Supplements: Why? Which ones? Where do I get them?

I have had many people ask me recently what supplements we take. So, I thought I’d send out something about supplements, which ones we take, and why. 

I would love to get all of our nutrients from whole food. That would be ideal. I even have a garden in my backyard to try and increase the nutrients I get from food. But, it is next to impossible these days. For one, our soil is depleted, so the food grown doesn’t have the nutrients that it used to. Also, because I try to get at least 30 grams of protein at each meal, it is harder to get the amounts of micronutrients I need each day. So, we have researched vitamins, minerals, our needs, and companies. 

It is also important to note that supplements are called “supplements” for a reason. They are to supplement an already healthy diet. They aren’t to be a license to have a consistently unhealthy diet and then make up for it with supplements. It doesn’t work like that.

Not all supplements are created equal. Usually when I shop, I am a bargain hunter. But with supplements, that’s not usually a good idea. You get what you pay for. You don’t want a supplement with added fillers. These lesser supplements have more of the fillers than the actual nutrients we need.  And it’s often a waste of money. 

There are good companies out there that make good supplements, but they are also usually more expensive. Pure Encapsulations and Nordic Naturals are good companies. There are also others out there. Those are just the two we use. (Along with a couple of others). I’m going to list the supplements below that we take and why. I’ll also list links to where we buy them.

Just FYI, vitamins A,D,E,and K are fat soluble vitamins, so they are only absorbed with fat. You need to take them with a meal that you are eating fat with. Omega 3’s also need to be taken with meals that have fat for maximum absorption. I take mine immediately after dinner. 

Scott and I both take this multivitamin once a day. It’s a Pure Encapsulations MultiVitamin, it helps us cover our bases, and it has a wide range of vitamins. The most exciting thing, though, is that studies have shown that adults who took a multivitamin have significantly less memory loss and cognitive decline than those who took a placebo.

Magnesium is critically important. It’s involved in over 80% of metabolic functions. In the last 100 years, mineral content in vegetables has decreased by 80-90%. 60% of adults don’t get enough and 45% are actually magnesium deficient. So, we also take a magnesium supplement. There are many forms of magnesium out there. This is the magnesium that we take. It is magnesium glycinate, which is important for your brain and heart. We also take magnesium malate as a salt with electrolytes for muscle recovery, but we'll cover salts another time. 

Omega 3’s are important for so many things. And, again, Americans are deficient. We don’t eat nearly enough seafood, which is where we get most of the EPA and DHA Omega 3’s. Omega 3’s reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure. They also support brain function and eye health. We take 2 different ones. One is primarily EPA and the other DHA. This is the EPA and this is the DHA.  We take two of each every day. 

Scott and I both use this anti-inflammatory supplement. Turmeric is very effective as an anti-inflammatory. It also enhances the liver, colon, and detoxification. I’ve been taking this for 8 years, and it makes a big difference in the way I feel. This is the anti-inflammatory we both take.

We also take some drops that are Vitamin D and K2. These are the drops we use. We don’t use them as much during the summer because we’re in the sun a lot. 

Scott also takes this supplement once a day It’s a good idea for any male approaching 50 to take this prostate formula on a daily basis. 

I’m putting a quick list here at the end. These links are the same ones as above, just in a list format. I would encourage you to look into supplements and take your next step towards wellness. Because: Wellness is worth it!

On the journey together,

Michelle

Multivitamin

Magnesium

Omega 3 (EPA)

Omega 3 (DHA)

Turmeric

Vitamin D and K2 drops

Prostate supplement for men