Supplements Outside the Bottle

Hey everyone, glad you are back for the wrap up on this week's focus on vitamins and supplements! I've told you my own personal (oh-so-personal) story of my health challenges and part of the solutions I found, but today I want to turn the coin over and just say that getting and being healthy can come quite naturally too. The following list certainly is not exhaustive, but just a couple of things I've found :

Vitamin D & The Sun
My D was slightly low, and even my very western doctor suggested that in addition to supplementation, I get outside in the sun for 15-30 minutes a day.  I should have asked for a prescription trip to Hawaii, tee hee! But, you know it worked!  Vemma has D in it also, and adding the natural sunshine brought my levels right back up where they needed to be.

Especially in the winter months in the colder states, lots and lots of folks are suffering from vitamin D deficiency. And, according to the Vitamin D Council, D deficiency left untreated can lead to heart disease, chronic pain, Fibromyalgia, hypertension, arthritis, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, PMS, Crohns Disease, cancer, MS and other autoimmune diseases, and more!

WOW. Talk to your doctor. Get yours checked. And just to be safe, take a vacation to Hawaii. :)

Eggs
Eggs really get a bad rap, especially the yokes. But, another simple and natural supplement to get some high quality protein is super fresh organic free-range eggs. According to Mother Earth News and a study they conducted, eggs from hens raised on pasture have the following differences from other commercial eggs:

• 1⁄3 less cholesterol
• 1⁄4 less saturated fat
• 2⁄3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene

That is a super easy switch! They may cost a little more, and the 89 cent dozen may be tempting, but you are not comparing apples with apples...or eggs with eggs...or whatever, you get the point.

Fish, Fish Oil & Omega 3's
This is a tough one for me because I am just not a fish person. To me, it is near flavorless and I tend to like very robust flavors. Turns out (you all probably know this, but its new to me) that fish is somewhat of a blank slate meaning you can make it taste however you want it to! So, I'm going to try to eat more. It's important because its an excellent source of protein without the high saturated fat found in meat.

Fish is also a great source of omega 3 fatty acids which we hear so much about these days. Research from the American Heart Association reveals that omega 3 fatty acids keep our hearts healthy and help to reduce triglicerides, plaque and lower blood pressure.

Worried about mercury levels in your fish? The best place to get the omega 3's without high levels of mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. Avoid eating shark, swordfish, king Mackerel, or tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.

And, if you aren't a fan of fish, you can still get what you need in a high quality fish oil capsule. I take an amazing Metagenics product called EPA-DHA Extra Strength. Metagenics products are not available in stores, you have to get it from a chiropractor. If you live in the twin cities area, I can recommend a GREAT chiropractor if you need one. He told me that fish oils make your red blood cells slippery, and that's a good thing...you don't want sticky blood.


So, the point I've been making all week is that we should never accept the notion that prescription medication is our lot in life. If we develop disorders that require prescription meds, while following our doctors orders we need to be making it our goal to get at the underlying cause of our disorder and correct it....the ultimate goal being to get off meds. Meds always have side effects and contain elements not naturally made in our bodies which means our bodies must detox them. Always always always talk to and work with your doctor. He/she is your ally. If they are not your ally, find a new one.


Hear me please. I am NOT saying to go off your meds. I am not a doctor, but God made our bodies capable of healing themselves when given the proper building blocks and environment. 

I may not be able to recreate the perfection found in the garden of eden, but I can do an awful lot to keep myself healthy....naturally.


What say you? 

Talk to me please,
Cheryl


P.S. This post is a part of the Prevention Not Prescriptions blog carnival - check it out for some really smart writing and beautiful people!