SPECIAL FEATURE

BALANCING ACT
Choosing the Best Supplements for Overall Health

Now that you’re embarking on your new, healthy lifestyle, you’ll want to think about the best ways to help your body get its daily nutrients. Taking supplements is one way to do this, but are they really necessary?

Ideally, no, but it is a good idea to add supplements to your diet when you’re not getting adequate amounts of certain nutrients. Think of them like shots of espresso – you may want them for a quick boost, but you may not need them all the time. In other words, you shouldn’t rely solely on pills to give your body what it needs. Instead, try to focus on getting most of your nutrients from the healthy foods we all should be eating.

Food is the best source of vitamins, minerals, proteins, healthy fats and carbs, all of which your body needs to function at its best. When you eat a variety of foods, they work together in amazing ways to help nutrients become more active in your body. For example, the vitamin C found in dark leafy greens and citrus fruits helps the body absorb the iron found in lean meats and some veggies. So, as you can see, there is a reason whole foods are the way to go – they have all you need in a convenient little package that tastes delicious, keeps you free of disease and gives you the energy to stay active all day long. Buying food is also much cheaper than buying tons of supplements, which means you’ll have some extra cash in your pocket as well!

Sometimes, despite your best efforts to eat a variety of healthy foods, there might be times when you will have to get the nutrients you need from pills. To make things a bit easier for you, I’ve listed some of the most important supplements below. Just remember, these are only suggestions. It’s best to talk to a dietician or naturopath to find out which supplements you need (if any) and what the proper dosage should be.

A Good-Quality Multivitamin
The jury is out on the effectiveness of these multi-taskers, but I still think taking them is a good idea – especially during your weight-loss program. You’ve been mistreating your body for a long time and you’re now starting a restrictive diet. Once you have a solid understanding of nutrition and what you need to eat each day, you can decide whether to continue taking them.

Vitamin D
One of the main roles of vitamin D is to help the body absorb calcium. Also known as the sunshine vitamin (because it is produced in the body when we are exposed to sunlight), this one tops the list of must-have supplements. That’s because a lot of us spend most of our time cooped up at the office or at school. In some northern countries, rickets (a bone-softening disease) is making a comeback thanks to the lack of sun and widespread use of sunblock! To get your daily dose, you can sit outside in the sun for 15 minutes or take 1,000 to 2,000 mg of vitamin D.

IDEALLY, YOU SHOULD TRY TO GET ALL YOUR NUTRIENTS FROM HEALTHY FOODS, NOT PILLS.

Fish Oil
Getting enough fish oil may keep your mood in top form in addition to your body and mind. Some health professionals are using doses of fish oil to fight mild depression, inflammation, heart disease and even macular degeneration. All you need each day is 2g of a quality omega-3 fish oil supplement. Make sure the supplement you choose contains a higher concentration of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) than eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

Probiotics
Probiotics refill your intestines with friendly bacteria, which help break down food and promote nutrient absorption. These tough little guys also help regulate the immune system and keep you healthy by guarding your body against harmful disease-causing bacteria. You can take one capsule three times daily with meals or just follow the bottle directions.

Hydrochloric Acid
This is the acid sloshing around in your stomach, working hard to break down your food before it enters your intestines. Why am I recommending it? The reality is most people don’t create enough stomach acid. We may walk around hopped up on antacids, thinking our heartburn is caused by too much stomach acid, but it’s actually caused by the weakening of the muscle that keeps the acid from escaping from your stomach and entering your esophagus. So, regardless of how well you eat, if you don’t have enough acid, you can’t break down your food optimally. Taking a hydrochloric acid supplement will help fix this problem.

Calcium
This important mineral does more than build bones and teeth. To learn more about it, see chapter 9.