What about Supplements?

By Sarah Jenkins, HHP

"So should I be taking "X" supplement?" A question I'm asked frequently. I am not upset of the frequency of the question and understand where the thought process is coming from. The person is often looking to improve their health. Where some of our consumer conditioning comes to play is thinking that we can buy health. Again, I have a great awareness and understanding where this comes from. The Fitness Industry is it's own worst villain after all. "Six weeks to six pack abs" "whole30" "juice cleanses" "boost your metabolism with these foods" "burn belly fat with this quick exercise." There is nothing quick, short term or cheap when it comes to creating something of value or quality and your health is no different. If we are interested in supplementation as a short cut, just know they won't help.

Now, can supplements play a role in our pursuits of health? Absolutely and sometimes they're quite necessary. However supplements are only as good as the diet and lifestyle they are supplementing. They are called supplements after all and not replacements.

You can also overdo it on supplements and take too much of a good thing and have it create an imbalance in your body, so we need to make sure the thing we are supplementing is the actual need. Nutrition and supplementation is incredibly individualized and specialized and instead the Fitness Industry treats them like a "one size fits all and you need all to be well" solution. This simply isn't the case.

Supplementation could be the thing that really turns a corner for you in your health and well-being. Your anxiety and depression could come down to a magnesium deficiency. Your dandruff and poor skin and irritability could be a zinc issue. Trace amounts of those minerals or vitamins (nutrients) could make a big difference so supplementation could support your diet and lifestyle to help with the consistency your body has access to them.

Here are some questions I ask when someone is interested in a particular supplement:
What are you currently doing to ensure you have "X" in your diet or lifestyle? (Think Omega 3's, Magnesium, Iron, Protein, Vitamin D in the form of sunshine, sleep etc.) What are your expectations for results with taking that product? Are you willing to try it for 6-12 months to track if those results happen? This will help determine if the supplement is needed, and if it's worth your money to spend on the supplement itself.

Want to talk about a personalized supplementation for your health? Feel free to book an appointment with me as a Holistic Health Practitioner.

Have you already done that and you know what to take, you're just looking for a trusted and reputable brand? Click link here.