TOP 5 EVERYONE CONSIDER SUPPLEMENTS

Supplements:

There’s a million of them here. And Harvest Market has more than 2000 choices, with vitamin producers and distributors having at least 10 times the amount available. Shopping for supplements can be an overwhelming experience whether you are new or have been a vitamin popper for decades. Hopefully this article will make it easier for you and your family to choose which supplements are best.

If you don’t take supplements, great! You can just ask yourself what you can do without. The first step towards improved health. We all know inherently that at least a few things we do for ourselves can have a negative impact on our health. Select one: flammable foods; processed foods; sugar; alcohol; cigarettes; carbohydrate overload; concern; guilt; food forgiveness; lack of sleep. Improve or remove at least 1 of these self-destructive habits and initiate a chain of events that can improve overall well-being and happiness.

If you are generally healthy and can thrive and flourish all of your body’s nutrition, eat organic fruit and vegetables, catch wild fish, grazed meats and milk, and you know what foods to avoid, you’re most likely good to go. That said, there is usually room for improvement in one’s health regime. If you are thinking of supplementation, I strongly advise you to start with this list.

A Multiple Vitamin:

Taking a multi is probably a good idea. Consider them a relatively inexpensive Wellness Insurance policy. We definitely have some extra support, even if we are strictly concerned with our diets, for therapeutic reasons, with some nutrients that we may lack or need in higher amounts. Ideally, a multiple vitamin should be a vitamin that you take twice daily and should be a food or a high-quality USP source. There are currently a number of personalized multi’s for men and women that provide specific conditions for different age groups and needs.

I take myKind Organics Men’s Multi 40 + Garden of Life, or Natural Factors Whole Earth and Sea Men’s 50+ (and I tend to suggest). Both Non-GMO projects have been verified and myKind, organic, vegan and gluten-free projects have been verified. MegaFood also provides multiple vitamin options for Whole Food, combining fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs and yeast species known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The yeast is predominantly dietary in USP vitamins and minerals. The process increases or makes these individual vitamins and minerals more bioavailable. Think of it like marinating a yogurt chicken:by pre-digesting it, the yogurt tends the chicken. Or maybe don’t think so now that I’m thinking about it.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids from Fish Oil:

Ideally, eat wild fish caught 3 to 4 times a week. Make sure that sardines and mackerel are included in your diet. But everybody doesn’t like fish or can afford to eat it four times a week. The best option is to supplement third parties with a high-quality, tested, purified Omega-3. This is the only supplement that everyone can benefit from, with thousands of clinically tested and proven outcomes ranging from cardiovascular support to enhancing joint function, mood and brain health, allergies, eczema and support for the entire immune system. Usually we get a lot of Omega 6 and 9 from our Standard American Diet, but we usually have the deficiencies of Omega-3. A therapeutic dose would be considered about 2-3 grams per day (normally measured as 2000 mg to 3000 mg).

I like Arctic Cod Liver Oil, Nordic Natural Oil. Based on 100 percent Arctic cod and 3rd Party tested, it exceeds the highest international standards of purity and freshness. In addition to natural vitamins A and D, 2 tea cubes daily (with food) supply just over 2 grams of EPA and DHA. Yes, smoothies can be added, but first try the spoon.

This isn’t your grandmother’s Cod Liver Oil (probably rancid). Or try Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega Soft Gels, which supplies 1280 mg of Omega-3s with anchovies and sardines for each serving.

Vegan? Well, it might be tricky. Omega 3’s (as Alpha Linolenic Acid) supplies Barlean’s Flax Oil with more than 7600 mg per tablespoon. The body must, of course, break it into usable DHA and EPA. The total conversion efficiency from ALA to EPA (plus DHA combined) is estimated to be only about 12 percent in humans, so I would consider using lignan-rich flax oil for its own nutritional value and not as your main source of Omega-3 supplements.

Turmeric/Curcumin:

In the past couple of years, you have heard much about the health benefits of this incredible culinary spice (it has been used for centuries!), and this will probably continue in the years ahead. Again, this supplement offers countless advantages. However, using the spice alone is not the best choice for therapeutic use.

Think of turmeric as a healthy Super Food, here’s the key. A spice with benefits. Add it or try golden milk or use one or two capsules or tablets a day in the Wellness Insurance Policy I mentioned earlier.

Think of curcumin, a turmeric extract, as something that is no different from therapeutic healing. There’s a case
to use both, every day, and I’m just doing that. There are a number of additional companies offering excellent turmeric and/or curcumin products. Let’s look at a few of them. Some of these.

I like the new chapter Turmeric Force for a turmeric supplement that uses the entire spectrum of phytonutrients inherent in the turmeric rhizome. With a supercritical method of CO2 extraction, New Chapter believes that almost 4000 milligrams of whole turmeric are concentrated in a 400 mg liquid vegetarian v-cap using the “whole food” method. Non-GMO projects are also verified in the Turmeric Force of the New Chapter.

For a turmeric supplement, I like the New Chapter’s Turmeric Force, which uses the entire range of phytonutrients inherent in the turmeric rhizome. The New Chapter believes in a’ full food’ approach by concentrating nearly 4000 milligrams of whole turmeric in one 400 mg of liquid vegetarian v-cap using a supercritical carbon extraction method. The Non-GMO Project is also verified by the New Chapter Turmeric Force.

I use and recommend myKind Extra Strength Turmeric Life Garden. Its Turmeric Root Extract is standardized to 95 percent curcuminoids, with added Fermented Turmeric (100 mg curcuminoids), Fermented Ginger, Black Pepper, and a special Probiotic Blend. The Organic, Vegan and Non-GMO Projects also verify this. And one day it should be done with more than 600 mg per tablet.

Gaia also has some wonderful offerings, as well as Himalaya. Oh, and Oregon’s Wild Harvest. In fact, all of the turmeric supplements we carry are worthy of their real estate shelf space, and each one is a little bit different.

Experiment. Enjoy. Discuss.

Let’s just talk about curcumin now. Curcumin is one of the best anti-inflammatory drugs and strong antioxidants on the planet! (And remember, at least 95% of all diseases are reported to start with inflammation!). The difficulty with curcumin is that it is very difficult to absorb. Adding BioPerine, (a solution so-called), mixing it with many solvents such as Polysorbate 80, maybe not such a good idea really, or binding the molecules to lipids like
phosphatidylcholine (effective, rather old school).

Terry Naturally CuraMed uses the patented curcumin formBCM-95, which is extracted from concentrated curcumin and incorporates essential turmeric oils. This improvement not only improves absorption, but also retains blood (about 12 hours) and allows the body to learn what to do with it. It also provides turmerones, oil compounds that serve your health in a variety of ways. BCM-95 is the most clinically studied enhanced curcumin absorption in the world. It is the one that naturally supplements curcumin in all Terry because it delivers consistent results over and over.

In fact, CuraMed is well documented for any inflammatory condition such as all kinds of arthritis, Crohn’s disease, colitis, bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis, bursitis in support of cardiopathy, cancer, diabetes, depression, alzheremia, dementia and other brain disorders. It is also useful for pulmonary and liver diseases, IBS, and other digestive conditions. Curcumin studies and research are underway and BCM-95 is on its way (soon to be renamed “CurcuGreen” in North America).

In the case of pain relief, as in osteoarthritis or “over-doing” joint pain or the pain and discomfort that “growing smarter” can cause, (ahem) Terry Curamin is a matter of course the ideal choice for supplementation. In times of injury or very poor inflammatory retardation of the flame (hip pain, knee pain, back pain, pain), you can spend 4 to 6 days 6 a day (2 with each meal) to really control and tighten the inflammatory source. Keep in mind that Curcumin is fat-soluble, so always have your CuraMed or Curamin with a fat meal. (You don’t HOVE TO, but it’s better absorbed when you do) Besides curcumin and turmeric essential oils in curamine, Terry naturally adds boswellia, nattokinase and DLPA (an amino acid that helps to make endorphine in the brain). Just put it, there’s nothing like it. And that works.

Probiotics:

They’re so much more than just digestive bacteria. The quick take: they help break down and digest food and increase the absorption of nutrients in the food. Think of the bacteria in your intestines (and indeed your entire body) as one of the most important connections to the biological foundations of all. It is a vast and evolving collection of hundreds of trillions of microbial organisms living in and on the human body. A mysterious collective of communication between our bellies and brains, between our hearts and minds, even between the plants and animals around us. These bacteria are a micro universe that is constantly changing and has a profound impact on our biological and psychological systems. It’s real. It’s real. It’s amazing, and it always happens.

Aside from being a poetic license, probiotics show the delicate links between our digestive health, the functions of our immune system, and the optimal health of our brains.

Due to increased births, cesarean births, and overuse of antibiotics and pesticides, declines in our overall digestive bacterial amounts have been documented after World War II. Indeed, American average grapes may contain as little as half of the bacteria in contemporary tribal cultures. This is not good and can only cause an increasing number of digestive disorders unless there is a pure zombie apocalypse. (A little…) And eating probiotic foods like yogurt and kefir is good, but not good enough. Again, to make them thrive in the intestines, we need therapeutic amounts and strains of bacteria to survive our harsh acids.

This brings us to just thrive probiotics: four incredible strains of Bacillus spore bacteria, (spore reference to their outer shells that keep them alive but still sleeping until they wake up in our intestines, their home). Those

who heard me talk about Just Thrive Spore Probiotics know that I can go on and on and here are the facts:

• They survive more than 1000x of the stomach acids than probiotic foods and leading probiotics.
• Once in the bowels, they look for “bad” bacteria and pathogens that they can neutralize.
• They are also looking for the “good” bacteria that they feed and support and hug and hi-five.
• They deliver beneficial antioxidants to the bloodstream directly. And trace amounts are not only measurable, CoQ10 therapy levels, alpha and beta carotene, lycopene, lutein, astaxanthin, and zeaxanthine, etc.
• Just Thrive reduces the production of gas in the presence of fiber by 50% and converts it into short-chain fatty acids, thereby expanding its nutrient benefit dramatically.
• Increases our T-regulatory cells that help prevent adverse immune reactions such as allergies and autoimmune diseases.
• Helps to increase serotonin in the gut, which produces 90% serotonin.This means that they can manage stress, anxiety and improve mood on a regular basis.
• After approximately 21 days of cleaning and thriving, they find themselves in the colon where their shells emerge again and they fall asleep, ready for their next great adventure as they leave our bodies.
• One day with food can make all the difference whether it supports leaky gut syndrome, IBS, or some digestive (and other) problems. In times of severe distress, such as food poisoning or a stomach virus, or after you take rounds of an antibiotic, you can take three for a few days at once, and send battalions of Bacillus Cells into the intestine to address what is happening. No cooling is needed. They are able to survive up to 455 degrees. You can even bake with them, in fact!

I also like Dr. Ohhhira’s, who have been fermented in the cultivation of fruit, vegetables, champagne and seaweed for three years. It also requires no cooling, can be chewed and sweetened to bring immediate relief to the stomach or to be taken with water once a day for gradual intestinal release, and is an absolute must when traveling. They contain a patented combination of whole prebiotic foods, 12 selected live probiotic strains (Mozart serenaded. Seriously. These are cultivated biometer) and postbiotic metabolites including amino acids, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, all of which provide additional nutrition and digestive aid.

Harvest Market carries over 60 probiotics of different strains, strengths, sizes, and formulas for men, women, seniors, children, and infants.

Vitamin D-3:

Our planet revolves around a star. We are stardust. We are golden. Yes, to all that transcendence Age of Aquarius. What it really means is that we are now and then built to sunshine. We are made for it. The best way to get Vitamin D is by sunlight for 20 minutes a day at high noon. But it can be a bit hard to achieve if it’s cloudy or dead in winter. And it’s not easy the further away from the equator you live. (It also depends on what kind of neighbors you have.) It is therefore highly recommended that you add.

By increasing and supporting calcium absorption, vitamin D-3 can help bone strength. It helps to regulate concentrations of mineral calcium and phosphorus in the body while promoting muscle health and the immune system. D-3 can also help with depression, heart disease, support for the immune system, improve memory, lower blood sugar, keep mothers and babies healthy during pregnancy, and even increase HDLs and lower LDL cholesterol numbers. Recent studies suggest that it can reduce the risk of cancer by decreasing the number of cells and acting as an anti-inflammatory drug.

The only way you can tell if you have a VitaminD-3 deficiency is to order a blood test from your doctor to measure your D-3 levels. However, in this age of office jobs and indoor practice, it is no surprise that many people are below the ideal D-3 level. Indeed, 93 percent of Americans fail to consume adequate vitamin D-3 from food sources (including fortified foods), resulting in approximately 1/2 (I would argue up 75 percent) for Americans with insufficient or poor levels of vitamin D-3. This is an important nutrient gap problem that affects people of all ages, from children to the elderly.

Almost every additional vitamin D-3 is derived from sheep wool or lanolin (called supplemental cholecalciferol), and we have many formulas to choose from. We also carry Garden of Life’s veganD-3 plant-based lichen in a 1000IU vanilla spray. I normally recommend Solgar VitaminD-3 2200 IU twice a day or Bluebonnet 5000 IU once daily. Garden of Life Vitamin Code RawD-3, a complete-foodD-3 supplement with a raw organic fruit and vegetable blend, chlorella, probiotics and enzymas is also worth mentioning. The “raw” means no hot, synthetic binders, fillers, flavours, colors or additives. And no sheep, definitely. (And be sure, perhaps from your multi, that you get some Vitamin A when you take vitamin D-3.)

So there you have it: the Top 5 supplements worthy of consideration that can help you feel something better, perhaps much better, and can improve the quality of your overall well – being and health.

Some additional supplements for this short list have been added and are worthy of our attention:

• The popular adaptogenic root ashwagandha helps the body to adapt to stress and build vitality. I love the offerings of Organic India and Garden of Life.
• Fiber is also a good idea. It helps you, well, you know ; go. If you do low – carb or try Keto, a fiber supplement is almost mandatory. Harvest Market has many options here. Find one that works for you and keep taking it. With plenty of water.
• There is magnesium, which everybody nowadays seems deficient because of the minerals and nutrients depleted from the ground. 400 mg is about right every day. Again, many of us have to choose from. Divided doses should probably be taken rather than 400 mg all at a time, unless you do so, then go slowly or “go” fast.
• A comprehensive mushroom supplement boosting immune system may be a good supplement. I like MyCommunity Host Defense, which includes 18 different mushrooms like chaga, maitake, reishi, cordyceps, turkey tail and lion mane. Two a day, divided. Or in seasonal challenging times (i.e. everybody around you is sick and you start to be “funny”), try 4-6 a day.
• And you could consider adding high quality grass-fed collagen peptides such as vital protein or collagen hydrosolate from Great Lakes. These collagen are processed so that they are smaller and more absorbable than collagen from the homemade bone broth. They mix into your smoothie, coffee or golden milk without flavor. Excellent for the daily support of hair, skin and nails, joint and digestive aid. (Not that the bone broth drinking is wrong, mind you!)
• Vitamin C (remember, of course, Linus Pauling?) is an old stand-by and deserves to be 1000 mg or more daily in every supplementary cabinet. C-1000 now uses ascorbic acid and also contains 100 mg of bioflavonoids from citrus and 25 mg of rutin. I eat one twice a day, particularly during the cold and flu seasons.
• Oh, and then there’s … No. Wait. I’d better edit myself a little here. This list can go on and on. Just come in and look around. Ask our friendly and knowledgeable staff members your questions. If we don’t have the answer (or supplement), we’ll do our best to find it. We’re always here to help.

There is 1 more thing you can do before we’re done, starting now, today, to improve the quality of your life:
Take your sleep seriously.

Establish a bedtime routine and stick to it. Give yourself 6 to 8 hours a night of sleep. If you have sleeping difficulties (the United States Center for Disease Control and Preventation claims that insufficient sleep is an epidemic of public health), make it a priority to find out why and to correct it. (You may really have to work on this. It’s all right. It will be worth it.) Avoid sugar and large meals late in the evening. Turn off the screens. Don’t take your phone to bed. That’s just weird. And please, before bed, don’t watch the news!

No supplement or exercise regime will ever dynamically affect the quality of your health as much as a good night’s sleep and a satisfied mind.