AMA: How can I tell which supplements I need?
10 days ago, I sent out this questionnaire to my email list.
As we build out our new product lines and add in items from other companies and brands, I asked for feedback on things like...
What they want to see more of
What influences them to choose one product over another
What they care about when choosing the right products
And I asked them to share with me some concerns they had about taking supplements.
One of the most common questions that came up...
Knowing which supplements you need vs ones you don't.
First, we need to understand WHAT a supplement is...
If we start off with a healthy diet, a supplement is meant to fill in the gaps to our nutritional needs.
However, as the current state of society runs on toxic foods and a toxic lifestyle, our dependency on supplements has increased to keep a bare minimum state of health.
Which, if we're being brutally honest, isn't ideal.
And in many cases, this can be the cause for why people take something and don't 'see' the immediate result they're looking for.
Supplements aren't drugs.
So their impact takes time to experience.
They don't directly 'treat' a symptom.
They work with the body to naturally resolve the root cause of it.
But if the root cause IS a poor diet, the supplements will take longer to work.
Make sense?
Current stats show that more than 77% of Americans are taking supplements now. Which could be a good indicator that we're collectively starting to focus more on health.
So that's promising!
Second, we need to identify your personal needs.
This can be a bit of a loaded question though as there are a great many factors that come into play here.
Things like genetics, lifestyle, diet, stress levels, region where you live, etc. all play a part in how you feel, how you think, what your energy levels are, and what your body is capable of doing.
The most basic answer is that we probably all need some form of multi-vitamin/mineral/
Simply put, we have to supplement the nutrients that are missing from soils that grow our foods because years of monocropping and farmers only replenishing what's needed for high yield has stripped the soil of ALL the nutrients humans need to thrive.
Yeah.
Food may LOOK the same as it always did, but it's not nutritionally the same.
Not by any stretch of the imagination.
Now, if you're on a whole food diet made up mostly of pasture-raised animal proteins and fats and a variety of colors from produce that has been raised on a regenerative farm, you can probably get away with not taking a multi.
However, that takes work.
And effort.
And planning.
And odds are, most people aren't even sure what that would require so we're back to the need for a multi.
But because most muti-vitamins are loaded with fillers, synthetic forms of vitamins, etc., whole food forms tend to be more effective.
And in turn, healthier.
Little known fact, some of the big brand multi-vitamins you find in drug stores and at Costco are found WHOLE in porta-potties.
YIKES!
This is why it's best to get these nutrients from whole foods that your body can use or products like Mighty G2 that have a variety of reds and greens to boost nutrient levels naturally.
Third, it's important to understand WHAT the difference is between vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fatty acids, and herbal supplements.
Many vitamins and minerals sold on the supplement market are synthetic and blended in ratios that don't work well together.
Meaning, the ratios aren't found in nature so they aren't blended to be bio-available...aka usable.
Getting vitamins and minerals from foods first is always best.
Phytonutrients give foods their color. They act as antioxidants.
Aka: age fighters.
When your diet is low in these, supplementation is ideal.
But also...
When you're stressed, not getting enough sun, sick, pregnant, menstruating, or detoxing, you'll need more of these than usual.
And as for things like fatty acids, we see more and more fish oil products being concentrated with heavy metals or PFAS as well as new research linking them to inflammation and cancer.
Probably less about the fish and more about the 'sustainable' way fish are being raised...
In tanks.
Pumped full of antibiotics.
And fed food that isn't natural to them.
Herbal supplements are nature's 'medicine.'
But mainstream has twisted them into being seen more like pharmaceutical drugs. As an afterthought rather than part of a healthy lifestyle.
So when you think of herbal remedies, think less about "it will treat my symptoms" and more about "it will help my body restore order so the symptom no longer needs to keep alerting me."
Hopefully this is all making sense to you!
My Alpha Zen Society is based on Naturopathy. We aim to return the body back to nature so it can heal itself and that's why you'll see us using whole foods, aminos, and herbals instead of basic vitamins and minerals.
Now, for those of you who want a little more of an extensive understanding, I'm making a guide book with all the basics. It's my hope that this will help you sort through the noise and learn to TRUST yourself in making an informed choice that's right for YOU.
If you want this guide when it's finished, be sure to get on our email list as my subscribers will be getting free access!
The guide will show you the differences between the types of supplements, when and how to take them, and describe each of the products we currently offer in the store so you can make an informed choice.
Knowing what works best for you can be a little confusing when there are so many conflicting articles and news reports out there.
I get it.
So if I can help make it a little simpler to understand, I'm happy to do so.