If you’re like most people, studies show that you love supplements. In 2016 alone, Americans spent over $37 billion on vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients in a bottle.
Unfortunately, you’re probably spending hard-earned money on empty claims, unsubstantiated promises, inferior quality products and too many products! Just like I see patients who are taking way too many prescriptions, I also see patients on the flip side of this coin who take way too many supplements.
That being said, you should take at least a few core supplements daily. Foundational supplements provide therapeutic amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients you probably are not getting in your diet.
Even if you eat a totally organic, fresh-from-the-garden diet, numerous factors, including topsoil depletion, pesticides, and shipping time mean you aren’t getting optimal nutrients.
You also might be stressed out, not sleeping great, taking pharmaceutical drugs, or using or overusing things like caffeine and alcohol. All those things further deplete nutrients.
That’s where a few foundational supplements can fill in nutrient gaps. Below is a list of my 5 essential supplements that should be taken daily.
When my patients take them they feel better, look better, have more energy, and find weight loss easier. And you probably will too.
1. Multivitamin-mineral. A quality multi contains optimal vitamins and minerals in their most absorbable form in the correct ratios. To get therapeutic amounts of nutrients (not “minimal wage nutrition” as many contain), you need to get the best professional-brand multi your healthcare professional or online vendor sells.
2. Fish oil. Inflammation plays a role in nearly every disease on the planet, including obesity. Essential fatty acids – meaning your body cannot make them – fall into 2 primary categories: Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. The former are mostly anti-inflammatory, the latter usually inflammatory. Unfortunately, today we consume up to 50 times more inflammatory omega 6 fatty acids. A fish oil supplement delivers therapeutic amounts of the omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA that reduce inflammation and protect your heart, brain, and more. Like with multis, quality matters, so skip the bargain-basement fish oils, which might be rancid and contaminated with mercury or other junk.
3. Vitamin D. Researchers estimate about half the world population has vitamin D deficiencies. Researchers link those deficiencies to many chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer. To know how much vitamin D your body needs, you need to ask your doctor for a 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Test. If you are deficient or insufficient, you will want to take a 10,000-IU daily supplement until you hit an ideal range, and then shift back to 2,000 – 5,000 IUs daily.
4. Probiotic/Prebiotic. The number one health complaint and reason folks visit a doctor is gut issues. A healthy gut regulates brain function, digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, and overall health. Antibiotics overuse, GMOs, environmental toxicity, gluten, and chronic stress deplete good gut flora, making a quality probiotic/prebiotic beneficial. Look for one that has billions – not millions – of microorganisms with numerous bacterial strains.
5. Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin, which means you need to consume it via your diet. Vitamin C has numerous functions in the human body including things like the production of collagen, carnitine (which helps your body turn fat into energy), and catecholamines. Vitamin C aids in wound healing, repairing, and maintaining the health of your bones and teeth, and as a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C is known to block damage caused by DNA-damaging free radicals.
Consider these inexpensive ways to cover your nutrient bases for vibrant, amazing health. For just about everyone, these 5 essential foundation supplements cover many of your nutrient bases.
The next time you stop by the office of Stanly Wellness Center, mention this ad and receive 15% of your next supplement order. You can also call 980-355-7600 to place your order.
