As a practitioner I get SO MANY questions about supplements.
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“What supplements should I take?”
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“I get ads for X supplement, should I get it?”
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“I heard X supplement helps you lose weight, should I get it?”
My answer is I’ll NEVER recommend a supplement to fix a problem and/or there is no such thing as a magic supplement. Most importantly, there are some specific supplements I’d never recommend someone taking without seeing their most recent bloodwork. Blindly supplementing doesn’t solve the root cause of whatever ailment someone is experiencing, and can be costly. Lastly, vitamins and minerals work synergistically or antagonistically so you have to be careful supplementing as sometimes supplementing with one thing can harm another micronutrient.
A few other things to note about supplements, vitamins, and herbs:
✨It's important to cycle supplements. What you are taking today should be based on your most recent bloodwork, current health, and where you may need additional support. For example, I take a smaller dose of vitamin D every other day in the summer because I am getting vitamin D from the sun itself.
✨ ✨ It’s always healthier and more cost effective to try and solve deficiencies with real whole foods. You can buy a synthetic fiber supplement with fillers and additives that may end up giving you constipation OR you can eating an extra apple and 2 tablespoons of chia seeds and actually go to the bathroom.
✨ You can take herbal supplements instead of synthetics, and they can not only get the job done, but do it well!
✨When you buy a new supplement, vitamin, or herb- track how you do on it. Does it work for you? If not, don't use it again. For example, I tested Armra for 4 months, I was so excited for this product and had high hopes. I even doubled my dose after 2 months, and it did nothing for me.
✨I’m not the functional nutrition consultant who’s going to recommend the same 5-6 supplements to everyone, and say take these forever. It’s not sustainable, it’s expensive, and health should always be tailored to the individual.
✨ You don’t need to have things like Tylenol, Pepto Bismol, and other common OTC and pharmaceuticals in the house out of fear, there are herbal remedies with less side effects that work just as well!
✨ It’s imperative to know where your supplements are made, what ingredients are in them, and to buy from a trusted source. Meaning, NEVER buy supplements on Amazon. More on that in a future blog. 😉
If you have any other questions comment below! And if want to take the guesswork out of finding the best supplements, you can shop our curated selection here.