One of the most common questions I get from clients, students, and workshop attendees is:
“I’m not sure if I should be taking any supplements. I eat really well, so wouldn’t I be getting all the nutrients I need from my food?”
My response to the above question is: “Not likely.”
Many years ago, I read an article written by Dr. Mark Hyman, who is currently the Board President of Clinical Affairs for the Institute of Functional Medicine. In it, he stated the following:
If people eat wild, fresh, organic, local, non-genetically modified food grown in virgin mineral and nutrient-rich soils, that has not been transported across vast distances and stored for months before being eaten, and work and live outside, breathe only fresh unpolluted air, drink only pure, clean water, sleep nine hours a night, move their bodies every day, and are free from chronic stressors and exposure to environmental toxins, then, perhaps, they might not need supplements.
As a Registered Nutritional Therapist and Natural Health Practitioner, I do a lot of good things for my health, and I still don’t meet those conditions … in fact, I don’t know anyone who does! Most of you know that I believe just about everyone could benefit from taking high-quality probiotic, omega-3, and vitamin D supplements that deliver therapeutic results; therefore, these are often my top three recommendations. But what about taking a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement (which I’ll refer to as multis moving forward)? Is it necessary?
What are Vitamins and Minerals?
Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that we need in varying amounts through our life. Essential means our bodies cannot manufacture them so we must get them from food and/or supplements. Vitamins and minerals are involved in every single one of the thousands of physiological reactions/processes that occur in our bodies to keep us alive and well, including building muscles and bones, proper nerve conduction, muscle contraction (including that of our beating heart), blood clotting, digesting food, making energy, and destroying pathogens (e.g. viruses, bacteria) and toxins. Each vitamin and mineral has a unique function in our body, and deficiencies in any of them – even small ones – can affect our health and our body’s ability to function optimally.
What’s a Supplement?
The definition of the word supplement is:
‘Something that completes or enhances something else when added to it’.
Applying this definition to nutrition, it should be clear that nutritional supplements are not a substitute for healthy eating, rather, they enhance healthy eating and are meant to provide nutrients that we may not be getting from even the healthiest of foods for many reasons, including:
- Soil depletion: Conventional farming leads to nutrient depletion from the soil and therefore crops that are grown in the soil.
- Food processing and preparation: Certain food processing methods (e.g. pasteurization, high-pressure extrusion, irradiation) and even certain cooking methods often negatively affect the nutrient content of foods.
- Restricted or special diets: The avoidance of certain food groups can lead to a deficiency of the nutrients that those food groups provide; for example, vegetarians and vegans are at risk for vitamin D, vitamin B12 and iron deficiencies.
- Medications: Many medications affect digestion and the absorption of certain nutrients.
- Digestive disorders and food intolerances: These conditions, which unfortunately are so common today, affect the proper digestion of food as well as the absorption of nutrients.
What’s the Deal with Nutrient Deficiencies?
Nutrient deficiencies are more common than we think – especially when you consider that many folks don’t have much variety in their daily food choices. Variety is so important when it comes to getting nutrients from our food. A lack of variety often means a lack of nutrients. Unfortunately, there are mounting studies connecting the dots between nutrient deficiencies and the development of many of today’s top health concerns, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. The growing scientific field of nutrigenomics studies the relationship between nutrition and gene expression, especially regarding the prevention or treatment of disease. Consider multis as a form of health insurance, helping to fill nutritional gaps that may lead to health issues.
There also certain times in our life when we need extra nutrients, including during pregnancy as a brand new mini-human is being created, breastfeeding, as breast-fed baby and a fast-growing toddler, teenage years (commonly zinc for males and iron for females), during stressful times (including recovering from an illness), and during our elderly years when appetite and motivation to cook balanced meals can wane. Indeed, there are a mind-boggling variety of different multis that are customized to meet all of life’s phases and stages.
Which Multi is Right for You?
With so many multis on the market, the issue becomes how to choose one that is right for you, or perhaps even right for multiple members of your family. Many individuals choose a multi-vitamin because it is inexpensive, or because the brand offers a convenient ‘one-a-day’ dosage.
While everyone loves a bargain, there are some problems with shopping for supplements, including 
multis, using only price as a guideline. As with many things in life, you get what you pay for. In my opinion, the most important factors to consider when selecting a multi (or any supplement for that matter) are quality and bioavailability. These two factors will have a huge impact on how well the supplement is absorbed and utilized by the body, or in other words, how well it will be able to positively impact our health.
Consider this analogy – although our cars can run on petroleum extracted from sand, they can’t run on sand; in fact, think about what would happen to your car if you put sand in its gas tank! Similarly, the nutrients in some multis are sourced from substances and/or contain ingredients that are as useless – and sometimes as harmful – to your body as sand is to your car.
Many companies don’t produce their own vitamins, and of those, many may not test what they buy. If supplements aren’t tested, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be getting what’s listed on the label. I’ve read several articles that state that many popular brands of supplements commonly purchased in drug stores or grocery stores only have a 7% to 10% absorption rate. That means that if the label says there’s 100 mg of vitamin C, you’re only absorbing 7 to 10 mg of it, or in other words, you’re flushing most of your vitamin C (and the money you paid for it) down the toilet!
What to Consider When Choosing a Multi
Here are just some questions you should consider when choosing a multi:
- Are the products tested for quality and contaminants?
- Where did the ingredients come from?
- How is the tablet or capsule made?
- How is the product processed and stored?
The bioavailability of a multi can be affected by something as simple as how it is made. Some multis have a list of ‘non-medicinal’ ingredients that are added as fillers, flavours, and preservatives. You may be shocked at the amount of sugar in chewable vitamins – especially ones for children. Many of these ingredients aren’t good for us and others can interfere with the absorption of the nutrients the multi contains.
In conclusion, including a high quality, professional grade multi in your supplement routine is a great way to assist you in meeting the overall nutrient requirements of your body. If you need any guidance regarding the selection of a high quality, professional grade multi, consult a nutritionist like yours truly who has already looked into this topic!
Note that I have access to a variety of multis and offer curb-side pickup (Ottawa west location) and in some cases can arrange for drop-shipments to your home (if you live in Canada), directly from the manufacturer (shipping and handling rates apply).
Take control of what you can!
activity, in general, might improve cognitive function. Activities like travel, social outings, playing music, art, reading, and speaking a second language, were associated with maintaining cognition, independent of education, occupation, late-life activities, and current structural brain health. Exercise your brain!
hearing loss to withdraw from conversations/social interactions, which might result in cognitive decline through reduced cognitive stimulation, Interestingly the report mentions a 25-year prospective study of 3,777 people aged 65 years or older that found increased dementia incidence in those with self-reported hearing problems except in those using hearing aids. Get your hearing tested and use a hearing aid if you need one!
damages blood vessel, including those in the brain. It also promotes insulin resistance in tissue cells, including brain cells, inhibiting cells to use glucose – their preferred source of energy. I have written quite a few blogs on sugar and its effect on our health. On my website, type “Sugar” or “Diabetes” in the search bar.
The related increased dementia risk is associated with the severity and the number of TBIs. Do not ignore knocks to your noggin! Get checked out by a health care practitioner and take your time recovering.
research nutrition and dietary components is that they can’t be patented and turned into multi-billion dollar markets the way prescription drugs can! Don’t get me wrong, there’s a place and a time for medications, but they aren’t always the only option and, in many cases, they shouldn’t be the first option.
Axis (GBA) is a scientifically recognized 2-way biochemical communication pathway between our gut and our brain. The GBA has been shown to link cognitive centres of the brain with our gut health. There is a PILE of research that has been done, and that continues to be done, clearly demonstrating the link between the condition of our gut flora (the bacteria in our intestines) and our psychological and cognitive health. I’ve written quite a few blogs on the importance of our gut health. On my website, type “GUT HEALTH” in the search bar.
are delivering therapeutic benefits. I feel so strongly about the benefits of the supplements I personally take and make available to clients, that I am offering 25% off orders that include all three of these supplements from now until Dec 31 2020 to get you started. I can offer non-contact pick up or have them shipped to your home if you live in Canada for a flat $5 fee. For more information on this offer, email me at: 
I’m guessing you or someone you know has taken vitamin C during cold and flu season. There’s no doubt that vitamin C supports our immune system and our health in general; however, the form of vitamin C that you take makes a huge difference to how much of it is absorbed and used by the body. With common vitamin C supplements, you’ll likely absorb less than 30% of what the tablet or capsule contains; for example, if the label says that one of your chewable vitamin C tablets contains 1,000mg of vitamin C, you’ll be lucky if you absorb 300mg of that. Liposomal vitamin C is being referred to as a ground-breaking way to get high-dose vitamin C (the only other way is intravenously).
their fat-fearing tails pointed towards each other. These layers are also supported by cholesterol, another fat-based substance. Substances that are not ‘fat-based’ face challenges when trying to cross the highly fat-based cell membrane.
A 
I have heard about new research suggesting that high doses of oral liposomal vitamin C may speed up the recovery process in Covid-19 patients. I haven’t looked into it yet, so can’t comment on it; however, a recent article entitled: 
Most fruits and vegetables contain some amount of Vitamin C. These foods boost your immune system by offering anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits. Some examples of vitamin C foods that would be easy to include in lunches are: oranges, grapefruit (consider pre-peeling and packing individual wedges so the fruit is ready to eat!), apples, kiwi (if washed, you can eat the skin), fresh papaya chunks (papaya is also a great digestive aid), red bell pepper slices (yummy to dip into some humus), and tomatoes (cherry/baby tomatoes are easy to pack and eat).
orange-coloured fruits and veggies are good sources of beta-carotene … however, so are dark leafy greens (the orange pigment is hidden by green chlorphyll). Some examples of beta-carotene rich foods that would be yummy to include in lunches are: baby carrots/carrot sticks, orange bell pepper slices, apricots, left over baked/roasted sweet potato, squash, or pumpkin. There are also some yummy soups and baked treats you can make with squash and pumpkin. I often sent my kids to school with a thermos full of soup. Here are a few recipe ideas for you:
Cruciferous vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and immune system boosting nutrients. A lot of veggies fall into the cruciferous category; however, easy ones to include in lunches are broccoli and cauliflower (florets would be great with some humus dip!), as well as arugula, radishes, and watercress that could be added to salads.
some blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and/or strawberries in your lunch. Buy organic strawberries whenever possible, as conventionally grown strawberries are typically 
There is no doubt that probiotic foods support gut health – and a healthy gut is foundational to overall health, in particular the health of our immune system. Probiotic foods that can be easily packed for lunch include plain, organic, whole fat yogurt or kefir. Add your own fruit (like berries!) and avoid flavoured yogurts as most of them contain a lot of sugar. You can also pack kombucha as a beverage instead of fruit juice. You can find it at just about any grocery store now, or you could try to make your own! Easy and affordable. 
function. Unfortunately, most of us are deficient and it’s difficult to get enough from our food. That is why it is recommended to supplement with vitamin D. I’ve written a lot of blogs on vitamin D given how critical it is to our overall health. While we can get vitamin D from food, many of us don’t eat enough of them to have a health-boosting effect (e.g. organ meats like liver, and fatty fish like sardines and mackerel). However, a couple of suggestions for the lunch box include hard boiled eggs (as is or as an egg salad), and tuna or salmon (either left over from dinner or canned).
salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring … so maybe some canned salmon for lunch as is or on a salad or in a sandwich? Some nuts (e.g. walnuts) and seeds (flax and chia) also provide some omega-3s. Nut and seed buttters containing them could be included in lunch snacks (e.g. apple slices and nut/seed butter) depending on the school’s/workplace’s nut-free policy. It’s challenging to get enough omega-3s from our meals and snacks, so I strongly recommend supplements.
This is a confusing topic, and being misinformed can be hazardous to your health. I go into it in detail in my pre-recorded webinar, 
Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid, which the human body can convert into a substance called monolaurin. Monolaurin has antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal properties. Interestingly, breast milk contains lauric acid and a study published in 1998, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, revealed that lactating mothers who eat coconut oil and coconut products, increased lauric acid levels in their breast milk significantly – up to three times the original level.
Some research has shown that chicken stock has nti-microbial properties which can boost the immune system and heal the gut. My mom always had homemade chicken stock on hand, and so do I. I make big batches so there’s plenty to freeze. It is the base of many of the soup recipes on my website. A thermos full of a yummy homemade soup is a great lunch, especially during the fall and winter months (aka flu season). Here’s my 
Papaya contains papain – an enzyme that helps digest proteins. This enzyme is so effective, that it is extracted from papaya to make digestive enzyme supplements. Note that the enzyme is especially concentrated in unripe papayas – often referred to as ‘green papaya’ – which is often used as a base for salads, primarily in Thai cuisine (every had som tam?). Is it possible this traditional Thai salad is served to help with the digestion of proteins in the meal? Hmmmm! If any of you have had consults with me regarding digestive issues and/or have attended my workshops/Lunch & Learns on the topic of digestive health, you may recall that I mention papaya as one way to support digestion.
all of which have been shown to promote cardiovascular health by promoting healthy cholesterol metabolism and/or strengthening, and preventing inflammation of, blood vessel walls.
The nutrients in papaya have been shown to be helpful in the prevention of cancer, in particular colon cancer and prostate cancer. Papaya contains folate, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin E – all of which have been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. Papaya also contains lycopene – a substance that has been shown to reduce the risk of colon and prostate cancers. Note that other lycopene-rich foods include tomatoes and watermelon.
Papain has been shown to reduce inflammation, which is the root cause of virtually every health issue in the body. A few common examples of inflammatory diseases are arthritis, cardiovascular disease, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), Crohn’s disease, macular degeneration, and asthma.
