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Hi everyone, hope your week has got off to a good start! I thought I’d do another Monday musings post, this time looking at supplements. I thought it would be interesting to post on this topic as it can be quite difficult to navigate due to the huge array of supplements available as well as the fact that some argue that we don’t need to supplement our diet with additional pills and potions while some others will feel that supplementation is essential to good health.

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I tend to feel that a good balanced diet should provide you with all you need to be healthy, and that whole food sources of vitamins and minerals are always better than the pill form. However I am experimenting with some supplements and I thought I would share with you what I’m currently taking and why.

My own limited research has mainly been via the various nutrition books I have read alongside what I have learned on my Diet and Nutrition course.

First up I always take a good multivitamin – I see this like an insurance policy as even though I’m confident I have a healthy diet, taking a multi vitamin means that if I ever have a less balanced day I’m still getting what I need. Of course, as someone that eats a mostly vegan diet I also have to ensure that I’m getting vitamin B12 (which is usually only present in animal products). I take these vegan multivitamins from Holland & Barrat:

I have also recently started taking a daily pro biotic supplement also from Holland and Barrat (which isn’t vegetarian so will be changing to a different brand soon). Probiotics support the development of healthy internal bacteria that help with the digestion process. These bacteria can often be depleted (especially if you have been taking antibiotics).

I’ve also started to experiment with taking digestive enzymes after reading a lot about how our digestion works and the role of digestive enzymes in ensuring that essential vitamins and minerals are fully absorbed. There are chapters within Crazy Sexy Diet and the The Beauty Detox Solution which look at the role of digestive enzyme supplementation in a little more detail, but they are especially recommended when you are eating cooked foods as the digestive enzymes within foods can be destroyed when cooked.

I take this high potency digestive aid from Viridian. It contains the key enzymes for the digestion of fats, carbs and protein: amylase, protease and lipase. I’ve also just started taking the Ultimate Beauty Complex supplement which contains a mix of vitamins and minerals that support the growth of healthy skin, nails and hair including MSM or methyl sulphonyl methane. MSM, often called the ‘beauty mineral’ is basically sulphur, this supports the development of collagen and elastin. As well as supporting beauty it can help with inflammation and swelling (source) so it may also be supporting the stress placed on my body via physical activity. I’ve also started to take it in a more direct form by adding 1/2 a teaspoon of these Raw Gaia crystals (derived from natural sources, not petrochemicals) to my smoothies:

It is suppose to take a few months before the benefits of such supplements can be seen and felt, but I have to say that even though I have only been taking the MSM for a few weeks my skin and nails are in the best condition they’ve ever been in!

The only other thing I take on a semi regular basis are these sachets of Emergen-C whenever I feel like I may be coming down with a cold:

I always feel better with the direct vitamin C boost!

One thing I found very interesting when reading for my nutrition course was the concept of Suggested Optimal Nutrient Allowances or SONAS:

‘The results consistently revealed that the healthiest individuals, meaning those with the fewest clinical signs and symptoms, were taking supplements and eating a diet rich in nutrients relative to calories. The researchers found that the intake of nutrients associated with optimal health was often ten or more times higher than the RDA levels. On the basis of this evidence they have established Suggested Optimal Nutrient Allowances, SONAS for short, for vitamins. These levels are more likely to be the kind of intake you need to maintain optimum health.’ Patrick Holford

This research is used to promote the benefits of taking additional supplements alongside the research that suggests that the vitamin and mineral levels of fruits and vegetables is far less today than it was in the past. Additional info on SONAS can be found here.

As I said earlier, I still believe that whole food sources of vitamins and minerals are by far the best option as they come from natural sources – this is why I also enjoy adding ‘super foods’ to my diet. Just as with the supplements I still feel that a good balanced diet full of fruits and veggies is fine, but for me, I like the added benefits and enjoyment using super foods.

I won’t go in to lots of detail as that’s a post in itself, but these are more concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential fats etc that can have a range of impacts on our bodies and wellbeing. These are the ones I’m currently experimenting with:

• Spirulina
• Barley Grass
• Maca
• Mesquite
• Purple Corn Powder
• Raw Cacao

I love adding these powders to smoothies to give them a boost of added nutrition and flavour. I used to just chuck them all in but now I tend to be more selective with which combination of powders I use or I use them alone depending on how I’m feeling and which of them I’m drawn to. I definitely feel like they give me a distinct sparkle! If your interested in super foods I would recommend you take a look at Lana’s excellent super food series of blog posts.

Do you take any supplements? Which ones do you take and why? What are your thoughts on supplements?