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About: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC
Recent Posts by Natasha Uspensky, CHHC
5 Great Mini-Workouts You Can Do Everyday!
Following up on my recent post “Start Working Out! Now!” I wanted to share some great, mini-workouts that anyone, even Mrs. BusyBusy Pants McOverworkedstein, can fit into every day life. By no means do these mini-workouts take the place of a real, bona fide exercise regimen, but they are a great place to get started incorporating movement into everyday life, or to keep moving and burning those calories between workout days. When you have a regular exercise routine, you’ll find that your body starts to physically crave movement, like your muscles are itching to be flexed! These little mini-workouts are great tricks to scratch that itch, boost energy and maximize calorie burning all day long.
The Subway Ballerina: While waiting for the train, I often find myself sub-consciously doing pretty little ballerina moves that are super-toning, but still subtle enough to not attract too much attention. Opt for little leg lifts (lifting leg behind you, reps of 15 per side) and little plié/calf-raises (in first position, squat slightly and then get on your toes, come down, repeat. Reps of 15), that will tone up your butt, calves and thighs, while you’re reading Lucky Mag and waiting for your train! Can’t find a seat on the train? Do your pliés while you’re standing!
The Stairmaster: You know you should be taking the stairs, but now, actually do it! Leaving your building, going up to your office… any time you have a chance to take the stairs (particularly going up), do it! It’s great cardio, and a wonderful workout for your legs
The Compulsive Walker: This is the easiest daily mini-workout you can do. If you live in an urban environment, this is definitely a lot easier. Get off the train a stop early on your walk to work, and at the end of the day, pick a station slightly further away, so you can have a nice, long walk to end your day! If you live in a rural or suburban environment, pick a parking spot further away from your destination, so you can sneak a longer walk in. For lunch, skip the car, and get the gang together to walk to your favorite lunch spot! In the evening, a wonderful activity to do as a couple or family (or even solo!) is taking a nice walk after dinner! It gets everything moving, improves digestion, and is another great way to sneak in some physical activity!
The Office Iron Pumper: Depending on what you do for a living, there is tons of time throughout the day when you can multitask in some exercise throughout your workday. When I had an office job, I, along with a lot of the women I worked with, kept some light weights in their cubicles to do bicep curls (3 sets of 10-15 reps per arm), or overhead triceps extensions (3 sets of 10) while talking on the phone at work. Don’t want to bring weights to work? You can use water bottles, soup cans, or any other comfortable 2-4 lb. item!
The Ball Chair Baby: I am a big fan of the exercise ball office chair. In addition to being amazing for stability, posture, and core strength, the ball chair comes with a ton of awesome exercises you can do, right at your desk! Your ball chair should come with a little booklet of workouts, but my favorites are seated leg lifts, seated side crunches, and trunk rotations. You can do these throughout the day to maximize time spent in front of the computer, and tone up that core!
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Natasha Uspensky, CHHC
Holistic Health & Nutrition Counselor
Start Working Out! Now!
Yeah, yeah… You don’t have time to workout. You’re so, insanely busy that you can’t fit in 20 minutes on a mat in front of your tv with 
your favorite exercise DVD. Blah, blah, blah. Listen, sister, we both know that’s a load of hooey. Time isn’t the issue. Everyone has an extra 20 minutes, or can make room for it. Sometimes it’s a bit of the ol’ laziness, sometimes it’s simply not knowing what workouts to do (or which won’t make you cringe). Often times it’s a legitimate (albeit pretty suppressed) fear that if you just make the time, you’ll be out of excuses for why you’re out of shape, or a little heavier than you’d like to be. You would actually have to start living the most fulfilled and awesome life you can, which takes some work and commitment. Whatever your reasons, make it a point to cut the crap with yourself. Today. Right now. Not tomorrow, or after this weekend, or when work calms down. Now.
Don’t know where to start? A big mistake we tend to make with our health is getting super ambitious, biting off a little more than we can currently chew, and then petering out when we lose interest or focus. How many times have you vowed to start working out 5 days a week, or to cut out sugar completely, or to eat greens twice a day, everyday? How long did that last?
The trick is to ease yourself into big lifestyle changes, that you can then build on until you get where you want to be. Start making movement a part of your everyday life. EVERYDAY.. not just on your workout days. Do some stretches when you wake up, some leg lifts or pliés on the subway platform, bicep curls while you’re on the phone, and walk, walk, walk. Up the stairs, down the street, walk more, walk always. Check out 5 Great Mini-Workouts You Can Do Everyday!
Once your body starts to get the hang of regular, daily, intentional movement, it starts to crave it, which makes motivating yourself to work out that much easier.
- Give yourself manageable workout goals. Don’t have a gym membership? Don’t wait until you get one… (that’s another excuse in and of itself!). Pick up some workout videos or hell, even get on YouTube and search for any workout you like and GET MOVING!
- If you’re starting at zero, shoot for 15-20 minutes just three days a week, and build your way up from there. Schedule those 15-20 minutes into your calendar and make it a non-negotiable event.
- Commit to your consistent routine for a few weeks, and then add on. Make it 20 minutes 4 days a week, or up your workouts to 40 minutes.
Don’t start by worrying about the how’s or when’s right now. Just. Start. Moving. Losing weight, getting fit, eliminating cellulite, aging gracefully and slowly, and decreasing risk of all kinds of illness will not happen any other way. You owe it to yourself to start today.
Stay tuned for my upcoming series of posts focusing on all things exercise. The best workouts, videos, and guides out there, sorted for your workout personality!
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Natasha Uspensky, CHHC
Holistic Health & Nutrition Counselor
Green Coffee Bean Extract… Miracle Weight-Loss Supplement?
Both from personal experience and in my work with clients, I know there is no real, long-term quick fix for weight loss. There is no healthy miracle pill or food that will make the pounds come off and, more importantly, stay off. Getting and staying slim is always a matter of eating the right foods for your body at the right times of the day, the correct consistent exercise for your body, and a healthy, balanced lifestyle with self-care and stress management tools at your disposal. That’s the secret. It’s not a pill or a drink, or a powder, or a piece of equipment that lets you eat crap without gaining weight. It’s not calorie counting, or low-fat, low-cal packaged foods, or frozen dinners. Though there are supplements and tricks and diets that help you drop weight quickly, odds are, you won’t be able to keep it off without making real, healthy changes to your eating and lifestyle. The weight will always come back, and it will bring friends.
So with this in mind, I wasn’t too taken in by all the hullabaloo surrounding green coffee bean extract (GCBE) that everyone has been talking about. But enough clients have been asking me about it (ever in search of that quick fix!), that I thought I’d do a little more research.
Green coffee beans are raw, unroasted beans found in red coffee berries. In their unadulterated state, coffee beans offer a ton of natural antioxidants, can lower risk of diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. However, the benefit I’m most interested in (and the part everyone is talking about) is the effect green coffee beans have on blood sugar. Chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant abundant in green coffee bean extract, has been shown to significantly inhibit the release of glucose into the blood stream, preventing the elevated blood sugar levels that make weight loss difficult for many people. Stable blood sugar equals weight loss, energy, and improved hormone function!
But wait… Before you get all excited and think this is the miracle cure you’re looking for, that will let you eat pizza and ice cream and still lose weight, you’re wrong. Although GCBE will definitely help stabilize your blood sugar after meals, it’s not going to keep you from gaining cellulite, clogged arteries, and increased risk of all kinds of disease that is the result of poor eating. It’s also not a long-term solution. Clinical trials of GCBE were for 3 months, and I’m going to go ahead and wager that if you are overeating or eating poorly and using GCBE to stay slim, it’s going to catch up with you, and you will balloon up!
Green coffee bean extract could be for you if you are already making the transition to healthier eating and lifestyle. When used in conjunction with healthy eating, GCBE can be a great way to supplement all the hard work you’re doing, especially if you struggle with blood sugar issues. Keep in mind, this supplement is for adults who are significantly overweight or pre-obese, not people who have 10 lbs. to lose.
If you’re going to take green coffee bean extract:
- Make sure it is sourced from organic coffee beans (coffee is one of the most highly sprayed crops in the world). This is actually pretty hard to find in capsule form, but it’s out there in powder form.
- Make sure to drink lots of water (coffee is a natural diuretic, and a dehydrated body does not do well with weight loss)
- Make sure the extract is pure, and not filled with tons of other ingredients.
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Natasha Uspensky, CHHC
Holistic Health & Nutrition Counselor
Healthier Breastfeeding Alternatives
In an ideal world, all babies would be breastfed for the first 12 months of their lives. Mother’s milk provides a developing baby with vital nutrients, incomparable immune benefits, and a crucial bonding experience. Breastfeeding lowers risk of obesity, infections, skin conditions like eczema, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, allergies, and improves cognitive development. Committing to breastfeed for as long as possible is a noble and important decision every mother must make. But for those mothers that are either unwilling or unable to breastfeed for a variety of reasons, it’s important to select the healthiest alternative… which may not be what you think.
Research shows that the second best option after mother’s milk is raw, unpasteurized cow’s milk, which provides many similar benefits. The worst possible options are commercial infant formula, which can contain high fructose corn syrup, toxic chemicals, and soy, which can actually hinder the development of your baby, and pasteurized cow’s milk, which is lacking in nearly all of the vital nutrients baby needs.
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| Mercola.com |
For the health of your baby, try to stay away from these commercial formulas, in favor of making your own, homemade formula with raw milk, which provides your baby with essential nutrients second only to mother’s milk. This recipe comes from The Weston A. Price Foundation:
RAW MILK-BASED BABY FORMULA
2 cups whole, raw milk from pasture-fed cows
1/4 cup homemade liquid whey
4 tablespoons lactose
1/4 teaspoon bifidobacterium infantis powder
2 or more tablespoons good quality raw cream, more if you are using milk from Holstein cows
1 teaspoon cod liver oil
1 teaspoon expeller-expressed sunflower oil
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons coconut oil (heat to 76° to liquify)
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons gelatin
1 7/8 cups filtered water
1/4 teaspoon acerola powder
Add gelatin to water and warm until granules dissolve. Put this and all the other ingredients into a blender and mix well. Transfer to a clean glass or stainless steel container for storage.
To Serve:
Pour 6-8 ounces into a clean glass bottle, attach nipple and heat gently in a pan of simmering water. Don’t over do it, just enough so it’s warm to the touch, then shake well and feed.
Sources:
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Natasha Uspensky, CHHC
Holistic Health & Nutrition Counselor
Holistic Treatment of Migraines and Headaches
Headaches and migraines are among those pesky and debilitating health concerns that are more often than not a sign of an imbalance in the body. A healthy body may get an occasional headache from stress or dehydration, but when it’s a regular, frequent complaint, action needs to be taken.If you’re getting headaches consistently once a week or more, the first step is to rule out anything neurological. See your doctor for a CT Scan or MRI. Once these causes are ruled out, it’s important to identify your triggers and get to the bottom of your headaches. Migraines are actually more often caused by gastrointestinal or environmental factors. Common causes and triggers of headaches and migraines are:
- Alcohol, especially beer and red wine
- Certain foods, such as dairy, chocolate, peanuts, some fruits, sugar, foods with monosodium glutamate (MSG), onions, meats, some cooking oils
- Poor diet or nutritional deficiencies
- Blood sugar imbalance (skipping meals)
- Inflammation
- Environmental toxins
- Fluctuations in hormones — for example, during pregnancy, before and during your period, and menopause
- Certain odors, such as perfume
- Stress, physical or emotional
- Too little or too much sleep
- Caffeine
- Smoking or exposure to tobacco smoke
- Some medications
- Heat, high humidity, and high altitude
Try identifying which of these factors play a role in your headaches, and eliminate them for at least two weeks. Keep a symptom journal or tracker (I like Chart Myself) to help keep track of the factors that influence your headaches. The specific holistic treatment approach you’ll take will be dependent on what your triggers are. For example, if you primarily get headaches around your period, focusing on balancing your hormones through diet and supplementation will be key. Or if your headaches come on when you are stressed or overworked, you’ll want to focus on stress management, relaxation, and, of course, a diet that supports your adrenals and immune system.
That said, there is definitely a holistic headache treatment protocol that can help all sufferers…
- DIET:
- It’s important to balance blood sugar with regular, filling meals, particularly in the first part of the day.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, fast food or processed food, artificial or chemical sweeteners, preservatives, additives like MSG and artificial flavors and colors, sugar (which headache sufferers will want to cut out completely), dairy, gluten, excessive animal products (particularly red meat and any meat containing nitrates) and hydrogenated oils
- Opt for a clean, whole foods, mostly plant-based diet of vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats
- LIFESTYLE:
- Stress management is vital for headache sufferers. A relaxation practice like yoga or meditation are HUGE and non-negotiable for living headache free.
- Regular breathing exercises
- A consistent exercise routine
- Quality sleep
- Quit smoking and avoid being around cigarette smoke
- Drink half your body weight in ounces of water a day
- Rid your home of toxic chemicals
- Naturalize your beauty regimen
- SUPPLEMENTATION:
- Supplementing your diet is vital to filling in the nutritional blanks left by food. Consult a my supplement guide for some great general supplements everyone (especially headache sufferers) can benefit from. Of particular importance are:
- Magnesium (200-600 mg a day) — a deficiency in this nutrient is a common cause of headaches
- Vitamin B2 (400 mg a day) or B Complex — another supplement especially beneficial for reducing the frequency and duration of headaches
- Omega-3 Fish oil (2 g a day) — the most vital supplement to combat inflammation
- Chlorophyll (1 tbsp in water twice a day) — a cleansing, purifying and detoxifying supplement
- Apple Cider Vinegar (2 tbsp in water twice a day, or at onset of headaches)
- Feverfew (50-80 mg a day) and Butterbur (50-75 mg twice a day) and two herbs known for markedly decreasing intensity and frequency of headaches when taken regularly for up to 4 months.
- Supplementing your diet is vital to filling in the nutritional blanks left by food. Consult a my supplement guide for some great general supplements everyone (especially headache sufferers) can benefit from. Of particular importance are:
- ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES:
- Acupuncture
- Reflexology
- Massage
- Chiropractic
- Homeopathic treatment
Feel free to contact me for a consultation to develop your own holistic headache treatment protocol and to get healthy!
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Natasha Uspensky, CHHC
The Healthiest (and Yummiest) Snack Bars!
Those of you who are no stranger to The Organic Beauty know that I am not a huge proponent of snacking. Excessive need for snacking means you’re not getting enough substantial nutrition, and it can lead to weight gain from unnecessary added calories, as well as constantly fluctuating blood sugar. That said, sometimes you really need a frickin’ snack! Maybe you didn’t have time for a big healthy lunch, or don’t want to arrive at your nephew’s birthday pizza party famished. It’s times like these (hopefully not too often!) that you want to have access to a delicious, nutritious and quick snack that get’s the job done, without setting your diet back. An ideal snack bar gives you a good bit of protein to keep you full, fiber to keep things moving, and healthy carbs to give you energy. I’ve compiled a list of my top 5 snack bars that fit the bill… Plus, I’ve added the snack bars you should avoid at all costs, just for good measure.
- LARA BARS: These are consistently my number one top recommended snack bar. They are made of nothing but nuts and dried fruit… no additives, no sugar, no chemicals, no crap. Simple, whole food ingredients means more complete nutrition! This also means they’re gluten-free and vegan. A typical Lara Bar provides you with a full serving of fruit, 5 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber, making it the perfect snack! My favorite flavor is Cherry Pie… delish!
- JOURNEY BARS: These are a relatively new bar on the market, and I have to say, I am super impressed! The bars are savory, which means you’re not getting that god awful blood sugar spike, and come in yummy flavors like Rosemary, Hickory Barbecue, and Coconut Curry (my current fave). The bars feature amazing organic, gluten-free whole grains like amaranth and millet and savory spices and herbs that do great things for your body. They also pack about 5 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.
- BUMBLE BAR: Here’s another delicious, organic, gluten-free bar filled with nutritious seeds, grains, nuts, and dried fruit. The bars come in great flavors like Awesome Apricot (my favorite), Chai Almond, and Lushus Lemon, and many are sweetened with naturally low-glycemic sweeteners like organic agave or organic brown rice syrup. They pack anywhere from 4-7 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and an average of 7-10 grams of sugar!
- PURE BAR: These are another line of delicious, organic snack bars that have perfectly simple and pure ingredients. Dried fruit, nuts, brown rice protein, and agave make up the vast majority of their bars, that come in flavors like Banana Coconut, Wild Blueberry, and Dark Chocolate Berry (that last one is more of a dessert bar, but I’ll tell you what, it is sooo good, and still super healthy!). They have around 6-7 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and are loaded with antioxidants!
- RISE BAR: Rise has three different lines of breakfast bars, energy bars, and protein bars, all with simple, healthy ingredients like organic fruit, nuts, and whole grains. Depending on your needs, you can select bars with as much protein as 20 grams (in the Almond Honey Protein Bar), and all the bars have about 4 grams of fiber and are sweetened with healthy brown rice or tapioca syrup, or honey! The bars are designed to keep you sustained and energized for 3 hours, which is definitely the mark of a great snack!
Now what you don’t want out of a snack bar is unfortunately what the vast majority on the market have to offer: chemical additives and sugar replacements, processed or refined carbs, processed soy, processed dairy, and all kinds of other allergens (I love this image on the left from A Healthy Kitchen, which illustrates all the harmful crap found in most “diet” bars). As with anything you put in your body, LESS IS MORE! Any product with a super long list of ingredients is no good for you. A good rule of thumb is to only eat foods with 5 or less ingredients, and if you can’t pronounce an ingredient, stay away! Anything with “hydrolyzed” or “partially hydrogenated” ingredients typically means a low quality product. Some bars to stay away from are:- “Diet” and meal replacement bars like Atkins Meal Advantage, Zone Perfect Bars, South Beach Diet Bars, Slim-Fast Snack Bars, Balance Bars, Nutribar, Special K Meal Bars — which are all full of tons of processed soy, fake sugars, chemicals and additives.
- Protein bars and sports bars like Pure Protein, PowerBar, Solid Protein by Nature’ Best — also full of processed soy, palm and canola oils, dairy, and unhealthy chemical sweeteners.
- Pseudo-healthy bars like Kashi Go Lean bars, FiberOne Bars, Think Thin Bars — which, although slightly better than the bad guys above, are still full of processed ingredients, unhealthy oils, and sugar substitutes.
If you’re trying to bulk up your muscles and are working out a ton, a much healthier alternative to protein bars is a great shake with organic rice or hemp protein powder, fruit, and water or a nut milk!
Bottom line, derive your nutrition from REAL FOOD, not fake food substitutes. If you need something quick to grab and go, grab something that is REAL FOOD (i.e.: nuts, fruit, whole grains) and not a food facsimile! Just because something is “high protein,” “high fiber,” “low calorie,” or “sugar free” does not make it healthy — in fact, usually, it means the exact opposite!
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Natasha Uspensky, chhc
Holistic Health & Nutrition Counselor
Do Vitamins and Supplements Really Work?
I get asked all the time if vitamins are actually all they’re hyped up to be. Do they really work? Are they worth the money? Which vitamins
are really necessary?
There have been a lot of recent studies claiming that taking vitamins has little to no effect on one’s health, but the fact is that not all vitamins are created equally. Research has shown over and over again that potent, high quality formulations of certain vitamins, minerals, herbs, and antioxidants play a huge role in maintaining optimum health and longevity, disease prevention, and treating various ailments.
That said, it’s important to note that vitamins and supplements are not a miracle, cure-all panacea that allow you to neglect healthy diet and exercise. Supplements are really designed to fill in the gaps left in our diets. The most potent and effective means of delivering nutrients into your system are through whole foods. Very few, if any, supplements will ever offer the same benefits as eating a variety of brightly colored vegetables and fruit, and whole grains. But unfortunately, some vitamins are nearly impossible to get enough of, even if you have a super healthy diet. Vitamin D, for example, is a vitamin nearly everyone in the northern parts of the world is deficient in. It is simply impossible to get enough vitamin D3 from sunshine when you live anywhere that has a winter. To derive enough of this vital nutrient from the sun, you would need 15 minutes of direct sunlight (sans sunblock) on large swaths of your skin every single day. Even in warmer climates, that just isn’t possible for a lot of people. Other nutrients aren’t possible to derive from specific diets. Vegetarians do not get sufficient amounts of vitamins B6 and B12, so supplementing with a high quality B Complex is vital. Omega-3′s are another nutrient that are very difficult to safely derive enough of in a standard Western diet, and it’s health benefits are so numerous that supplementation is definitely recommended for many people. There are also many herbs that just aren’t available (or palatable) for consumption as food — therefore taking them in supplement form is the most efficient and convenient means of delivering their amazing and varied benefits to your body.
Are supplements worth the money? It’s safe to say you’re probably wasting your money if you’re using vitamins as your only consistent sources of healthy nutrients while maintaining a sub-par, Standard American Diet. Anyone that tells you that you can keep eating cheeseburgers and ice cream and still be slim and healthy by taking some special amazing supplement is taking you for a ride! But if you’re using supplements to fill in the gaps in a healthy diet, you’re doing your body a huge favor.
What supplements should I be taking? Everybody has different supplementation needs, depending on gender, age, health concerns and goals. That said, there are definitely a few supplements that everyone can benefit from. See my Basic Supplement Guide for a list of universally recommended supplements for optimum health. For more specific recommendations, always consult a holistic healthcare practitioner. There are specific combinations of supplements that can help with everything from painful or irregular periods, weight loss and headaches or pain, to cancer prevention, all kinds of gastrointestinal issues like constipation or irritable bowel syndrome, heart health, cholesterol, and thyroid imbalance. Pretty much any health concern can be addressed and improved with the proper supplementation, in addition to… you guessed it!… healthy diet and exercise.
Are all vitamins safe? It is absolutely vital to ensure that the vitamins you are taking are high quality and in the right dosages for your body. Certain supplements, taken in improper dosage, have actually found to be detrimental to health and have been linked to higher risk of mortality and disease. Always research your vitamin brands to make sure they are using pure formulations derived from healthy sources. Brands I trust are NOW, Rainbow Light, Biotics, New Chapter, Vitanica, and Solgar. Check out the Organic Beauty Store for some fabulous supplements used by myself and my clients.
Supplements really do work, and, in combination with the correct diet and exercise for your body, can mean a stronger, more youthful, and healthier you!
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Natasha Uspensky, CHHC, AADP
Contact me to schedule a free initial consult to discuss your health goals and find the right diet and supplementation for you. Or come visit me at NU Health & Wellness for more info!
Basic Supplement Guide
Following up on my article, Do Vitamins Really Work?, I thought would share some of my most highly recommended supplements. Bear in mind that it is always best to consult with a holistic healthcare practitioner to determine the exact combination and dosage of supplements for your body and health concerns.
The Basic 5 Supplements for Everyone:
1. WHOLE FOODS MULTIVITAMIN: A good, high quality food-based multivitamin is a must for everyone, regardless of how healthy your diet is. Plain and simply, it just fills in the gaps in your diet and ensures you are getting at least the minimum daily requirements of various nutrients (though the minimums are just that… there is no substitute for getting all your potent vitamins, minerals and nutrients through a healthy diet!). Recommended: My favorite multis are Vitamin Code by Garden of Life. I take their Women’s Multi, and recommend their Men’s Multi and Prenatal to clients. Their multis are all whole food formulations, available in a more thorough 3-pills a day, which is necessary to make sure you’re getting enough goodness!
2. FISH OIL: More and more research is showing that Omega-3 Fatty Acids are absolutely vital for overall health, weight management, prevention of heart disease, managing stress, and decreasing inflammation (among many other benefits), and unless you’re eating sardines, anchovies, and wild salmon several times a week, you’re just not getting enough. Recommended Daily Dose: The ratio of EPA to DHA that is best for you is dependent on your specific health goals, but regardless, a minimum of 1 gram of fish oil (though 2 grams is better) is recommended for everyone. My favorites are NOW Foods Super EPA and NOW Foods Ultra Omega-3.
3. VITAMIN D3: This nutrient is one that we are all deficient in, as it is simply impossible to synthesize sufficient vitamin D anywhere but in the warmest and sunniest of climates. Getting enough vitamin D3 is imperative for preventing over 100 different diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. It has also been linked to preventing depression, improving mood and stress response, and achieving ideal weight. Recommended Daily Dose: a minimum of 2,000 I.U., or more, depending on specific health concerns. I recommend Biotics Bio-D-Mulsion Forte, which has liquid formulation that guarantees the most efficient delivery into the bloodstream, and has 2,000 in just one drop under the tongue!
4. PROBIOTICS: Daily probiotic supplements can help keep our digestive and immune systems functioning at their best, aid in absorption of other nutrients, and even help with weight loss and mood stabilization (again, in combination with a healthy diet!). Shoot for a high number of live cultures like acidophilus and bifidus. Recommended: I like NOW Probiotic 10-25 Billion, and find that it works best for most of my clients.
5. VITAMIN C: Especially for those of us living in urban environments, or those who work in hospitals or with kids (or just have kids), getting enough vitamin C is the first line of defense against colds and infections, and also helps your body fight anything else it’s dealing with. Getting enough vitamin C is also vital for preventing heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, maintaining adrenal health, which can help with fatigue and stress. Recommended Daily Dose: 500 mg 3-4 times a day, depending on your specific health concerns.
5 Great Supplements for Women
1. VITEX: Vitex, or chaste tree berry, is an incredible supplement for balancing hormones, regulating the menstrual cycle and easing symptoms like heavy flow and PMS. It is also a great supplement for fertility.
2. EVENING PRIMROSE OIL: Another great supplement for PMS symptoms, particularly cramps, breast tenderness, and breakouts.
3. CALCIUM/MAGNESIUM/ZINC: This combination is a vital supplement for women, to promote bone health, controlling blood sugar, heart health, and stress management. Make sure to take them together to avoid side effects and maximize results
4. DIM: DIM, di-indole-methane, is a cruciferous vegetable complex that significantly lowers risk of breast cancer (and other cancers as well), and can help detoxify the system after years of taking oral contraception (which increases risk of cervical cancer, infertility, and severe hormonal imbalance).
5. CRANBERRY EXTRACT: This is a wonderful supplement to promote urinary tract health, kill harmful germs in your system, and prevent cancer.
It’s important to reiterate that taking supplements is no substitute for healthy diet. Eating a diet made up primarily of brightly colored vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and legumes, healthy fats, and limited animal protein (mostly cold-water fish and eggs) is the BEST way to get all the energizing, life-extending, and disease-fighting nutrients you need.
