Five Supplements We All Need

Ladies, here we are, six months into Covid-19! One thing that this whole thing has made me realize is how important it is to take care of your health. I became aware of how important the immune system is shortly after I was diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring of 2019. I have studied the effects of supplements and their relationship to preventing disease. In today’s post, I am just going to share some basic health supplements that are so important to your overall health.

To begin, all of us should definitely be taking a high quality multi-vitamin. Costco has an excellent organic one.

I consider these next five “the essentials,” but of course, check with your health care professional before you take anything because I’m just a Nana, not a doctor! They can also advise the proper dosage for you.

Pro-Biotics

Gut health plays a huge role in your overall well-being. If you don’t believe me, just do an internet search on “leaky gut syndrome” and how it affects your health! If you don’t want to take a supplement, make sure to eat plenty of fermented foods. Yogurt is a good choice, but not the typical sugar-filled, low fat, grocery store kind. Choose plain, whole milk Greek yogurt for the most nutritional type and add your own fruit and stevia for flavor. Better yet, eat yogurt AND take a supplement.

Vitamin C

This vitamin plays an important role in so many bodily functions that are too numerous to mention in this post! Our bodies do not make Vitamin C, so we have to obtain it through food or supplements. Numerous studies show that it can shorten the duration of a cold or respiratory infection. Personally, I notice that if I have not been taking it over a period of time, my gums and teeth start getting sore. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant and everyone needs it!

Vitamin D

A blood test will reveal if you have a deficit, but most of us older ladies do! I seem to have a genetic defect where my body just does not retain it well so I take a good amount. I have personally noticed that when I fail to keep it up, I get every cold that comes around. Since we’re all wearing sunscreen these days, it seems we do not get nearly as much as we need from the sun. A good functional medicine doctor will always test for this!

Fish oil

If you’re not eating fish 4-6 times a week, you need this supplement. It’s an anti-inflammatory and so important for heart health, blood pressure, and important for the health of your eyes and brain. Be sure to choose a high quality brand.

Magnesium

This very important and overlooked nutrient is one that most Americans are not getting enough of. It is extremely important for glucose regulation and a ton of other things including brain health and nerve health. The older you get, the more you need it. This is one that I never forget. I used to suffer from restless leg syndrome every night. That is no longer the case since I have been supplementing with magnesium. Take it at bedtime for help with quality of sleep.

If you decide to start supplementing, it’s so important to buy medical grade supplements. Check with a functional medicine physician or a compounding pharmacy for trusted brands and recommendations. Also, check out this link from my favorite nutrition author, Jonny Bowden. I also trust Life Extension Foundation for quality supplements.

I hope you found this information helpful. I believe we could all use extra help beyond diet and exercise to feel our best. If you have a favorite supplement, we would love to hear about it!