Supplements Needed
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What Supplements do you Really Need?
November 11, 2013 by Melanie Zook
Following is my answer to one of the most common questions I get this time of year, as we enter into cold & flu season. Everyone wants to make sure their immune system–and their bodies in general–are able stay as healthy as possible.
When it comes to your health, supplements really are the wild, wild West. What should you take? How do you choose? Are the claims true? Could they be harmful? Is that expensive one worth it?
Every good dietitian will recommend that you get your nutrients from food first. Supplements are just that–they should be used to supplement an otherwise healthy diet. I like to see them as “filling in the gaps” of what I’m able to get from nutritious foods; to round out the days when my diet just isn’t ideal, which unfortunately, come more often than I’d like.
Keep in mind that quality matters. Think of supplements like food–along with your snacks & meals, they provide the building blocks for your body. You really are what you eat. So don’t go for the cheap stuff. Quality supplements mean that they’re usually more pure (especially in the case of fish oils or green powders), contain the more well-researched, bioavailable forms of the nutrients, have fewer additives (such as artificial colors or sweeteners), and contain no cheap fillers or bulking agents. This is a case of you (usually) get what you pay for.
When checking out those labels, remember that more isn’t always better & “natural” isn’t always safe. (“Natural” is an unregulated term, by the way.) You don’t need 3000% Daily Value of a nutrient. In that case, you’re most likely creating extra work for your kidneys & expensive urine (or worse, such as in the case of some nutrients that can accumulate to toxic levels). And just because there is a litany of enzymes, herbs, amino acids, or a vegetable/fruit blend, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re holding a better supplement. In this case, it’s buyer beware, since a lot of these may be unproven or even unsafe (especially for kids). So keep it simple. Not to mention those fancy ingredients may just be adding to the price tag. Can you really tell how much acai fruit powder is in there anyway?
So if you’re looking to try some supplements or to simplify your regimen, read on. With cold & flu season upon us, it’s the perfect time to get started. Below is a list of some basics & what to look for. Need more help deciding just what you need (& what you don’t)? Let me help you take the guesswork out of it with a complimentary Supplement Consultation. (Contact me to set one up.)
1. Multivitamin/mineral OR prenatal.
You may have heard or read that you don’t need a multivitamin/mineral supplement. Ideally, no one would. That would mean we’re all eating a good variety of nutrient dense foods to cover our needs. But sometimes, as I mentioned above, that’s just not realistic for some of us every day. So only you know if you need one. (Or have a dietitian analyze your food log for you to determine if you’re missing out on any key nutrients.) Eat well most of the time? Then take half the dose. (If you’re pregnant, or may become pregnant, folic acid from a supplement or a good source of folate from food is a must, so stick with the suggested dose. When selecting a prenatal, be sure that most, if not all, vitamin A is in the form of beta carotene, and not retinyl palmitate, since excessive amounts of the latter can be teratogenic, or cause birth defects. The form of the nutrients is evident on the label.)
Order Nordic Naturals Nordic Berries (in original Citrus or Cherry Berry) directly from me OR order online from Fullscript. Get 15% off + free shipping either way!
2. Vitamin D.
Far too many of us have low vitamin D levels. Why? Our bodies produce vitamin D with the help of the sun, but most of us have either limited sun exposure or are protected with sunscreen. And vitamin D is tough to get from food alone. But we need more. Vitamin D is the one nutrient for which every cell in the body has a receptor. And the incidence of some diseases, especially autoimmune, increases as we go away from the equator (because of decreased sun exposure, and therefore, decreased vitamin D production). The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has increased their recommendations for daily intake, and many vitamin D experts suggest even more. So go either for “safe” sun exposure (up to 15 minutes without sunscreen, several days per week) and/or consider a supplement. If supplementing, opt for the D3 form (cholecalciferol). (Supplemental vitamin D is recommended for all babies from birth.) For more on vitamin D, check out this post.
One to try? Adults & Kids (swallowable or chewable 1000 IU soft gel or 5000 IU soft gel, gummy, or gummy with vitamin K2), Babies (drops).
Order any of these directly from me OR order online from Fullscript. Get 15% off + free shipping either way!
3. Omega-3s/Fish Oil.
Inflammation is believed to be the root cause of many of the diseases we fight today. You may have heard about the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3s (from fatty fish, flaxseed, hemp, walnuts, canola oil, fortified eggs & dairy, etc.). So if you’ve been including these foods in your diet, why would you need a supplement? Some avoid fish (or don’t eat much of it) for one reason or another. Also, the plant source of omega-3 (alpha linolenic acid, or ALA) is not efficiently converted to DHA & EPA, the type of omega-3s our bodies need, so it’s tough to get enough from food sources alone, especially if not eating enough fish or fortified foods. (For more on choosing what fish to buy, click here.) Finally, omega-3s (especially DHA) are important for pregnant mothers (for the developing brain & eyes of her fetus) & breast feeding mothers (to provide DHA to her baby in her breast milk and to replace her stores lost in pregnancy). Interested in giving a fish oil a try? Here’s how to choose a good one or see if yours stacks up.
One to try? Adults (soft gel or cod liver oil), Kids (chewable soft gel, gummy or liquid), Bigger Kids, Tweens, Babies (after weaning)
Order any of these directly from me OR order online from Fullscript. Get 15% off + free shipping either way!
4. Probiotics.
These are hot right now & for good reason. Check out this post for why, and some different options to try.
Strive for a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts & seeds, as well as lean protein & healthy fats. And when you do choose to supplement, keep it simple & safe by choosing high quality supplements, all while keeping in mind that they’re not designed to replace a nutritious diet, but to complement it.
Adults & Kids (capsule – open one up and add 1/2 to food or a few ounces of a drink for kids), Kids (Pixie or gummy)
Order any of these directly from me OR order online from Fullscript. Get 15% off + free shipping either way!
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