Now that I have gotten that off my chest I think I can be a little more objective and give a straightforward answer. In order to do that we need to come to an understanding first. We are going to talk about SUPPLEMENTS. If they were supposed to be the main source of nutrition for your body, they would be called REPLACEMENTS. No supplement can replace a healthy diet. With as good as we have gotten with technology, we still cannot make the nutrition in as usable form that mother nature makes it. It is always best to get your nutrition through eating the proper food. We will cover in a later post, the best ways to eat proper food, and still lose weight. But, here we are going to be discussing supplements. Supplements are supposed to be a supplement to what you are already getting in your diet. It is to help you get adequate amounts of the nutrients your body needs when you may not be eating enough within your diet. Again, this does not mean that you are healthy if you eat bad for you food and take supplements.
So there are a few supplements that I would recommend a normal, healthy adult, to take. This goes without being said but I will say it anyway, if you have an illness or disease, you will need different nutrients based upon your condition. This is for those of you that are already healthy, and are looking for that extra boost to keep yourself healthy. Lets get started:
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Vitamin C is a great supplement to take. It is a water soluble vitamin, meaning that it has to travel over the intestinal tract with water. This also means that it is difficult to hit a toxicity level with vitamin C. When your body has excessive amounts of vitamin C, you will typically just urinate it out. Your body uses vitamin C to create collagen, which is a connective tissue. This means that vitamin C is used to make a lot of the tissues in your body, and helps those tissues to stay strong.
Another thing that vitamin C does is it is one of those often heard antioxidants. Vitamin C, along with Vitamins A and E, make up the antioxidant system of the body. Antioxidants get rid of free radicals that can do damage to cells in your body. Be sure that you buy supplements that also contain bioflavinoids, a micro nutrient that helps with the absorption of the Vitamin C. Vitamin C also helps with the absorption of iron into the body.
Omega 3
Omega 3s are a fantastic supplement to take for your body. It has been shown in different studies to raise HDL's (good cholesterol) in the body. This is important as it helps to protect your heart and blood vessels from disease (heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US).
Omega 3 has also been shown to be a natural blood thinner as well as to lessen inflammation in the body. While it is a natural process that your body needs to do, it is also the cause of most aches and pains in joints and muscles. The swelling of inflammation also adds extra unwanted weight to the body.
CoQ10
Co-enzyme Q10 is an important enzyme in the body. The main job of enzymes in the body are to work as catalysts. A catalyst is used to speed up a chemical reaction. In the case of CoQ10, it is used to speed up a reaction called the electron transport chain. The electron transport chain is used to create ATP (energy) that cells like nerves and muscles use as fuel. CoQ10 is thought to help prevent neurologic and muscular disorders. It also, naturally, helps to create and sustain energy in the body throughout the day.
A Multivitamin
Multivitamins are great as most vitamins require the presence of other vitamins in order to have proper absorption into the body. Multivitamins provide all those vitamins to be taken together. Please note though, if you are taking a multivitamin in tablet form, you are only processing half of what is says you are getting. This is because the tablets are so tightly compacted together to make that pill, your body cannot break the whole pill down and thus you only can absorb what is broken down.
There you have it. My top four supplements to take. Prior to starting a supplement regime, make sure you consult your physician. Especially, if you are taking a medication, make sure the supplement will not interact with your meds.
