovery, PMS symptoms, constipation, combating your sweet tooth (hello chocolate cravings!), depression, stress, balanced blood pressure, and it works synergistically (is that even a word?) with calcium to ensure your heart is functioning optimally. My favorite way to get magnesium is through a mineral beverage called CALM. Get yo’self some and let me know what you think.
- probiotic foods — Helps with digestive + gut health. These help balance your gut flora, making sure you have enough of the “good guys” to help fight off antigens + other harmful bacteria. Kombucha, fermented saurkraut, and kimchi — if you are new to these foods, I recommend starting with kombucha! It is a fermented tea that is slightly fizzy and comes in a variety of fruity flavors. Just be careful of the sugar content. Some store bought brands can contain as much sugar as a real soda! Kombucha is meant to be an after dinner tonic to help aid the digestive processes, so 4-6oz is all you need. If you are trying to kick a soda habit, LIVEsoda is a great brand to make the transition easier!
- organ meats, especially liver — YES. Organ meats are packed FULL of vitamins + minerals. You don’t need to eat a whole plate of it daily, because a little goes a long way. The liver is full of vitamins A, D, E, K, B12, folic acid, and others. If you are planning on having children, pregnant, or just had children, ladies (and gents, too) EAT LIVER. Don’t like the way it tastes? No problem. Buy a frozen, raw, grass-fed beef liver, thaw it just enough to cut it into pill-sized cubes, refreeze the cubes on a cookie sheet, and then pop one daily along with your breakfast. DO IT.
I don’t take the following supplements daily, but I used to integrate them in my diet every few days or so:
- collagen/glucosamine — Joint support/health! I have old lady, rice krispie’s knees + ankles that snap crackle + pop when I workout (and even just walk!), so taking this every so often helps me not feel so achy after a bunch of heavy squats or workouts with high impact! (but if you make your own broth/stock and drink it regularly, you really don’t need to supplement with this!)
- biotin – I occasionally supplement with this for selfish, cosmetic reasons when I want long mermaid hair. Ha! Biotin helps improve the health of your hair, skin + nails! (It is also included in b complex supplements, and did you read my blurb about the benefits of bone broth?)
At the end of the day, supplementation is highly individual and vitamin/mineral needs vary from person to person based on their specific deficiency.
If you have no idea where to start, but would like to support your body in the best way possible, I would start FIRST with your diet. Then, try adding in these supplements:
MY TOP 5 RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTS TO START WITH:
-
Digestive Enzyme
-
Omega-3
-
Probiotics
-
Magnesium
-
Multi / B-Complex
