That's the Stuff!

Now that I've told you the bad stuff that I avoid, here is some of the good stuff.  Below, I've listed the things which everybody could benefit from.  (I'll tell you more about my specific supplements later after I get to the part of my story where I go to the holistic doctor.)  Supplements can help your body recover from and get rid of the bad stuff.  I take a handful (literally!) of supplements with my breakfast, and another handful at dinner. 

The Good Stuff:

1.  Omega 3's - Apparently, we humans are supposed to have a certain ratio of omega 6 fats to omega 3 fats.  Since most animal fat is omega 6, guess which one we have too much of?  Most of us are out of balance with our fats.  Omega 3 fat come from fish, certain seeds, and certain nuts.  Omega 3 fat is good for the brain and actually helps you burn body fat!  (For more info on the benefits of Omega 3, Dr. Hyman does a good job of explaining it in his book.)  I take a high-quality fish oil supplement twice a day.  Also, I buy omega 3 eggs (the chickens were fed on flax seeds), eat salmon and sardines regularly, eat walnuts from time to time, and put ground flax seeds on my cereal.  These are all good ways of getting more omega 3.

2.  Pro-biotics - Yes, we've all seen the Actimel commercials!  We know that the bacteria in yogurt can help "make you regular".  But did you know there are more benefits from taking a pro-biotic supplement?  Most of us have too much "bad" bacteria living in our digestive tract.  (I certainly did!)  Know why?  Because the "bad guys" thrive on sugar and carbs!  Once out of balance, the good bacteria just can't keep up and just eating some yogurt isn't nearly enough to compensate.  Combine that with the odd round of anti-biotics, and you've got a problem.  If the bad bacteria count gets too high in your digestive tract, the waste that they produce can make you feel sick all over.  It could cause things like headaches, nausea, and generally feeling "hung-over".  (All this in addition to digestive issues!)  The "good guys" keep the "bad guys" in check.  I take a pro-biotic supplement with breakfast, and one again with dinner.

3.  Multi-vitamin - It's sad to say, but these days veggies and fruit just don't have the vitamins that they used to.  Current farming techniques are depleting the minerals in the soil and therefore, things that grow in it don't live up to their potential.  Also, most of the produce we eat is tainted with pesticides and chemicals, is irradiated, and picked while green and shipped long distances.  You just cannot get the vitamins you need by eating the recommended "5-a-day".  (And let's be honest here.  How many of us actually eat our 5-a-day anyway?)  Taking a high-quality multi-vitamin can help your body run the way it should. 

4.  Fiber - Your body must eliminate all the toxins you put into it.  Fiber helps the body get rid of them quickly before they cause problems in the body.  Need I say more?  (Ground flax seeds not only have omega 3's, but they are a good way of getting fiber as well.)

So - get rid of the bad stuff, add the good stuff, and your body will thank you!