More than 4 in 5 American adults (86 percent) take vitamins or supplements, which make them pretty popular.
If you’re like most, the need to take more supplements to boost your immunity has likely crossed your mind.
The real question is, what are the best supplements to take?
Read more to find out!
Is More Really Better?
Many people who to take a lot of over-counter-supplements to address energy, sleep, aches, GI distress, pre-workout, post-workout, etc.
When it comes to supplements, there’s so much hype about their potential benefits that it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. While it’s true that vitamins and minerals are essential to health, it’s not true that taking them in pill, capsule, or powder form — especially in mega doses — is necessary, or without risks.
In general, most people don’t need multiple individual supplements or vitamins for a healthy lifestyle. However, there are cases where people may be at a risk for a deficiency.
What we eat/don’t eat is key. Better yet, an adequate and well-balanced eating pattern is key! Supplements are just that, they accompany or supplement an already healthy eating pattern.
We are What We Eat
Sadly, too many of us don’t eat enough of the fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods we need to keep ourselves healthy year-round.
Bottom line: We cannot expect our immune system to perform effectively if we eat poorly, yet take a whole bunch of supplements in hopes of making up the slack.
What you eat, not what you supplement with, is what is most important to build your defenses against germs. Supplements are not an antidote to unhealthy eating.
DON’T MISS THIS: Supplements, can help to fill in gaps in an otherwise healthy eating plan
A truly healthy immune system depends on a balanced nutritious diet, plus normal sleep patterns, a hefty dose of exercise – effective exercise that involves cross training, stretch and rest days AND some diligent hand washing!
The Unsexy Way to Supplement Diet -Revealed
I personally believe in laying a solid nutrition foundation. Meaning, feeding the body the maximum levels of vitamins, minerals, nutrients possible from food to meet the body needs. Once the foundation is laid, this gives the body a chance to resolve any ill side effects from nutritional deficiencies.
Such as fatigue, muscle/joint aches and pains, inflammation, GI upset, headaches, food intolerance’s, hormonal imbalances etc. Unless there is a ‘true’ medical condition, the body will resolve most side effects from malnutrition in a short period of time.
Once a person is “nutritionally fit”, “physically fit” and getting adequate sleep (7+ hours EVERY night), majority of people only need a basic multi-vitamin/mineral to fill in those gaps that is either 1) not met through food or 2) not fully absorbed by the body from food.
Summary
The unsexy way to supplement your diet and to bolster your immune system is a simply, a basic multi-vitamin/mineral!
An adequate and well-balanced eating pattern is key and where most should focus their attention. Not on what foods to avoid, rather on the foods to include for the body to get the maximum nutrients possible! Supplements are just that, they accompany or supplement an already healthy eating pattern.
Remember, Supplements are not a replacement for food
Ditch the multiple individual OTC supplements (ie save your money) and start by laying the nutrition foundation:
- Address your eating pattern first and foremost
- Add a basic multi-vitamin/mineral to fill in the gaps healthy eating
My absolute favorite multivitamin and mineral supplement is the:
O.N.E. Multivitamin by Pure Encapsulations. It’s a once-daily multivitamin with sustained-release CoQ10. Made with hypoallergenic, vegetarian ingredients.
CLICK HERE to learn more about this amazing supplement. Any questions, feel free to send me an email!