I very frequently get asked this question – “Joey, what supplements should I be taking?” – Everyone wants to know what pill or liquid in a bottle they should take to make them sexier. Whether it is bigger muscles, or less fat people want to take something – too bad there aren’t any supplements for prettier faces, I know this person below who could use two scoops of something like that.
Anyways – SUPPLEMENTS – here are my thoughts
1. They are necessary to balance out what you do not regularly get from your diet.
2. They should be of high quality. If you are going to put something in your body every single day, a few times each day, it better be very well made, all natural, and free of as many toxins and chemicals as possible.
With that said, here are the supplements –
A. Multi-vitamin –
This is number one, and the most common one I get asked about. Hands down The Vitamin Code Raw Multi is the BEST! Compared to other vitamins, this one blows the others out of the water!
First of all it is an all natural, raw multivitamin that has zero chemicals. All the nutrients your body will readily recognize and absorb (read – no more glow in the dark, neon urine, YAY!). The energy levels with this vitamin keep you feeling consistent all day long. I have yet to find a better one than this. Totally worth it.
They have them for Men and Women, and the Perfect Weight ones contain Ashwaganda which is an herb that is meant to help your body deal with stress.
Below is an excerpt from their website that describes what this vitamin is all about –
Imagine yourself 100 years ago describing the latest craze in health and nutrition, the “RAW” food movement, with someone living at that time. RAW Foods are natural, uncooked, untreated, unadulterated — NO BINDERS and NO FILLERS. Right after you finished sharing what you consider a groundbreaking concept of consuming foods in their natural state with that person, they would most likely stare at you and tell you that you just described the way they eat every day. What is now considered unique and advanced was for our ancestors the norm.
In today’s modern system of agriculture, the use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and chemical fertilizers allows the average acre of farm land to yield more food than that same acre would have 50 years ago. The flip side of that is due to all of those chemicals, our food is not as nutrient dense as it once was. A comparison of U.S. Department of Agriculture food composition tables from the 1960s and 1970s to the present day reveals that the vitamin and mineral content of the nation’s breadbasket has declined 25 percent to 50 percent in just the last generation.
Our food is less nutritious coming off the farm. This fact is made much the worse when you consider what we do to our food after it leaves the farm. In the name of convenience, safety and even marketing, we subject that food to processing such as irradiation, chemical preservation, heating and treating. Food is created solely based on how well it can be packaged, shipped and sold and not in terms of the nutrition it should be providing. This whole concept supports the maxim that we are overfed and undernourished.
In order to overcome the “nutritional gap” created by an increasingly under-nutritious food supply, many people turn to multivitamins. Unfortunately most multivitamins are chemically isolated, synthetic versions of vitamins and minerals found in food. They are inorganic, lifeless.
We’ve replaced food with an anti-food. Until the Vitamin Code®, there have been few options available for those who wish to supplement with a RAW, living multivitamin. The Vitamin Code represents the next breakthrough in multivitamins.
Each vitamin and mineral contained in The Vitamin Code multinutrient formulas is individually cultivated resulting in a process that mimics plant activity. In nature, plants transform inorganic material into useable and bioavailable nutrients. Similarly, the Vitamin Code Process transforms isolated nutrients, renaturing them into whole foods. The result is an innovative RAW vitamin, mineral or antioxidant that is surrounded by the probiotics, enzymes, phytonutrients and other co-factors that create a nutrient-rich source of fuel beneficial for the body. At no point during the cultivation process are the vitamins and minerals treated, adulterated or cooked. More importantly is what you won’t find on the label — no binders or fillers. The Vitamin Code nutrients are 100% active, meaning that every ingredient contained within them has nutritional value and purpose. The Vitamin Code represents a breakthrough in multivitamins: RAW, living multivitamin/mineral supplements.
B. Fish Oil –
If you have not been taking these, you better get on it and check out my blog post – Omega 3 Fats Plain and Simple and learn why they are so important.
I personally take Nordic Naturals, I just like the fact they have a lemon flavor. But Carlsons is another high quality brand, and even Kirkland Signature brand is pretty good.
I take 3-6 grams a day, this comes out to 4-6 pills, sounds like a lot, but it is worth it for your body. You will love the results you will see and feel.
C. Protein –
This is a tough one for beginners who know nothing about protein powder. I mean this isn’t even really a food per se. What it does is supplement your protein intake with a synthetic protein source usually derived from milk proteins. For this type of supplementation, this processed food is ok.
This usually comes in a powder or sold in ready to drink containers. Usually buying the powder is a lot more cost effective, just get yourself a shaker bottle to use with it.
There are two main types of protein, whey and caesin. I use a protein blend which contains both types of protein in it.The differences between the two types are simple –
Whey – Quick digesting and fst absorbing, exactly what you want pre and post workout.
Caesin – Slow digesting and absorbing, exactly what you want as a snack before bed, or as a shake for breakfast, it will keep you full a little longer.
Right now I use the EAS Premium Protein brand, but I do vary protein sources from time to time. This brand tastes great, and it mixes well with everything. I love chocolate, but I got the vanilla and I use it to cook with, whther I am making my own protein bars (yes, I am a geek like that!), usually adding a scoop to my oatmeal to get an extra 20 grams in.
There are other types of protein powder if you are a vegan or vegetarian, there are protein sources from rice, pea and hemp in case you cannot do the milk protein.
D. Greens Supplement
This is a great addition to any persons diet. 2 scoops adds in the equivalent of 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables to your diet. BUT please keep in mind that THIS IS A SUPPLEMENT – Not an instead of ever eating broccoli ever again magic powder!
These supplements work great to balance out any acidity in your body, and do not taste half bad. The one I recommend is Lindberg Organic Greens and Fruits Plus – Well worth having to make you healthier.
E. Creatine
This one is a fairly new one for me to take. I know it is the most researched supplement in history and is something that is naturally manufactured by the body. More details on this will be in a future post. It really helps to enhance your performance in the gym. This is the only one I take that is specific to performance. I mean, if you thought you were strong before, this will take your workouts to a whole new level!
F. Maca Powder
This one is also new for me.
What it does – Optimizes your hormones for better functioning. It is a root that grows in the mountains of Peru. It has special qualities that make it adaptogenic, meaning it optimizes hormones from the pituitary gland. This means that it will make both men and women function better from a hormonal level. This root will increase energy and reduce fatigue. More specifically it makes sex hormones function at a higher level. Now if your sex hormones are working at full capacity, your entire life gets better!
More on this powder coming soon –
That’s it, it seems like a lot but I have my clients start with the vitamins, and the fish oils first. Let that become a habit. Then add in the rest. The Maca, Protein and Greens I usually add to one shake, or a glass of OJ in the morning, and get that down with breakfast, its not that hard.
Just remember these are to supplement your diet, none of these are magic, but with the right exercise and eating habits they can sure make you feel like they are something straight out of a Harry Potter novel!
Not that I would know that or anything . . .
Stay Strong,
Joey
