I, like I imagine many others, find it helpful to see and learn about things that other people do… like “A day of food” or “My workout from today” or “My morning/evening routine”… things like that. It’s cool to learn what else is out there, see what works for others, and potentially use some of that information to create a plan that’s right for you.

However, it’s also incredibly important to understand that just because someone else eats/takes/does a certain thing, it doesn’t mean that it’s right for you, or that if you ate/took/did the same thing that you would see the same results.

Cool. Now that that’s out of the way, I’d like to chat about supplements, share what I take and why, and also give you tips to think about what might be right for you, so that this is not your only experience with supplements:

Here are the Vitamins and Supplements I take:

*A Multivitamin: to cover my bases on vitamins and minerals. Do I really need it? Likely no. Do I imagine it allows my intake to be that much more complete and thorough? Yes. I take Women’s One A Day.

*Fish Oil: to support my healthy fat intake. I don’t eat a lot of fish, so I take it to make sure I have an adequate intake of Omegas to support my joints and cells. I’ve been using the Whole Foods Brand, but also like this brand.

*Vitamin D: to support seasonal changes in sun exposure. Again, I like the Whole Foods Brand 1000IU capsules, but also like this brand. This is one of those that you might start and stop taking based on how much sun you’re getting.

*Calcium: to support bone density, and it can also help decrease inflammation. You know, us women gotta look out for our bones! So a little piece of calcium chocolate a day it is ; )

*Melatonin: to help me sleep and reinforce circadian rhythm! I only take this sometimes…. / just recently started NOT taking it every day so as to not create a habit/unnecessary reliance. I like this brand.

*Fiber/Probiotic: to help make sure I get enough fiber in my day (because admittedly eating fruits and veggies aren’t my most favorite things…) and to enhance gut health! I LOVE this Whole Foods Brand.

*Whey Protein: when I need more protein in my day. Ascent Brand protein is literally the best protein I’ve tasted… no after taste, delicious flavors.

*Creatine: to support strength building and endurance… taken daily, when I remember to take it… which reminds me, I need to buy more… I like this brand, which sadly has been out of stock recently. Here’s another good option.

So, that’s what I take and use on a regular basis… and that’s really it.

In the past, I have definitely fallen prey to rumors about random supplements solving the world’s problems, tried them, and found they were no help.

Then, I learned how to properly research and better understand the claims behind certain supplements. This allowed me to make better educated decisions about what I do or don’t include. (Examine.com is a good place to start with supplement research!)

Equally, the understanding that relying on high-quality foods first, before supplementing, is also critical! We don’t need to take something for everything, but instead can aim for variety and balance in our food plans.

And lastly, I wanted to leave you with some tips on how you can better understand what, if any, supplements/vitamins might be helpful to add to your routine.

Consider any “ailments” you have. If you have trouble sleeping, melatonin or magnesium might help. If you have creaky joints or achy knees, fish oil might help. In this way, working backwards might help instead of looking at supplements and seeing if they apply.
Do real research. Check Examine.com, as I referenced above, which I love because it is un-biased, they do not take funding from any organization so as to limit biases or anything like that.
Talk to your doctor! See if there is anything that they might recommend to you, knowing your medical history and needs. Equally, you should absolutely check with your doctor before starting any new vitamin/supplement to make sure it’s appropriate for you and don’t interfere with any regimen or treatments you may be on.
If you do decide to add any supplements, add them one at at time so you can see how you feel taking them. While you may not feel any positive impacts right away, you likely will be able to feel any acute negatives that come from adding a supplement. If you added multiple things to your routine all at once, you would not be able to tell which was the culprit or if taking things at different times might be helpful, etc.

I imagine that’s a good place to start with supplement advice. And, again, keep in mind that just because what I shared above is my routine, doesn’t mean that that’s right for you (and that that applies to much in life!).

If you have questions about any specific supplements or vitamins, please let me know in the comments, send me a message, or email me at sara@nutritionforifeproject.com!

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As always, thanks for reading!
xoxo,
Sara

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Supplements: What I take, Why, and How to…