07 Mar Supplement Shopping: When To Do It And How
Written for Metro.Style
I hold my breath as I take a shot of turmeric and glare at the offensive 5ml of pure malunggay juice Ill be taking next. Yuck. Why am I doing this again? Right, For my hormones (which moringga balances) and because everyone needs more Curcumin (the active compound in turmeric).
I press garlic, ginger, and turmeric to make my friend a Flu shot because I don’t want her to take antibiotics. I take two spoonfuls of freshly extracted flaxseed oil for my Omega 3-6, happily chew a B12 gummy, pop a B Complex, and add Ashwaganda and Maca root powder to my morning celery juice. I make a mental note to not skip my Probiotics and Vitamin C today.
Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash
I pour apple cider vinegar on my water pitcher and hope that my clients are not as flaky as I am when it comes to my own protocol. A quick glance on the mirror reminds me that Im no longer 25. My mother didn’t show signs of ageing well over 40 and here I am booking an appointment for facial acupuncture at 30 so that I wouldn’t have to resort to preventive botox
We’re all aging faster than our parents did at our age and we can blame GMO food, our toxic environment and lack of real connection (thanks social media) for it.
This is why even when eating the right kind of food, working out and sleeping well—we still need to supplement!
I booked an appointment with Dr. Charles Valmadrid, MD, MDPH, Integrative and Functional Medicine physician and Medical Director of Heilen Medical Wellness to understand how best to supplement.
The Basics:
You should be making sure you have the following in your supplement stash daily: Probiotics, a general multi-vitamin, Omega 3, magnesium, antioxidants apart from the ones in your multivitamins such alpha lipoic acid, Vitamin D3 for maintenance, and also Curcumin.
Which brand?
The more reliable ones have pure encapsulations. As much as possible, choose organic. The more credible brands reveal their source on the label and declares what plant they extracted from. Don’t be lazy—read labels!
How to take it
Follow the dosage instruction per supplement (again—don’t be lazy), usually you need to take supplements with food, either before or after meals.
Can I overdose with supplements?
Water soluble vitamins like Vitamin C are easily eliminated in the form of urine when taken too much but fat soluble vitamins need to be taken much more mindfully.
How do I know if Im overdoing it?
You’ll know you’re over dosing on a supplement when you start having gastrointestinal disturbances.
Check for deficiency
Best to check for deficiency every 3-6 months with a blood test to make sure you’re not exceeding dosages.
Do I need a supplement program?
It is not necessary to have an expensive, complex and elaborate supplement program especially if you make the mistake of relying on them as your primary source of nutrition.
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NUTRIENT AND LASER IV
Vitamin IV infusion is a modern approach to getting micro vitamins directly into the bloodstream for better absorption. Laser therapy can help with oxygenation, reduce inflammation as well as promote cellular regeneration.
Both procedures are administered by a doctor, ideally after a thorough examination for deficiencies.
Personally, I supplemented this way. Twice a month I would have my physician formulate a drip of Vitamin C, B Complex, Magnesium and sometimes Amino acids and Gluthatione. Im also a big fan of IV Laser therapy to reduce inflammation, oxygenise my blood and rejuvenate me, (I glow!) It worked so well that I didn’t need to pop supplements anymore until I could no longer afford it, (hence my juice shots now).
“You cant supplement your way out of a bad lifestyle.”
If you still smoke, lack sleep, live sedentary, eat junk and don’t manage stress, even the best supplements will fail. Nutrition comes from whole foods. To stay healthy, we need to eat fresh, minimally cooked food, move active, have a mindfulness practice to manage stress, find fulfilment in our work and engage in our community.
Weizel Gulfan (www.weizelgulfan.com) is a nutrition and wellness consultant for health brands like Rockwell Club, Breville, Quorn, Echo Store among others. She is a macrobiotic chef and is also certified to teach yoga. Follow her on instagram @weizelgulfan for healthy recipes and wellness ideas
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