My Top 5 Supplements

As we hone in on our wellness journey, whether that is transitioning from SAD or healing from an autoimmune disorder, supplements loom over us. As if a whole food diet is not enough, we often attempt to cram into every nook of our bodies hyped up vitamins, minerals, superfoods, salts, tinctures, and herbs. These all have their places but they can also lead to a sense of overwhelm—should I be taking that or pop this pill, too? It's also often unnecessary as we should meet our daily required values for essential vitamins and minerals directly from our food.

However, there are two conditions that I have set where this is not the case.

First, there are nutritional compounds that are not factored into the set bodily requirements set by the government.

These can optimise our vitality, function, and the even absorption of nutrients from our food intake. These include my top five supplements outlined below. Although they are not necessarily requirements, they have become staples for me in healing enough from an autoimmune disorder, the damage of 10+ years of malnutrition from anorexia, and patellar tendonitis in both of my knees . . . enough to allow me to now train for a marathon. These supplements are restoring my gut microbiome and digestive lining and, as a result, elevating everything from my mood to my libido to my sense of clarity—mind, body, and spirit. 

Second, despite a thorough diet, our bodies still can fall short.

This can be caused by a multitude of factors. Again, many autoimmune disorders cause nutrient malabsorption and thus can lead to vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Seasonal fluctuations, such as less sun exposure, often cause vitamin D deficiency. An exclusively plant-based diet could run the risk of vitamin B deficiencies. Most of us are deficient in magnesium as well, which affect not only the body's musculoskeletal system but our mood as well. This is where Care/Of comes in, which is an innovative vitamin subscription service curated uniquely for you. Once you take a comprehensive test that takes into account your lifestyle beyond eating habits, Care/Of  targets the vitamins and minerals you might benefit from supplementation. You also receive herbal recommendations, such as milk thistle for detoxification or rhodiola for stress support. It's the answer to supplementation without the guesswork—I highly suggest hopping over here to take the quiz and trying it out for a month! I've had a complete lift of brain fog within less than a month into using my blend. Use THIRLBY50 for 50% off your first order here!

Probiotics

This is the probiotic I swear by as it's soil-based and inoculates your gut rather than simply passing through it unlike other conventional or even high-end probiotics. Having a healthy digestion and gut micro biome is one of the most important ways to keep inflammation at bay as it's our body's second brain.

Collagen

Collagen is the most abundant protein that is naturally produced by the body to sustain the elasticity, integrity, and strength of our skin and other connective tissues, which include fat. Likewise, lack of healthy fat consumption also reduces the nutrient absorption of food-based collagen. These fibers that have the tensile strength like that of steel cables have been researched to increase skin elasticity and moisture in women aged 35-55 with no side effects. Read more about my collagen guide here and here is the brand that I depend on!

Turmeric

Turmeric, it's the talk o' the town with its window of seasonal fresh form to turmeric lattés. It has its due reason but it must be extracted and combined properly to be utilised most efficiently by our body. When combined with the chemical piperine in black pepper, the curcumin in turmeric potency is magnified by 2,000 times! That's why I swear by this turmeric supplement daily, which combines black pepper and other anti-inflammatory ingredients such as boswellia gum resin. I am not sponsored or paid by Mega Food for this. I have had knee tendonitis in both of my knees due to overexercising for the past two years and using this turmeric supplement  has diminished all of my pain within about a month of using it. This has allowed me to get back to running and training for a 10K—my New Year's Resolution. I cannot recommend this product enough.

Black Cumin Seed Oil

This is a product that has made a world of a difference in the health of my joints, especially with the impact of running daily on concrete.  This is another supplement I will now never be without. People back in the days of the Black Plague used as an antidote for the plague and the ancient Greeks hailed it as the cure-all. I take a teaspoon of this black cumin see oil on an empty stomach in the morning, following my probiotic.