By Dr. Eyford D.C.
Every day in practice, I am asked many different questions along the lines of “what am I doing wrong?” or “how do I stay healthy?” Let me start by saying, there is no easy answer or magic formula for staying healthy, other than making more good decisions than bad decisions when it comes to your health.
One of the best decisions you can make is to fuel your body with the proper nutrients it needs to stay healthy. This ensures that you have the building blocks necessary to maintain an optimal state of health, overcome any current challenges, and prevent any future ones. Because most of us lead such crazy, fast-paced lifestyles, it is often very difficult to get the proper nutrition we need. As a result, we fuel ourselves with sub-optimal nutrients, and our health suffers the consequences.
An easy way to ensure that you at least get the basics on a daily basis is to set an easy routine. This way, no matter what the world throws at you on any given day, you at least know that you have given yourself the best chance to thrive.
The Big 5 difference makers when it comes to my recommendations on nutritional supplements are:
1) Multi-Vitamin
Taking a high-quality multi-vitamin / multi mineral supplement is a great insurance policy to ensure you are getting all the basic micro-nutrients that you likely are not getting from your diet. If you lead a busy ,active lifestyle like we all do these days, I believe this is an essential part of your daily routine.
Recommendations: Metagenics Wellness Essentials (1 packet per day)
2) Vitamin D-3
Living in the Northwest where sunshine is a rare commodity, taking a vitamin D supplement is a great way to boost your mood and your immune system in one easy step! As a bonus, Vitamin D has also been shown to be effective as a preventative measure against COVID-19.
Recommendation: Metagenics D-5000 (10,000 IU per day)
3) B – Complex (supports nervous system and energy production system)
The B vitamins are essential co-factors in the body’s energy system. Most people are deficient in one or several of the “B”s resulting in low energy or stamina in your daily activities. It’s no wonder that most energy drinks contain several B vitamins in their ingredients, but I say you skip all the sugar and take a high-grade B-complex every day!
Recommendation: Metagenics Glyocogenics (1 pill per day)
4) Omega-3s / Fish oil
By now most people have heard that taking fish oils, otherwise known as Omega 3s, is a good idea, but what do they actually do? Omega 3s are one of nature’s most effective ways of fighting inflammation and aging. Because fish oils / Omega 3s are both an anti-inflammatory as well as an antioxidant, taking a high-grade Omega 3 has many major health benefits including:
Improving cognitive function (makes you smarter)
Fights inflammation (reduces aches and pains)
Reduces headaches (reduces migraines)
An excellent source of Antioxidants (fights the aging process )
Recommendation: Metagenics EPA-DHA 720 (2 capsules per day)
5) Probiotics / Enzymes (supports a healthy digestive system and improves immune function)
When we talk about the mind-body connection, we often forget the talk about “THE GUT.” By “The Gut” I don’t mean the few extra pounds around the waist…I mean the G.I. tract where we digest and process all the food we put in to our bodies. Not only does the G.I. tract play a crucial role in digestion, but it is also a major player in the immune system and is often the bodies first line of defense when we come in contact with a bad bug. An excellent way to ensure our gut is in proper working order is to take a daily supplement that has tons of probiotics (good bacteria) and enzymes (the things that breakdown our food).
Recommendation:
1) Metagenics Ultra-Flora Balance (1 capsule per day)
2) Bulletproof Greens (1 scoop per day in 12 Oz of water)
I hope you found this information helpful. If you have any other specific questions, please contact me directly at dreyford@thctacoma.com. If you think this information would be helpful to anyone else you know, please feel free to share with your friends or family.
Yours In Health,
Dr. Eyford