Dietary Supplements: The Why and What I Take

Photo by Michele Blackwell on Unsplash

Hello, I’m Hallie and I pop pills. Lots of them. No, you read that right and it’s the straight up truth.

Before you start to judge our friendship or stage an intervention, I’m referring to health supplements. I take around 20-25 pills a day at various times of the day. Remember the movie “Philadelphia” with Tom Hanks? He played a man who had HIV/AIDS and I distinctly remember all the pills he had to take. That’s basically me on the daily. I’ve shared my pile of pills on social media before and think it’s maybe time to explain what I take and why.

First, I want to tackle the why.

If I’m eating all the right foods, shouldn’t I be getting all the nutrients I need? In a perfect world, yes. But that's not where any of us live so let’s go further.

Instead of the popular phrase “we are what we eat”, it should be “we are what we absorb.”

I can eat all the “right” leafy greens, healthy fats and proteins in the world but if my gut is not working properly to absorb those nutrients then it just all gets flushed down the toilet. The other thing to consider is how nutritious is my broccoli? My Brussels sprouts? I mean they are supposed to be loaded with vitamins and minerals but if they are grown in nutrient dead soil or harvested before they are ripe, they’re empty of nutrients or have much lower nutrient content.

In the past few years, I’ve had some signs that I was lacking.

Before I get into mine personally, here are some of the main signs that indicate nutrient deficiencies:

• Severe hair loss

• Brain fog/cognitive impairment

• Slow-healing wounds

• Broken bones and slow to heal

• Bone pain

• Muscle cramps

• Face twitches

• Irregular heartbeat

• Deteriorating night vision

• Burning sensation in feet/tongue

• Bone pain

• Fatigue/loss of energy

• Missed or irregular periods

• Constipation

My internal alarms went up when I noticed cuts on my skin were slow to heal, my hair was breaking easily, my nails were thin/broke easily, and later when I broke my ankle from simply rolling it on the lip of my garage and it didn’t heal like it should. It was confusing as well as frustrating because I had been eating healthier than ever.

I didn’t have a primary doctor for many years because honestly, I don’t believe in treating symptoms as a health plan. I am a root cause kind of gal and know that traditionally trained medical doctors aren’t trained to practice medicine that way. It’s just not for me.

I ended up finding a naturopath in my area and after expressing my concerns, much to my delight, she suggested a blood panel. Normally, I would hate getting my blood drawn but it’s such an important tool that gives us very specific information about the state of our health. Blood is drawn in a lab, then analyzed for various biomarkers which are then compared to common reference ranges.

I found out I was Vitamin D and calcium deficient, low on iron, and other important vitamins. So she suggested supplementation to help improve these levels. I asked her why I was so low when I eat relatively healthy, she indicated it might be an absorption issue. So that’s where the supplementation and the quality of those supplements came in.

I use the brands/supplements my naturopath recommends based on my lab test results and her medical expertise. If I do choose to add other supplements, I use products of the brands I’m already using and make sure the company is transparent with third-party testing. The goal is that when I go back to do repeat blood work, I want to see my nutrient levels improve. If they don’t, then either I need a different supplement and/or I need to focus on the integrity of my gut health.

Here are the supplements I’m taking:

• Calcium for bone and heart health (Pure Synergy)

• Vitamin D for calcium absorption and immune support (Teloyears brand)

• Daily multivitamin (sourced from whole foods) (doTERRA Microplex VMZ)

• Cellular health support for healthy cells and antioxidants (doTERRA Alpha CRS+)

• Omega fatty acids for brain health (doTERRA EO Mega)

• TruNiagen for healthy mitochondrial function, energizing cells and healthy cell function

• Chlorophyll for oxygenation and build red blood cells (Herbs, Etc. softgels or liquid)

• Vitamin C for skin health, bone healing, absorption of collagen, as well as joint and ligament health (Have tried Pure Synergy pills and Quicksilver Scientific Liposomal C liquid)

• Collagen Peptides for skin, hair, and joint health (Vital Proteins and Bubs Collagen)

• Biotin for healthy skin, nails and hair (Kansha Good Hair)

• HCL for better nutrient absorption and optimal stomach acid levels

• Deflect (D’ Adamo brand) which is a lectin-blocker for type O blood (certain lectins can cause inflammation and compromise gut health for some)

• Ion Biome - supplement to fight the effects of environmental toxins on gut health as well as supports healthy cellular communication

Everything I take has its purpose and I don’t take anything that doesn’t address a potential chink in my nutritional armor.

I’m hoping to get back to my naturopath soon as well as get another blood test to see where my levels are at. This is usually a 2x year process for me.

I highly recommend requesting a thorough blood test each time you visit your doctor. Finding out where your biomarkers are will give you a much clearer picture of the state of your health and where you need to focus your efforts.

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Sidenote: There are affiliate links attached to some of these products. I recommend only the things I take myself and have been given the opportunity to get a small, small compensation for recommending what I love. By using these links, you will be supporting my writing as well as the cost of keeping up this website. Thank you!