I’m a big believer that the best place to get vitamins and minerals is from actual food. Whole foods first, supplements second. That’s always the goal.
But also, real life.
I love going out to eat. So obviously I’m not eating the cleanest food all the time because most restaurants are not using organic ingredients. I try to eat as clean as I can, but I also love Chick Fil A and will never pass up their fries.
Trying to eat perfectly just isn’t realistic when you’re running two teenagers around and coaching almost every day. Add perimenopause to the mix and suddenly I’m probably missing out on a few things, so lately I’ve been paying a whole lot more attention to what my body may need a little extra help with.
One thing I’ve learned is that not all supplements are created equal. At all.
You can buy something that looks super healthy on the front of the bottle, flip it over, read the “other ingredients” and wonder why half of that stuff needs to be in there. Fillers, artificial colors, unnecessary additives and ingredients I don’t recognize are things I try to avoid.
I’ve become the person standing in the supplement aisle reading the tiny print. Aging is glamorous.
Here are a few I currently use and love:
Vitamin D is one I consistently supplement, especially since it can be hard to get enough from food alone and my bloodwork has shown mine to be low at times.
Magnesium is probably one of my favorite minerals in general. I take it regularly at night and it’s one of those supplements I really don’t like running out of. There are several different forms of magnesium, and I like that this one uses a blend.
Just Ingredients Perimenopause
Obviously this one has become a little more relevant in this stage of life. Perimenopause is a very fun game of “what is my body doing today?” so I’m always interested in supporting hormones, energy and overall wellness as much as I can.
I use L Theanine when I’m looking for a little extra support with feeling calm without feeling tired. It’s one of those things I like having on hand for the days when my brain has approximately 47 tabs open. I also use it for a little extra help when I’m feeling anxious.
Vitamin C is one of those basics I like keeping in my routine, especially when I’m traveling or feel like I need a little extra immune support.
I add collagen for a little extra protein and support for skin, hair and joints. At this age, I’m accepting all the help I can get.
I also use Just Ingredients Protein Powder because getting enough protein has somehow become a full time job too. This one has really clean ingredients and actually tastes good, which is not always the case with protein powder.
This is definitely not me saying everyone needs to take everything I take. But if you happen to be in the same stage of life as me, these are a few that may be worth looking into.
And definitely get your bloodwork done regularly so you can see where your body may actually need a little extra support instead of just guessing. For me, it’s really just about doing the best I can, filling in the gaps where I need to, and not making my health another thing to stress about.