I seriously dislike swallowing pills. Thankfully my thyroid pill is tiny, otherwise we would have a problem since I have to take it every single day. Because of this I would avoid taking vitamins and supplements even though I knew I should. Over the last few years I’ve become a little more comfortable adding pills to my morning ritual mostly because the more I learn about my body and health the more I am willing to do things that make me uncomfortable. The best part is once I started taking vitamins daily it started getting easier. Hallelujah!
I’ve gone through phases with certain vitamins and supplements. I learn about something, get super into it, and then slowly my desire to continue it diminishes. Of course, if something is essential I won’t let that happen. But a hair growth vitamin has definitely come and gone very quickly.
Before really getting into my vitamin routine, I want to mention that I’m no expert / doctor. I know there are 1000’s of vitamins / supplements I could / should take, but honestly, my lifestyle is all about moderation and balance. If it works for me, makes me feel good, and I see a result (a plus), then I’ll do it. Otherwise, no thanks. Over the years these have all become part of my routine based on health experiences and studies that I’ve come across. I’m sure it will change over time and I’m sure I will add to it eventually, but my goal is NOT become one of those people who swallow 30 pills a day–I don’t care how good it is for you, that’s just not happening!
Scroll down to read my vitamin & supplement ritual.
MY DAILY VITAMIN & SUPPLEMENT RITUAL:
-Bio-K Probiotics. I started drinking these a few months ago after countless people told me that a probiotic (it lines your stomach with good bacteria) will change my life. I was at a point where stomach aches were just part of my daily life. It sucked, but I was used to it. Literally anything I ate (esp dairy) would upset my stomach and bloat me. Even though these are pricey, it’s well worth it. I drink 1/3 every morning before any food is in my system and it has really helped me! Dairy and bread (not gluten, BREAD specifically) still affect me, but I just avoid them as much as possible.
-Synthroid. Not a vitamin or a supplement, but part of my morning routine. I take this every morning to keep my thyroid functioning properly. You can read all about my condition in this blog post.
-Lysine. If you’re the type of person who gets sick a lot (or easily gets sick around other sick people OR works around children), I highly recommend incorporating Lysine into your daily routine. It basically boosts your immune system, which is obviously the culprit of most illnesses (failed or weak immune systems). On a normal day I’ll take 2, but if I feel like I’m getting sick or already sick I take 3 per day. I bring this on vacation, ALWAYS.
-Prenatal Vitamin. I’ve been taking a prenatal vitamin since summertime. Paul did a ton of research and basically told me that I should be taking one if I’m preparing to get pregnant. Fertility aside, prenatals have biotin, which is amazing for your hair & nails, too. He puts these in front of me every morning but honestly I usually take it like 3 times per week because they are HUGE and also make my pee neon (TMI). Not my favorite part of the morning routine.
-Sovereign Silver. My sister-in-law introduced me to Silver years ago as her secrete weapon for killing a cold or sickness. It basically kills off bacteria, so you have to be careful about the timing of consumption since probiotics are technically [good] bacteria and you don’t want it to counteract it. I usually take Silver mid-day or at night (or both depending on my health). Just place a full dropper under your tongue for 30 seconds then swallow. People always want to know about the taste and rest assured, it takes like NOTHING.
OTHER SUPPLEMENTS I TAKE:
-Marine Collagen: I drink collagen in my shakes post workouts, or I’ll find other ways to include it in a smoothie as a snack. I break it all down in posts here & here.
-Vitamin B1: I take this daily a week before traveling somewhere with mosquitoes. They LOVE me so I’m willing to do ANYTHING that will help prevent them from eating me alive.
-Vitamin C: When I’m sick I like to take Vitamin C, but I don’t do it on the daily.
-Vitamin B12: If I’m feeling sluggish multiple days in a row I’ll take some B12, but it’s not something I feel necessary everyday.