What Supplements Do YOU Take?

I’m sitting on a plane the other day flying home from a quick trip to Memphis Tennessee.

I struck up a conversation with the person next to me, who asked me what I was doing in Memphis, and when I told him I was doing a TV segment for brain boosting kids foods ...

... he started to probe.

“What do you do” he asked?

I told him a bit about what we do at Mohr Results, like writing for this very blog, working with Teams, and really just helping people become better versions of themselves through their diet and exercise.

He looked at me and said “So, what supplements do you take?”

I wish people would instead ask “what do you eat” but that’s a different story.

Supplements are hot.  And people are always looking for the next magic bullet to help make them ...

... thinner, younger, give more muscle, etc.

Well, outside of those “magic bullet” hopefuls, there are a few mainstays in my daily diet.  And my kids, too.  But to be honest, I don’t call them “supplements” -- I prefer, compliments, as they compliment an already clean diet.

Fish oil. In my mind this is the #1 most important supplement people can add to their diet.  You likely don’t eat enough quality fish.  Of course fish is a great source of protein, but it also has something in there that we can all benefit from -- omega-3 fats.  Omega 3’s have been linked to everything from reducing the risk of heart disease to improving cognition, improving skin health to joint health and everything in between.  The key is getting a high level of quality omega-3’s, which means high concentrations of the two omega’s EPA & DHA.  I use, like and trust Nordic Naturals and my entire family uses it regularly.

Protein. I don’t really consider this a ‘compliment’ but since most people do, I listed it here and think it’s a great, easy, smart addition to the diet.  Protein is remarkably satiating, so including some with each meal and snack is definitely a wise idea.  We enjoy a variety of brands, focusing on quality and taste.

Probiotics.  This is one of the hottest areas of nutrition and health right now.  Gut health, otherwise known as the Human Microbiome.  Well, technically it’s not just gut health -- but that’s a big, big part of it.  In fact, there are 100’s of trillions of cells in, on and around the body and there are huge research and government pushes to look more into this hot area for health and disease.  Research suggests a link to obesity, diabetes, immunity and so much more.  Like protein, we mix up our brands as there are many, many different strains of probiotics and each can provide unique benefits.  We also eat foods that contain pre- and probiotics (yogurt, sauerkraut, Kimchi and more).

Multivitamin. This is another hotly debated topic.  Does everyone need a multivitamin?  I believe it’s important, not to replace a great diet, but to compliment it.  No one eats “perfectly” all the time, whatever that means anyway.  But basically I mean eating a huge variety of colorful veggies, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains, etc, etc.  This is where the multivitamin -- a quality multivitamin -- comes into play.  That being said, there are many, many different products available on the store shelves.  Looking at the entire selection, my wife and I use, like and trust Rainbow Light Certified Organics Men’s and Women’s Multivitamins, respectively.  We like the fact that they’re made with whole foods, with the nutrients coming from fruits and veggies.  We like that there is a solid dose of the nutrients needed for optimal health.  Again, this isn’t to replace anything in the diet - it’s in addition to everything in our diet.

Those are the basics.  Nothing fancy.  Nothing “sexy” -- just the basics.  Of course everyone is unique, so some may benefit from other products added to this mix, but with a food first approach, it’s most important to focus on that quality and variety in the diet.

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