Sweet supplements such as chocolates, gummies and bars can make it easier to get the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Select products which have been third-party tested to ensure they contain adequate quantities of essential vitamins and minerals.
Fiber is essential for good health. This nutrient can help lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and enhance digestion. Ideal sources include vegetables, fruit, whole grains and legumes such as beans.
1. Herbal Supplements
Herbal supplements can be an effective way of treating or managing various conditions, but their safety remains unregulated and can contain additives and contaminants not disclosed on the label. Furthermore, herbal remedies may interact with conventional drugs or cause allergic reactions that require further evaluation.
When choosing herbal supplements, look for ones with quality seals such as USP, NSF, Banned Substances Control Group or Consumer Lab. Check that labels list both common and Latin names of the herb being taken, along with whether its beneficial plant parts (for instance if looking to aloe to relieve sunburn then don’t use an aloe tincture made from leaves as its real benefits come from its roots) are included in its formulation.
As it can interfere with medication and procedures such as surgery and blood clotting, herbal supplements should always be disclosed to your healthcare provider. In particular, they could pose serious interactions between herbal products and heart medications, blood pressure medications, blood thinners, as well as interferences such as surgery.
2. Whole Food Supplements
Once upon a time, when people wanted to eat healthily they focused on eating real, plant-based food in moderation – as one modern-day maxim puts it. Unfortunately, with changing times came changes to our approach to our own wellness.
Whole food supplements have emerged as natural alternatives to synthetic multivitamins for those searching for natural solutions. Available both as capsules and powder, these supplements may include ingredients with beneficial tastes that stimulate digestive secretions when taken internally.
Supplement manufacturers use various marketing terms to refer to whole food supplements, including “food-based,” “plant-based,” and “raw.” In order for any product to qualify as an authentic whole food supplement, there should not be any added vitamins, minerals, or nutrients other than those that occur naturally in its source – iron bisglycinate isn’t found naturally so does not meet our definition of whole food supplements.
3. Fiber Supplements
Fiber can be found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans and is known to lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar and help with digestion. Unfortunately many of us need more fiber but aren’t getting enough from their diet alone; taking supplements may provide additional help.
Fiber supplements come in the form of powder, tablets or caplets and come at various price points and with various flavors to meet different taste preferences. To find the most beneficial product containing both insoluble and soluble fiber sources such as Psyllium seed husk or Calcium Polycarbophil. However, be mindful when increasing insoluble fiber intake so as to avoid gassiness and cramps.
Prior to beginning any fiber supplement, consult your health care professional for guidance and recommendations regarding dosage and choosing an ideal supplement for yourself. Initially start off slowly to avoid intestinal blockage; drink plenty of water as too much fiber could reduce absorption of certain medications such as antidepressants or diabetes drugs.
4. Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are organic compounds our bodies require in small doses for various metabolic processes. When consumed as part of a balanced diet, vitamins can provide many health benefits; however, high doses may have negative consequences such as toxicities or interactions with prescription medicines.
Consume a wide range of nutritious food every day is an effective way to get essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamin sources come from plants and animals alike, with fat-soluble vitamins (A, D and E) dissolving into fat stores in our bodies for storage purposes; water-soluble ones (B6 and B12) easily leaving through urine loss. Minerals come from soil and water and are taken up by plants or eaten directly by animals as food, while others such as calcium are essential in maintaining bone health while others such as chromium copper Iodine Iron Selenium Zine are known as trace minerals because our bodies require them in very small amounts for daily functioning.
