Chances are, you’re reading this post because you are concerned about your health, would like to live a healthy life, and are open to supplementation.
If you’ve ever entered a specialty grocery store and walked past the vitamin section, it can be difficult to know which ones you should pay attention to. At Keystone Chiropractic, we highly recommend that our patients get as many vitamins and minerals as possible through whole foods.
This can be difficult. Below you’ll find the Big Three that will give you the biggest bang for your buck so that your body has all that it requires to function optimally. These three also happen to support neurological health, which is what our main focus is on at Keystone Chiropractic.
#1 Omega 3 (Fish Oil)
Fish oil, which contains the essential fatty acids EPA and DHA is found in animal-based foods, especially marine life like Wild Salmon. Many people do not consume enough marine sources of Omega 3, which is why we often recommend supplementation.
Why You Need It:
Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated that Omega-3 fatty acids are critical for the maintenance of cardiovascular health, immune system function, and joint comfort. In addition, Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for the health of neuronal tissues, including the brain, and have been shown to play a role in both mood and cognition. Emerging evidence also indicates that Omega-3 fatty acids may be important in the maintenance of healthy body composition.
Aim to get 1 to 3 grams of EPA and DHA daily. Quality is huge when it comes to fish oil because reports show that many fish oil brands are contaminated, rancid, or don’t meet label claims.
2. Vitamin D3
Mountains of research show that achieving healthy Vitamin D levels is one of the easiest ways to prevent disease, promote long-term health, and reduce injury and illness rates.
Why You Need It:
Most people are Vitamin D deficient because the best way to receive adequate amounts is via direct sun exposure. That is hard to achieve in Iowa between September and May because the sun is farther away from the Northern Hemisphere and most people don’t receive adequate amounts of direct sunlight.
Tons of research link Vitamin D deficiency to heightened risk of heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, and obesity. Here’s a few more reasons why everyone should get enough D:
- Necessary for a robust immune system
- Protective against musculoskeletal injuries and fractures
- Likelihood of having depression and other brain/mood disorders is significantly higher in D-deficient people
- Linked with fighting numerous cancers including lung, breast, colon, and prostate.
It’s important to check blood Vitamin D levels periodically due to seasonal differences.
In order to maintain Vitamin D levels from sun exposure, you need to be in direct sunlight for 20 minutes daily between 10 am and 2 pm (without sunscreen).
Supplementing with 35 IU/pound of body weight or approximately 5,000 IU daily in order to achieve a blood level between 50 and 80 ng/ml is the easy alternative if you have limited sun exposure.
Probiotics are tiny bacteria that naturally occur in the gastrointestinal tract. When consumed in adequate amounts, there are many health benefits. If you do not eat many probiotic-rich foods like kefir, fermented vegetables, kombucha, etc. then supplementation is necessary.
Why You Need Them:
Digestion & GI Health – Probiotics aid digestion and absorption of nutrients in the gut. Not only do probiotics ensure your body can absorb vitamins, minerals, and protein from food, but they also affect the production of neurotransmitters that are made in the GI tract, allowing for better cognition and brain health.
Detoxification – Probiotics displace harmful bacteria and improve the body’s ability to get rid of waste products. They help prevent damage to the liver and other organs due to alcohol, antibiotics, or painkillers like Tylenol.
What to Look For:
An important consideration when choosing a probiotic is that the supplement you buy contains live microflora bacteria. Many procucts are only guaranteed at the time of manufacture, meaning that the majority may have died off by the time you take them.
It’s important that you get products containing the species and strain that have been researched to have worthwhile outcomes. Here’s a few examples of what to look for:
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterum lactis
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Did You Know?
The supplements above are what we have available for our patients and are of the very highest quality. We do not recommend these products so that we can force people to purchase them from our practice. We are recommending these products because they are at the level of quality that satisfies our requirements.
For example, the Omega-3 Fish oil we carry is molecularly-distilled (free of toxins and chemicals,) and at the level of concentration that have you taking less pills per day, with greater benefits than other fish oil supplements available at ANY retail outlet—including Whole Foods and Trader Joes. When most of our patients have compared the quality of the supplements that they were previously taking with the products that we have available in our practice, virtually every person saw that, at the end of the day, they were getting greater quality and better value taking our products versus their old brand.