Staying healthy can be confusing at times. There is a plethora of different diets out there, not to mention thousands of different nutritional supplements, and sometimes it can be challenging to decide on which ones to embrace. Luckily, staying fit and healthy doesn’t have to cost you the world or leave you scratching your head in the health aisle. Read on to discover the 4 essential nutritional supplements that you should be taking for optimal health, and keep your regime as simple but effective as possible!
#1: Multivitamin
Today’s refined-food-filled Western diets might be tasty to many, but they do drain your body of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs to function at its best. Even if you are eating healthy, the production and processing of modern foods often reduces their nutritional content, so you can never be sure of how much you are getting.
The easiest way to ensure that you are indeed meeting your daily recommended vitamin and mineral requirements is to take a top quality multivitamin supplement daily. Good supplements are formulated with the right amounts of everything your body needs to thrive, and if it is a quality product, it will also contain these nutrients in the right proportions and forms for ideal absorption. They will also help to fill the gaps in your diet by supplying the nutrients that many people are often deficient in; namely magnesium, zinc, selenium, and vitamins A, C and E.
#2: Omega 3
The benefits of these fatty acids for your health are boundless. Omega 3 reduces systemic inflammation, feeds your brain, and reduces the risk of chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and arthritis. They have also been shown to be beneficial for blood sugar control and to enhance memory, cognition and mood. They are even recommended as a secondary treatment for clinical depression!
People in certain countries like Norway and Sweden get plenty of this nutrient thanks to their diets that are high in oily fish like salmon, nuts such as walnuts, and other foods that contain good quality fats. However, if you do not eat these foods regularly, you will likely need to supplement! Omega 3 supplementation can also balance out the omega 6 dominance that so many Westerners have in their bodies, which creates inflammation and the perfect environment for weight gain. Plus, these fatty acids will even enhance your concentration to allow you to enjoy your favourite real money online pokies on a whole new level…
#3: Probiotics
Probiotic bacteria have recently been implicated in so many facets of our health that your gut is now called your ‘second brain’. They are also heavily involved in serotonin production, with up to 95% of your feel-good hormone being produced by this microbiota in your gut.
Stress, antibiotic use, and a poor diet can all throw off the delicate balance of these bacteria, so it is crucial to replace them by using a high-quality probiotic supplement. Typically, the more strains your supplement contains, the healthier it will be – and try to choose refrigerated products wherever possible for the best potency.
#4: Vitamin D
Almost 90% of the entire human population is low on this essential nutrient! Vitamin D is a unique fat-soluble vitamin that could more accurately be described as a hormone. It is created primarily by your skin when it is exposed to sunlight, traveling through your body and enhancing everything from your metabolism to your development, growth, bone and tooth health, and mood. Having optimal vitamin D levels has also been shown to ward off many different types of cancer and autoimmune disease.
When choosing a vitamin D supplement, it’s recommended that your blood levels of the vitamin be tested before you start to supplement. If they are indeed low, go for a supplement containing D3 (cholecalciferol) and not D2 (ergocalciferol) for the best possible absorption and efficacy!