Five of my favourite supplements
A good diet, moderate exercise and a large dollop of happiness is all that most of us require to maintain good health.
However, there are times when supplementation is useful.
For instance, boosting your immunity in flu season, or supporting the nervous system when work is frantic.
With the judicious choice of supplements, you can increase the buffer zone between just coping and falling ill.
Another set of circumstances where supplementation is helpful is in the prevention or treatment of a particular health problem eg heart disease, arthritis or PMS.
Here are five of my favourite supplements.
Fish oil
I harbour a deep concern for the emotional wellbeing of the person who first thought to squeeze a fish to obtain it's oil.
He or she deserves a prize, perhaps therapy. Fish oil contains omega 3 fatty acids, essential to life and good health.
Omega 3 fatty acids have several actions in the body including preventing heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes and in the treatment of high cholesterol, eczema and arthritis.
It may take six weeks before you see the results of taking fish oil capsules.
This is due to the fact that the omega 3 fatty acids need to be integrated into each and every of our trillions of cell membranes.
Who benefits: People suffering arthritis, high cholesterol, predisposed to heart disease, dry skin, eczema, diabetes, asthma and allergies
Concerns: Don't be concerned about mercury in the fish oil, as mercury is not oil soluble, and only found in the flesh of certain fish. Cod liver oil, while fishy is not the same animal. While cod liver oil does contain some omega three fatty acids it is a concentrated source of vitamins A and D, both of which can be taken to excess.
B complex
A B complex is a group of vitamins including B1, B2, folic acid (B9) etc that work best together as a team.
Apart from sharing ‘B' as a first name, the common theme of a B complex is to support the nervous system and help metabolic systems in the body including energy production, making a B vitamins the obvious choice when tired and stressed.
A diet rich in vegetables and whole grains is unlikely to be deficient in B vitamins, but some people feel perky with an extra boost of B's.
Who benefits: students, busy at work, stressful time, PMS
Don't be concerned when your urine turns an incandescent yellow, this is due to riboflavine. This does not mean you have wasted your money, rather these vitamins have been used as co-enzymes used several times in a ferris wheel of metabolic reactions before being released
Echinacea
If your colleagues in the office are dropping like flies from the flu, take preventative action by dosing up on Echinacea.
Echinacea is a herb which has the ability to increase the functioning of several parts of our immune system including phagocytes, allowing our body to fight infection at the coalface. Echinacea is effective against both bacterial and viral infections, whereas antibiotics are specific only for bacteria.
There is a window of opportunity of only a few hours where it is possible to stop a cold in it's tracks.
Most people intuitively know when they have been ‘struck' by a virus, for some it's a tickling throat, for others it's a wave of fatigue.
Don't ignore these signs and get straight on to a hefty dose of Echinacea.
If you miss the boat, Echinacea can still help by reducing the length and severity of symptoms. Echinacea teams nicely with garlic, vitamin C and zinc.
Who benefits: a period of high stress, at risk of catching infection, immune compromised
A very small percentage of people are allergic to Echinacea (which is in the daisy family), if this is you, Astragalus is a good herb for boosting the immune system.
Echinacea can be taken for long periods of time
Magnesium
I love magnesium. Magnesium has lots of functions but the one that makes it so popular with me is that it relaxes muscles.
Muscles tense when we are stressed, and can cause sore shoulders, neck and back.
The bowel wall is muscle too, and for some people who are constipated it is because they are holding stress in their bowel, and so magnesium can help here.
Blood vessel walls are also made of muscle, so relaxing them may help with high blood pressure and headaches (the blood vessels in the head). Magnesium helps ease the cramping of period pain. It is also great for fatigue.
Who benefits: Storing stress in muscles, twitchy, problems sleeping, high blood pressure, stress and irritability, period cramps and PMS, tension headaches, athletes or manual workers
Concerns: there are very few concerns with taking magnesium, an overdose may cause loose bowels.
Water
Before spending a cent on supplements, make sure you are drinking sufficient water.
It sounds basic, and it is.
Every part of our body and mind benefits from water.
Poor memory, feeling low, constipation, headaches, skin problems fatigue.....if you are not drinking enough water, all can be below par.
Fluid losers include caffeine and alcohol.
If you really can't stand drinking plain water up your intake of other wet things including herbal teas, soups and fresh juices.
Aim for two litres of fluid daily.
If you are not a naturally thirsty person, attach drinking water to something you do every day. Eg drink 600ml of water when taking the or when driving or bussing to and from work.
Who benefits: everyone
Concerns: filtered or tank water is good, any water will do.