Oct 17, 2023

Navigating the World of Dietary Supplements

Navigating the World of Dietary Supplements

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Dietary supplements encompass a wide range of products, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and more. They come in various forms such as pills, capsules, powders, liquids, and even gummies. The appeal of dietary supplements lies in their promise to provide nutrients that might be lacking in one's diet, improve overall well-being, and address specific health concerns.

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Occasionally, I find that my diet can fall out of balance; due to changes in routine or mental health. Thankfully, self awareness is one of my best qualities. That said, I'm not ashamed to admit that I tend to reach for gummy vitamins to fill in those gaps in nutrients that I should be getting from a well-balanced diet. And I've found that there's a gummy for almost any health and nutritional need.

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It's important to consider the % daily value per serving found on the nutrition panel when adding any new supplement to your routine. In many cases, you'll simply pass off excess vitamins (whatever your body couldn't use or absorb) through urination. But some vitamins and minerals present in abundance in the body can cause other health/medical issues, and some can be severe. It's a good practice to consult with your doctor before adding new supplements to your diet.

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Here are some of my favorite supplements I reach for when I need help recalibrating the machine.

Olly Vitamin Gummies

Olly vitamins are my number one go-to's for occasional supplemental support. With a hundred different products, there's something for almost everything. The product line has some cool and catchy names that draw attention to it's purpose. Marketing got it right with this one.
I've got the multivitamin in the medicine cabinet, the daily energy gummies are hanging out in my home office and for me, they work better than coffee! I love the calming lemon balm flavors of the sleep gummies. I keep the stress gummies at the ready in the drawer of my corporate office. There's so many to choose from! My daughter takes one a day children's multivitamin with her lunch, if she catches me sealing the bento box without it, she'll tell me I forgot it.

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Ashwagandha Gummies

is an ancient medicinal herb that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine. It's rapidly gaining popularity and is known for its potential health benefits, such as:

Stress and Anxiety Reduction
Improved Mood
Cognitive Function
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Immune System Support
Hormone Balance
Energy and Vitality
Physical Performance
Sexual Health
Antioxidant Properties
Blood Sugar Regulation

My personal favorite is the "Lemme Chill" brand. It has those subtle notes of lemon balm that I love and, like Olly, the name is pretty awesome! There are so many options to choose from out there. If you're looking for a product from a manufacturer with an established reputation, reach for the Nature Made Ashwagandha Gummies. They're vegan and only have 2 grams of sugar per serving

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Iron Gummies

Ok ladies, so I grew up with 7 sisters and we weren't allowed to eat red meat. I'm a cook so I usually prepare dishes at home but when I finally decided to try red meat, I didn't want to mess it up so I went to a steak house and ordered a filet mignon. The flavor was amazing but I couldn't get over the chewy texture. Nevertheless, I found it incredibly interesting that once I tried it, I started to crave it every month before auntie flow showed up; and my sisters say they have similar craves before they get there period too. I figured my body was telling me I needed iron. Iron is easier absorbed when combined with vitamin C so I started adding liquid Floradix to my orange juice.

Floradix is easily absorbed and it helped me not only to kick the red meet cravings but some of the other "anemic-like" symptoms went away too. Unfortunately, if I have to hold my nose or power through something, it doesn't stay part of my daily routine for long. Again, know thyself! So I reached for a gummy version. My favorite, to date are these cherry flavored Fusion Lifestyle Soft Chews. If you're grossed out by cherry flavored anything, try some of these amazing alternatives below.

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Apple Cider Vinegar

If my dad knew I was writing apple cider vinegar gummies, he'd turn in his urn. Long before kombucha soared in popularity here in America, before liquid probiotics were popular, growing up, dad added Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar to anything he could sneak it into without us noticing. He'd buy gallons of freshly pressed apple cider from local farms and would sneak a tablespoon into each serving for us. For salad dressings or vinegarettes, he'd swap out balsamic or distilled vinegar (which was only allowed in the house as a cleaning product) for apple cider vinegar. Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother is quickly gaining popularity on social media, with grand claims of supporting weight loss, metabolism and digestion, healthy gut bacteria, etc.

Recently, I discovered this fat burning cocktail of Bragg's apple cider vinegar, local honey, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice. You're supposed to mix it with 8 oz of water and chug. But you're chugging 8 oz of vinegar flavored water, no thanks. Just before bed, I'd mix it, pour into a shot glass and knock it back; then chase it with 8 oz of cold water. For a more convenient version, try one of these:

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Hair, Skin, and Nails

With thousands of beauty supplements out there, it's easy to get lost or overwhelmed. My dad had enough of us to test multiple "theories" at a time. I could literally give one of each of these products to my sisters and measure hair and nail growth over a 30 or 60 day supply. My favorite gummies are the Olly Ultra Strength Hair gummies. High doses of biotin give me face and body acne worse than middle school but with Sugarbear Hair Vitamins, breakouts were subtle. I'm no nutritionist but I'm assuming this formula allows for better absorption.

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Let's talk regularity

I caught the first round of COVID-19 in 2020. I won't bore you with a retelling of the same "I almost died" story we've been hearing for 3 years. But I have been struggling with undiagnosed "long COVID" symptoms ever since. Aside from frustrating brain fog, my hormone balance and metabolism remain completely out of whack.

I sometimes need a little support getting things moving. As a kid, my dad used to give us Sunsweet Prune Juice if we were backed up. It didn't bother me then but as an adult, it gripes my pipes. I discovered Plum Juice as an adult, it gets the job done same as prune juice, but gripe free. I've tried herbal teas like Ballerina and not so Smooth Move, they're quicker and more effective than anything I've tried but they'll have you bent over in pain. Make sure you have no where to be within 12-18 hours of drinking them.

If you're looking for a gentler solution, try Dulcolax Soft Chews. They work with the body to stimulate movements naturally.

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“The quickest results I've ever received from supplements was from IV therapy. If you have 30 minutes and you're not afraid of needles, it's so worth it!”