How to Pick the Right Supplements

Supplements are a great way to get extra nutrients into our diets. I personally have a supplement regimen that I have tailored to myself after years of searching for the right kind, and of course the right brands.

NOTE: I am not affiliated with any of the brands I am about to speak about. This is strictly a guide on how to chose the correct supplements, and hopefully a good starting point for all of you. As always check with a doctor before adding anything new into your diet, etc.

Okay now onto the good stuff. There are soooooo many different brands of supplements on the market today. Nature Way, NOW, Centrum, One A Day, Garden of Life, even Costo has its own Kirkland brand supplements. The list is endless, where the heck to we even begin? First, as with most of the things we put on or in our bodies, the cheapest options is NOT the best. If you're going to truly invest in something, invest in yourself and your health. Seriously. Do it. I looked through a few of the cheaper, generic supplement brands and found added dyes, fillers, and the cheapest forms of the advertised nutrient inside them. For example: I checked out the Magnisium on the back of this commonly found, cheap supplement and discovered that it was Magnisium Oxide, the cheapest and least absorbed form of Mg you can find. Plus it doesn't help you much, just makes you poop. Now I'm not going to call anyone out, but *cough* Centrum, *cough* Natures Bounty, *cough* Nature Made.

Now for most individuals, a multivitamin will do you just fine. Garden of Life has multivitamins specifically for men or women which I think is super awesome because women need different nutrients for hormone health, cycle health, and bone health (I take the "Women's Vitamin Code" multi from Garden of Life). If you go for the generic brand because it's cheaper I guarantee it is full of fillers and other questionable things that do not belong in your supplement!! *cough* see above. Other great vitamin brands include Thorne, PURE Encapsulations, New Chapter, and You Theory. You can find all of these at a grocery store. I personally always go to Sprouts.

Omega-3's are another huge recommendation for the average joe. Omega-3's are commonly found in fatty fish like salmon and macerals. They are highly anti-inflammatory, outstanding for the brain and memory, and are an ESSENTIAL nutrient meaning we need to eat it to get it and if we don't, it can be life threatening. Now don't fret, you won't drop dead if you're not eating fish or supplementing however, chronic levels of inflammation are what cause many chronic diseases, and those eventually can be deadly years down the line. I love Nordic Naturals, they're sustainable, high quality, and reliable.

Final note: SUPPLEMENTS DO NOT SUPPLEMENT A BAD DIET. Sorry for yelling, but use these to add too or complement your already awesome lifestyle. Don't use them as a band-aid. If you have questions or would like to dive deeper, email ya girl! :)