Supplements: What To Look For!
IVETTE RIEKSTS
Every body is different, and everyone has varying needs. What your body requires to reach optimal daily health can be totally different to someone else. But there are a few things to keep in mind when selecting which supplements are the perfect fit for you.
As a general guide, we make sure to tick these 4 boxes before trying anything new:
1. Natural Or High-Quality Synthetic Ingredients
When it comes to choosing your day-to-day supplements, always do your best to find natural food derived options instead of those that are separated from the other life-giving nutrients.
Remember, as stated above, synthetic supplements may be important for high-dose chronic conditions, but for day-to-day supplementation, natural whole food forms are best.
2. Scientific Evidence To Support Health Claims
This usually takes a little bit of exploration on your part, but if the supplement is making outrageous claims, or promises you a miracle cure without any research behind those statements, then you should be cautious about whether or not it’s the best choice.
Check the label or the manufacturer’s website for resources including links or references to journal articles to show that you’re getting the best supplement for your health.
3. What You Are Looking To Treat
If you are supplementing to treat a particular condition, then it may be necessary to take very specific types of supplements, and sometimes synthetic supplements, for a shorter duration of time to achieve high enough doses for the desired effect.
If you are just looking to maintain great health however, natural supplements are your best option so that they can be absorbed, metabolized and used by the body as if they had been ingested as food.
4. Your Requirements
Some vitamins are higher strength than others. And while you may assume that the higher the dose the better, your needs should dictate the levels you require.
When choosing a lower dosage you have the flexibility to boost your intake when needed rather than consistently take large doses, which in some cases can cause a toxicity or interfere with other medications (even natural ones!). It's best to consult your integrative doctor or naturopath for specific doses.
Click here to start learning which vitamins & supplements you should be taking!
Affectionately known as ‘V’, Ivette is a stellar member of the Food Matter family! With a formal education in Nutrition and Visual Arts, Ivette combines this dual expertise within her FMTV and Social Media roles. Ivette loves documentaries and is a passionate advocate for health, which makes her the perfect content custodian and curator for FMTV. And you can watch out for her creative flair on our Instagram account! Ultimately, Ivette’s mission is to connect people with quality health information - something she does with respect, finesse and big-hearted care here.