Supplements or no supplements? This is one of the MANY topics we debate about. Who's right? Who determines who is right? And maybe more importantly, why does there have to be a right or wrong? *Note - if taking things as fact it's a good idea to begin learning who funds/backs "research" or articles that are disparaging towards certain products or companies.
Although I'm talking about supplements here, I think it's safe to say these questions could be applied to just about everything. So long as we aren't harming ourselves or others, why can't we just have a difference of opinion without someone needing to be right or wrong, winner or loser?
Why do I feel this way? Because in most cases there is no one size fits all to anything - supplements, religion, spirituality, politics, diet, etc. What works for one person may not work for another - and that's okay. What works one day for someone may not work another day - and that's okay too.
So back to the original question - supplements or no supplements? For me, my answer is some days I don't take any supplements, but some days I add supplements. Why? Lots of reasons - just to be safe, to bridge any gaps I may have missed recently, to boost all the nutrients I already get through my food choices, to boost my immune system, to stay ahead of my auto-immune disorders. The list goes on and on.
Of course eating a variety of whole foods is best, and for those who do choose to add supplements, the next question would be which supplements? My goodness the barrage of health crazes, not to mention the companies that jump on the band wagon to create more "miracles" is utterly confusing. Which supplements is a good question, and again, one that won't have a one size fits all answer because it will depend on lots of things - what is wrong in the body, what are we lacking, how do we react to certain supplements, are there side effects, how is the product made, is the product ethically sources, are there unnecessarily added ingredients, what's our budget, how many supplements are too many?
Personally I believe that we shouldn't rely solely on a supplement(s) for our wellness. We need to be active in our health. From my own journey I've learned that I can't sit back and put unhealthy things into or onto my body day in and day out, not be physically active, and then pop some supplements/medications and think all is well.
Our bodies are incredible machines, they try like heck to keep us balanced. When we notice things going astray, they didn't just happen overnight - this was years, probably even decades, in the making. This is why it only stands to reason that getting well will take some time, patience and persistence.
So once again, I'm back to the question - to supplement or not? If your answer right now is not - then you're done, but don't think you can't ever come back to this question in the future if you want. For those of us who decide to supplement, with so much confusing information and competing brands we need to go back to the bottom line of... what am I looking to help (fatigue, inflammation, headaches, etc)? Okay, next? Asking ourselves some simple questions may help in leading us to what we are looking for, without wanting to rip our hair out in frustration:
1. What monthly budget am I comfortable with?
2. What am I physically comfortable with (swallowing pills, using sublingual - under the tongue, adding powders to smoothie or other drink)?
3. How many do I want to keep track of?
4. How often do I want to take them (daily, twice a week, monthly, etc.)?
5. What do I want in a brand?
Let's take an example case here of a narrowed down list...
Bottom line = I want to reduce inflammation
1. My monthly budget = $40
2. I am physically comfortable with = sublingual or power added to smoothie
3. I am okay with keeping track of = up to three supplements
4. I am good with = daily, otherwise I'll forget
5. I want = simple ingredients, free of added chemicals, ethically sourced
Products I love that fit my list and combat inflammation and, as a bonus, fatigue...
A.) Pure Hawaiian Spirulina Powder - 16 oz. bottle lasts about 5 months (based on one person)/average cost is $30.99 = $6.20 per month
B.) Spectrums Vegan Omega - 60 ct. bottle lasts about two months (for one person)/average cost is $19.99 = $10 per month (*if interested in why not fish oil you can email me - brightfromtheheart@gmail.com)
C.) Gaia's Mushrooms + Herbs Everyday Immune - 60 ct. bottle lasts about two months (for one person)/average cost is $20.89 = $10.50 per month (I open the capsule, add the powder to my smoothie and discard the capsule)
Considering the serving size of these three supplements that I consider my go-to's, they fit well within my monthly budget. Some days I don't add any supplements, and sometimes I'll throw in other supplements here and there if I've gotten them on sale or had a coupon, but these are my favorites that I find help to support me.
The important thing to remember when doing anything new is to pay attention to YOU! Do you notice something is offering healing to you in a positive way physically, mentally and emotionally? We don't want to take something that hides symptoms because the symptoms are our body's way of saying "hey! something is wrong here!" When we mask symptoms with medications the problem is still there, we need to focus on getting to the source of the symptom(s) and healing it. The other factor to consider is that we don't want to take something that makes one symptom better, while making something else worse (that's the revolving door of taking endless amounts of medicines, whether they be conventional or holistic).
I know it's hard not to feel overwhelmed with information out there. I know it's scary to decide where to begin. So just begin with your bottom line question... what am I looking to help in my body today? In addition to increasing the daily amount of whole foods, and being active, supplements can have a place in your life to help get to the root of what you want to heal.
As always, good luck in whatever you decide is right for you.
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