So we’ve gotten through the first part of the things I take on a normal basis to supplement my dietary intake. Again, I’m not a Doctor (although I do play one on this blog) and you should seek actual medical advice before taking anything. Wow, it feels like that was a way better disclaimer then part one. Now for the most part I take all of these supplements and vitamins at one time (10am) except for the Recovery (after a workout), Protein (various times) and the Magnesium Malate (right before bed). I usually don’t eat breakfast until after 9am and then I will take all the daily pills and wash them down with a protein shake.
Vitamin D is sort of a helper. I take this in order to help the body absorb Calcium. This little wonder helps out with bone density, skin and it can help with cardiovascular health. Most people get enough of this vitamin through exposure to the sun, but it never hurts to get a little bit extra. Now I don’t remember why I started taking vitamin D way back when, but after research and just plain use, I found that I feel pretty good while taking it and I seem to be missing something when I stop.
Calcium/Magnesium. Calcium is the building block of strong and healthy bones and teeth. Now I used to be a big milk drinker and felt that taking supplements would never ne required. As I got a bit older I moved away from drinking milk (almost never do) and if I’m making smoothies I use almond milk. That left a little bit of a hole in my calcium intake. I try and take a Calcium/Magnesium combination because the magnesium (and vitamin D) helps the body absorb the calcium and make use of it.
Fish Oil has a whole list of benefits including reducing inflammation (key), reducing the symptoms of osteoarthritis (also key), but this is one that I come back to and leave. I do feel good while I’m taking it, but I don’t necessarily feel awful when I stop. Conundrum right? A lot of people are put off of fish oil because of the taste or ‘fishy’ burps, but I can’t say I’ve ever experienced those. I do normally have them near the top of the list of things to take, mostly because they are huge, but also because I feel like I would avoid the fishiness…
AllMAX IsoFlex Protein is the brand I’ve settled on after much searching. Basically protein is one of the harder things to find. You want it to be clean and avoid taking in a whole bunch of fillers. Now that does come at a cost, usually taste and definitely price. My current favorite from this brand is the Chocolate Peanut Butter, which tastes fantastic whether you are mixing with water or with almond milk and the 5lb size can be gotten on sale for about $80. They have a ton of flavors and I use the Vanilla for making smoothies in the morning. For me, I like to find a good product and once I do, I tend to stay with it.
Progenix Recovery. No discussions here. Just go and get this. I’ve been taking the Recovery from ProG since I started at @CrossFitCanuck and I can say that without a doubt this is the best there is. When you work out, there is a 30-minute window when you are done when your body needs protein. In that window your body wants the materials to repair itself after all the damage a heavy workout can do. I don’t know what it is, but taking this Recovery helps to reduce the pain of DOMS (delayed onset muscle syndrome) and allows me to stack the heavy workouts closer together. I’ve tried other products, but when I did it always took longer and the ache of DOMS always seemed to be more pronounced.
Now if you’ve gotten here we’ve come to the best kept secret out there…
Magnesium Malate. This little gem can help you get that restful nights’ sleep that is oh so important. I take a pair of these little beauties right before bed and the result is no restless legs or sore muscles. These are an internal version of an Epsom Salts bath. Oh so relaxing.
That’s it, that’s all folks. Hopefully you will find this useful…
Beez
