What to take when you're just getting started with supplements

Okay, so you’re at square one. You’re feeling just okay, but wondering if you could feel a little better. You’ve heard that we don’t get enough nutrients from our food (we don’t). Maybe it’s because our soil is so badly degraded (it is) or maybe you’re not digesting as well as you could be. The truth is: it’s really hard for our bodies to get all of the vitamins and minerals it needs to function well from food alone. So without further ado, here are the five essential supplements I recommend to get you back to feeling YOU!

Omega 3s:

If you have pain or inflammation anywhere in your body, adding omega-3s into your diet could be a game-changer for you. Americans tend to get too many omega-6s which come from conventional grains, meat, nuts, seeds, nut/seed butters, processed foods, and processed “vegetable” oils (like safflower or canola). When omega-6 fatty acids are broken down, they cause inflammation in the body. If we don’t eat enough foods that are rich in omega-3s (which are anti-inflammatory), the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio gets out of whack. The more disproportionate this ratio is, the more inflammation we feel. The best whole food sources of omega-3s include wild-caught fish (like salmon, tuna, sardines) and grass-fed beef. If those aren’t your jam, Empirica’s Omega-3 is just one capsule per day (and without the fish burps, because ew.) Bonus: the omega-3s known as DHA and EPA support brain health and may even reduce symptoms of depression!

Magnesium:

Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, so when we become deficient, we feel it - FAST. Muscle soreness, headaches, insomnia, and even anxiety can be linked to not getting enough. Overdoing it with alcohol and caffeine can deplete it even more. To feel the biggest benefit, magnesium supplements have to have magnesium threonate, the only form of magnesium that crosses the blood-brain barrier, and magnesium glycinate. I love Empirica’s Tri-Mag for this as it's one of the few magnesiums that has this type!

What does that mean for you? You get to feel better faster - hello improved sleep schedule! Other forms of magnesium, like oxide and citrate, are not as easily absorbed by our bodies and are more of a stool softener and laxative. A Norma note: dependency on magnesium for a normal poo isn't always a good thing. Look deeper into our blogs and info on digestion for that!

Vitamin D3 with K2:

Ahhh one of my absolute favorites - sunshine in a bottle! Vitamin D3 is a fat soluble vitamin involved in the expression of more than 200 genes. It helps us metabolize minerals and decrease inflammation. It also forms the bedrock for our immune systems. We synthesize vitamin D3 in our skin from the sun’s lovely rays, but because we spend so much of our time indoors, we often don’t get enough of it. D3 supports our sleep, mood, serotonin levels, insulin regulation, and immunity. Add in K2, a vitamin that supports bone health and assists D3 to get absorbed by the body, and we have an amazing combo. My Empirica D3 + K2 is a must for the season's changing.

B Vitamins:

Okay, there’s no other way to say it: we ALL need B vitamins. We find them in liver, beef, leafy greens, broccoli, and beets. It is one of the most common deficiencies because things like stress, caffeine, eating too much sugar, absorption issues, and even certain medications can all cause rapid depletion. If you battle with serious dips in your energy or mood, get hangry often, or feel scattered like you have “crazy brain,” B vitamins could be a huge support for you. I personally can’t go more than two days without Empirica’s Vital Bs or my crazy brain sets in. They’re methylated which means my body doesn’t have to work to convert them into a form it can use. If you’ve tried Bs before and didn’t feel any effect, it’s possible you have the MTHFR gene variant which impacts your absorption, so methylated Bs are definitely the best option for you.

Once you incorporate these essentials, you’ll be well on the way to feeling like YOU.

PS: We love these 4 supps so much we bundled them up.

Take a look HERE!