Things to consider before taking supplements:
- Seek advice from qualified professionals, preferably from those who do not profit from what they tell you. ARL and PATHLAB are independent laboratories that offer a range of tests, dependent on your health issue.
- Find a reputable supplement company preferably sourced by your local naturopath.
- Go beyond the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) guidelines.
- Don’t think irresponsible lifestyle choices like eating excessive junk food, and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and coffee can be covered up or neutralised via taking multivitamins or supplements.
- A healthy diet, exercise, emotional fitness (supportive relationships and happy work-life balance), as well as sufficient sunshine and sleep are the most important health choices you can make in your life.
- Consider your carbon footprint – where does it come from, and how did it get to you?
- How long has it been sitting on a shelf for?
- Can you get something similar or better freshly grown and organic from your garden or local farmer’s market or herbalist/naturopath?
B Complex
B complex water-soluble vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12) can improve energy and mood, mental clarity, alertness, concentration, learning, thinking, immunity, cell function and repair, and heart functioning amongst other functions.Most popular are folate (B9), particularly important during pregnancy due to its role in DNA synthesis (amongst other things), and B12 for blood cell production.
Probiotics
Probiotics (usually sold in capsules/ powder form) contain freeze-dried live bacteria microorganisms in large quantities.
Generations of naturopaths have been teaching that the foundation of health resides in our gut for good reason. Our gut’s balance of friendly bacteria is imperative since our absorption of nutrients from the food we eat happens right there. Yet it goes further. The gut is a core driver of Immune health and nervous system function with approximately 2/3 of immune cells produced in the gut, and is the primary source of serotonin for the nervous system.Due to stress, alcohol, caffeine, drugs and a variety of other factors, most people have inadequate and imbalanced gut bacteria. This can cause a variety of symptoms from bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, etc.
Recommendations: Mix up the strains – take regularly especially after taking antibiotics, having an upset stomach or when undergoing a period of stress (stress disrupts the delicate balance of microflora). For immune and general digestive health: Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. My favourite for traveler’s diarrhea: Saccharomyces boulardii. Food sources include: coconut kefir, sauerkraut, Yogurt containing living bacteria culture, buttermilk, miso, tempeh, raw or aged cheese and Kim chi.
Spirulina – Nature’s multivitamin
Tracing its history back to the ancient Aztecs, Spirulina is my favourite amongst the green powders due to its detoxifying chlorophyll content – it contains over 50% protein and a multitude of other nutrients, from heart-healthy B vitamins to antioxidants and anti-inflammatory omega 3’s. Recommended in powder or capsule form.
Vitamin C
An essential nutrient, Vitamin C is the most popular supplement due to its role as an antioxidant – protecting against oxidative stress. It also plays a key role in various processes within the body including wound-healing, immune health and collagen production.
Recommendations: Ignore the hype surrounding vitamin C unless you use it topically for the skin. Vitamin C in the form of calcium ascorbate is gentler on the stomach. For most people, I recommend the most economical choice of ascorbic acid (250-500 mg a day). Locally, the Kakadu plum contains the highest vitamin C content recorded (3000-5000mg/100g). Oranges contain 50mg/100g of vitamin C.
Acai Berries
A much-hyped up “superfood” from the Amazon, which has a million claims attached to it. If we ignore the processing, the millions of miles it’s traveled on a ship to arrive on your shelf, the packaging, and the months it’s spent in storage…then yeah it’s great! Mainly just clever marketing – Acai berry juice contains fewer antioxidants than kakadu, pomegranate, blueberry, camu camu, grape and cherry, yet more than orange, cranberry and apple juices.
Berries are good for you for a myriad of reasons including being natural blood cleansers, and very heart healthy. There are a variety of berries you can get fresh from a tree in your garden!
