Supplement Guide

Supplement Guide

Supplement Guide

This guide is meant to be a general starting point. Supplements mentioned are appropriate for most. However, I encourage you to do your own research, obtain blood work, or follow up with a consultation, (physician, nutritionist or both). Ultimately it is best to obtain most of your nutrients from whole fresh foods, but at times supplementation can provide a therapeutic boost.

Digestive Enzymes

Dose: To be taken with meals

Suggested Brands:Thorne Research: Betaine HCl/Pepsin, Bio-Gest, B.P.P., Dipan-9, Plantizyme. Standard Process: Enzycore & Zypan

Biotics Research: Hydrozyme, HCl-plus, Bromelain Plus, Beta-TCP

OTC: Solaray’s Super Digestaway, HCL with Pepsin

Purpose:

  • Helps to properly breakdown food for optimal absorption of nutrients.
  • May be beneficial when you are making a major shift in your diet or following a gut healing protocol
  • Look for a blend of digestive enzymes that supports the fat, carbohydrate & protein digestion.
  • This is an inexpensive, valuable supplement

Vitamin D

Dose: 2,000-5,000 IU/day in a liquid-fat solution or gel cap vitamin D3 is sufficient for most. If you track your blood work, aim for ~50-65ng/dl. If you struggle with hyperparathyroid disease, you will need to dose down to 1,000 IU’s.

Costs: between $10-$20 for a 6-month supply.

Suggested Brands: Biotics Bio-D Mulsion Forte

Standard Process Cataplex D, Thorne Research Vit D/K2

Food Sources: Cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel or herring. Grass-fed butter or ghee. Fermented cod liver oil/butter blend from Green Pastures (order direct from greenpastures.com)

Critical Roles:

  • A potent immune system modulator
  • Best obtained from sun exposure
  • In reality, vitamin D is a pre-hormone
  • Vital role in calcium and phosphate metabolism
  • Fat metabolism
  • Cancer prevention
  • Fertility
  • Insulin resistance
  • Critical in Types 1 & 2 diabetes
  • Cardiovascular disease prevention
  • Anti-inflammatory as a Cox2 inhibitor

Omega-3 Fats

Dose: Highly subjective. Online calculator available at Whole9life.com/fish-oil/

For relatively healthy, active individuals: .25g/10 lbs body weight

Suggested Brands: Green Pasture’s fermented cod liver/butter blend (beyond omega 3’s also a valuable source of fat-soluble A, D, E & K2), Standard Process, Nordic Naturals, Carlsons, Barleans, Thorne Research: Krill Oil, Super EPA Pro, Omega -3 CoQ10, Omega Plus, Omega Superb lemon/berry

Food Resources: Wild game, grass-fed beef, cold water fish, walnuts & pecans

Fermented Cod Liver oil/butter blend

Critical Roles:

  • Imperative to managing the inflammatory response
  • Hormonal and cell-to-cell communication
  • Building blocks to cell membranes
  • Important role in the formation of prostaglandins~ essential hormone-like substances the body cannot survive without.
  • Required for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E & K
  • Are required for the adequate use and digestion of proteins and amino acids
  • Play a role in slowing the absorption of food for proper energy regulation

Magnesium

Dose: 400-600 mg or to bowl tolerance. Best taken before bed as it can aid in relaxation for most. Need to self monitor your needs and response to magnesium

Suggested Resources: While available in many forms, magnesium is best absorbed as either magnesium glycinate, malate or citrate.

Natural Calm fizzy drink taken hot or cold

Biotics Research, Standard Process, Pure Pharma’s Mineral M3 or Solaray

Thorne Research: Magnesium CitraMate

Food Sources: Dark green leafy vegetables and fruits, especially when grown organically in rich soils

Critical Roles:

  • Vital for over 300 enzymatic processes in the body
  • Cofactor in calcium absorption and bone formation
  • Useful at managing blood sugar
  • Blood clotting
  • Energy production
  • Muscle contraction
  • Nerve transmission
  • Deficiencies appear to contribute to insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, high blood pressure

Proteolytic Enzymes

Dose: 10 Tabs for acute injury, then 5 tabs 4X/day on an EMPTY STOMACH or in between meals for 3 days

Afterwards reduce to 5 tabs 3X/day always on EMPTY stomach until swelling heals or inflammation abates.

This product is contraindicated in cases of esophageal ulcers, gastric ulcers, those on blood thinning medications and in cases of emphazema or other severe lung conditions.

Suggested Resources: Biotics Research Intenzyme Forte, Wobenzyme
Critical Roles:

  • Excellent at calming systemic inflammation
  • Tissue damage
  • Arthritis,
  • Atherosclerosis, helpful in chelation to remove plaque from arterial walls
  • Phlebitis
  • Free radical conditions
  • Food sensitivities
  • Poor circulation due to inflammation
  • Reduced recovery time from training, competition or injuries
  • Used before and after surgeries to speed healing
  • Fighting tumors or cancers

Probiotics

Dose: There are no specific guidelines or RDAs here. However, it is important to supplement regularly with a broad spectrum of stains and sources. This is especially essential after a course of antibiotics to replenish your ‘good’ bacteria

Suggested Resources: Prescript Assist (soil based organisms), Jarro-Dophilus, New Chapter, Standard Process or Biotics Research

Food Sources: Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, Kimchi, teas (Kombucha), miso, yogurt and kiefer (unpasteurized) A word of caution with the use of dairy sources: Dairy promotes elevated insulin levels and gut irritation

Critical Roles:

  • Promotes healthy gut flora, which is crucial for proper digestion and elimination
  • Support the immune system
  • Protect the gut lining
  • Some are helpful in preventing periodontal disease
  • Helps production of B Vitamins in the intestines

B Vitamins

Dose: Needed daily, as they are water-soluble and not stored well. Doses vary depending upon need, however there are no known levels of toxicity.

Suggested Resources: Biotics Research Bio B 100, Standard Process, Lewis Labs brewer’s yeast. Thorne Reseach: several options depending upon your needs.

Food Sources: Liver, bison, brewer’s yeast, mushrooms, trace amounts found in pecans, sunflower seeds, broccoli, & Brussels sprouts

Critical Roles:

  • Depleted in times of fasting, dieting, weight loss, high consumption of processed, refined, high carbohydrate diets, sugar, coffee and alcohol
  • Inhibits microorganisms in the large intestine
  • Assists in neurotransmitters for improved brain health, as well as nerve and muscular activities
  • The body’s ‘spark plug’. Essential in many vital biochemical reactions in the body.
  • Important in metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins
  • The health of the liver, skin, hair, eyes and mucosal lining and muscles of elimination
  • Play a role in both energizing and relaxing the body

Vitamin C

Dose: Recommendations vary person to person and vary in degrees of health. For general maintenance 50-100 grams per day.

Suggested Resources: Be aware that most vitamin C is derived from corn syrup, check your labels.

Standard Process, Biotics Research, Garden of Life Raw vitamin C, Thorne Research: Vitamin C with Flavonoids

Food Sources: Cauliflower, broccoli, daikon, radish, lemon juice, garlic, beets, Brussels sprouts. Raw is best as cooking may destroy this unstable, water, soluble vitamin (as well as heat, air, copper or alkalis)

Critical Roles:

  • Potent antioxidant
  • Anti-Inflammatory properties. Good for relieving back pain and recovery for sore muscles
  • Supports the immune system
  • Formation of collagen, connective tissue and body shape
  • Aids in wound healing
  • Helps to maintain healthy blood vessels
  • Important in maintaining healthy adrenal eye, brain, pituitary, and sex organ function
  • Depleted quickly and even more rapidly in the presence of stress, alcohol intake, with smoking, fever, colds, infections, aspirin and other pain medications, as well as heavy metal exposure
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