5 Important Supplements

In the September issue of Whole Living magazine, I found a quick article on five key supplements that most women can benefit from. However, I think both women and men can benefit from these! I happen to agree completely with the five they chose, and I think it’s a good reminder for all of us on what we may be deficient in, and why it’s important to supplement in certain areas.

Vitamin D

I’ve talked about vitamin D before here. It’s SO important, and there are constantly new studies coming out linking low vitamin D levels to higher cancer rates and increased heart attack risk. Even if you think you’re getting enough from the sun, you may not be. To prove my point, I take vitamin D supplements and I live in a state that boasts of sunshine over 300 days per year! I got my levels tested a few months ago and while they were in the “acceptable” range, they were on the lower end. Lluckily I have a doctor who believes as strongly in vitamin D as I do, so she immediately gave me supplements. I strongly encourage people to get their vitamin D levels tested, and when you compare your level to the “optimal” range, aim for the high end. The more the better! If you live in a climate with longer winters, supplementing with vitamin D3 is absolutely crucial.

Calcium

Many people are able to obtain enough calcium from whole foods. Despite what you may think (due to huge marketing efforts), dairy is not the only source of calcium. In fact, leafy greens have just as much calcium as cow’s milk! Other great sources include sesame seeds (more calcium than milk), blackstrap molasses and yogurt. Calcium is important for healthy bones. If supplementing with calcium, make sure you buy the form calcium citrate because it best delivers the minerals to the body.

Magnesium

Magnesium helps to regulate our neurotransmitters and support mental health. Some doctors even prescribe magnesium supplements for those suffering from insomnia, claiming it’s a natural anti-anxiety mineral. For those with muscle spasms or pain, magnesium helps to relax the muscles. It’s good to take with an evening meal, because it does help people fall asleep more peacefully.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B is necessary for strong immunity. Whole food sources of B-vitamins include leafy greens and meat. If someone is deficient in B-vitamins, they may start to feel depressed, fatigued or just down. B-vitamins help enhance mood and boost energy, and for this reason are best when taken in the morning. This way they’ll provide energy for your day without disrupting bedtime!

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

I’ve talked about fish oil before as well, but again it’s good to reinforce the importance of fatty acids in the diet. Don’t worry, they WILL NOT make you fat! They actually lower triglycerides and reduce inflammation, which is the cause of many health issues. And, since our brain is made up of mostly fat, they support brain health as well. Omega-3s can be taken in the form of capsules or actual fish oil. I recommend the capsules… trust me, drinking straight fish oil is not fun!

As always, I recommend talking to your doctor before starting supplements. They can test your levels and help you determine which supplements you’d benefit from.

Nutrition & Your Skin

After yesterday’s post on oils and how they can be used internally or externally for your health, I got some good questions:

What oils should I be using if I have oily, not dry, skin?

And,

I always get zits 10 days before my period – would changing my diet help?

Nutrition and your skin are very closely tied. To simplify it, anything that goes into your body must also come out in some way, shape or form. That could be through urine or bowels, through your mouth, or through your skin. Acne is often indicative of a body that is rejecting a certain type of food, whether it be something you’re allergic to or something that is foreign to the body such as hydrogenated fats or high fructose corn syrup. Acne in teenagers is usually due to a combination of things: hormone stimulation, bacteria production, stress and poor diet. In adults, it is more likely to be a result of mainly stress and poor diet.

For someone with oily skin, taking a fish oil supplement can still help. Skin problems often are a result of inflammation, and the omega-3s in fish oil help to fight this inflammation. There are many studies showing that fish oil has significantly improved acne symptoms in people, including symptoms like oily and splotchy skin. The omega-3 fats have a balancing effect that can help those with oily or dry skin. And as a bonus, it reduces wrinkle formation and helps create shiny hair and healthy nails! Flaxseed oil has also been shown to help reduce oily skin.

Some other skin-supporting nutrients to try, whether you have oily skin, dry skin, or are getting blemishes before your period, include B-vitamins, beta-carotene, essential fatty acids, fiber, selenium, vitamins A, C and E, zinc and water. Eliminating common allergens such as gluten and dairy for the week you are experiencing inflammation on your face can greatly reduce acne occurrence as well. Even if you are not allergic to gluten or dairy, you could still have a mild intolerance. Other things to eliminate if you want to clear up your skin include alcohol, excessive caffeine, and any processed foods – especially those that contain sugars, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and trans fats. Any fried foods will definitely increase the likelihood of blemishes or skin issues as well. I recommend doing an experiment. Try eliminating all of these foods for one week or 10 days, and see what happens. Then, as your reintroduce them, observe the changes in your skin and the rest of your body. This is the best way to find out which foods are affecting you, and how.

Water is particularly important, because it helps rid our body of unwanted toxins through our urine, bowels, or sweat. Without enough water, these toxins will stay inside of our bodies and find another way to come out – often times through our skin in the form of acne. So, stay hydrated!

Oil Supplements for Health

Fish Oil

When most people think of oil supplements, they think of fish oil. It has become very popular, and is recommended for many different people due to its wide array of health benefits. Fish oils contain EPA and DHA, which are omega-3 long-chain unsaturated fatty acids. They have anti-inflammatory benefits, have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol levels, and even can help reduce triglyceride levels and blood-clotting potential. For all of these reasons, fish oil is an important supplement for those who are more prone to cardiovascular disease or who currently suffer from things like high cholesterol or high triglycerides. But the benefits of fish oil go beyond cardiovascular disease prevention and support. Fish oil can also help with joint pain, dry eyes, dry or blemished skin, flexibility, asthma, and more. Although these same health benefits are found in many types of cold-water fish, most of us don’t eat enough cold-water fish so the supplements help. I recommend fish oil for most people, in addition to including high-quality cold-water fish in the diet.

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil is another popular supplement. We frequently use ground flaxseed in our smoothies or yogurt. It can be beneficial for those suffering from obesity, because it helps increase arterial blood flow. Flaxseed oil contains the building blocks for omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, but our bodies must do the conversion themselves to obtain full benefits. Some research suggests our bodies do not efficiently make this conversion, and therefore we should consume other types of oils where the conversion is already made (such as fish oil). I think flaxseed oil is still a great part of a well-rounded diet. It helps with dry skin and is easy to use in smoothies, salad dressings, or on top of cooked veggies.

Wheat Germ Oil

Wheat germ oil can be beneficial for internal use or external application to burns, sores, scars, and other skin problems. Its high vitamin E content helps to protect the health of the skin. I’ve had many knee surgery patients in my family, and vitamin E is always a main component of post-surgery care. Since vitamin E is a strong antioxidant, wheat germ oil is more stable than other oils. However, I’d still recommend keeping it in the fridge, just to be safe.

Evening Primrose Oil

Evening primrose oil comes from the seeds of a primrose plant and contains high amounts of GLA, which is similar to omega-6 fatty acids. This plant has been used medicinally for hundreds of years, both externally for skin problems and internally to treat things like asthma, digestive issues, gynecological problems, and to help with wound healing. Some even consider it a “cure-all”. More recent research has revealed even more benefits of evening primrose oil, such as arthritis pain relief, PMS relief, help with eczema, anti-inflammatory effects, and help with cardiovascular disease and allergies. I haven’t tried evening primrose oil personally, but a few of my teachers have brought it up in class as being an amazing oil and recommend keeping it in the house.

These are just four oils that can be used therapeutically as well as for every day nutrition. I love foods like this, because it’s almost as if your refrigerator is also your medicine cabinet – a very appealing thought, at least for me. I recommend just giving one or two of these a try if you believe you could benefit from them. The great thing about using nutrition as medicine is there are rarely any side affects!

Fish Oil: An Environmental Concern

Tomorrow is Friday, and I have to get up at 3:45 am to catch a flight, so this is going to be short. But, it will be informative and interesting, too...

One of my most dedicated readers (who also happens to be my dad) sent me a recent article from Time magazine on fish oil. And tonight in my Nutrients class, I had to present "Nutrition in the News," so I presented this fish oil article. Here are some highlights:

- Omega-3 fatty acids have been proven to decrease risk or symptoms of many ailments, including heart disease, Alzheimers and depression

- The market for omega-3s has doubled since 2006 and is now at $1 billion

- However, this new demand may be threatening our ecosystem

- The best source of omega-3s are the oily fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines

- These fish feed on menhaden, which are smaller fish who eat algae; the algae is what contains the large amounts of fatty acids; when these fish feed on algae, the waters are cleaned and stay healthy and thrive

- When fish oil companies fish off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, underwater "dead zones" are created because there are no fish to feed on the algae

- 13 of the 15 Atlantic states have banned certain fish oil companies from fishing their waters

- One solution to the problem is to produce omega-3 fatty acid supplements directly from the algae, which is full of the fatty acids, rather than from the fish - this is something being explored right now

I found this article very interesting. Fish oil supplements are such a big thing now. Many people take them and don't even know why, they just know that everyone else is doing it so they should too. Besides interfering with the ecosystem, another repercussion of fish oil's newfound popularity is very low quality supplements being produced. Remember the rule of thumb with supplements: you get what you pay for. If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Send me an e-mail (annpierce09@gmail.com) if you have questions about which supplement brands are best to try for fish oil!

Have a great weekend everyone!