Chelsea Blackbird, Certified Nutritional Therapist
Read Part 1 here. Chelsea will be at our New Year New You Wrap party on 3/1 all day selling some of her favorite supplements. Stop by and say hello!
Now I’ll share with you some of the most common supplements I recommend to my clients and how you might benefit from them too:
These are important to help populate good gut bacteria. To put it simply: we want more good guys in there than bad guys to help keep many of our body functions balanced. It is especially useful for a strong immune system. The best way to get probiotics is by eating fermented foods. And I’m not talking about the sugary carton of yogurt on your grocery store shelf. You get very little benefit from that. I’m talking about foods like homemade yogurt and sauerkraut, and kombucha used therapeutically (yes, you can overdo kombucha!). But since most people are not making their own fermented foods, supplementing with a probiotic is a good idea. A few things to note: it’s important to rotate your probiotic so that you get different strains of bacteria and a more diverse population in the gut. But also know that certain strains of bacteria do not agree with people. Depending on the health of your gut, introducing some types of bacteria could cause constipation or diarrhea (a good example of why you should seek a professional opinion). Some products I like are BioKult and Prescript Assist.
It’s pretty safe to say that most people are deficient in this important mineral. It is instrumental in so many body functions including heart health and blood sugar regulation. The most effective way incorporate supplemental magnesium is transdermally. A magnesium spray is absorbed and used by your body very efficiently (it’s best sprayed on the bottoms of your feet). I like this one from Amazon. You can also drink a magnesium supplement like Natural Calm. This is nice to drink before bed to help relax your body for better sleep. It’s also good to get the bowels moving for people with constipation.
I like cod liver oil because it offers the fat soluble vitamins (especially A & D) and some Omega-3s. I specifically like the Green Pastures brand because it is processed through cold fermentation, preserving the nutrients in a healthy way. Unfortunately, many people supplement with low quality fish oils that are poorly processed. This alters the structure of the oil and can actually make it inflammatory. I also like the Carlson’s and Nordic Naturals brands.
While I don’t personally take a multi-vitamin or typically ask my clients to, I realize that a lot of people like to cover their bases with a broad-spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement. You will want to choose a quality brand like Garden of Life or ask your trusted practitioner for a professional line product.
Finally, one thing I often find myself recommending to clients is hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes. Many people do not properly break down their food, and if your body can’t break it down efficiently, then the nutrients cannot reach all the places they need to be. I don’t recommend these unless you know that your body is not absorbing nutrients efficiently which can be assessed by a nutrition evaluation.
The most important thing to remember is that your nutrients should come from real food! Supplements can be extremely helpful especially in specific circumstances but the most potent supplements ever can be found right on your plate!
Chelsea Blackbird is a certified nutritional therapist who uses a holistic approach to health and wellness. For more information or to schedule a personalized nutritional assessment, go to her blog www.dailynutritionist.com, contact Chelsea at 512/496-3083 or chelsea@thechristiannutritionist.com.