Dietary Supplements

I can't remember a time when I didn't take at least a multivitamin every day. Over the years, a variety of different supplements have come in and out depending on my needs at the time. Some I began taking for a specific reason and then continued to take for maintenance such as Glucosamine and Chondroitin to protect my joints from the beating they get from running.

When Phantom was diagnosed with cancer this summer, supplements took on an entirely different meaning. My husband and I started taking CoQ10 again, a higher dose of vitamin d3 and are looking into krill oil supplements as well.

A friend of mine asked me to write down what a take because now she's on the supplement bandwagon after she started taking krill oil for her cholesterol levels and heart and she suddenly feels so much better. So much better that she recently signed up for an Ironman triathlon!

The former model, Carol Alt is really into supplements. I saw her on her health show recently and she says she keeps all her supplements in boxes and has a morning box and an evening box full of supplements. She must take 100's a day! She also eats a raw diet most of the time..

All of this made me wonder exactly how many supplements I take a day. I decided to write it down and here is my list of daily supplements.

1. 2 a day multi-vitamins for hair, skin and nails (from Life Extensions)

2. Calcium with Vitamin D3 and other minerals

3. 2 or 3 per day amino acid supplements (as well as protein powder in my green smoothie.)

    More than that when I'm training hard and long such as for an Ironman triathlon.

3. Chlorella (it helps with heavy metal detox among other things)

4. N Acetyl Cysteine (also helps with detox and lung function)

5. Turmeric (anti cancer properties) I take a pill form at night and add the powder form to my smoothie.

6. Cinnamon (control blood sugar) I take a pill form at night and add the powder form to my smoothie.

7. Garlic (heart health and anti cancer) I take the pill form but we also add it to some of our food.

8. Glucosamine with Chondroitin and MSM (joint health)

9. CLA (helps body burn fat)

10. L-carnitine (also helps body use fat stores for energy) Want to loose weight? Try this!

11.Green tea fat burner pill (fat burning and antioxidant!) Same as above!

12. Fish Oil (heart health, anti cancer, just good stuff to take!)

13. Flaxseed (same as above) I use to take this as a pill but now I ground the real stuff up and add it to my green smoothie.

14. CoQ10 (heart health and energy) I use to take this for endurance, now I take it for it's anti cancer 

     and heart health benefits)

15. B12

16. Folic acid

17. Singulair - I have to take this for asthma

18. Reservatrol - I use to take this in pill form but now I get it in liquid form aka red wine!

On my list of supplements to purchase is:

1. Krill oil with astaxanthin ( it's a huge part of my cats anti cancer protocol and that's enough reason to 

    purchase for me!)

2. Spirulina (super healthy, anti cancer food)

When I race I also take an electrolyte/salt supplement and another supplement that helps the body get rid of lactic acid called Vo2 Max both from carbopro.com.

We get almost all of our other supplements either at the local drug store or at Lifeextension.com. 

  

So it looks like I take about 18 dietary supplements per day, unless I forgot one. I don't think I have. In the past, I've taken an extra C or E or zinc or evening primrose or selenium, etc. Vit. C and E is in my regular multi- vitamin though. I would take extra if I felt I needed an immune system boost. 

Have I left a really important supplement out that I really, really need to be taking? Please let me know! I'll add it to my "supplements to purchase" list.

Thanks in advance.